Have I failed as a martial artist?

[parkerlineage]

Tonight was sparring class - it was small, only a first kyu, a junior black, me, a second dan, and my instructor. We went through our drills, kata, technique, etc., then got ready to spar.

At this time, another first dan who has been in and out of training for the last few months showed up in his street clothes, with some random friend. He put on his gi pants, but no belt, with a Scooby-Do t-shirt (that wasn't even tucked in, as is the rule for our official workout t-shirts). This guy (19 years old) has always been very cocky, arrogant, and is known for cheap shots and late hits.

In our dojo, we practice a kind of continuous within reason sparring - we go several solid hits, and then back off when one person has had enough, touch gloves, and go again. This is rather hard to get used to when you first start, but at our level (he's been training almost as long as me), you know when to stop. He never does, even when people call him on it.

So, I got to him, and the first thing he does, after I hit him with a good combo and start to back off, was punch me full bore in the face. This was well after he knew I was done fighting. I shook it off, and the second round, he did it again.

I figured something had to be done, so the next time, I did my combo, then threw a full-bore, knock-out punch at his face, but pulled it before I hit, so it stopped in front of him. He gave this cocky little head toss he always does, kind of laughed, and then punched me in the face again as I was backing off.

I was seriously angry now. He knew that we were done...it had been a good three seconds since I hit him last. Usually, I'm very good at removing emotion from my fighting, but, for what was probably the first time, I was really ticked. The next round, I drilled his face/head with a six punch combo, then a spinning heel-hook to the side of the head. He looked a little dazed, but after we touched gloves, he came in hard. I knew this was only going to escalate, but I didn't care. Uppercut to the jaw, front kick to the chest, sweep up through the face, and then axe-kick to the collarbone. I was livid.

This went on for the next two minutes, until the round was over, and needless to say, I beat the living weasel out of him. I don't claim to be the greatest fighter in the world (I suck at tournament fighting) but I can beat anybody other than my instructor at my dojo.

When I was finished fighting the next person (the first kyu, who is testing for first dan in a few months and is a very good fighter), I asked him to trade rotation with me, because I knew I was only going to end up seriously hurting the other guy if I kept fighting him. Afterward, I asked my instructor if what I did was wrong, and he told me no. My instructor himself dropped the same first dan with a hammerfist to the back of the neck after the guy repeatedly late-shotted him.

But questions still remain in my mind...the main one being...

Was I wrong to do what I did?

[busling]

Provided you explained it clearly to your instructor, I would say no. Sometimes stories become twisted in the telling, so your instructor may have said it was ok when you view of events was twisted?

Not being there I can only assume that what you tell me is what happened. (and it does sound very reasonable) Hence you sure did the right thing, how else will this cocky guy learn reason.

The other thought that pops up in my head, was that mr cocky did this intentionally to piss you off; so you would go full on at him and he could test himself.

[Squawman]

I'd say no, you stood up to him and beat him fairly. I have to question your instructor though who is in charge of class. First he shouldn't even have let him in class with no belt and a scooby do shirt and also if your instructor has had cheap shots by this guy then he should have told him that he can't spar until he shows some self control.

The two things that are on top of a martial artists list:

1. respect

2. self control

[glockmeister]

Have you "failed" as a Martial artist? Failed is a very strong word. I wouldn't be hard on yourself for being angry at what this guy was doing. Anger is a natural emotion. Seems you taught him a lesson. Maybe by getting his butt handed to him, he may think twice before being so cockey.

Also, I am with Squaman, I think the head instructor should control someone like that. In My TSD school, someone behaving like that and being very cocky and disrespectful as well as not showing proper discipline by coming to class properly dressed, he would be literallya nd physically thrown out of the school.

[Mu Ryuk]

Some people need to be taught a lesson, and sometimes they can only learn the hard way. You did what had to be done, and I hope he learned from it (but I doubt it).

[pineapple]

I agree that the only person who FAILED was your instructor as he failed to intervene!

[Meguro]

It seems that late shots happen with some frequency in your dojo. You mentioned that the instructor "drops" a shodan for a similar infraction. Perhaps your instructor failed in not instilling a sense of "fair-play" among his students, or else he failed by using violence to solve problems, and by his non-intervention in your case, caused you to resort to violence to solve your problem.

I don't think you came off being the bad guy. Although you could have told the guy he was going over the line and if he persisted in the late-hitting, you'd have to put him down.

[Sam]

depends ---- were you trying to teach him his mistake ..... or were you just attackign?

Secondly - did you retain control of your techniques....

[White Warlock]

http://www.karateforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=12255

[UseoForce]

Failed as a martial artist? Not at all! You turned your emotions into a weapon, an effective weapon apparently. This is as good as or better than blocking them out completely. Many of the more traditional martial artists won't like me saying that, but that is my belief. You were driven by your emotions but not CONTROLLED by them. They gave you power but did not lose your head. You knew when he had had enough, and you stopped there. You broke no rules yourself. You didn't hurt the guy. You acted as a good MARTIAL artist should.

BTW, are you higher ranked than he is? My school isn't very traditional, and certain types of "cheap shots" (eye gouges, groin strikes, etc.) are an integral part of training (we train for the street). However, I don't want to think about what would happen to me if I struck any of the dans or senior gups after sparring was over and they has lowered their guard .