Chi Challenge

[sochin101]

If these things can be done, why not incorporate training in deception, suggestion, brainwashing and "headology" into your martial arts regime.

Because mentalists (LOL...), confidence men, chi-pushers, mediums all select and groom their subjects. In each case, the subject is expecting something to happen, and has been programmed to respond.
People visiting mediums are usually expecting a message from passed loved ones, so give hints to the skilled cold-reading medium. Chi/no touch subjects are trained in the arts and are expecting to go down. How much different is that from a very compliant uke?

As MAists, we can use visualisation and meditation to aid us, but I think most of us stop short of self-delusion (sorry, ninjers).

[OnceLost]

Don't forget that suggestion and hypnotism are practiced on willing subjects - I don't think that would be real useful in an MA environment.

[tiktok]

Don't forget that suggestion and hypnotism are practiced on willing subjects - I don't think that would be real useful in an MA environment.

Very good point. Last time I sparred I don't recall my partner going along with what I wanted him to do...

[DCS]

Don't forget that suggestion and hypnotism are practiced on willing subjects

Willing or susceptible?... is not exactly the same.

This article published in Scientific American seems to disagree in the "willing" factor:

....evidence indicates that hypnotic responsiveness may have a hereditary component: identical twins are more likely than same-sex fraternal twins to have similar Stanford scores.

A person's responsiveness to hypnosis also remains fairly consistent regardless of the characteristics of the hypnotist: the practitioner's gender, age and experience have little or no effect on a subject's ability to be hypnotized. Similarly, the success of hypnosis does not depend on whether a subject is highly motivated or especially willing. A very responsive subject will become hypnotized under a variety of experimental conditions and therapeutic settings, whereas a less susceptible person will not, despite his or her sincere efforts. (Negative attitudes and expectations can, however, interfere with hypnosis.)

Several studies have also shown that hypnotizability is unrelated to personality characteristics such as gullibility, hysteria, psychopathology, trust, aggressiveness, submissiveness, imagination or social compliance. The trait has, however, been linked tantalizingly with an individual's ability to become absorbed in activities such as reading, listening to music or daydreaming.

About its use in martial arts, well... i think everybody agrees punching to the face is a higher percentage technique than hypnosis.

[OnceLost]

Good find, DCS - I meant willing and I'll stand by that for now (while acknowledging that I have 0 hypnotism experience outside of google).

I would point out the last sentence in the second paragraph and suggest that an 'attacker' is going to have a 'negative' attitude. Plus, I don't know if they did any of those studies with subjects who had any noticeable adrenaline levels, which I believe happens in most, if not all, physical altercations. I don't know if it would change anything, but I'd be interested in the details.

[DCS]

Yes, i suppose telling an enraged biker in a strip club: "look at my eyes, you feel sleepy, you feel sleepy..." is not the best tactic.

[OnceLost]

I'd love to watch someone try, though...

[DCS]

Very good point. Last time I sparred I don't recall my partner going along with what I wanted him to do...

Bruce Lee says: "Your attack by drawing skills need more work"
:new_silly

[OnceLost]

Did he ever make comments about defense with photoshop?

[DCS]

Photoshop wasn't developed at that time, but as the guy said: " Disregard what is useful; absorb what is useless" (or something like that...).

"attack by photoshopping"..... sounds d34dly.

Now, what if we try to not derail this thread.

Chris, any takers?