Altercation avoided

[Tom Yum]

Went out last night.

Some big, drunk, over cocky motherf*cker came up to me. Pointed his finger at my chest to try the "hey look here" then come up with a quick swipe at the head. The guy then goes over to a group of ladies, tries to score and then gets shutdown.

I was in a pretty good mood at the time, rolled with it and kind of laughed. A few minutes pass by.

This guy's buddy starts talking shit about me - maybe just because I'm there? All kinds of shit. "hey look at that jackass...blah blah blah."

The bouncers and regulars know I'm a decent fella and I never, ever start shit. The guy himself starts getting louder and louder and more aggressive and spouting stuff left and right.

His buddy is wearing a shirt with his company logo on it (big mistake) and starts making faces at my direction from down the bar and pointing at me. I didn't say anything back. Just stared his ass down - if he got within my personal space, I was going to attack him hard.

His feet were at normal stance, legs straight (maybe locked?) first thing that flashed in my mind was a right cross into his face to stagger him (or knock him flat on his ass given his balance/stance and relatively small legs), check his leg/knee strength with a cut kick if he's still standing and then bar-stool-do for his buddy if he jumps in, whose much larger.

His buddy glanced at me, read my intentions, starts to back down and tries to dissassociate himself from the guy a little.

Guy realizes he's being a dip shit, starts doing the "hey buddy!" and tries to change his tone to change the environment he created and ease the tension. The bartenders sense he's had enough to drink, deny him and cut off his tab -- good on them!

I excercised a good bit of self-control and professionalism. I was more than ready to deliver the goods if it came to it.

The aggressor was a middle-eastern/latin looking guy in his early to mid 40's, mostly bald, approximately 5'9" - 5'11", husky-overweight 220-230 lbs with a moustache-goatee strap; he was wearing an olive green type polo and shorts.

His buddy was a blonde gentelman, mid to late 30's, wearing a white, button up shirt, khaki pants with a company logo on the left hand side, stood approximately 6'2" to 6'4" and probably weighed 240 ish, slightly overweight but not compared to his friend.

[Hardball]

I had a similar experience on the train earlier this year. Being ready at all times is what makes us practicing martial artists special people. Good for you. Did you feel your chi flowing?

[Tom Yum]

I was in the zone.

Not sure about the chi, but I was ready without seeming overzealous. Felt the same as when I do when I'm ready to spar, except I was also paying attention to my environment.

[Hardball]

Flight or Fright= Chi..............symptoms =butterflies in your stomach.

[Uke]

Flight or Fright= Chi..............symptoms =butterflies in your stomach.

That's a really interesting definition of chi.

[Hardball]

That's a really interesting definition of chi.

That's the layman's version would you care to enlighten us with the scientific version? How have you been? Long time since I've seen you on the boards.

[DickHardman]

Went out last night.

Some big, drunk, over cocky motherf*cker came up to me. Pointed his finger at my chest to try the "hey look here" then come up with a quick swipe at the head. The guy then goes over to a group of ladies, tries to score and then gets shutdown.

I was in a pretty good mood at the time, rolled with it and kind of laughed. A few minutes pass by.

This guy's buddy starts talking shit about me - maybe just because I'm there? All kinds of shit. "hey look at that jackass...blah blah blah."

The bouncers and regulars know I'm a decent fella and I never, ever start shit. The guy himself starts getting louder and louder and more aggressive and spouting stuff left and right.

His buddy is wearing a shirt with his company logo on it (big mistake) and starts making faces at my direction from down the bar and pointing at me. I didn't say anything back. Just stared his ass down - if he got within my personal space, I was going to attack him hard.

His feet were at normal stance, legs straight (maybe locked?) first thing that flashed in my mind was a right cross into his face to stagger him (or knock him flat on his ass given his balance/stance and relatively small legs), check his leg/knee strength with a cut kick if he's still standing and then bar-stool-do for his buddy if he jumps in, whose much larger.

His buddy glanced at me, read my intentions, starts to back down and tries to dissassociate himself from the guy a little.

Guy realizes he's being a dip shit, starts doing the "hey buddy!" and tries to change his tone to change the environment he created and ease the tension. The bartenders sense he's had enough to drink, deny him and cut off his tab -- good on them!

I excercised a good bit of self-control and professionalism. I was more than ready to deliver the goods if it came to it.

The aggressor was a middle-eastern/latin looking guy in his early 40's, balding, approximately 5'9" - 5'11", husky-overweight 220-230 lbs with a moustache-goatee strap; he was wearing an olive green type polo and shorts.

His buddy was a blonde gentelman, mid to late 30's, wearing a white, button up shirt, khaki pants with a company logo on the left hand side, stood approximately 6'2" to 6'4" and probably weighed 240 ish, slightly overweight but not compared to his friend.

that sucks that some fat guy tried to give you shit when you were out at the bar. however, the question really is.............



....did you get to have any pie???


[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxT5oJ3O818[/YOUTUBE]

[Thai Bri]

This is potentially a great threead. Yet we seem determined to take it off course.

Tom, you did well mate. £Who knows what goes through the minds of these morons. You stood your ground and sent out a message - "Don't go too far."

There are two extremes you can use when trying to de-escalate a confrontation.

One is to go "passive," being so apologetic that they have no excuse to hit you! You look like a right pussy though!

The other is to go ballistic, screaming, threatening and foaming at the mouth. But then you look like the aggressor.

There is a better way. A middle way. A guy called Peyton Quinn developed these 4 rules for an assertive method of dealing with violent conflict. They work. Here goes.

1 - Show no fear

2 - Do not make threats

3 - Do not become abusive

4 - Give the guy what he feels is an honourable exit

Using these 4 rules you will appear to be a guy not to be fooked with. You will be in control of the situation, and anyone watching who has a brain will think very highly of you indeed.

Anyway, thanks for sharing Tom. It makes a change from the usual threads around here!

[Tom Yum]

Thanks, Bri. I didn't say much to the guy at all. I can roll with alot of verbage and did so with the guys swipe - sometimes this stuff is friendly horsin' around - but this dude's tone and body language escalated quickly probably cause he's an angry drunk and I'm a smaller preacfull-lookin' dude.

I didn't see him as the guy throwing quick 5 punch combinations; He seemed like the guy that would try to throw two or three home-run type punches at my face, try to barrel me back and foot ball kick me if he got me down.

To be honest there was a little bit of pre-fight rush jitters and a whole, whole lot of determination to break the guy if he put his hands on me or got into my personal space and what I could use as a weapon (glass, bar stool etc.) I had to dig deep to keep things professional and cool.

I'm glad I didn't fight because no one wins; the bouncers, bartenders and regulars know that I'm not a trouble maker.

Hardman, pie was the last thing on my mind last night, but promptly the first thing on my mind in the morning. lol

[Uke]

That's the layman's version would you care to enlighten us with the scientific version? How have you been? Long time since I've seen you on the boards.

I don't spend a lot of time here. This board isn't what it used to be and has become stale for the most part.

Instead of me defining anything here, let me ask this question:

If chi is fight or flight response, is it true that you can only harness the power of chi during an altercation that brings about adrenaline? And if that is true, aren't you just using the word chi as a substitute for adrenaline?

And if all that is true, then how do internal practitioners utilize chi during practice to produce fajin? Do they have some way to release adrenaline even during the practice of forms and mock scenarios when no real danger exists?

Since I know chi/qi to be a Chinese internal art/medicine term, I wrote your take was "interesting" and thought you may have some additional insight to offer on it.

[darrianation]

Tom,

Folks can say what they will "You should of did this" or "You should have done that", not that you asked but what you did worked and you got home in one piece, you can't argue with that.

Good job.

[Hardball]

I don't spend a lot of time here. This board isn't what it used to be and has become stale for the most part.

Instead of me defining anything here, let me ask this question:

If chi is fight or flight response, is it true that you can only harness the power of chi during an altercation that brings about adrenaline? And if that is true, aren't you just using the word chi as a substitute for adrenaline?

And if all that is true, then how do internal practitioners utilize chi during practice to produce fajin? Do they have some way to release adrenaline even during the practice of forms and mock scenarios when no real danger exists?

Since I know chi/qi to be a Chinese internal art/medicine term, I wrote your take was "interesting" and thought you may have some additional insight to offer on it.

Nope, too deep for me. I just use the term generically. I'm only a 2nd degree, ask me again in about 10 or 15 years. LOL

[Uke]

Nope, too deep for me. I just use the term generically. I'm only a 2nd degree, ask me again in about 10 or 15 years. LOL

I hear ya, but why wait 10-15 years? Seriously there are great teachers and resources for you to learn the underlying concepts and principles of chi and the internal arts. One resource used to frequent this board.

If you truly want to enhance your understanding of the internal and even your own understanding of aiki you should look around. I don't know how much you've improved your understanding of such things in the three years that you've posted here, but I would would serious explore other places for insight and in depth explanations and dialogue.

I've gotten the idea that you seem to really be into what you're doing through our convos and pm's. Do yourself a favor and seek out people who are doing what you are doing and others who are doing different things but equally or more passionately.

Finding a group or site with people like that and you won't have to wait a tenth of the time you suggested for you understanding to greatly improve.

Good luck.

[Hardball]

Yea, Boar was deep into Tai Chi and the internal arts. I learned a lot from him. Lately I've just been adhering to the "nike" motto. "Just do it".

The problem with starting a new branch of martial arts is the cost involved. I get tired of paying tuition and private lessons are hard to find if you can afford them.

You can talk as much theory as you want but it isn't the same as applying it into practice. I come here because I know these guys and they know me.

Any suggestions you have for further theory enhancement would be welcomed. What sites do you recommend?

[Uke]

darrianation

Tom,

Folks can say what they will "You should of did this" or "You should have done that", not that you asked but what you did worked and you got home in one piece, you can't argue with that.

Good job.

That's like saying the end justifies the means which isn't smart. That's not to say that Tom did anything wrong, but telling someone "You pulled it off so everything you did was sound and practical" is ridiculous.

I think the reasons that people share stories like this is to either get input or to brag about how tough they are. We see that Tom didn't do enough to seem tough so obviously he's looking for input. Could he have been more prepared? Did he have all his bases covered? Or did Tom just get lucky that the guy didn't pull out that knife in his boot and his friend didn't try to blindside him with a bottle?

I'm not saying that I'm not happy that it worked out well for Tom, but had the scenario played out another way, was Tom prepared? Did he have a plan other than a punch combo? He seemed to have already gotten the idea that the other guy wasn't the 5 punch combo type, which means Tom already had preconceived notions. That fat bastard may have been as nice with his hands as Butterbean, in which case Tom would have found his ass handed to him. Or swift and accurate like Chris Sayoc, who is another big guy. You never know what someone knows.

We'll never know though, because it didn't play out that way. This wasn't a case of verbal diffusion because no one ever approached Tom. It wasn't a case of avoidance because Tom never did anything different to prevent an altercation. If anything he claims to have stared the guys down which would serve to exacerbate the situation.