Body structure and alignment exercise

Walking on all fours

Utilising the body structure and alignment

Walking on your feet and fists like a cat forces you to utilise your body structure to overcome fatigue in order to move in the most efficient way. Biologically unlike some animals humans are not made to walk on all fours and if we try to do that without sufficient body conditioning we tire fast. Similarly if you walk hunched or without rhythm with your breath you also tires fast.

On all fours regulate each step with your breath. Walking softly make as little noise as possible. Change direction, walking forwards, backwards and in a circle. Challenge yourself by walking over obstacles eg staircase and furniture. If you are tired stop and rest in this position and this will motivate you. While you are moving about observe if you are moving with your trunk aligned. Mentally note if you are navigating with either your hips or shoulders or both. Can you change course using both? This is a great drill to spread the tension all over your body using your breath and body structure alignment as a support.

Surviving a mob attack

A mob attack in a pub

Imagine you are cornered and surrounded by a group of menacing thugs who is about to lynch you. In this scary situation many a victim, paralyzed by sheer terror, would either lash out violently at the attackers or freeze on the spot thereby triggering the signal for the mob to attack him. Usually before the lynching there would be the initial process of harassment characterised by pushing, shoving and shouting of obscenities to frighten the victim into total submission and surrender. If the victim can keep the lid on his panic and keep his calm and cool before the harassment escalates to a full scale bloody lynching there is still the chance of making an escape. Traditional martial arts training in the comfort zone of the dojo may not equip the practitioner with the necessary skills and experience to handle a mob attack in the street. In the event of a mob attack the priority of the victim is not to fight back but to exit from the scene as soon as possible.

A mass attack drill
One person in the centre is surrounded by a group of people in a circle. The attackers in the circle start to push and shove the defender all around using hands, fists and legs. As the defender is being pushed around he lets the movement pass through him without attaching to it and also maintain the upright body alignment as much as he can in order to move freely and remains unharmed.

Turkish parlimentarians

brawling

By letting go of the ego and tension the defender decides the direction to move freely in such a manner that the pushes and strikes of his attackers cancel out each other and in the process allows himself himself to stay out. As the defender is being pushed around he keeps track of his surrounding using breathing as a tool for maintaining conscious relaxation and awareness under stress.

While being pushed around and without telegraphing his true intention to the angry mob the primary objective of the defender then is to spot openings in the ring of attackers to break out from the circle, escape and ultimately ensure his survival.