has anyone ever underestimate a person

[mean fighter]

I went to a martial arts tournament and I was getting ready to spar. since Im seventeen I got to spar the older adults and there was an old man with thick glasses (like bug eyes) that was going up against a guy who was probably half his age and laughing at his opponent, his felow students were laughing at the old man. when the fight began the younger fighter came at the old man with a front kick, the old man doged to the side and delivered a strong jumpig revers sidekick to the side of the other guy s head and knocked him down and out for two minutes .

Another question I would like to know is that, has anyone ever used this sort of thing to there advantage in a tournament or in a street fight.

[Pogo]

Most people underestemate my leg abillity because of my size and this gives me time to gett in the lead and win the fight.

But I did underestemate a guy once at a tournament. I thaught that because he was overweight he wouldent be able to use his legs.

Whell I was WRONG and he one the fight.

After that I told myself that I would treet everone the same no matter the age hight weight or sex.

[h2whoa]

Always over estimate, victory doesnt always favour the reckless, I am 130 kg 15% body fat 5ft 9 or 10 (Im not really sure right now). People dont underestimate me....sigh, that would make my life easier!

[White Warlock]

i'm always underestimated, mainly because i intentionally present myself as non-aggressive, non-combative. I work with the 'switch' principle. I.e., when it's time to get busy, i flip a switch.

Seriously though, i've only underestimated one person... and it was a non-combat and friendly situation where my ego led the way to not treating the guy as if he didn't have any skills. He had some, not as much as me, but because i went into it half-mast, he tripped me to the ground. I considered the situation a lesson i needed at the time.

Btw, how old was this... "old man with thick glasses?"

[karatekid1975]

Some of the kids underestimate me, because I'm 30. Specially this one kid (about 15 years old, I think), that just recently came back. We never sparred. But he knows that there's a lot of "older folks" in the advanced class, and he "assumed" that we can't kick worth crap. He was wrong. My man who is 50, regularly "pops" him in the head, but he is a softy at the same time.

Anyways, this kid and I sparred. I knew he was thinking that a 30 year old female can't do nothing to him (his ego just showed and he had this stupid smirk on his face). We traded a few shots. He got some well placed punches on me, but then I saw the openning (he dropped his guard) and did a spinning hook kick right to his mellon and almost knocked him out. He dropped the ego thing with me after that.

[IcemanSK]

Some of the kids underestimate me, because I'm 30. Specially this one kid (about 15 years old, I think), that just recently came back. We never sparred. But he knows that there's a lot of "older folks" in the advanced class, and he "assumed" that we can't kick worth crap. He was wrong. My man who is 50, regularly "pops" him in the head, but he is a softy at the same time.

Anyways, this kid and I sparred. I knew he was thinking that a 30 year old female can't do nothing to him (his ego just showed and he had this stupid smirk on his face). We traded a few shots. He got some well placed punches on me, but then I saw the openning (he dropped his guard) and did a spinning hook kick right to his mellon and almost knocked him out. He dropped the ego thing with me after that.

Nice job, Laurie

I've been underestimated my whole life. As a 38 year old, I'm starting to appreciate it more. I was born with a slight case (comparitively) of Cerebral Palsy which gives me a small limp & an inability to do small movements w/ my right hand (eg. wiggle my fingers). Every school or gym I've been in I've been labeled "the guy to take it easy on." In a boxing gym, I dropped a guy who wanted to show how tough he was & picked me to spar. And my hook kick & spinning hook kick have surprised more than a few folks.

I go by the words of that great philosopher, Bill "Superfoot" Wallace who said, "They might be younger, stronger & faster than you. But nobody has to be sneakier than you."

[shogeri]

I ditto those replies...

[TangSooGuy]

I've tried very hard not to, because I've always been underestimated, similar to what White Warlock said...I try to make myself very unassuming...most think I'm a very quiet, very mellow guy...but when it is time to turn it up...I turn it way up. It catches some people off guard.

I did however undestimate one guy pretty seriously in a different way...he always comes off as kind of goofy, bumbling, sometimes stutters, and just genarally seems not too "with it"...and tends to get kind of "picked on" but some of the other seniors I know because of it.

Then I saw this guy teach a class...and I was quite frankly shocked at his ability. It was like he was a whole different person. he was in charge, he was downright touch, and he really knew what he was doing. I learned quite alot that day, and ever since have made a conscious effort not to treat him as some of the other senior instructors still do.

In the end, this earned be a pretty good friendship, and a lot of respect from him....

It really is true that you just can't judge a book by its cover.

[coralreefer_1]

I made the mistake of underestimating a guy in a taekwondo tournament a few years ago. I was 25, and he was probably 35 or so. I was maybe 140, while he was probably 180 or more. He looked like he drank alcohol alot, and seemed slow to me. That day..I was nursing an injury I took sparring a week earlier, so i thought to myself "i hope i get matched up with that guy, because he looks easy to beat" I really didnt want a hard fight.

Well, I got my wish, and he was my first match. As soon as the referee said start, the guy jumped forward with a front leg hook kick, that caught me in the back of the head and had me dazed for a few seconds. I wasn't expecting him to come at me so soon and agressive, and I wasnt expecting him to be accurate with a kick of decent power. I took the standing 8 count, and it really took all 8 seconds to get my senses back from that kick to the back of the head. I went on to win the match, but i learned that day to never underestimate anyone. That guy came close to "knocking me out" and the first 2 seconds of the match!!!

Todd

[yasureubetcha]

Ouch! Lol, you can never tell. And sometimes the fittest, most toughest looking people are the slowest too. I always got underestimated I suppose, being a girl and all. In class 9 times out of 10 i'd be paired up with one of the guys and you could just tell they were taking it easy on you and it sucked!

I spared one of the kids once, he was about 8 at the time and I'm like, Ill just take it easy on him, well i tell you what, he was the best person I ever sparred. Was tough cause he was alot shorter, but we had the best time, I dont think I was ever so tired afterwards, lol.