Will / Machado Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Australasia

When we are threatened, especially when that threat appears suddenly, our bloodstream is flushed with hormones secreted from our adrenal gland. This reaction to threat has been called the Adrenal Dump; and it in turn triggers within us the so-called Flight or Fight response.
I actually prefer to flip it around and refer to it as the Flight or Fight If You Must response; mainly because I believe that under most threatening circumstances, most people, will choose flight over fight, if given the opportunity.
Flight or Fight? Well – which is it? When we think about it, those are two very different reactions. In understanding that, I beg the question – what determines whether we choose one over the other? What determines whether we stay and fight or leave the scene as quickly as we can? I believe the over-riding factor is one thing: SPACE.
Let me give you my caveman example: Our friend ‘KROG’ is walking along the river, that ran along the valley in front of his cave. Sun-bleached fields stretch away from the river, giving him a good field of vision in all directions. Suddenly, Krog stops in his tracks; he smells something. Something that makes the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He spins around and sees the long, low shapes of two sabre-tooth tigers appear on a hill-top several hundred metres away. Suddenly his heart-rate jumps from a resting 70 BPM to around 135 beats BPM. He experiences tunnel-vision as he focuses on the threat. His increased heart-rate pumps blood to his major muscle groups to ready him for action. Blood vessels in his extremeties constrict and so he feels tingling in his fingers and toes. As one of the sabre-tooths lets out a loud roar, another surge of hormones is released into his bloodstream. His bowel automatically empties to lighten his body mass as he turns toward the river and makes a sprint for the water. His decision to run was an easy one to make. The sabre-tooths were still several hundred meres away. The river was only twenty metres away and ten metres wide. On the other side of it, was a small band of light forest separating it from the rocky hillside where he and others of his tribe had lived for generations. Running was his best chance. Now that he had made his decision, his tunnel-vision was focussed on where he was going. Time seemed to slow down as Krog’s turbo-charged legs drove him through the river and up the hillside toward safety. The sabre-tooths missed out on their meal, whilst Krog lived to tell the tale. In fact, the adrenal response had an additional side-effect of burning the experience deeply into Krog’s memory. For a whole summer, Krog had trouble crossing the river – and so spent a lot of time around the cave with the women. But that’s another story.
The next year, one of Krog’s clansmen, Mog, was out hunting along the base of a cliff, far from the safety of the cave. Suddenly, without warning, a sabre-tooth leapt off a ledge above him to land snarling only a body-length away. His adrenal response was pretty much the same as Krog’s; his heart-rate shot to 145BPM; feces and urine were suddenly expelled to lighten his mass for action; all fine-motor skills were gone; his vision became so focussed that he was able to pick out individual hairs on the big cat as it leapt at him. His normally powerful body became temporarily even more so. There was no space, no opportunity for flight, and so he became absolutely committed to the battle. He didn’t even feel it as the big cat tore open his arm with a swipe of it’s paw. He gouged at it’s eyes as they tumbled to the ground. Unfortunately for Mog, the cat won the battle. But not before losing an eye in the process. Mog turned out to be a costly meal; he proved to be far stronger and more resilient than he looked.
And so there it is. The adrenal dump prepared both of our cavemen for action. One had the space to run and flee the scene, the other had no choice but to fight. The adrenal gland prepares us for serious action. Our perception of the situation is what triggers us into one course of action over the other. Knowing this can help us to formulate certain strategies that we can use to better protect ourselves. Here are two simple rules:
- if you are going to induce an adrenal response in a potential adversary, give them the space to run (back off) – DO NOT, induce an adrenal response and then close.
- If an adversary is already adrenalized, calm them down before initiated a pre-emptive attack.

Both Krog and Mog had the same hormonal response to a threat. Environmental factors played a pivotal role in how each acted. FLIGHT or FIGHT? Can you run or not?
JBW

Driving over the Westgate bridge last Friday evening, I noticed a huge billboard off to one side; it said something like ‘Raise your right foot – then in much smaller print underneath it said ‘take off five’ – the billboard was part of the Vicroads campaign to get people to slow down. Here’s my question: Why make it cryptic? Why, when I am in my car, travelling in traffic, do they want me to figure out their clever little ad campaign slogan? Why not just print, in huge 12 foot high letters – SLOW DOWN! Now that’s the sort of communication I want!

I like non-cryptic communication – especially if I want immediate results. When we are coaching, and we need people to follow instructions and achieve set outcomes quickly, we need to make the communication as clear and concise as possible.

Sometimes it just doesn’t pay to be too clever. It is worth remembering that under certain conditions and depending on who we are talking to, that sometimes, ‘clever’ equals ‘cryptic’. If we want to effectively communicate, we do not want to be cryptic; instead we want to be obviously obvious.

Being cryptic in communication is akin to testing the mental agility of the person with whom we are trying to communicate. Sometimes you want to run tests – sure, but when you want to get an immediate response, you want to make things as easy as possible. When things are moving at pace, and we want to get a message across under those conditions (sometimes training environments are like this), then it’s time for a good dose of straight talk.

So if your friend is driving your car down a stony road and you don’t want a pebble to fly up and break the window; don’t say ‘Please, avoid windscreen damage’ – just say ‘SLOW DOWN’.
Remember: the meaning of the communication is the RESPONSE you get.
JBW

Fear Response Always Induced During Yelling

It’s amazing how easy it is to induce an adrenal response in someone by simply shouting in their face. Most martial artists, because of the sanctity of the dojo, do not experience the rush of the adrenal dump. One of the most common types of assault that people fall victim to is ‘verbal assault’. When an antagonist invades our personal space and begins screaming expletives inches from our face, traditional martial arts training provides very few answers. Under such conditions, most untrained people (including martial artists) lapse into a ‘deer in the headlights’ response. This narrowing of perception, increase in heart-rate, etc, are caused by the adrenal (or fear) response. If a large part of the reason we take up the practice of martial arts is to develop skills with which to deal with assault, then some scenario-based assault training is absolutely mandatory. By including some role-playing (the mugger-victim scenario) into our training we can effectively prepare ourselves for the real-world assault. Get in each others faces, yell and scream a bit. Kill your own ‘fraidy cat’ today.
Train for realism.
JBW

It has been said that ‘life is a series of rooms’ – I kind of like that idea. The reason I like it is because it speaks of possibilities. No matter what our current circumstances; there always exists the possibility of change and betterment. The possibility is always right there – right next door.
Not every day is a new door, not every year represents a new door – the new doors are within, not without. The opportunity to discover a new door is always with us; but if you never see new doors, and continue to do the things you do and act and behave in the same ways each day, then you will continue ‘missing opportunities’. As the author Justin Herald has said, ‘if nothing changes – then nothing changes’.
If you are always seeing new opportunities, then keep doing what you are doing. If you are never seeing new opportunities, then do something different.
Imagine an endless mansion, with rooms running off forever, in every direction, each containing new wonders and new possibilities; imagine you live there, love there and play there; imagine the wonder that lies before you – it’s good to imagine such things, because this is pretty much exactly what life is like. And endless series of rooms – some containing good things, some containing bad things – it’s not the contents of the rooms that matter as much as the sense of wonder and excitement about the possibility of exploring them.
Here’s to opening some new doors …
JBW

When we are exposed to a new technique it’s good standard practice go through the following process: Analyse, Drill And Pressure Test. It goes like this:

Firstly, I like to analyse a technique, break it down into it’s component parts, and understand how it works. Understanding how something works qualifies us to fine-tune it and make those minute adjustments necessary to implement it under ‘live’ conditions. Understanding how something works also makes it easier to break it down and impart it to others. This part of the process is mandatory for those with coaching/teaching aspirations.

Secondly, once I understand it, I like to drill it. There’s no substitution for repetition. Repetition hardwires the physical process into our neurology. Repetition also locks the new move into our long-term memory. Repetition ‘smoothes-out’ the process.

Thirdly, I like to pressure-test it. This means applying it against a resistant opponent. Pressure-testing highlights any weaknesses that may be inherent in the move and exposes the opponents most likely reactions and responses to it. If possible we should pressure-test it in a progressive fashion; starting with easy opponents and working our way up to skilled opponents. This is the phase that will usually make or break a new move. Most people, if they experience too much ‘failure’ during this stage, decide to abandon the technique and begin the process over with something new.

So next time you have the opportunity to get hold of a new technique, try running it through the A.D.A.P.T model. I hope it works well for you,
Train smart,
JBW

It is a sad truth, that while most people say they want changes in their lives, most people are in fact, afraid of making those changes.

This is so because we are all, to some degree or another, influenced by a survival imperative that says ‘Change is bad’. For millions of years, changes in behaviours or routines, would more often than not be associated with RISK. And one hundred thousand years ago, RISK could easily lead to early death. Back then, it was nearly always safer to stay with the known or with the familiar. The unfamiliar, be it a new plant, a new animal, a new tribe or a new environment, would pose new possibilities; many of which were dangerous to our survival.
Nowadays though, things are a lot different. Although CHANGE still means RISK; the cost of the risk is much less – and more often than not, will not kill us. The real problem is not the risk, not even the price we pay for taking the risk – the problem is getting past the genetic hardwiring that says Change is bad. CHANGE is not always bad. Quite often, CHANGE IS GOOD! In fact, CHANGE is imperative if we want to grow, evolve and improve ourselve’s or our position.

Here are my magic keys to making positive changes:

1. Start small; don’t change too much. if you start too big, the hardwiring will kick in and some part of you will want to send you back to your former state. START SMALL, STAY THE COURSE!

2. Hang out with other people who want to change for the better. This taps into our primitive need to be like the rest of the tribe. SO JOIN THE TRIBE WHO LOVES CHANGE!

3. Acknowledge your progress. Don’t wait to you have achieved your ‘final goal’ before you acknowledge the fact that you are making positive progress. By acknowledging that we are getting nearer our goal, our motivation makes a powerful shift from the ‘AWAY FROM’ style of motivation to the ‘TOWARD’ style of motivation – which is more powerful and more sustainable. Simply put, when driven by the ‘TOWARD’ style of motivation, the closer we get to our goal, the more powerful the motivation becomes. ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU ARE MAKING PROGRESS – THIS SUPERBOOSTS OUR MOTIVATION!

I hope these super-secrets help you. I have learned them the hard way – over time. Please take them on board – because I wish each and everyone of you all the power to make all the positive changes you can imagine – and perhaps more importantly, those changes you cannot yet imagine.

Best wishes – JBW

The following excerpt is taken from my new book ‘fear & the engine’ and highlights one context in which ‘being first’ can afford favourable results. But whether we use this principle as a strategic measure within the realm of inter-personal conflict or whether we bring it into the broader landscape of our daily lives, it remains a powerful concept. There is something about ‘being first’ that lifts our collective spirit; first to climb that peak, ride that wave, run that time, swim that channel, win that title or step onto that moon – a first is a first for the person who did it, but it’s also a first for mankind. I am sure that 100,000 years ago, when a hunter left the safety and comfort of the hearth to bring back the first fresh kill in the spring – he felt a sense of pride and achievement that lifted not only himself but the mood and spirit of the entire tribe.
Being first is more often than not about ‘noticing’; about seeing opportunities before others do. This concept lies at the very heart of what competition is all about. In my view it is the healthiest aspect of competition – it is about being connected to the world in a way that allows view ourselves as an integral part of an infinitely larger dynamic. Be engaged – observe – notice – and act …

Excerpt from ROGUE BLACK BELT: Fear & the Engine
‘There’s a lot to be said for being first. One of the biggest differences between ordinary people and extraordinarily successful people is that the latter often have a talent for identifying opportunities a little earlier than the bulk of the population. This principle can be applied equally well to buying real estate, trading shares or getting in the first shot in a fight. Being first-in affords massive advantages.”

My main objective at the time was to put the offender onto the ground; thereby lessening his chances of making a successful getaway amid the minor chaos that usually followed. The first couple of times, I initiated with a full body-weight head-butt. No-one expects this and if delivered properly, can put the opponent down first time. Knowing this was going to be my strategy, I took to wearing a beanie (knitted hat) with a small handkerchief under it; as this took some of the sting out of it for me. Now, the key to hitting first is to make full use of the element of surprise; and if the opponent is not expecting such an attack, it is surprising at how effective the pre-emptive strike can be. Invariably, down they went. After month or so, and half a dozen stings under my belt, I decided to experiment with that first shot a little bit. I tried initiating with kicks, usually to the inside of the perp’s lead leg; this more often than not had the effect of spreading their legs so wide that they fell flat on their faces; and if not, at least set me up for a clean right cross. It also saved hurting my head on pointy Javanese teeth. One of the things I learned quickly about this tactic though, was that I needed to step out wide before throwing that first low kick. If I didn’t, and the perp’s feet were close together, I ran the risk of my toes connecting with the shin of his other leg. In stepping offline before throwing that kick, I was assured of connecting with only one of his legs, and left with the option of a shot to the side of his jaw with my right hand. Hitting the side of the jaw is a good way to avoid bad, and often dangerous, lacerations to the knuckles; the side is clean, the side is safe!
But putting an unsuspecting opponent down wasn’t the problem; the biggest problem that I had was with the cavalry. Sometimes these events occurred indoors, and so there was no line of sight between my back-up and the ‘arrest event’. A couple of times I had to yell for help; and it seemed like minutes passed before my team would arrive; I am sure this was not the case, but when the adrenaline is pumping, time distortion is something you have to regularly deal with.
So plenty of arrests were made and meanwhile, I developed some small insight into the effectiveness of the pre-emptive-shot strategy. My new job had made me a few new friends, but it had also made me a few new enemies; and not all of them were on the bad-guy team.”

Interested in more? Then grab a copy of my new book from: The ROGUE BLACK BELT Site

Do we leave our mark on this planet or not? That’s a question each of us has to answer for him or herself. There are many, who cannot help but leave their mark; for the actions they take echo down through their family tree, or even through history. There are others who live their lives almost anonymously. There are happy people in both camps, just as there are sad or unfulfilled people in each camp. Our mark is our mark, it has nothing to do with happiness, contentment, good or evil. I for one, am certainly unqualified to judge whether or not ‘leaving a mark’ is better or worse for mankind at large.
The way in which I live my life, does in fact, mean I leave my mark. I am mindful that such a mark does more good than harm, be more beneficial for mankind than harmful. I believe that ‘good’ breeds ‘good’. If I live my life so that others benefit – then it seems that I benefit as well. I believe in a win-win way of living my life.
For me, living a remarkable life, is something that I have always wanted to do. I suspect that most people would want to live likewise. No doubt there are others that want anything but – and are content to live simple, anonymous lives, free of anxiety, stress and effort. Perhaps they have discovered the true secret to happiness. Needless, to say, that kind of life is not for me. I seek the remarkable.
A remarkable life is simply that – life whose mark was worth leaving again and again.
Think on it – make your mark.
Or not.

JBW

The biggest cost of doing business is the time we spend doing it.
If we absolutely love doing what we are doing, then it isn’t really a cost – it’s a benefit. But when we don’t like what we are doing, then the time spent doing it, is absolutely our biggest cost. The thing is, there must always be more benefit than cost – this is the way to live.
Most people, unless independently wealthy, need to do business in one form or another to make enough money to pay for the lifestyles they want. Structuring our lives in a way that allows us to enjoy the work is important if we want to keep costs low and benefits high. Being a slave to our business is not a good way to do this – ideally, no matter how much we love our business, we should build some free-time into our regular schedule. It’s important to do this, even though we may have to swap some money for that time. After all, we are swapping our time for money, almost every day – in one way or another. People are usually wiling to trade time for money – but not money for time. I find that kind of thinking to be alien, to the way I see things. The most important thing we have, a very finite resource, is time itself.
Never forget – the biggest cost of doing business, is the time we spend doing it.

Till next time,
JBW

It’s an exciting day for me today, as I am waiting to receive the shipment of my new book. it is travelling the highway as i write this and I am keen to take delivery. it seems only a little while ago that I was sitting in Coombe Abbey in England having breakfast with Geoff Thompson, who was bending my ear about getting it done. Upon arriving home from my UK trip he was still hounding me via e-mail, and asking me to send the chapters to him as I wrote them. I must say, it seems rather easy to do things like this when you have great friends giving you encouragement. There are always those particular people who snicker and gossip (usually behind your back) about the things we try to do, but I have long since learned to ignore them. One encouraging voice of a friend, to me, outweighs a hundred nay-sayers. Anwyays, tis done! I take delivery in a few hours. Already I have received heaps of orders via this website, for the book. Envelopes have been addressed as orders have come in – I can’t wait to sign each copy and send them off. A HUGE thanks to those people who have had faith in me and feel that the book will give them value. MY SINCERE THANKS TO YOU!
best go – need to check my e-mails.
Train Well – train safe.
JBW