🥊✈️ Your Block Won’t Save You

Hey Warrior,

I see it in training all the time.

Two students square off. The attacker throws a slow, lazy, looping punch from way too far out.

The defender makes a perfect, heroic-looking block. 

Looks great. They feel proud.

Then I stop them.

“Okay,” I say. “Now do it again. But this time, I want you to step in close. Uncomfortably close. Now go.”

The puncher fires a fast, short shot from chest range.

What happens to the defender?

Well typically he freezes…

…or he gets nailed.

That slick, confident block is nowhere to be found.

“I’ll just block it,” right?

That lie gets people hurt.

The Comfortable Lie

The idea that you can just reactively block a committed attack at close range is one of the most dangerous pieces of bullshit in self-defense.

It feels good in the gym. It looks good in the movies.

But in reality?

When the adrenaline is pumping and some asshole is in your face?

Action is faster than reaction. Every single time.

By the time your brain registers the threat, processes it, and sends a signal to your arms, his fist has already met your face.

That “perfect block” from training was only possible because you had distance.

You had time. You knew it was coming.

Take away the distance, and you take away the time.

Your confidence vanishes.

Deny, Don’t Delay

The goal is not to get better at delaying an attack with a block.

The goal is to deny the opportunity for the attack in the first place.

This is a mindset shift.

You stop being a passive target hoping your reflexes show up on time.

You become an active participant in your own safety.

This is achieved by managing distance and preempting encroachment.

That's what buys you time and options.

Relying on your reaction speed is a gamble.

Denying the aggressor the position he needs to attack you is a strategy.

There are simple physical ways to push someone back and regain control, and they're a hell of a lot more reliable than hoping your block is fast enough.

Your Homework

Here’s your mission.

Throughout the day today, whenever you're interacting with people, I want you to be conscious of your hands.

Use them when you talk.

Gesture.

Keep them up in a casual, non-threatening way around your chest or solar plexus.

Then, notice how you feel when your hands are just hanging down by your sides.

Compare the two.

Feel how much closer your hands are to being useful.

The goal is to feel the difference in your own readiness.

Stay dangerous.

Paul Simoes

P.S. Want feedback on your hand position? Drop a photo or clip in the group. Link below: 👉 In the Operators Lounge (Facebook Group)