Martial arts and misdirection are connected in various ways. Misdirection is also widely employed in other fields of human enterprise. Let us start with a brief overview of misdirection and then dive in how it is utilized in martial arts.
What is misdirection?
Interactive Languages – Language.Foundation video “Misdirection — what is MISDIRECTION definition”:
Misdirection in Politics
National Optimists Party video “A Game of Misdirection”:
Misdirection in Sports
DICK’S Sporting Goods video “Misdirection Crossover with Paul Fabritz”:
Coach McKie video “Three Variations of the Spread Counter Trey Running Scheme”:
Pickleball Magazine video “Pickleball Quick Tip: The Misdirection Shot”:
Misdirection in War
SEEN this? video “Churchill – WWII decoys used successfully”:
Misdirection in Screenwriting
StudioBinder video “The Secret to Writing Compelling Plot Twists — The Art of Misdirection Explained”:
Misdirection in Marketing
Legalmorning video “Marketing Misdirection and Intentional Mistakes Marketing”:
Misdirection in Magic
Harvard University video “Misdirection | Joshua Jay || Radcliffe Institute”:
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon video “Penn & Teller Give a Lesson in Misdirection Using a Vanishing Chicken”:
Misdirection in Pickpocketing
Movie Moments video “Focus | Pickpocket Scene”:
The Real Hustle video “Real Pickpocketing Compilation | The Real Hustle”:
The importance of senses
A human being’s senses are like vestibular, proprioception, kinesthetic, thermoception, and more, depending upon how senses are defined; nonetheless, the basic five senses are sight, touch, taste, smell, and hearing. All these senses provide sensory data that inputs to the brain. This sensory data is then analysed by the human brain, which outputs them as perceptions. The perceptions lead to choices, which in turn help in forming decisions. Decisions may be beneficial, or harmful, or may apparently seem to be beneficial but are actually harmful, or may apparently seem to be harmful but are actually beneficial. These decisions, beneficial or harmful, apparent or otherwise, determine how the life of a human being is lived. Thus, decisions shape the life of a human being.
Generally, an element of fate or chance or luck, is also combined with any decision. However, fate/ chance/ luck is not in the control of a human being, hence humans rely only on senses producing sensory data, which are analysed by the brain as perceptions, and perceptions lead to choices and further to decisions, resulting in living a life that may be desirable, or undesirable, or usually a mix of both. Therefore, the chain is senses-sensory data-brain analysis-perceptions-choices-decisions-quality of life. As of now, the chain begins with senses, and so it follows that if senses are improved then it may ultimately lead to an improved quality of life. The obvious question that arises is how can the senses be improved? Past research studies have concluded that attention can provide a truer picture of reality, which means that if the senses are attentive, then reality is perceived as it is, leading to improved decisions and subsequently, an improved life. Hence, attention of the senses can lead to the fulfillment of a desired goal. Conversely, inattention can lead to the non-fulfillment of a desired goal. So, attention starts the chain, “attention-senses-sensory data-brain analysis-perceptions-choices-decisions-quality of life” and it is evident that attention occupies a very important place in this chain.
Pathways video “Importance of Sensory Integration”:
TED video “3 lessons on decision-making from a poker champion | Liv Boeree”:
The importance of attention
Attention is a major part of awareness and being aware means seeing things as they are.
NOVA PBS Official video “Why You Miss Big Changes Right Before Your Eyes | NOVA | Inside NOVA:”:
Everyone looks, but only a few are able to see. Those who are looking are paying less attention, whereas those who are seeing are paying more attention.
Daniel Simons video “selective attention test”:
Marissa Webb video “Selective Attention Test”:
Types of attention
The major types of attention are described in the following video.
khanacademymedicine video “Divided attention, selective attention, inattentional blindness, & change blindness | Khan Academy”:
Directing the attention
If attention can be directed to any particular place, object, thought, or anywhere else, then the whole chain of attention-senses-data-analysis-perceptions-choices-decisions-life, can also be directed. So, the question arises that how can a person direct attention? Attention can be directed by applying the senses in any desired direction, so that the results would be as per one’s desire. For example, if a martial artist desires to win a competition, then that martial artist has to direct all the senses towards executing such moves that score more points; as well as performing more successful moves than the opponent, so that in total, a greater number of points are accumulated than the opponent’s points, and thereby fulfill the desire of winning the competition.
International Taekwon-Do Federation video “ITF Sparring rules”:
LEAK លក្ខណ៍ video “57kg Final Man Sparring( Russia vs Bulgaria) ITF Taekwon-Do World Championship.ASTANA2023”:
Misdirecting the attention
If the attention is directed to some other direction, then it is misdirecting the attention, which results in misdirection.
Quirkology video “Colour Changing Card Trick”:
Misdirection in martial arts
Attention can direct or misdirect a person.
In martial arts, misdirection is usually done by the following:
—distraction
—faking/ feinting
—deception
—sudden change
Distraction
Distraction is the most common way employed in martial arts. It involves directing the attention of the opponent somewhere else, so that the oncoming strike remains fully hidden and thus, not seen by the opponent.
Doug Marcaida video “Misdirection in action”:
Faking/ feinting
A fake or a feint is a partially performed technique with the intention of making the opponent react to it, and thereby opening up vulnerable areas of the opponent, which may be successfully exploited.
Generally, fakes are grouped under distraction; however, there is a little difference between distraction and faking. In distraction, the attention is diverted to some other place, so that the oncoming move is fully hidden. While, in faking, the faked move also distracts by diverting the attention of the opponent, but as the faked move is not fully executed, the attention of the opponent is also not fully diverted. Due to this, after the faked move, the next move has to be immediately performed, so that the opponent gets no chance of recovering from the partial distraction created by the faked move. However, even if the next move is immediate, yet since the next move is not fully hidden, an opponent with good reflexes will see the oncoming move and react accordingly. Therefore, faking may work with unequal competitors, but with equally matched competitors, faking or feinting, normally, does not work.
As real as it gets boxing video “Mike Tyson Fakes Slips And Counters Rounds 3&4”:
fightTIPS video “5 Ways to Use ‘Fakes & Feints’ in MMA Fight”:
W1 Taekwondo video “Deceiving Your Opponent, Pt. II: Baits & Fakes | Taekwondo Sparring Tips”:
Deception
Although largely used synonymously, yet there is a slight difference between faking and deception. In faking, the attention is partially diverted; whereas, in deception, attention is not diverted at all, rather what the attention assumes to be real is actually not real, and vice-versa. For example, the leg may be moved to perform a kick at the ribs. There is no partial distraction by faking or feinting, because a kick will be fully executed. But the kick instead of striking the ribs, deceptively strikes higher at the head. Here, there is no faking but rather there is deception.
@techniques.combat video “Deception is the key to combat. Questionmark Kick like Saenchai & Israel Adesanya”:
Eduard Todor video “Magician Breaks Down DECEPTION in Martial Arts”:
Deception also involves an element of surprise. For example, kicks in Taido are unconventional and surprise most martial artists; thus, such kicks may be termed as deceptive. One of the popular deceptive kicks in Taido is manji-geri.
kuro-obi world video “Let’s practice Manji-geri of【Taido】Now you can kick!”:
kuro-obi world video “The practice method of amazing kick “Manji-geri” is revealed! You can definitely do it! 【Taido】”:
Deception, like ambushing, camouflaging, and more, have been used in the military since ancient times. However, recently, a novel way of deception is introduced by the development of a new and revolutionary material that can provide invisibility. As of now, this material has its application in the military, but it may be later adapted to suit general civilian applications also.
Carros Show video “First Chinese Military Invisibility Suit SHOCKED The US”:
Sudden change
A sudden change can be in a plan, pattern, movement, speed, position and more. The suddenness of the change is surprising and unexpected, and this unexpectedness is what misdirects.
A sudden change in tactic can lead to misdirection.
CERA video “Vikings – Ivar’s tactic war against Aethelwulf – with FEHU (vikings ost)”:
A sudden change of power can be misdirecting.
Boxoffice Movie Scenes video “”Gods,bow before me or die” | Gods of Egypt | CLIP”:
Logical calculation can lead to misdirection, particularly if the assumption on which the logic is based, is unexpected. The unexpectedness is surprising and thus, misdirecting.
Movieclips video “The Princess Bride (5/12) Movie CLIP – The Battle of Wits (1987) HD”:
The shoot and scoot military technique uses a sudden change in position, so that the enemy is misdirected to fire back at a place where no one is present.
BAE Systems, Inc. video “ARCHER Shoot and Scoot”:
A sudden change in speed can also cause the opponent to be misdirected.
ElTerribleProduction video “Muhammad Ali throwing 12 punches in just 2.8 seconds !!! INSANE KNOCKOUT”:
Sudden changes in location, timing, weapons, and more, can lead to misdirection.
James Bond 007 video “DIE ANOTHER DAY | Bond and Graves duel it out”:
Sudden changes in footwork can surprise the opponent, and the unexpected footwork can misdirect the opponent.
Dynamic Striking video “MIKE TYSON – How to Fight Low and Close Space”:
Conclusion
Attention can be directed or misdirected, and a person is normally concerned with one’s own attention. But what if the attention of some other person could be controlled? If this is possible, then as with one’s own self, the other person can also be directed or misdirected by the chain of attention-senses-data-analysis-perceptions-choices-decisions-life. Here, an ethical question arises that if one could control a person’s attention, then what would one do with it? Should the person’s attention be directed or misdirected? Should one direct the person’s attention where it is required and thereby, better the life of that person? Or should one misdirect the person’s attention where it is not required and thereby, worsen the life of that person?
TED video “The art of misdirection | Apollo Robbins | TED”:
By understanding what direction is, a person can also understand what misdirection is. Both offer perceptions and if the perceptions change, then direction can change to misdirection, or misdirection can change to direction.
All in One video “See how life can change when our perception changes.”:
The best examples of direction and misdirection are found in suspense and mystery genres, because they offer an abundance of surprise and unexpectedness. The following videos show some of the finest examples of both direction and misdirection.
PizzaFlix video “And Then There Were None (1945) AGATHA CHRISTIE”:
FEATURE FILM video “SHERLOCK HOLMES MOVIES | THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (1939) | classic movies | Basil Rathbone”:
무비콘 영화 video “열차안의 낯선 자들 (Strangers On A Train) – 1부”:
무비콘 영화 video “열차안의 낯선 자들 (Strangers On A Train) – 2부”:
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