Primer: Tough Love

[MorGrendel]

Primer: Tough Love

It is sometimes necessary to expose a "new" fighter to a bit of "tough love". However, tough love is not to pummel a fighter into submission, as punishment, or as a way to prove dominance as some might believe. Rather, the purpose should be used to break a fighter of the entrenched conditioning that tells the fighter that hitting others is wrong. It should be used to show that bruises heal, and that pain is temporary. During the process it should be shown that there are calibration levels, and that a fighter in control can tune up or tune down his power calibration. Tough love should be administered by a skilled fighter, but not necessarily the best fighter as the subject will acknowledge the beating as an unwinnable fight and miss the point. Tough love should not be used very often, and when used generally one time is enough. No one should take it upon them themselves to administer it, rather, it should be something the elders confer on as it could mean the losing of a member.

To be exacting as to how to administer tough love here are some points:
* Get the new fighter angry, it will help them break the barrier easier. Insult their fighting, their gear, knock them down, stuff like that.
* Target the fleshy parts, like the back of the legs and the forearms, so as to teach dispatching an opponent quickly equates to less damage inflicted. Hit the same spot over and over.
* Call your shots, reset, and go again. Do not hesitate, do not rest. Attack repeatedly and keep the new fighter on his heels.
* If a shot is light, call it, and double the pressure. Be close up, step on toes if necessary. Take no shot below the SCA caliber, even if it is a well placed shot.
* Urge the new fighter to move faster, hit harder. Once their level is on par, lighten up. Once they seem in control and are able to deliver a strong blow consistently, call it quits.

[Kaliban]

And one other thing Tell the people in other groups to help with your fighter .. .. and take the newbie tags off them ..