How to Conquer Fear in Martial Arts?

Question

Hello...

How do you get over your fear of getting hurt in martial arts? I am always amazed when I watch kick boxers, etc, go into battle. No protective gear (well, not on their faces, anyway). How do they do it?!? How do *I* develop this?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Fear of getting hurt is a GOOD thing- it's what prevents you from running through traffic to get across a busy street. However, it becomes a problem when this fear prevents you from doing what you want to do or what you HAVE to do. With the "prize fighters" like professional boxers or the guys from the UFC or whatever, it is a matter of feeling invincible. You have to believe that you are the absolute BEST when you fight someone else in an exhibition or for a prize of some sort. You have years of training behind you, a bunch of trainers and coaches constantly telling you that you are the best, and usually a LOT of wiped out sparring partners willing to back that up. In this manner, it really is about practice and supreme confidence. You get to the point that you know that even if you DO take that punch to the chin, you know how to handle it and you know that you CAN handle it. Simply put, you get USED to not getting hurt.
Now, in a self defense situation, it is more often a matter of the typical "flight or fight" instinct. You have to be able to judge whether the situation can be defused by giving in or whether you will HAVE to fight or else get hurt. In this manner, you may have to fight to prevent getting hurt even worse. You have to decide whether it is worth it to risk getting hurt. Simply put, it might be kill or be killed.
Developing this takes a LOT of time in either event. You have to develop the confidence that your style or your style's techniques are actually effective. That comes with time and experience. Then you have do develop the SELF confidence that you can perform those techniques properly, in the right situation, as fast as you need to, as hard as you need to and as well as you need to. It's much like a baseball player getting over the fear of getting hit by a pitch- it just takes time, practice and patience.
Hope this helps...

Answer 2

Well you really won't lose the fear. Fear is what makes you stronger. Its what makes you think that you still have a lot to learn and thats what makes you a better fighter. I am a fifth degree kickboxer (like a blackbelt) and I always fear getting injuries during sparring. But you just have to think that this is your passion. Something you love to do so much that you accept that physical hurt is part of the training process. Years of training will also lessen the fear. It is the acceptance of the sport that will make you accept whatever comes with it. I hope that someday you will get over your fears and be the best martial artist you can be! :-)

Answer 3

The human mind has a survival memory mode that kicks in whenever one gets into a tight situation, now the difference between a trained fighter and a novice is the sparring experience the trained fighter has had. His mind and body is used to taking a punch or two. Most novices will freeze up when hit with the very first strike. A trained fighter IF hit will keep fighting.

Train hard like they do...

lr

http://www.wingchunassociation.com
http://www.pacificwingchunassociation.com

Answer 4

It's through practice that we develop a mentality that we won't be afraid. Whenever I spar, I will go into some kind of blood lust (something like a love to battle). And that is the passion for sparring, some people develop that. Anyway, it's also the constant exposure to danger that makes a person no longer fear.

Answer 5

there will always be fear if you dont have a little bit then why are you doing it.

when doing martial arts you are going to get hurt some were down the road. hopefully it will not be a bad injury.

i have blown my knee out and had a number of small injurys

jamed toes black eye etc

but martial artist do it for the love and the rush

Answer 6

training.. the more you train the more confident you get, when you can see that your style is effective and works, you will gain confidence.. I was nervouse as hell to spar at my old school but that was because I was at a mcdojo and the techniques they taught me weren't very realistic or powerfull also I was graded to the next level when I knew that really I wasn't ready and didn't feel confident because I realised then that they were passing everyone good and bad so then that made me question my fighting ability, which is not good when sparring (I was dreadful).. now I have found a good school and instructor who is honest and not only tells me my good points but helps me work on my flaws.. I have gained much more confidence knowing that the instructor is actually paying attention to my progress and only teaching me new stuff or sparring people when I am ready at my level only..(for now) but am already feeling more and more confident fighting each day.. also your instructors confidence and honesty also pays a major role in your own fighting confidence.. Good Luck and maybe talk to your instructor if you are having self doubt.. hopefully he/she can work with you on this..

Answer 7

your fears can be faced if you find you are willing to work for confidence, try filling two five gallon pails with sand then practice slugging them with your fists til you have established a feeling for what your trying to build in your self that way you don't do any damage, put on pair of gloves if you don't like the pain, how to see the action in it as a experience of knowing that in any sport there are elements of tactics and how to give and take as the opponent plays head games, will show how to use speed, most have so much speed that there is no chance to see the punch and only when you are in a practice session do the fundamentals bring home what is going on. once you learn you can assume that your temper now is your worst enemy and can land you in jail if you tear someone apart, once learned it becomes a habit to try to save people from being, i have to give it up as my way to not expose how it really is, and i fear it and know it too

Answer 8

Well, for me, what I do is that I think positive, not negative. Thinking positive about yourself will help you build your confidence. Train hard everyday to think you are the very strong or even the strongest in the world and that nobody can beat you. Now when you're fighting, try not to think about anything else but the opponent that you're going to beat and nothing else. If you keep getting hit, just think to yourself, (I don't care if I get hit, I'll just charge right through and give him big blows to the jaw or abdomen or legs.). If you do that, I'm sure you have a very good chance of winning.

Answer 9

Well I have always done it by just ...Doing it. Facing your fear is the way to go. Its scary at first but once involved you forget the fear. The more you do it the less you fear it.

Answer 10

Granted I do wear some degree of protective gear for sparring but... don't be afraid to hit and be hit by your opponents. Face punching is the hardest aspect of sparring to overcome but with enough practice, you can do it.