Why Focus and Decisiveness Surpasses Technique in an Encounter with an Assailant

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Reading time: 7-8 minutes
Last updated: 25 May 2022

Power is nothing in a fight without speed, timing, and effective application. You can be the strongest person in the world; yet, if you can’t hit your opponent, or don’t have a good application of power, then your technique is weak.

In short, I argue why defense against an attack can be broken down into the following formula: Defensive effect = [(Effect) * (Momentous strike)]^Technique.

This is a post I decided to write on my thoughts about decisiveness over technique in karate. I normally would post this only to my martial arts blog, but since this has to do with philosophy of karate, and includes a bit of abstract science in the form of a formula, I decided to post here as well.

My ultimate philosophy in karate is to “overpower your opponent without hurting them”. While this is the ultimate goal, it’s not always successful. It requires a focused and decisive nature to pull off overpowering without brute attack. Ultimately, it doesn’t require superb technique to overpower an assailant, but efficient reflexes and planning. One must be alert, focused and decisive when it comes to dealing with an opponent, for one may know flawless technique, but if they can’t apply it effectively, then all is lost.

It only takes, at best, mediocre technique, and moderate understanding of a technique to make it effective. The rest comes from its application, and in using the correct technique for the proper situation.

Image source

A formula for defense against an attack

We can put defense against an assailant’s attack into a specific formula. The formula variables for effective defense are Focus, Effective application, Speed, timing, and Technique and the result may be perhaps best formulated in the following formula:

Defensive Effect = [(Focus * Effective Application) * (Speed * timing)]^Technique

De = [(F*E)*(S*t)]^T

Or more concisely

Defensive effect = [(Effect) * (Momentous strike)]^Technique

De = [(Ef)*(Ms)]^T

Although this is a tentative formula and should not be taken seriously, or taken as the whole truth of a defensive result, it was meditated on and may perhaps may give some truth to a defensive result in an encounter. It is mainly an abstract representation of a possible result from defending in a concrete encounter, or perhaps a concrete representation of an abstract art of an encounter. Take it is a guide only and meditate on the truth or falsity of my claim. It may need revision. I will go through these variables one by one and explain why they are important in the formula for defense.

the formula, explained

Speed and timing

I will first go through speed and timing. For speed, it is important that you are quick so that you may “beat your opponent to the punch”.  That’s to say that you can block or dodge quickly when an opponent makes a move. If you are too slow, your move will fail to connect before the right time, or at the right time for effective application.

Karate techniques, in my view, is best performed with precise timing so that you can connect your block with the attack, and at the precise points, and deflect it properly. By “precise points” I mean that a block which connects, as an example, just above the elbow of your assailant, can overpower him with less force and acts as a pivot point which may make the opponent more overpowered with less effort as you are using the body’s pivot points. You will get what I mean if you have ever blocked or been blocked with such efficacy that it made you spin around with loss of control. It takes speed and timing as the most powerful assets to pull this off.

One may also dodge quickly, and timing it so that an opponent’s follow through or counterattack is not possible. One may also block the opponents attack before he even produces it, as an example, as soon as the opponent flexes his knee for a kick, you are there with your hand/foot on his knee so that he cannot raise his leg for a kick (e.g., sen no sen). This speed and timing can overpower an opponent. Even without striking, one can instill fear with a powerful attack placed at the opponent but not following through (pressing into the opponent without inflicting pain).

Concept of the “sen”. Source

Momentous strike

Speed and timing can be lumped into what I call (momentous strike). Momentous being “in the moment”. This means it’s timed to be the right moment, and has the right speed to be in this moment (it begins at the appropriate moment, and is applied at the correct moment). Speed and timing are linked, as we can alter speed of technique, but this would require altering when the move is “set off” or begun so it is timed right. Slower techniques need to be done sooner, and faster techniques need to wait a bit longer to connect at the right time.

Focus and Effective application

But even speed and timing are moot without focus and application. Even before speed and timing, focus is required so that you are aware of what is going on in the encounter.

As they say: Mushin or “empty mind” which should be one of the first mental techniques you learn as a karateka. You must empty your mind and be aware of the encounter. This is the letting go of thoughts or “empty mind” which should be one of the mental techniques you learn as a karateka. You must empty your mind and be aware of the encounter.

This is analogous with letting go of your emotions as emotions are salient (hard to ignore) and throw of your concentration. But one should never quell their spirit. One should remain focused in a Zanshin state at all times “remaining mind”, and not deter awareness. 

With focus, then comes effective application, as one must be focused so that one can decide the correct course of action. A focused person can use reflex or be aware of the opponent in subtle ways, such as his body weight shifting, “tells” for upcoming attacks, changes in muscle tensions, etc.…

The many blocks of karate. Source

Then when focused on these things, one can plan/execute a correct plan of action. One must always execute effective application by using the correct/most efficient block or movement for the situation. As an exaggerated example, an opponent kicking to the groin would not be well defended with age uke “rising block”, shuto uke “knife hand block”, nor soto uke “middle level block”. These three are not effective in this situation.

It is important to be decisive because an attack is not always to the face, stomach, or groin exactly, and it may be in between two areas. Each attack is different, and not perfectly executed like in a dojo, where karateka perfect their aiming to three levels (jodan, chudan, and gedan; or face, middle, and lower). Untrained opponents may also not throw karate-like techniques.

Image source

In this manner, I am stating that one needs to be focused on what the opponent is doing, the environment around them (terrain, obstacles, etc…), and efficiently decide on a correct action. Perhaps a block is best, perhaps dodging or shifting out of the way. Maybe a persistent assailant requires some pain as an aversive stimulus by using a counterattack, or a hard “jamming” block to inflict pain by using the bony points on wrist/ankle to hit pressure points, and deter the assailant.

Effect

These two variables can be lumped into “Effect”. This is the effective application, focused into an effect. By focusing on what will have the greatest effect, and applying it, we have good effect.

Why multiply the four variables? (focus, Effective Application, Speed, and timing)

As you can see from the formula, I’ve multiplied these variables of defensive technique. One might ask, why did I multiply rather than add?

I think the way it is set up is that focus has an effect on effective application. The more focus you have, the more effective you can apply your technique. This is not a simple summation, but it multiplies.

If you don’t have any focus, then you can’t have any effective application. If my mind is thinking about what I will eat at dinner instead of an incoming attack, then my application will be null. Of course, we can imagine a lucky person who somehow throws out an arm and de-focuses might get lucky, but let’s consider this insignificant in this context.

This is the same with Speed and timing. Timing is intimately related with speed. One might say you can’t have one without the other. If your speed is 0, then no amount of timing will work because there will be no timing if you don’t move.

Technique

We can’t ignore technique as well, but it does matter least in an encounter (in my opinion). A correctly chosen technique decently executed, but best suited for the situation, is better than one performed perfectly, but not suited to the situation. Technique is important though, as one must correctly turn the hips, forearm, have the correct range and motion.

But as I’ve said, focus, deciding on the best technique for situation, then speed and timing of a mediocre block can surpass a great untimed or incorrectly suited block. Technique here includes application of power, rotations (including hip), or movement. Effective technique, though, can exponentially increase your effective action, but does not give a large result if there is nothing to increase (i.e. no, or little focus, no speed).

Why did I exponent Technique instead of multiplying or adding it? I think that foremost, we need focus and timing, regardless of technique. Even if we have no technique (T = 0) then we still end up with a sum of 1. Good technique can improve exponentially a focused and well-timed moved. It increases the application significantly.

decisiveness

Imagine an opponent decides to kick you. Do you:

1. Wait for kick and use gedan berai with correct timing?
2. Beat them to the punch by blocking their knee so that they cannot perform the kick?
3. Dodge?
4. Dodge and counterattack?
5. Block strongly the leg at a pressure point to inflict pain and deter them from trying again?
6. Dodge and run?

These decisions are situational and must be suited to the opponent and situation. Some opponents may just become enraged by pain and attack stronger and faster, while others may be deterred by it. Some may become discouraged if you constantly dodge them and may walk away, while others become enraged and may pull out a weapon to make their point.

A focused and decisive person will note these things and know how to manipulate their approach to the encounter. Your approach may also need to be changed if one approach is not working, such as dodging constantly may yield to submission from the opponent, and one strong block to a pressure point may be all that is required to cause the opponent to think twice about assailing you.

It really boils down to thinking and psychology. What would effect your opponents mind most of all? What sort of personality does this person have? If you can get your opponent to think they can’t win or give up, you’ve already won.

Summing up

The formula for defensive effect shows that if you lack focus and don’t effectively plan, there is no result in your defense. If you lack speed and timing, your defense is moot. The result of your focus, planning, speed and timing is further increase exponentially with technique. As technique rises, so does your defense, but alas, without any of the other variables there is nothing to increase even with flawless technique.

Focus is most important in a fight, an unaware person does not fight well at all. With focus can come decisiveness, as awareness of the opponent and situation allows to effectively choose a correct action. Then the action must be performed speedily with good timing, and technique serves to increase the effectiveness, but must be given least priority. A person who can read encounters and effectively choose effective actions can overpower assailants more than with brute technique or raw power.