how will/do you react

[wareagle69]

and can you change it/
ok we all know that we are made up of dna which helps regulate our chemistry you react to stressful situations differently some and eerily calm others sweat heart races they throw up or get the trots or have to urinate, i have seen some very smart people become stuttering idiots, i used to have an adrenaline surge where i would basically black out i would watch video of my first bull rides back in the day it was just a blur eventually my body adjusted , i would get very nervous my first couple of fights to a point and ya'll have seen this two well trained guys just jabbing not engaging the mind is just stuck cuz you are thinking too hard, now over time i got very comfortable controlled the adreneline and was able to function suberbly, but have ya ever gotten cranky in a bad situation lets say financial stress(would explain some members here) or what about a major hurricane or event or avian flu when your comfy life is now in shambles how would you do? lots of people lie to themselves or at least fool themselves into thinking they would be fine but i see repetition as the only effective way to overcome your bodies reaction to these events and then that bears another question how do you practice these routines you can do the moves on a bucking machine but it ain't the same as sliding down on 1800 pounds of moving breathing ready to rumble bull or face an intimidating looking fool across the ring only way is to do it but how do you practice a financial collapse or a world pandemic?

[BraggSurvivor]

No disrespect WE, but I have to email your post to my 4 year old niece to have it translated.

Will get back to you.

[Sourdough]

One answer is: "Know thy own-self". It takes a long time for a man to learn who he is. And a lot longer to become OK with who he is. And all of his "knowing" is evolving and changing year over year as he ages. Ernest Hemingway and John Steinbeck and others use this as the outline for great novels.

Why is a man scared of heights, and yet he can take a aircraft made of thin tube framework and covered with cotton sheets, and fly it to 13,000 feet, shut the engine off, and be in pure bliss as he does stalls, spins, lazy eights, Hammerheads, down to 500 feet AGL, restart the engine and take her back to the barn. This same man would never bungee jump, never stand near a canyon even if there was a heavy guardrail. I don't know, but I know a little about myself.

[Ole WV Coot]

An adrenaline surge should be used to your advantage since it only lasts about 10sec or so. I have been in situations myself that fear blurred everything out, then since it was a bad spot I lucked thru it and over the years learned to use it to my advantage. Same in any situation if action is called for, then a big letdown followed by rational thinking and a calm feeling. You say you like to cage fight. Well I avoided it until I was forced to face it 40some years ago and found I was able to do what I had to and was darn good at it. Everyone is different, got your own monkey on your back and you either learn to deal with it or fold up in a padded cell. You would be surprised what folks live with and prosper.

[wareagle69]

An adrenaline surge should be used to your advantage since it only lasts about 10sec or so. I have been in situations myself that fear blurred everything out, then since it was a bad spot I lucked thru it and over the years learned to use it to my advantage. Same in any situation if action is called for, then a big letdown followed by rational thinking and a calm feeling. You say you like to cage fight. Well I avoided it until I was forced to face it 40some years ago and found I was able to do what I had to and was darn good at it. Everyone is different, got your own monkey on your back and you either learn to deal with it or fold up in a padded cell. You would be surprised what folks live with and prosper.

yes i like to cage fight but i have been retired for a few years, pretty much a has been now , but just gives some insight into my personality as to why i like to test myself even now with my stints in the bush and horses but i am looking for more ways to push myself and keep my edge but am also curious how many others can/will/do push the envelope and how many can be brutally honest with themselves, but that is a trick that you must be careful with because it can lead to alienation from people as they will not understand the type of man that you are(or woman) just to be correct

[Sourdough]

Brutally honest....? You want brutally honest...? WELL, The truth is "I" can't take brutally honest. I am a was'it. And I am P1SSED about being a was'it. Push myself...? I took some walks in the dark this week, WOW, big whoopee, a few walks in the dark.

It hurts the spirit to push oneself hard and only be a percentage of the man I once was. Being old sucks, but it is better than the alternative. Being a Was'it sucks, but it is better than being a Never'was.

I still set hurdles for myself, but they are low hurdles, I like winning my own games. I will challenge myself to split 1/2 cord a day. What is interesting is the hardest thing is getting started. Once started it is easier to keep doing that thing, than stop, knowing you have to Finish it the next day.

But I do smile when a friend calls from Los Anchorage to brag he went to the heated mall to walk'about a'bit. Honest..??? It is 11* above today and windy, well breezy, and I am having a hard time getting stoked up to go check the bears in the back yard.

Honest...I like winter time because it is easy. Dangerous but easy......

[Rick]

I've been pretty lucky. About the only time I ever felt panic was when my kids were younger and they were at some height like a look out point. Even if it was well protected I got all antsy about it.

You can't practice the big stuff, WE. You can only learn as much as you can, prepare as much as you can and keep your fingers crossed. Even then a lot of luck had better be in your hip pocket.

[wareagle69]

i don't beleive in luck rick- people make their onw luck or fortune or what ever you want to call it

[rebel]

Just breath. That was what I was taught. If you find yourself in an uncomfortable situation, just breath. These guys had gone through alot. If you find yourself in a situation that requires a rush and things don't "feel right". Breath. Slow down, relax, delegate, control the moment, etc. Got it? I've used this and it works.

[Rick]

I don't know, WE, I've seen folks come through unscathed when they should have been quite dead. You can't make your luck when some chemical drifts in your direction or that meteor is inbound for your car (swerve a lot!). I think luck plays in important part in our survival. You can certainly influence it a lot but in the end if you're in the wrong place at the wrong time. Ppppzzzzzzzap!

[wareagle69]

Just breath. That was what I was taught. If you find yourself in an uncomfortable situation, just breath. These guys had gone through alot. If you find yourself in a situation that requires a rush and things don't "feel right". Breath. Slow down, relax, delegate, control the moment, etc. Got it? I've used this and it works.

well well rebel thats two for two i agree 100 percent i always tell people to breathe my apprentices and foreman always remark how calm i am that i don't loose my temper i always say sit back and breathe in any situation its amazing how a few deep breathes help calm the mind and body

[Sourdough]

well well rebel thats two for two i agree 100 percent i always tell people to breathe my apprentices and foreman always remark how calm i am that i don't loose my temper i always say sit back and breathe in any situation its amazing how a few deep breathes help calm the mind and body

One time I had to tell myself don't breathe or you'll die. One of the few times I was able to control my stark raving terror, and over come the panic need to inhale. I was down 80 feet scuba diving, and like a fool was out in front of the other divers, dropping to the floor. Some "Bad" scrambled eggs fouled my regulator. The next ten seconds was the longest hours of my life.

[RBB]

I used to live for the adreneline highs. They are destructive in the long run. I don't seem to get them so much anymore.

My partner and I had a guy shooting at us with a deer rifle, a while back. I was rather surprised, looking at it later, at how calmly I was taking it - "going slowly - as fast as possible." Looking for cover, rejecting a couple of possibilities and finding just the right place. I looked at my partner and had to laugh. His eyes were like saucers and I could tell his world had just changed.

[davef]

...but i am looking for more ways to push myself and keep my edge but am also curious how many others can/will/do push the envelope and how many can be brutally honest with themselves, but that is a trick that you must be careful with because it can lead to alienation from people as they will not understand the type of man that you are(or woman) just to be correct

Your quote rings very true. I have pushed myself to the limits of my endurance and beyond, and have had to face myself on several occasions.
I've trained in different martial arts since the age of 17. I'm 51 now, and like to think that I've learned a thing or two about myself.

The trick you talk about is very real. Pursuing my martial arts training has taken me out of the "everyday Joe blow crowd of people" and has
alienated me from them in a such a way that I can never go back to being one of them.
It's kind of like the guy who comes back from war and doesn't fit in with "regular" society anymore.

I really hesitate to mention this, because someone is going to ask me to explain, which I can't really do.
I've even faced "it". Have to say that turning "it" on was the easy part, but turning "it" back off has so far been unsuccessful.
I've been trying for about 30 years now and have only managed to control "it" somewhat.

[Ole WV Coot]

Hopeak you're like me, getting old and won't admit it. I can't do what I could a few years ago and you have to bite the ole bullet and admit it to yourself. I usually know what to do, getting the ole body to respond is another thing. Just remember age and nastiness plus experience will win out over youth, strength and innocence. A gentle poke to the eye works better than a hard punch to the tummy.

[wareagle69]

ole coot i'm glad your here
dave i think you will find a few of us here that understand and live or have lived what you refer to, because of my training i never go out and drink anywhere, not even a bbq of someone i know, if i show up i get there early enough that people will still be somewhat normal and leave ususally before dark, just to prevent any bad scenario, i have learned to put the dragon asleep but i don't let people near the cave either
hopeak i have scubba on a very limited basis could not imagine the panic of that happening

[davef]

dave i think you will find a few of us here that understand and live or have lived what you refer to, because of my training i never go out and drink anywhere, not even a bbq of someone i know, if i show up i get there early enough that people will still be somewhat normal and leave ususally before dark, just to prevent any bad scenario, i have learned to put the dragon asleep but i don't let people near the cave either

I know what you mean.

[nell67]

Well Trax,you asked for,and we got it.....

[trax]

Makes sense to me.