How to overcome the fear of fighting
A human being consists of various instincts and fears. As most of us know, the strongest ones are the instincts for survival.
In very stressful situations, a human mind can react with a high dose of fear when we feel like our life is in danger. Thus, fear of fighting is a normal thing. It’s just a natural human reaction.
A fight by itself is a very stressful thing. It often leads to troubles with the law, injuries, and even deaths. Thus, there are a lot of things to be afraid of. But in the world of martial arts, fear of fighting is more like a myth that’s actually very real.
So, we have decided to take a closer look at the link between fears and fighting in martial arts. In this article, we are bringing you our findings and ways to overcome this fear.
What is the fear of fighting?
Fear of fighting falls into the category of normal fears. It is very interesting to us since it is the most common one. Yet, what scares us that much?
Of course, we are afraid of nasty injuries and death. But there is also a fear of ego and honor disturbance. The human ego is a tricky thing and it can hurt us more than bruises for sure. Also, we don’t want someone to embarrass us in front of friends or significant other.
It’s interesting how our perception of this fear has been changing through the ages. In the Middle Ages, for example, fear of fighting was a myth. Religion and mythology even viewed it as a curse or a hoax.
At the time, warriors were using various spiritual rituals to increase their confidence before the battle. New Zealand’s “HAKA” is a great example. Even the modern-day athletes are using meditation techniques to calm themselves.
With the rise of scientific fields such as psychology in the 20th century, humans have started searching for explanations of fears. For the first time, science gave us the chance to look deep into ourselves and figure out how to eliminate fears.
Fear and martial arts
Let’s be real, fear is an illusion that a man creates and conquers. When it comes to fear of fighting in martial arts, there are usually three main triggers:
· Oversensitivity
· Uncertainty in our fighting abilities
· Testimony or participation in the fight with the bad outcome in the past
It is well known that all fears have a close relationship with stress. So, fighting in the martial arts academy or in public places is a unique stress for every person. Whether it’s a sparring or professional fighting, it simply affects everyone.
Boxers and MMA fighters are often publicly talking about the presence of fear. Every athlete enters the battle with huge pressure on their back and fear. In the video below, you can hear the UFC fighter Donal Cerrone perfectly describing how fear of fighting looks in his case.
Still, martial arts are the source of fear and its medicine at the same time. As beginners, we were all anxious and scared in the first months of our journeys. Even with the great desire to learn and have fun, most new martial arts students are afraid of pain, injuries, and failure.
Also, we all know at least one guy who was very talented in the gym but failed to deliver under the lights of the ring. Regardless of how talented you are, you can’t succeed without a strong mindset, and here is why.
In what way does fear affect a man in a fight?
Fear plays a key role in the abilities of every athlete regardless of the sport. The ability to stay calm and embrace the moment can make a ton of difference during the competition.
In martial arts, it can affect a fighter in many ways. First, it raises the number of heartbeats and with that, the body seeks more oxygen. This leads to faster and uncontrollable breathing which causes fatigue. No matter how well trained you are, fear will empty your gas tank like crazy.
Further, it freezes a fighter and has a direct impact on their movement. Instead of thinking about the game plan, they are anticipating the attack and strikes. Bit by bit, your mind will enter a survival mode. Thus, it will start working incredibly fast and the only thing you want at this point is for a fight to end.
What separates the champions from average fighters is the ability to control the emotions and fears. Every great fighter has the ability to stop the emotions from turning into fear and panic.
What can you do to eliminate the fear of fighting?
Have you ever watched the whole Boxing or MMA match? Have you ever noticed that both fighters are hesitating to strike at the beginning? The thing is, both fighters have brought a certain amount of fear into the ring.
But, have you noticed the behavior of the same fighters in the last rounds of the fight? They’re both confident and their hands are swinging all over the place. Suddenly, none of them cares about pain, injuries, or ego anymore.
This teaches us that the only way to get rid of fear is to fight!
Though it may sound weird, fear of fighting can become your ally as well. It keeps you awake and focused on what you have practiced in the gym. Also, it gives you a better awareness of what’s happening in the fight.
Now, let’s switch our focus on the positive things and what could you do to make your martial arts experience more pleasant.
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Get to know your fears
It’s very important to know your fears and to accept them. In order to defeat the enemy, you have to know who you are fighting against.
Every week, give yourself around 15–20 minutes to visualize the training session. Lay comfortably in your bed, take a couple of deep breaths and start thinking about those things you are afraid the most. Imagine receiving hard strikes, pain, and everything that bothers you at that point.
Breathing and isolation will allow your mind to calm down and focus on the problem. In the beginning, it will surely be difficult and unpleasant.
This way, you can prepare yourself for the next training session. Even if the worst happens, you will be prepared for it. This can make all the fears less intensive and with that, you can get more confident.
Over time, the visualizations will become more peaceful and fear of fighting will not have that much of an impact on you.
Open yourself about the problem
If you keep the problem for yourself, your fears will keep on coming back. Soon enough, a person like this can turn into desperate and without a solution.
Thus, the first time you meet the martial arts instructor, tell them about your fear of fighting. Remember, no one comes to the martial arts classes with the intention to hurt someone. Training facilities full of a positive atmosphere and everybody need to be respectful.
When the coaches are aware of your fears, they will become your ally in overcoming them quickly. For them, you are not the “special” one. Many of their previous martial arts students have shared similar problems and these trainers are more than capable to help you.
This way, you will start working on eliminating the problem from the beginning.
Be consistent and train smart
Showing up in the gym as much as you can is the best way you can put an end to all the anxiety and fears. You need to have trust in the process of learning and be on the mats at least three times a week. But this doesn’t mean you should train like a maniac and sparr every day. Instead, be smart!
Once your coach feels confident, you will have to feel some live-action with the partner. However, don’t panic. People tend to forget there are many variations of sparring in martial arts.
As a beginner, you will take part in controlled sparring. This means the focus is on performing the techniques slowly and gently. For instance, you and your partner will throw a jab-cross combination at each other and then repeat the process 10 times.
This is one of the best ways to boost your confidence and fight without fear. With the slower and weaker punches, your body gets used to being hit and it becomes much stronger. But above all, your confidence grows as well.
The human body is very adaptable to various things, including getting hit. But you should also focus on becoming more muscular by lifting weights.
Take control over the emotions
Emotional reactions are a very bad thing, especially in stressful situations like fighting. It is not helpful in solving the problems in your personal life either. Yet learning how to control these things is very hard.
Emotions are activating various instincts and push you far away from what’s reasonable and rational. We can see examples of emotional reactions in just about every fight.
A better fighter is always calmer, more focused and disciplined.
There are many ways you can train how to control your emotions. In the martial arts world, the most popular are yoga exercises and meditation.
In combination with the training sessions, these exercises will improve your focus and keep your mind calm and relaxed. In other words, it helps you build strong mental resistance to fear and let go of the ego.
If something bad happens in the gym or you feel anxious for any reason, step away from the mats and take a couple of deep breaths.
Remind yourself why you are here, what you want to achieve and what steps you need to make. Don’t let the fear to hold you back from your martial arts dreams.
Final Words
It takes some time for the one to overcome the fear of fighting. Like everything in life, it requires energy, patience, and dedication.
As martial artists, we have all battled against the fears at some point. We all share similar fears, and you are not any different. Follow the presented advice above and enjoy the martial arts experience to the fullest.
