Nothing ever gets better by panicking: Pretty much every time we spar your opponent will do something that catches you and you'll have to dig yourself out of trouble. It's perfectly normal to feel some anxiety when an opponent is getting into a position that could finish you or score on you – but realize this from the start – however natural it is to feel the beginnings of panic when things go wrong, PANIC NEVER HELPS performance. It will be SOUND PERFORMANCE that gets you out of bad situations, not EMOTIONAL ZEAL. Step number one in getting out of bad situations is the simple admonition to CALM THE FUCK DOWN – everything is secondary to that. When things go wrong your mental direction should always be towards increased FOCUS and ALERTNESS, never panic. Next time your battling out of danger, don't start with panic and blind instinct – start with ASSESSMENT and CALCULATION – and realize that the only way this is possible is with a relatively calm mind.
