The Moment that Defines Victory or Regret: Collapse
The Moment that Defines Victory or Regret: Collapse. In martial arts, collapse isn’t just physical, it’s psychological and strategic. It can be a stumble in the ring, a falter in resolve, or a tactical breakdown. When your opponent collapses, the window opens. And what you do next reveals your training, your mindset, and your philosophy.
Often, martial artists hesitate when the opponent falters. They pause and admire their handiwork. That hesitation is costly. The collapse is not the end; it’s the beginning of the end.
The Collapse is a Call to Action
Why do we hesitate? Sometimes it is misplaced compassion because we confuse martial decisiveness with cruelty. We are taught to “fight fair,” to “respect the fallen,” but that is for sport. According to Musashi, your reaction should be immediate, decisive, and clean.
When the enemy collapses, physically, mentally, or emotionally, you must pursue. Not with rage, but with clarity and control.
This is about completion. The collapse is the unfinished sentence. You are the period.
Go back in time, to when armies met face to face in open field battle. Combatants used swords and shields. It is said that most casualties occurred when one army fled. This was not a controlled retreat but a fully-fledged flight from the enemy. In the chaos that ensued, the soon-to-be victors cut down the fleeing.
A Modern Example
A modern example is the “Road of Death.” As Iraqi troops retreated from Kuwait in 1991, the coalition forces blocked the escape and, over ten hours, killed an estimated 1,000 Iraqi soldiers and destroyed close to 3,000 vehicles.
Your drills should include the collapse scenario. Your mind must rehearse the moment of hesitation and override it.
When your opponent collapses, the ambiguity vanishes. Their guard is down. The rhythm is broken. Their will is fractured.
You solve the problem by recognizing collapse not as an ending, but as a signal. A signal that says: “Now. Finish.”
When your opponent falls, you rise, with execution. You don’t chase the collapse. You complete it. Because in martial arts, as in life, hesitation is the enemy.
So next time you see the moment, the stumble, the falter, the break, don’t blink. Don’t wait.
You may enjoy this past posting: https://www.martialjournal.com/the-book-of-fire-3-ways/
You can reach Kris Wilder here: https://linktr.ee/KrisWilder
He has authored several books on martial arts and self-defense, such as "The Way of Kata" and "The Little Black Book of Violence". Kris also runs the Wilder Karate Academy, where he teaches classes and conducts seminars.
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