Visualization is a good training tool for a number of
reasons.
Firstly it’s a great way to practice what you do in your training sessions, most people can dedicate a few hours per week and by practicing visualization of their techniques a few times per day, they can add an extra hour or two to their training
Secondly, visualization allows you to take your training out of the class and into the real world where the violence actually occurs.
As much as we can replicate aggression, emotional state and the stress of violence in the classes we have limitations of our training as well.
Firstly, we know that we are in a training environment there may be moments we forget this, and that is the aim and we know we have to stop if necessary for safety reasons.
We know the ultimate outcome of the situations we are placed in.
Secondly, we know our training partners; this can sometimes heighten the stress, if we are dealing with someone who lacks control and is somewhat erratic in their movement however we enjoy a level of predictability because of this there is a level of familiarity to our training. Visualization training may prevent this for happening
When we visualize situations, we try and stick to familiar locations that we find ourselves in frequently. There is a level of routine in our life that sees us go certain places; sometimes in a vehicle or on foot. These are the environments that we use, these are the ones we are likely to be assaulted in. Visualizing with these locations also helps with awareness, and tunes our state of mind in to the possibility of being attacked, When we visualize a potential attack, we try and keep it as realistic as possible.
We don’t visualize ourselves doing long-barrel weapon defence in a home invasion scenario but rather dealing with muggers, Car-Jackers etc. who might be armed with knives, short-barrelled weapons or unarmed. We also visualize ourselves in the clothes we will be wearing and not the training kit we wear to training
we also change the motive behind the attacks, even if we don’t have the aggressors in our head.
The reason we do this, is because we don’t want to limit ourselves to the types of violence we may have to deal with. If somebody demands your wallet, their motive is clear, if your assailant(s) want to move you from one location to another it could be for a various reasons, from sexual assault to ransomed or interrogating etc. Adding motive into your visualization practice will not only help you identify the most likely types of threats and attacks it will also allow you to consider the unexpected as well.
Rather than just imagine the attack, we will visualize the entire build-up to the assault, from the way a person(s) selected us, to the way they move with us and approach. We do this from the viewpoint of bystander and from how we would see and experience it firsthand. Practice/visualize the attack and response and consider ways to use the environment, how to resolve the situation. Without a physical intervention, all of this helps heighten awareness in situations and dictates how to act and behave when in them to prevent and avoid violent situations if the accrue.
In every situation visualize how to be successful, so plan the process before visualize it. This method should not involve you making it up as you go, but thinking of scenarios, building each stage and then rehearse them. It is sometimes worth doing this as a pen and paper exercise, as you will start to get a better reasoning of how violence actually occurs if you are visualizing a baseball bat attack defence, you have to have found a way for your attacker to have a baseball bat in their hand; where did they get it from. This allows you to understand how and where different types of assault take place and gives you a context for assaults. By thinking of scenarios and working them out in your mind, you will be in a better state of mind should you find yourself in them, and more situationally aware and able to avoid and prevent them.
South West Krav Maga – Oxford Kennie Gould
