On the way to our gym the other day we just missed running over a small Florida squirrel. It was in a residential area and we were moving along in our Hummer around 30 mph.
Chatting about which machines we were soon going to work out on, we rounded a curve in the road, and out jumped the miscreant rodent.
Applying the brakes so we would avoid making a squirrel pancake, we witnessed what we considered an extreme example of a lack of animal survival skills.
As the wheels of our vehicle kept coming closer, all his furry head could do was stare at his impending doom.
No dash to the left, jump to the right, or even a slight twitch of his nose in alarm!
His little body froze as if he had became an adorning statue in the middle of the boulevard.
So, rather than incurring the wrath of any animal rights organization or the street cleaners, we turned the wheels and avoided striking the furry jaywalker.
Just as we passed, we noted with a breath of relief his getaway off to the side.
Proceeding on to our destination, we discussed his apparent lack of survival skills, his frozen contenace and lack of decision in the face of what could have been his certain death.
We also then noted how similar reactions occur in the human species when confronted with life and death situations.
We have all experienced the feeling of the deer caught in the glare of the oncoming car's headlights.
Having to make decisions that will impact the outcome usually in a permanent and irrevocable fashion, often causes our brain to seize up as we process the responses and weigh out the following consequences.
However, when it comes to making decisions that can result in our imminent harm or even death, the situation requires us to fashion a response that will enable our self protection in a matter of milliseconds rather than hours or days.
Standing in line at the concert, school campus or even the grocery store and a knife wielding terrorist comes screaming towards us with knife held high requires us to make decisions of survival immediately.
Our brain will go through its circuits processing whether to flee, stay put and fight, or even make the choice to shut our eyes and hope the matter never reaches us.
And this mental state of preparedness is what we train for in our school and in the application of our combative art, Krav Maga. We train our bodies for superior fitness, stamina and endurance and we also train our brains to react to contrived violent situations directing our neurological responses to correspond immediately to the threat presented.
What good does it do if we learn different techniques and skills to deflect, disarm or disable an opponent but do not train to react with intensity, control and adamant decision to address the danger?
This can only be accomplished with ongoing training.
We all hope we are never faced with these life and death decisions, but isn't it good to know that as this world becomes crazier, we involve ourselves or our children in programs that can help grant us a higher level of self safety?
Come see for yourself.
Come train with us at Brunos Self Defense and Krav Maga.
You will gain superior health, fitness and confidence.
Remember, not making the split-second decisions immediately to insure your survival can cause dire and unwanted results.
And as my husband likes to say;
"Indecisiveness will get ya squished."
Get started on your training. Now.