Special Considerations of a School Fight

[Heroic Wolf]

As I'm enjoying Winter Break, a thought recently crept into my head. If a confrontation were to break out at school, the rules of engagement would be different that in the gym or ring for several reasons:
1. Things probably won't be allowed to go so long as to allow one person to decisively win
2. Space will be limited due to narrow rooms/hallways, other people, and furniture
3. Since decisive finishes are unlikely and most people watching aren't knowledgable martial artists, what matters isn't who actually was winning but who looked like they were winning
4. Even if you win and save face, you'll still have to run into the other guy
5. Can work even if you're wearing baggy clothes/anything more limiting than gym-wear
Accordingly, if a fight were to break out at school, my best bet would be moves that:
1. Have minimal collateral damage (if you smack a lot of people around you, you'll look like an idiot who is trying too hard)
2. Hit hard or at least show that you're calling in the shots
3. Can be used quickly and simply (if one used a complicated move and screwed up, they would look more ridiculous than a simple move that failed)
4. Isn't likely to be limited by baggy clothes, that sort of thing

My idea is that knees, elbows, boxing, plain old shoving, tripping, bear hugs would be the most effective, any thoughts? I just feel unknowledgable and not as in control of potential situations that may arise as I should be!

[Sagacious Lu]

No one wants to give you advice on how to beat up your classmates.

[Heroic Wolf]

That wasn't my intent. I just felt like I needed more knowledge than what I have so far if some1 were to try picking a fight with me

[Garland]

That wasn't my intent. I just felt like I needed more knowledge than what I have so far if some1 were to try picking a fight with me

Okay, I'd be happy to help.

1) AVOIDANCE- if it is something that you can walk away from, do so. Needing to get into a physical altercation in order to "save face" is juvenile and in the grown up world will result in criminal charges. This country's prisons and jails are filled with people who do stupid things in order to secure "respect" in ways that make them utterly unworthy of any.
This doesn't mean you have to "punk out" to people who start things with you...if there is a disagreement- be assertive and be cool. If somebody is hitting on your girlfriend, you can diffuse the situation verbally without going all bravado and risking the rest of your life behind bars for killing somebody for being drunk and stupid. If somebody steals your stuff, report them instead of trying to redress the issue with violence.

2) AWARENESS- if your at a party and you notice people acting aggro, getting too drunk, or otherwise being out-of-control and belligerent, or if shady characters enter the scene...make your exit. Why wait around for stuff to start if you feel things starting to slip?

3) DIFFUSION/ DE-ESCALATION- Effective Communication, such as practicing being ASSERTIVE without being overtly AGGRESSIVE...and knowing how to verbally control a situation are invaluable skills. Take a communications class...buy a book on it...the skills are more than worth it and carry over into just about everything else in your life, including how to make your partner feel like you actually care about her... or how to deal with employers and authority figures. Great stuff. Failing that...

4) JUST IN CASE- Okay...we're talking about the drunk at the party, the bully, or the confrontation between friends or aquiantances... AT this point all of the above options have failed...
1) have friends around that have witnessed your attempts to make peace.
2) have your partner (if there) leave quickly or get the car started.
3) use the least amount of force necessary to contain the situation.
4) flee and hope that the situation isn't reported and the other individual involved isn't as vindictive as most people are OR call the campus police, hide whatever dope you were smoking when you wrote the first part of this thread, be polite, and prepare for all of the legal fallout.

(as an aside...some people carry weapons...and fair play won't happen if the guys pals are there...expect the probability that you may catch a beating in which case it's also important to have health insurance or a friend that's training to be a doctor or nurse, or is good with cross-stitching fabric.)

AND FOR THE IDIOT ROOMMATE OR BULLY
Weigh pros and cons carefully. If somebody does something that you can't let slide, find ways to get even without resorting to options that will get you incarcerated. Vengeance is best served cold and neat...like bourbon. Patience and intelligence can be much more formidable than fists and hotheaded temperment. Creative manipulation and sabotage...all anonymous of course.


Basically...if somebody wants to pick a fight with you...walk away if you can...talk them down if you can...act like a pussy if you can...and if all fails...drop them quick and easy with the minimal amount of force needed and prepare for unwanted consequences and repercussions. ***Hell...depending on what school you go to and the other individuals socio-economic background...TAKE THE HIT in front of witnesses...have your friends work you over in private...take pictures...then call the police and a lawyer and go for a civil $uit...