Self-Defense Mistake: Standing Still

Let’s talk about a common self-defense mistake that we should all stop making. What is it?

Standing still!

In this video, Sifu Randy Brown of Randy Brown Mantis Boxing shares a quick training tip that will help you stay safer in a real fight.
If the video won’t play, there’s a short summary below. Happy training!

For more of Randy Brown’s tips and tactics, SUBSCRIBE to his YouTube channel. 

You can also check out Randy’s Online Courses here.

For another collaboration video with Sifu Randy, check out, Tips to Manage Distance in a Fight.

Self-Defense Mistake: Standing Still

You see it all the time in martial arts classes… one student standing still while a partner practices a technique. You see the same thing in bad action movies, too!

Either way, bad guys don’t stand still… and neither should you.

Remember when Conor McGregor fought José Aldo? Conor dropped José on his face as he rushed in with one well-placed hook. But in case you didn’t notice, he also got hit at the same time!

Conor was smart, however, and got out of the way of his falling opponent. You should train to do the same!

It’s like standing on train tracks with a brick. If you think throwing that brick and knocking out the headlight is going to stop the train, you’re in for a big, bloody surprise.

Don’t make that self-defense mistake! Get off the tracks!

Think about it… even if you successfully land that hook to the jaw, palm heel to the nose, or thumb to the eye, you still have to deal with that angry bag of meat flying towards you.

If you don’t, you might end up on your back, pinned under an unconscious dirtbag!

How to Fix This Self-Defense Mistake

Yes, when you first learn self-defense techniques, it’s natural to stand still. Static training and practicing “one-steps” both give you time to understand what an attack feels like and allow you to coordinate body movements.

But that’s just the first step! Consider this piece of training advice from Sifu Randy—

Slow to learn, fast to test!

In other words, once you have an understanding of a self-defense technique, the next step is to add some speed and pressure to see if you can still do it.

Whether it’s a push, punch, or grab, ask your partner to step into your space just like a committed attacker would do. If your technique holds up, add a little more pressure. If it breaks, bring it down a notch.

The point is to make your self-defense training as close to a real fight as possible. Don’t fall into the “one-step” trap and stop your progress as a student at the very first step.

Keep adding higher speed and stronger resistance to your training and you’ll be far less likely to make a fatal self-defense mistake.