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Fight, Flight, or Freeze

since9

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
6,964
Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
This is about freezing during a a conflict in which you're required to defend yourself, something that happened to me this summer, poolside.

First, some crime stats:

"If a robbery victim does not defend himself, the robbery will succeed 88 percent of the time and the victim will be injured 25 percent of the time.

"If the victim resists with a gun, the robbery success rate falls to 30 percent and the victim injury rate falls to 17 percent."​

These stats encompass both OC and CC, with CC outnumbering OC by many times. They fail to reveal two things:

1. The deterrant factor enjoyed by those of us who OC.

2. The reduced reaction time by those of us who OC.

3. Any reduced defensive advantage resulting from a criminal spotting our firearms and deciding to commit the robbery anyway, but perhaps more violently, such as incapacitating us preemptively.

The statistics also fail to recognize the very serious advantage enjoyed by those of us who have taken self-defense training, and this may be perhaps the single greatest advantage of all, as much, if not more so than simply carrying a firearm.

Proper tactical firearm training isn't so much about being able to draw and fire rapidly and accurately, as it's about not being overwhelmed by incapacitating and body-freezing adrenaline reactions when an attacker commits an all-out attack against you. It's about still being able to use your firearms skills despite the threat of immianent demise which is telling your body to RUN!!! The freezing usually occurs because the other part of your mind is telling your body to FIGHT BACK! When the two are in conflict, you're going nowhere. You will freeze.

I've frozen in many situations, most recently this summer. It's natural, actually, and occurs in the animal kingdom as well. In fact, it can be beneficial, helping give your mind a chance to figure out a better option than merely running (which is actually a very good and successful (96%) option in the case of attempted robbery - another fact the Crime stats fail to mention).

The question is: What do you do with that time? Have you the training to consider your various options during those precious few seconds before the criminals press their attack? Do you even have any options? Can you run? Do you know how to fight back with your hands and feet in an effective one or two-maneuver, attack-stopping response? How's your OC and CC rigs with respect to reaction time? If they're not less than a second from reach to fire, they're not helping you very much.

Some things to consider.
 
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COMMANDER1911

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2010
Messages
129
Location
Flintstone, GA
In the Marine Corps, we were taught fight or flight since boot camp. This is why the drill instructors produce a high stress environment while making us do small tasks to see how stress affects everyone differently. Some people are wired to freeze during a life or death situation, and no amount of range time will change that. However, trying to recreate high stress situations while at the range will in fact help. Just do so safely. Practice like you play.
 

Aaron1124

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2009
Messages
2,044
Location
Kent, Washington, USA
There are many people who have trained to not experience the "fight or flight" response, but rather act as if it's another day at the office when confronted with danger. Their heart rate and BP generally stay the same, and no physiological changes occur.
 

XD.45

New member
Joined
Jun 25, 2009
Messages
8
Location
, ,
COMMANDER1911 is right on, the only thing that helps freezing up is safe close to real life training by getting your heart rate up by doing some run 'n guns. just remember you will never rise to the occasion, you will simply fall to your level of training. so train hard and train often. one thing i recommend, if able, is to get .22 conversion kits for you weapons so you can train without taking out a 2nd mortgage for ammo
 

Hiredgun30

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2008
Messages
451
Location
caldwell, Idaho, USA
i imagine i am gonna hear about it but this is what i use to ingage the startle response when i am training my family....
i use firecrackers,
i light them behind my family members.. and tell them first not to draw and fire until the fire crackers go off..
as the fire crackers are going off.. i start yelling... threat, threat..hes got a gun,
 
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