The European Historical Combat Guild

Investigating Europe's Historical combative methods and behaviours

Saturday 1 February 2014

A Case of mistaken Identity

Don't mistake hard and fast, for "liveness" or pressure testing.

One can see people doing drills and exercises, generally with some protection, sometimes only minimal levels of protection, doing drills hard and fast.
It can look impressive. the speed and force being used makes it look exciting and creates a sense of
"Reality" ©™®.

However look beyond that....

  • Look at the distancing, are launching the attack out of distance? 
  • Look at the timing, is the responder anticipating the attack they "know" is coming? 
  • Look at the attack, is there a wind up that serves as the feed cue for the responder or is it bigger than it should be to give the responder time to make it work? 
  • Look at the preparations of both, are they maintaining an appropriate focus and transition into and out of the exercise or is switch on switch of? Do they both take time to "settle" before the actions or is their a continuous transition through Approach, Close and Entry
  • Look at the actual energy being used, is it forceful but stopping at the point of contact? Or is the responder actually dealing with or redirecting the continuous force?
  • Look at what happens after the "block" does the attacker just stop? Or do they stay present and "in the fight". Also how do both parties come out of the contact, do both stay present or do they switch off?
  • Look at the Protective equipment, are they using it to help them do the technique. Do you believe they would do the actions in the same way without the protection?
If even one of this is faked without a clear and stated reason, then it really doesn't matter how Hard and Fast it seems, it's not any more "Real" ©™®. than a slow drill done with all of the above.

However we an be fooled hard and fast can seem real but really they are extras and are easy to use as fake sincerity especially when both parties have confidence. However confidence doesn't always correspond to competence and when it comes to creating an illusion or deceiving people as I was told... "Once you learn to fake sincerity, everything else is easy"