12/8: ADRENALINE JUNKIE

I really should title this article "Adrenaline Junk" after my experience on Thursday.  It was a reminder of something I talk about often in class.  On Thursday at work, I participated in a CPR training.  This is probably my 4th time through this training in the last 8 years.  Before getting into the topic of the article here, I would encourage everyone to attend a CPR training class.  So much has changed over the past 10 years it is nothing like us Gen X'ers did when we first learned.  I was very surprised hear the instructor say that beyond the now 2 breaths per 30 chest compression ratio, he doesn't do breaths AT ALL.  His issues were that since our exhaled breath has so little oxygen, and the likelihood of the recipient vomiting due to air getting in the belly, and concern over communicable diseases, he only provides chest compressions until a full rescue unit arrives out of concern for his own safety.  I actually had a friend years ago tell us that while she did CPR on an individual, they vomitted as well.  But onto the main issue........

After the classroom training was completed we all had to go through the procedure on a dummy to officially pass the class.  I stepped up first to get it done and get on with my day.  There were basically 5 things we needed to do:  1) Tap on the person to see if they respond, 2) Look at a specific person and get them to call 911, 3) Begin chest compressions, 4) Attach the AED pads and operate the AED, 5) Resume chest compressions.  I was quite frankly extremely disappointed that I screwed up 2 of the 5 tasks.  I forgot to immediately tell someone to call 911, and when I put the pads of the AED on the dummy the machine was telling me they weren't attached firmly and yet for some reason my mind just blanked on what I really needed to do.  This was very disturbing to me because this was classroom practice, not a real life on the line.  With all of the competitions I've done in learning how to cope with stressful situations, I quite honestly blew this one.  It really bothered me to think how deficient I might be if a life was really on the line.

Fortunately, mistakes are great learning tools, and I'm glad I made them in practice and not on a real person.  I think that little experience will make me better prepared.  This was a very stark reminder of what I tell students all the time about competing.  In the heat of the moment, you WILL forget much of what you think you know.  Only through repeated practice in high stress situations (competitions) will you truly be able to develop the ability to manage your adrenaline and draw on your experience to make wise decisions.  I don't think many of us do a task for the first time and expect to be extremely successful at it.  And I'll remind everyone again:  training is not competition.  Competition is a whole new ballgame, or should I say, fighting game.

Whatever you train for in life, you need to put yourself in as close to a real life situation as possible to know how you will really react.  As for martial arts an self-defense, would you rather fail because you fear embarrassment in the arena of play during a tournament and grow from it, or would you rather fail and potentially lose your life in a real life or death situation because you never learned how to manage your adrenaline?  I certainly hope it's the former.  Guys, this isn't a joke.  If you are every going to expect your training to be there for you when your life really needs it, you MUST compete and learn how to handle your adrenaline.  I can only lead you to water.  It's time for you to drink.