When we think about fighting off an attacker, most people picture the physical side, throwing a punch, blocking a blow, or landing a good kick. But what really happens in a fight starts in the mind. It’s your thinking, your fear, your split-second decisions that will often decide if you survive or not.
A man named W.E. Fairbairn understood this all the way back in 1931. He worked in one of the most dangerous cities in the world at the time, Shanghai. He trained police officers to handle brutal street criminals. What he wrote about the psychology of real-life violence still applies today, maybe even more than ever. Here’s what we can learn from his insights:
Fairbairn didn’t pretend that you can simply “be fearless.” He knew that in any sudden violent attack, fear kicks in hard. Your hands may shake, your mouth goes dry, your heart races. This is normal, even for trained fighters. But here’s the key: fear can fuel action. He taught his officers to expect fear, then use it to move fast and hit hard. The worst thing you can do is freeze. If you can train your body to react quickly, even when scared, you can turn fear into fuel.
In a real attack, you won’t have time to plan out a fancy move or think about a long technique. Fairbairn saw this over and over. He wrote that complicated techniques break down when adrenaline takes over.That’s why he focused on simple, natural moves, ones that could be done without thinking. Your brain is too busy trying to survive to remember a fancy kata or routine. He called this “scientific self-defence” — taking advantage of how the body really works under stress.
One of Fairbairn’s key psychological points was that surprise gives you a huge advantage. If you can shock the attacker with a sudden move, loud shout, or fast strike, you break their mental rhythm. They go from confident to confused in an instant. He taught moves designed to “stun” the attacker quickly like a fast throat chop, a knee to the groin, a sharp shout. This buys you the moment you need to escape or take control. The mind of your attacker is thrown off, and that’s when you act.
Maybe the biggest lesson from 1931 is this: it’s not your size or strength that wins a street fight, it’s your mindset. Fairbairn trained small men and women to defeat bigger, stronger attackers by being mentally prepared, moving first, and being ruthless when needed. He often wrote that hesitation is fatal. The moment you know you are in danger, you must commit - no half-measures. Waiting or hoping the attacker will back off only gives them more power. Mental commitment matters more than perfect technique.
Even though Fairbairn wrote these ideas nearly 100 years ago, the human mind hasn’t changed. In any violent situation, your body’s fear response will take over. But with the right mindset, knowing what to expect, trusting simple moves, and acting fast, you can survive.
At COBRA Self-Defense, we believe in the same ideas today: training your mind to handle fear, using simple skills under stress, and understanding the psychology of real violence, not just fancy martial arts. Remember: in a violent confrontation, your biggest weapon is not your fists. It’s your mind.