The Pros and Cons of Interception

Interception maybe seen to be good for self defence, however this way of being and thinking can cause us to jump to conclusions. Missing out huge chunks of information. Especially the small details.

How can we be sure someone is going to attack us? Maybe they are nervous and just want to ask a question or excited and want to say hi. Maybe its a friend coming up to surprise us.

It can often be many things, and if we jump to intercept too quickly because we think we know better, or have trained so much in this way. How can we be sure we don't damage someone's confidence, damage them psychologically or  damage a person physically unnecessarily in a street situation potentially because of deciding too intercept too early or harshly.

Traditionally self defence is a last resort situation, most important is to not have to be in these situations in the first place, by using good and accurate perception.

The way we train becomes the way we fight and ultimately the way we lead our daily life. Therefore this is of vital importance because if we always and only train to intercept, we may miss out on vital details and subsequently  potentially  important encounters and even relationships. This can lead us to miss out on important elements and can potentially damage relationships or even the person themselves.

So if we have trained this way and begin to notice it in ourselves in how we function day to day.

What can we do to correct any negative outcomes;

1.) Take time to notice details 
2.) Slow down a little in your day to day life
3.) Focus on building your intuition above all
4.) Meditate regularly
5.) Aim to see in different ways and apply interception usefully

How interception is useful

1.) In a dangerous and necessary situation it could be life saving.

2.) In day to day life this way of thinking can help us to see and seize opportunities quickly.

3.) It can also help us to see shortcuts and get things done quicker.

The main danger of interception becoming a way of thinking however is it can cause us to miss out on chunks of information and potentially damage people and relationships.

Its important to always be in awareness most of all and this means ensuring we see the whole picture. It can be easy to be misled by others,  the environment and even ourselves.

Ultimately a balanced and whole approach in life and training will serve us and our relationships the best, and the way of interception can still be there when and where it's most useful. As Bruce Lee himself stated;

'Any technique, however worthy and desirable, becomes a disease when the mind is obsessed with it.'

This includes the way or technique of interception itself. Therefore lets strive to be balanced martial artists and not become fixed any one way.

Remain adaptable in your life and training.