Real life situations

[FunkyFighter]

There are lots of discussion regularly going on about the best martial art..."what is the MA that will help me in a street fight?", and so on...
I just wondered if you have been in a situation where you had to protect yourself and I don't mean any pathetic argument with few pushes and punches involved with some drunks but I mean a real fight. How did the fight went and how much techniques were you able to perform? Do you think that if you had studied also some other MA you would have done better (you feel that you have missed some practical training)?
I don't know if this thread has already been discussed but at least I didn't notice any similar posts as I went through some of the old threads.

-funky

[Szczepankiewicz]

You just didn't dig far enough.

A REAL FIGHT? What exactly is your definition of a REAL FIGHT?

[doubleouch]

The problem with this thread is it appears that the poster is trying to find out from secon hand experience if his training will actually make a difference in a "real" fight. No one can answer that for you. It doesn't matter how many stories you hear. If you are training in a totally alive manner where you test everything against agressive resistance then these questions usually go away quickly and it becomes a non issue. If I am wrong and you just want to hear cool stories then lets hear em! I would ask why are you concerned with being able to dominate a street fight anyway? Are you in immediate danger of being attacked? If you are then you need to change your lifestyle not your martial art. If you are not in danger of being attacked then look to your art for enjoyment, exercise, and mental and physical challenges.

[chris davis 200]

I worked as a doorman so yeh.

against both unarmed, armed, drunk, sober, bigger, smaller and multiple opponents.

I think that if you understand the reality of combat, dont have any misconceptions or pre concieved notions of what it is like, and dont plan out or think in the 'he does this, i do this' mindset then you stand a better chance.

Your training needs to be realistic and produce a strong intention to survive regardless of what style. You need fast, simple principles that finish encounters quickly. Last thing you want is a battle of a few minutes on your hands.

cheers
Chris

[Kid_Potato]

first of all i think you have to be mentally strong to win a fight. You can know a bunch of cool techniques and what not but if your not there mentally you already lost the fight. I would also try to defuse the situation and avoid the fight entirely.

your main focus should be to train yourself mentally and learn any martial art because they are all effective in their own way

[Combat Cherokee]

Realism is the key.

Martial arts are good to study, but in truth, many "good" styles lack in the area of realism. Though styles such as TKD(for example, lets not let this trun into a TKD is good/bad for whatever reason thread) have kicks, the lack of alive drills in overall training gives you confidence in something that for all you know dosnt work. Find a school that goes for aliveness, it will save your life one day. In all the fights Ive been in, ive never used a kick, are my years in tang soo do, karate, thai boxing, etc., in vain, a waste of my time? No, its just never a technique Ive ever had to use. Overall, its not a matter of what style your using, its what tools, tactics, and concepts you use that come into play. One the physical level, your system must include all ranges of combat, functional gross and fine motor skills, and enviromental awarness, but it dosnt end there you MUST address the emotional sides of SD, what does a physical confontation do to the mind? Thruth be told schools that are like that, and are teaching legit stuff, are very hard to find. There is know "style" that adresses this, otherwise it wouldnt be a style at all. There are systems, and concepts, that will increase survivability(IS THAT A WORD???), no one style can do it. Your learning must range in everything from physical training, to reading a book. Train for real, and youll fight real.

-C-

[Bushido]

I worked as a doorman so yeh.

against both unarmed, armed, drunk, sober, bigger, smaller and multiple opponents.

I think that if you understand the reality of combat, dont have any misconceptions or pre concieved notions of what it is like, and dont plan out or think in the 'he does this, i do this' mindset then you stand a better chance.

Your training needs to be realistic and produce a strong intention to survive regardless of what style. You need fast, simple principles that finish encounters quickly. Last thing you want is a battle of a few minutes on your hands.

cheers
Chris

I smell wisdom here...

[chris davis 200]

... dont know about that!

[Thai Bri]

I smell something......

No, what Chris says is true. And add on many other mental techniques that will help you avoid fighting in the first place.

[chris davis 200]

my shower is broke ... what can i say!!



Bri - can you go into some of the mental training that you have found useful? It is an often neglected area of combat.

Cheers
Chris

[FunkyFighter]

The problem with this thread is it appears that the poster is trying to find out from secon hand experience if his training will actually make a difference in a "real" fight. No one can answer that for you. It doesn't matter how many stories you hear. If you are training in a totally alive manner where you test everything against agressive resistance then these questions usually go away quickly and it becomes a non issue. If I am wrong and you just want to hear cool stories then lets hear em! I would ask why are you concerned with being able to dominate a street fight anyway? Are you in immediate danger of being attacked? If you are then you need to change your lifestyle not your martial art. If you are not in danger of being attacked then look to your art for enjoyment, exercise, and mental and physical challenges.

Sorry for a late reply...I'm not able to use internet at the weekends. Actually I wasn't expecting to hear any tips or truths about fighting and I'm not in a fear of getting beated eather. Just wanted to hear cool stories like you sayed. I don't have any but I'm sure that someone must have...or am I wrong??
And I don't give a s**t about the street reputation or being able to handle any "street fights" or something. As you also said I love to train martial arts. I couldn't imagine myself playing hockey as much as I do BJJ nowadays...no way...it's just not me.
So let's hear it, bring me the stories...if you got any.

-funky

[Thai Bri]

Chris - the best overview is in "Dead or Alive" by Geoff Thompson. It includes the following:-

Dealing with adrenalin and fear
Controlling the ego
Using psychology against the opponent
Awareness and avoidance work

There's nothing particularly mystical about it - no meditating under a waterfall. I haven't seen you post on his site yet. You're missing out lad!

[shootodog]

http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/journal.php?action=view&journalid=2695

this is an anatomy of a street fight as compiled and compared by some of my friends during one san miguel beer fueled discussion.

00:00:00 shouting and cursing
00:00:10 pushing and shoving
00:00:10 - :15 wild hay- maker punches and jack-ass kicks are thrown
00:00:15 - :20 heads of the combatants collide like bowling balls
00:00:20 - :25 they will end up on the ground and start rolling around
00:00:25 - :30 desperate time. they will both run out of air.
00:00:30 buddies or spectators will come in and intervene in a positve or negative way.

10 to 15 % of all punches will land.
50% of kicks will land.
80% of the time, when heads collide, there will be blood.
95% of the time, the fight ends up on the ground.
100% of the time, when the fight hits the ground, they roll around like pigs.
98% in the first 15 to 20 seconds, articles of clothing come off. they either come loose, or are torn off.
100% of the time, the combatants will try to grab hold of each other.

when you train effectively for defense, skip the first 3 steps. just start hitting before the shoving starts.

[chris davis 200]

thanks Bri -

I saw that in a local book store at the weekend. I will pick it up this weekend.

But if theres not waterfalls and meditation im sure its rubbish!

I will pop over there sometime soon. Work is a bit hectic to plough through a bunch of new threads at the moment.

cheers
chris

[spudman300]

firstly,if u can..run away..there is no point in gettin into a fight if u can avoid it......if some wants ur money give it to them,money can be replaced...ur life cannot...yall here me....sike