What is adrenaline anyway?
Adrenaline is a hormone that is produced by the two adrenal glands which are located on top of the kidneys (ad – renal, on – kidney). When people are exposed to something that they see as potentially dangerous these glands secrete adrenaline directly into the blood stream.
Adrenaline, when released within the body works like a turbo does on a car, the process is there to aid you in either fight, narrows focus (dilates the pupils), makes you move quicker, boosts the supply of oxygen and glucose to the brain and muscles, suppressing other non-emergency bodily processes like digestion and increases heart rate, or flight, running away from danger with all the aforementioned benefit.
Because adrenaline has to be carried by the blood to all the different parts of the body, it takes a second or two before people will feel its effects.
Having a very quick release of adrenaline, if you are not used to the feeling, can, and usually is mistaken as FEAR, but in reality the purpose of adrenaline is to increase speed and strength and decreases how much pain you feel.
The natural feeling you get from a dump of adrenaline is not, in today’s society a feeling that you will get on a daily basis, unless you are in the line of work that exposes you to such situations daily, think, club door men (bouncers), police officers, people in the armed forces etc.
The feeling of an adrenal dump is as natural feeling as feeling hungry or needing to go to the toilet, the only difference is we no longer have saber tooth tigers waiting to pounce on us so as a society we mistake a natural body reaction and give it a label, usually FEAR.
Adrenaline release can also be slow, even over a couple of days. Think of pre-fight adrenaline build up or someone tells you that “some guy” is after you and is going to sort you out next time he sees you, if you feel under threat then a slow release of adrenaline is bound to happen.
Mental imagery can help you prepare
There are many schools of thought on how you can prepare for a rush / dump of adrenaline but a good way that I have found is to use your imagination. How many martial arts only focus on the physical side of the training? Don’t get me wrong, the physical side of training is very important, but you also have to be prepared mentally so that you do not freeze or get stuck if a situation does occur. In a nut shell, see, hear and feel the situation with your eyes closed and run it over and over again like a movie so that you, your body and mind know what to do in that given situation.
This mental imagery technique will have to be another article, as a lot more detail is needed.
Any questions on this please get in touch or come along to a class.
Sifu Alan:
Wing Chun Halesowen’s Instructor, Sifu Alan has been involved in martial arts since 1992. Sifu Alan holds a Level 2 Coaches Certificate through the BCCMA, and has a passion and dedication for the passing on of the martial art of Wing Chun. Sifu Alan offers a unique approach to learning, utilising aspects of both physical and psychological aspects of training to help the student fully understand the reasons behind their training. Sifu Alan does not want the “copy as I do” approach, he wants his students to know, feel and understand what they can do within the Wing Chun System.
Sifu Alan is CRB checked and registered to work with children and young adults.
MIDLANDS WING CHUN KUEN – Director: Grandmaster Ip Chun, Chief Instructor: Si-Fu S. Rawcliffe All Midlands Wing Chun Kuen Instructors are Registered Members of: British Council for Chinese Martial Arts (BCCMA), Sports Coach UK ~ The National Coaching Foundation and Ving Tsun Athletic Association in Hong Kong.