I think it depends on what you make it. I'm pretty laid back now, but spent a fair amount of time being REALLY alert and aware of everything going on around me. It didn't affect my behavior that much as I don't think I changed anything because of it, I was just more likely to be ready to respond when/if something happened. Your head gets on a swivel and your eyes are moving all the time checking things out, but you can still go to the crowded place.Originally Posted by superscribe
"PLAN FOR YOUR TRAINING TO BE A REFLECTION OF REAL LIFE INSTEAD OF HOPING THAT REAL LIFE WILL BE A REFLECTION OF YOUR TRAINING!"
There is also a difference between being aware and acting aware merely by following the rules someone gave you, like "never sit with your back to the room." People who obsess about the little rules and miss the big picture -- figuratively and literally -- aren't doing themselves much good.
I use driving as an example for my students when discussing this concept. You have 3 types of car drivers out there. Driver one is focused on what is directly in front of them and nothing else, basicly blind to what's going on around them. Driver two sits forward in the seat intensely concentrating on the road, all keyed up and nervous this person tires quickly and they end up dropping their guard and end up in an accident after a few hours . Driver three is relaxed in the seat alert to their enviroment see's that person in the intersection that may run the light and in a relaxed matter reacts so there is no collision. Driver three can put 11 hours behind the wheel and still be fairly fresh at the end. Driver three is less likely to get in an accident.
Scott
Only Hits Count - The Faster the Hit the more it Counts!!!!!!; DELIVER THE SHOT!
Stephen Hillier - "An amateur practices until he can do it right, a professional practices until he can't do it wrong."
For my game, awareness is a balance between consciously preventing myself from being tied into whatever small, insignificant task I am doing at one particular time (i.e., walking down the street, running for exercise, getting my keys out, even reading), and actively pushing my eyes and ears "out there", beyond what is immediately noticeable in my environment, letting my gut instinct do what it has done so well for our kind for the past half million years. As Todd put it, I don't think you can be in "Condition Yellow" one-hundred percent of the time: you will burn yourself out if you try, and you will still have big gaps. Nor do I believe it is necessary, even in public. Are we being robbed to the degree that constant vigilance (to the extent some would have us hold) has become a necessity? From what I have seen, awareness, alertness — whatever -ness you want to call it —, is only really needed for short periods of time. Walking home after overtime while its dark is one. Crossing through or going into an unfamiliar part of town is another.
That said, I think a higher level of whatever-it-is-we're-discussing is needed when comparing ourselves to the general population. The lack of "it" has been so apparent to me in the community that I grew up in that one ethnicity is joked to have been born with blinders. I think that, and not wanting to be like that, has informed more about how I think about awareness than even Cooper's Colour Code. You might think it troubling when you didn't see the fight break out from the corner of your eye, but it's a whole 'nother thing to have another human being walk into you, bounce off, and keep on going without even the slightest response. No shit.
I diverted my own thread so bad I got it split. I'm debating on how funny I think that is
I've been chewing on what's been said on this particular thread for the past week, and after some deliberation I feel that I want to make some comments and clarifications.
Firstly: Situational awareness is not the be all and end all of self defense. I'm still sticking with my original assertion that good situational awareness is the most effective part of good self defense. Now, in keeping with Todd's original response post, I do not think that it is possible to maintain a consistent level of high situational awareness under all circumstances. I fully agree that anyone who says they have never been in white are either lying or over estimating their own abilities, and I do not believe in using blanket assumptions about awareness to mask deficiencies in actual gunhandling skill are acceptable. I guess in my instance I am fortunate in that the instructors who have taught me have always repeatedly stressed that awareness, while supremely important, is also on equal footing with the two other major aspects of effective self defense, marksmanship/gunhandling and mindset. How I have been taught, and what I agree with, is that deficiency in one aspect will probably put you behind the 8-ball in a real violent confrontation. I think (and, as always, I could be wrong and if so am open to alternate opinions) that such deficiency in one aspect may not necessarily prove fatal, but could open the door to a greater probability of a less than desirable outcome. Such as getting your face stomped while trying to reach your weapon. I have always thought of it as about being aware that the threat or fight is coming, and if you are unable to evade or otherwise avoid confrontation, having the martial skill necessary to meet the challenge head on and mindset and strength of will necessary to see the fight through to the end. That's my mantra; More awareness, better and constantly increasing training, and iron mindset.
And yes, we all do lapse into white sometimes, for various reasons and circumstances; but that is our own fault, so it is still a fail. I include myself in that number, as well, and I'm pissed off when I do it. Ergo, I'm still sticking with my original opinion that resulted in the thread being split. As for the MC Hammer pants, these would be limited use and situation specific. I was not and am not endorsing them as a replacement for a quality holster. I also think that if you are carrying in your pocket, it is eminently reasonable to have another BUG in an alternate location. Even when I am carrying strongside, my normal mode, I still have a BUG placed in a position where it can reached easily when the primary is more difficult to maneuver. In my particular case, I have an LCR in my left front pocket, in case my right arm is occupied, and G19 strongside at 3:30 as my primary, and I have also begun recarrying my G26 on my inside left ankle. Since I gas/brake with my right foot, my G26 would be my "inside the car weapon", as my pocket and primary are not accessible when I am driving. But all I have to do is raise my left leg slightly, and voila! In case I'm getting my face stomped on, I will now have a weapon readily available for pretty much any realistic and conceivable position.
Awareness/preparation, skill, and mindset.
Or, the way I learned it and not to quibble too much, awareness as a component of mindset, with the 'combat triad*' being mindset, marksmanship, and gunhandling.
*when giggling at the phrase 'combat triad,' as you should, remember that when it was coined mallninjas didn't really exist. Or maybe they did, but you couldn't see them.
Ha! Combat Triad. lol.
I've never understood the concept of a triad that involves two identical components. I've always thought that marksmanship was corollary with gunhandling, because if you don't have competent gunhandling, you won't have competent marksmanship. If you do not know the appropriate trigger press, you will not hit your target. for that reason I often lump gunhandling/marksmanship together in the same category.
Sounds like you got a good idea of it.
I like to look at it as a progression:
Avoidance -> Awareness -> Escape -> Dissuasion -> Attack (Preemptive Option)
With credit to Geoff Thompson. Not all steps are necessary, and sometimes you are forced to jump ahead...
-- I can see your way of thinking, but it does differ a little bit from the way I've been taught to think about it. 'Gunhandling' is everything but sight alignment, trigger press, and recoil management. It's reloading, clearing malfunctions (unless you own an H&K, I guess), managing the safety / decocker / finger on the move, the presentation, all that stuff. It's a triad, because as a group, that skillset is as important as marksmanship, and each of those two physical skill groups is (roughly) as important as mindset. They're the three knobs we're supposed to tweak in training and practice, and they're supposed to get roughly equal attention.
That's a good analysis, I think the progression is very valid.
And what you said about jumping ahead is very true; the same is completely applicable to the color codes of awareness as well. I definitely believe that appropriate training should focus on all aspects of threat management, just not shooting. By way of example, my wife's Karate instructor, Ron Mirikitani, advised me to take some threat management courses from his wife, Jan . She's a 5'0" 60 year old woman who's probably not 100 lbs soaking wet. She does training for threat management, situational awareness, preparation and conflict resolution for the StL county police. Given her size and age, she has some very interesting instruction on the subject matter and what I learned was immeasurably valuable. I've combined that with shooting training from qualified instructors and mindset and psychological instruction. I think that without appropriate training in all three, you won't be able to make that jump from Step A straight to steps D or E in response to a rapidly escalated threat situation. Or, even if you can, you won't be able to make that leap fast enough to accomplish what you need to.
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