Interesting day...

[Jack]

Well, I was in the school premises at lunch time. It was a sunny day. So I was standing there with some mates of mine, and this other 'mate' of mine, Mike, walked up to me and demanded to borrow my sunglasses, in his typical "toughman" rude way. I asked him to say please sort of jokingly, so...

 

He grabbed my arms and pushed me in the wall and started shouting at me not to use any of my "wussy" Martial Arts or he'd break my legs. I told him to calm down, and some guy from the year above said if anything happens here he'd stop it. So Mike went off.

 

He said the reason he did this was because it pissed him off how I did Martial Arts and showed them off in school. I dont show them off, I just have a casual sort of spar with a friend of mine that does Boxing.

 

Seriously - is it just me or has this guy got something wrong in his head?

 

I also got that adrenalin thing. After it happened I felt a little shaken and nervous, but I just waited a few minutes talking to my friends before I went over to him (he was standing nearby with others) to sort things out, to which he just about ignored me.

 

Apparently now I've heard that he's "after me" or something.

 

Trouble is that he is awfully strong, when he grabbed my arms I hardly had any control over them. I could have knees him pretty hardly in the balls but I simply had the feeling that I did not want this to escalate into a fight.

 

I'd just like to hear your comments on this event, if possible.

 

Thanks

 

 

 

 

[Chris from CT]

I think you did great, Jack. I don't know how much you care for the guy, but if his only probelm with you is your training, why not ask him to go with you to class sometime and let him know he would be welcomed there?

 

This way he may feel less left out and...

 

1) might get him off your back.

 

and even better

 

2) might even end up being friends.

 

It's good to feel like a part of something and not be left out. There have been people that I haven't cared for, but once I started training with them I ended up getting this funny "respect" thing happening. Your instructor probably has some type of free trial deal so he could try it.

 

As far as him grabbing you... Hapkido is great for that!!

 

Take care, Jack.

 

 

[Jack]

Thanks for the reply Chris.

 

I dont think he was feeling left out, he's just a miserable guy with a big ego, who thinks the MA are poncey. Unforunately he's quite strong and probably would be quite the challenge in a real fight. I think he has some boxing experience since I have had a "friendly" spar with him before and he used a boxing stance/movements... that time he got carried away and tried kicking me quite hard, lol.

 

Miserably little boy.

 

 

[Taikudo-ka]

I'd say try and keep the peace.

 

But if he does come at you again, unprovoked, let him have everything you've got.

 

When I was at school jerks like this were always a major problem... I was too much of a pacifist to stand up for myself, and for my friends as well. In hindsight I wish I'd stuck up for my rights a bit more, because teachers or adults rarely will.

 

But I couldn't fight for s**t normally, and had no training.

 

I'd only fight if I got was driven totally crazy, then I just went beserk, I mean full on "ye olde norse beserker warrior" balistic... the first time I ended up just circling around screaming through a red haze and attacking anyone who came near, after fighting off about 6-8 other kids who'd jumped on me and nearly choked/crushed me unconscious.

 

I'd say martial arts is good for avoiding both the extremes outlined here.

 

[ This Message was edited by: Taikudo-ka on 2002-04-11 09:59 ]

[TKD_McGee]

Haha I like these playground stories...

 

Why don't u slap that Bulk Bogan kid around..!

 

 

[CTpizzaboy]

Never let the b@stard know that your afraid. I have come across one person like this across my life. They'll poke and probe you to see how much you'll take. They think you some wimp who doesn't stand up for himself thats why they like picking on you. Thats why never show them you're afraid. Sometimes the best way to handle these people is to say something back, standing up for yourself, to show them you're not some whimp without actually having a fight. If the situation actually escalate, be confident in your training.

 

What do you study? In the martial art its not about strenght, otherwise old people and children won't be able to take it. Martial art is about leverage, its about smarts. Its about how the a low side kick thrusted from the hip can break someones knee or how to always be aware of your surrounding.

 

This confortation is just one more reason to turn up the heat up in your training. Good luck.

 

:up:

[Taikudo-ka]

Well said pizzaboy. Turn up the training heat... try to draw inner confidence from your training, so you don't project the image of someone it's easy to push against a wall and demand sunglasses, or money, or whatever.

 

Not that you want to swagger around like Rambo, just a quiet acknowledgement to yourself of the technique you possess and the training you've done.

 

But then from what you say, maybe he just has some beef with the "martial arts" or perhaps he's even secretely jealous of the training you're doing? I agree with Chris that maybe asking him to train with you for a while is a good idea. If he's a "tough guy" maybe you could challenge him to see if he can hack the discipline required for even the basic training... Hehe it might give him a positive outlet for his aggression.

 

[ This Message was edited by: Taikudo-ka on 2002-04-11 11:57 ]

[Jack]

Turn up the training heat? Oh, I definitely intend to.

 

I have no intentions on showing him I'm afraid. Mainly because I am not afraid. Wow, if I lose a fight? Well done to him. He was "won". I have to have a week off training cos I'm a bit sore. I'll have fun poked at me for a little while. Nothing much there to be afraid of.

 

Pizzaboy, I study TaeKwonDo, and our fighting revolves around combat from a longer range, not from there. I have heard that the side kick to knee is highly overated also.

 

Hmm I'll try to sort things out with him so we're cool, but if he does start pushing me and trying to start a fight, I'm not going to stand there forever and take it.

 

 

 

 

[CTpizzaboy]

You do have to be in close for a low side kick. For example, when someone's close enough to grab your arm. Nothing's over-rated if it works. Teakwondo, eh? I've taken tkd and its mostly about point sparring and competition. Not to say that taekwondo isn't effective. A good kick of any kind is still a good kick. For me, it didn't teach nothing about weapons and how to defend against them. Its great that you are not scared of him. If you do fight him, tells us how it turns out. I'll have my popcorn ready. Yeah, and butter, too. :grin:

[Bon]

I think this guy's aggression has come from over a few months of something annoying him.

 

Could be he's jealous you're a better fighter than him or something. As for showing off your MA skills, I can't really comment since I don't see how you act or anything you do that would warrant 'showing [them] off'.

 

When your in close range like that, think elbows & knees especially.

 

From what you tell me he sounds like the macho dude who's ego has gotten the better of him and it's likely he might try something, or he could be just talking himself up saying he's 'after you'..

 

I'd be ready to fight! And don't hold back, don't be afraid to hit first, if you feel he'll hit you.

 

If you kneed him in the balls, there wouldn't have been a fight.