Northren Ogre

If one has never been in a fight, but trains regularly, can they still call themselves a good fighter? I say no. I've been in a lot of fights...like you in my younger days, but they come sporadically now because of my career, and I still belive that being a good fighter comes from within. I've run into a lot of "martial artists" who have talk about their belts and how many years they've trained and all the stuff they know, but have never used it for more than showing off forms or patterns, and when it comes down to chucking knuckles they fold like a cheap suit. Being a "good Fighter" takes more than martial arts knowledge. You have to have the right type of mental capacity to actually fight. Remember in the movie "Fight Club", where the homework assignment was to pick a fight with a stranger and lose, and how hard it was for them. The majority of people in this world have gone through life without ever being in a fight, so how do they know the frame of mind you have to be in to actually get it done. I think being a good fighter does have to require at least being in a fight. If you've been in a few, as you stated in your post, then you know what it's like and what it actually takes to get through it. It's more a frame of mind that makes a person a "Good fighter", being able to risk getting smacked and keep going takes a lot of b alls, that the everyday person, and a lot of so called martial artists don't seem to have.

Dude..The Tiger Balm Internationals 2004 is right around the corner in your own backyard. March 20-21 I think it is and it's being held at Capilano college in Vancouver Check out http://mantiskungfu.com for more details It'll have divisions open for your age and weight and experience, and it's a nicely run event. I recomend you check it out if you are looking for some ring experience. Sign up for the full contact San Shou division for the most bang for your buck.

Watching the Gatti-Branco fight last night is a perfect example of bounce or through. Gatti bounced hundreds of jabs of Branco's head, but the punch that dropped him was a perfectly followed through left hook to the head.

What exactly does "a bad toe" mean?? Is it calloused? Does it smell? Is it gangrenous? Is it broken? A little more detail will help us in answering your question.

San Shou is often listed as "controlled contact" but it is really full...kicks to legs,back, punches to head, throws etc. They will just warn you if you constantly punch the head the whole fight, hence the "controlled contact". Usually three punches to the head and then a kick downstairs will keep you from getting into trouble. http://mantiskungfu.com Sifu John Funk hosts the Tiger Balm Internationals in Vancouver. He should have a listing for rules under the San Shou category. Check them out and see if you like the contact.

With my experiences, both in the nightclub and in the prison 75% of the fights you could see brewing. In the clubs you can pretty much pick out your trouble makers early on, however the nightclub is a business and there to make money, and you really can't just go and throw someone out because the act like an as s . Throw in the booze and competition for the attention of the ladies and you have people making bad decisions and then it becomes your job to deal with it. Most people can be talked out of the bar....some have to be thrown out. Those are the ones who have already decided that they are going to fight someone, and now the doorman is the perfect target because in the booze addled mind of a drunk, he has done nothing wrong and the doormen are now picking on him.These are the people who have no problems taking a shot at the doormen, and I'm not one to take a punch in the mouth and accept it. Now in the prison things are a little different. With the increase of gangs and the fact that most offenders suffer from one sort of mental illness or another, you have the explosive violence. You have people who are already stressed out and the environment breeds hatred and machismo. People there have little more than their "Rep" and once that has been called into question, especially in front of others then fights and worse break out. Gang violence is a different beast altogether. A "hit" can be called in from the street, rivals will fight over drugs within the centre. These hits can be called to one offender who in the past has behaved and gotten along with everyone, and next thing you know he's pounding on some one with a can of soda in a sock. Shi t happens in jail and it goes from 0-60 in seconds flat.

Look for San Shou categories. Nice full contact...I mean "controlled contact". the Tiger Balm International is in March I belive in Vancouver.

I picked one of the 20+. As a Doorman for 4 years and now as a Correctional Officer for 6 years, I've been involved in more than my fair share of "incidents". While you're free to have your opinion, I especially like being told by a High School student that being in a fight shows that I have "poor self control". When you work in a field where the possibility of assaults are high, you better be on your toes and ready to defend your self at the drop of a hat! Diplomacy is still your best weapon, but there are times when the gauntlet is thrown down and it's time to knuckle up.

How did Francois Botha do in this event? I'd be interested to see how a heavyweight contender, a Tyson opponent and a decent boxer did in this event. Links for results anyone?

Still feeling the Christmas sugar buzz are we??

Was it Shodakan(sp?) or something like that?

I study San Shou and I love the fact that it is simple and to the point. The techniques are easy enough to learn and teach to others. It is straightforward and to the point without a lot of complicated techniques. I love the fact that I can compete in a full contact environment without getting charged with assault(I like to fight...sorry). I love the fact that training is such an excellent workout, as much as I hate getting ready for fight season after taking the summer off and having to drop 20-25 lbs, I know that I can lose the pounds in a matter of weeks. I love the fact that these techniques are excellent for self defense and work well in fights and rough situations.

Add a lot of skipping to your regime if you want to improve your stamina. Skip twice as many rounds as you would fight....i.e. skip 6 3 min rounds with one min rest if you are fighting a three round fight...then start increasing the time. I have found that skipping really helped when I was prepping for full contact matches.

Having witnessed people break their collarbone, one from falling off a ladder and he other having it broken in hockey, I would say that depending on the severity of the break you can pretty much write the arm off. My brother fell off the ladder and his collarbone snapped in two. He couldn't do anything for months.

I work for Alberta Correctional Services in Canada and most cases of fighting in the street don't always wind up in jail. Even when I managed a nightclub and we had some serious scraps outside the club, most combatants wer'nt charged with assault. Some were simply sent home due to it being a consentual fight(Canadian Criminal Code has a section on consetual fights), or some were given tickets for causing a disturbance in a public place which is just a fine. Just because you get in a little tussle and tap someone in the nose dosen't mean you're going straight to a federal prison.

The reason the rooftops scenes look mad fake is because they were....Brandon Lee was already dead at the point where they made those scenes...they were computer generated using other footage of Brandon mixed with shots of a body double. The third crow movie never even saw theatres..I belive it went straight to video...the second crow was just a cash grab, feeding off the cult following of the first

LOL!!! that Brit Fight video hits the nail right on the head!!! I love the advice for the windmilling arms!! How are you supposed to knee some one in the head while he's doing this?? You ever try to get inside the defense of even a moderately skilled boxer? Not as easy as it sounds. Most streetfights are won and lost by strikes to the head. The key to landing strikes to the head comes from learning how to PROPERLY strike to the head. Who learns more strikes to the head than boxers. Good, sharp, straight punches end fights more often than a knee to the head.

American Kickboxing you have to use so many kicks per round(7 I belive), and they all have to be above the waist. I don't know too much about Savate.

To be succsessfull in a streetfight you have to be fexible, able to think while fired up, and adapt quickly. Drop low and double leg take down sounds good, but your opponent isn't gonna stand there like a fool.

Yeah....Kostya Tszu might be able to punch Lewis right square in the nads...which is about eye level for him.....

My schools website... http://shaolinwushu.tripod.com

I totally agree....The footage I've seen of Sapp dosen't look too impressive. I think Tyson's boxing skills will blast through any clumsy defense Sapp will attempt.

1 of their "Bumfight champs" isa veitnam vet. One named Donald Brennan, or Donny the Vet in the Bumfight movie,a member of the 1st Air Calvary (See the movie We Were Soldiers for significance of his unit). He was awarded a Purple Heart and the Silver Star after being wounded twice in a 13 month tour in Vietnam. Another "star" of Bumfights is Rufus Hannah, or Rufus the Stuntbum, aslo served his country and was honourably discharged from thew US army in 1982 after sustaining injuries. I think it is sick and deplorable to see those who have served their nation treated in such a manor. Silver Stars aren't exactly easy to come by.

Mike Tyson started boxing at the age of 12 ( he weighed 180 lbs at age 12) and Cus D'mato kept a pretty close eye on him, and kept him out of a lot of trouble...sreet fights and such. I also read a story from one of Tyson's early trainiers that he would cry when he lost a match.

Buster Douglas beat the pre-conviction Tyson. I like Johnny Tapia and "Irish" Mickey Ward..... those two were always good for a war in the Ring.