(SCA Fighting Tips) Mindgames...

One of my squires asked me the other day about the use of "mind games" on an opponent and how to get them to fear and be intimidated in a fight so they are easier to beat.

There are quite a few strategists out there that rely heavily upon trying to intimidate and dominate an opponent mentally to win. When a fighter engages in playing mind games with an opponent it opens to the door to they themselves becoming manipulated as well.

I told my squire that I don't play any active mind games with my opponent. I don't really advocate their use by those seeking to perfect their skill as their reliance, although effective against unsound opponents, will fail against the highest caliber opponents.

First, I do not want to engage my opponent mentally in playing mind games as it takes away from entering the combat clear of extraneous thought and is against the more zen combat philosophy I try to promote.

Second, when you engage in mind games it opens up another venue during the fight in which opponents end up trying to mentally deceive and manipulate each other in order to achieve victory. When you choose to do this you not only are trying to get in your opponent's head, you also open the door to allowing your opponent to influence you, no matter how masterfully you feel you are prepared.
Third, I asked him "Do you want to win against your opponent because you intimidate him, not necessarily because you are better than him?" In a non-lethal contest, where you are trying to test your skill against an opponent's, you do not gain a good measure of your skills if you are busy trying to win through intimidation.

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There are appropriate places for intimidating and dominating opponents mentally to help you win, particularly in real life, life and death situations. However, in SCA combat such mind games often become the crutch of those that doubt their own skills are enough to carry them to victory.

As you build your skill and become a better fighter, your presence and confidence will become intimidating to those that doubt their own skill, but you should not waste your time trying to mentally manipulate your opponent, they will do that for you.

Instead you should focus on being in the fight. Don't engage in mental games, engage your opponent with your weapons and your skills. Be an entity, an event, something that happens to your opponent. Do not waste emotional energy beyond a "pointed aggression" and do not let your ego get wrapped up in the contest.

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If you do this you will free yourself to fight the best you can at the time, you will become immune to intimidation and opponent's "mind games" and you will be able to learn the most from each combat.