What is tactile sensitivity ( referred to as TS for the rest of this piece )? Really it's nothing more than gathering information through touch. We all obtain information through touch countless times every day. Hot, cold, smooth, rough.... You get it. So why is TS important to you when engaged in real violence? Simply put- information. More information than you can get with your eyes alone, information you often can't get with you eyes at all, and often it's received faster through TS than through vision.
Let me explain with a few examples: When training in Senshido's counter knife material students will engage in the clinch drill. Two students will start in a neutral clinch and they'll be applying live energy in trying to unbalance each other. One student has a training knife somewhere on his / her belt line. When the knife armed student wants to bring the knife into play he / she goes for it. The other student feels through TS that the energy has changed, that the intent has changed, that SOMETHING is happening. Without having to diagnose WHAT is happening, the student reacts without hesitation and starts a shred, resulting in the knife hitting the floor followed shortly by the student who had the knife. Now, after doing this type of drill until the students are comfortable with it we add another element. More precisely, we eliminate an element: vision. The drill gets done again, but this time the 'defending' student closes his / her eyes. Guess what...... nothing changes. The knife never gets to be used because the 'defending' student using TS alone feels the intent and energy change, and reacts accordingly.
Another example, this one from the street: I was escorting a handcuffed prisoner to my cruiser. This guy had already attempted escape and made it quite clear what he thought of the police, society in general and my mother. While we were walking to the car I had my left hand on his right arm, just above the elbow and I wasn't watching him, I was watching for approaching traffic. Several steps from the cruiser I felt the energy change, just a slight shift in his balance. Because I felt it coming through TS ( although I didn't know what 'it' was ) I was able to avoid his take down attempt ( he had dropped his weight and stuck his right leg in front of mine, trying to force me to trip face first onto the pavement ). I learned afterward that he's done this before during arrests, and put one cop out of work for a year due to a dislocated knee. Nice try, but it failed. I felt it coming when there was no way I could have seen it.
Clearly TS is a tool that needs to be in everyone's street arsenal. It's not something that can easily be explained or learnt by reading about it, it has to be experienced. Train in Senshido and you will experience the importance and power of tactile sensitivity................ Got Shred?
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