should you punch first?

[bushido_man96]

Thats a pretty dangerous assumption, not all fights start with a big obvious windup.

This is my thought exactly. It may be a real quick punch, or worse, it may come from behind, where you can't see it.

[stejitsu]

Thats a pretty dangerous assumption, not all fights start with a big obvious windup.

This is my thought exactly. It may be a real quick punch, or worse, it may come from behind, where you can't see it.

That idea is quite dangerous really. Waiting for the wind up or lack of it may get you badly beaten up or killed!!!!!!!!

If they surrounded you, they are likely to kick off. This is a pack mentality one starts they all jump in. If you take the first move it may diffuse the situation if not you may just end up picking your teeth off the floor. If you do attack total commitment and mayhem is the order of the day. Have you ever in sparring session tried to defend on yr back foot retrieating. Not an easy situation to deal with.

An old school Jiu jitsu sensie who has sadly deceased 'Mike Walsh' had a saying......First in First served.......This was a bold statement backed up by a man who had been involved in various security and body gaurding duties. He was a great man.

[baronbvp]

See...these are all the little arguments that are going on in your head during the five seconds it takes to develop. Should I run? Should I strike first? Will I get hurt? Will I get sued?

I don't like to strike first and risk assault charges, but I like to get beaten up even less. One thing I haven't seen is a timeline that should be ticking in your head, something like this:

1. Attempt to deescalate situation while surveying the threat and prioritizing opponents in wary passive stance.

2. Look for escape or assistance that you will attempt or engage. Delay attack while getting any family/friends to safety if possible.

3. Develop quick gameplan and backup plan, keeping wary of the threat and watching your back. (Distractors often talk to you while their buddy approaches from behind.)

4. Attack biggest threat preemptively once violence cannot be stopped. I would try to do this away from my escape route, so I don't have to go through the guy to get free. Or, if he's between me and safety, plan my attack to be a slash-and-run.

5. RUN!

[bushido_man96]

1. Attempt to deescalate situation while surveying the threat and prioritizing opponents in wary passive stance.

2. Look for escape or assistance that you will attempt or engage. Delay attack while getting any family/friends to safety if possible.

3. Develop quick gameplan and backup plan, keeping wary of the threat and watching your back. (Distractors often talk to you while their buddy approaches from behind.)

4. Attack biggest threat preemptively once violence cannot be stopped. I would try to do this away from my escape route, so I don't have to go through the guy to get free. Or, if he's between me and safety, plan my attack to be a slash-and-run.

5. RUN!

I like this timeline layout, baron. This is good info, and when you really start to look at it, it won't take as long as it does to read it to go through it all in your head. The key is learning how to do it when things get sticky. When the panic factor kicks in, thought processes tend to fly out the window.

[baronbvp]

It can be made even easier by simplifying and memorizing, then training to it until folks know it cold:

1. Survey and prioritize the threat.

2. Look for escape and assistance.

3. Family and friends to safety.

4. Gameplan and backup; watch your back.

5. With a path to escape, attack the biggest threat.

6. RUN!

In the dojo, you could have your students line up. Put all the instructors in a menacing semi-circle. One by one, have each student shout out the step, then do the step physcially and narrating it as he/she does it. Have everyone play different roles: attacker, defender, gang member, family member, interloper.

[bushido_man96]

That's a great class idea, Baron. Thanks for sharing.

[Symphony-x]

i never understand discussions like these. you cant determine what will happen in a situation.

it all depends on the situation wherther you should or shouldn't punch first, i dont believe you can say prior to the incident something like 'oh i'd never hit first'

[baronbvp]

Yes, but preparation is a good idea. Too many people suffer from a failure to imagine.

[cross]

i never understand discussions like these. you cant determine what will happen in a situation.

it all depends on the situation wherther you should or shouldn't punch first, i dont believe you can say prior to the incident something like 'oh i'd never hit first'

I think everyone will agree that self defence situations are unpredictable and your response will differ depending on the specific circumstances. But that doesnt mean you cant prepare and have some well practiced ways of dealing with some specific situations. The trick is to leave the responses open enough so they can be adapted easily during a situation depending on whats happening.

This doesnt mean that you will hit first every time someone comes up to you and threatens. It depends who the person is, how serious they are, do they have friends close by, are they armed?

There are alot of "What-ifs", and you cant plan for everything, but to not even prepare a basic gameplan is neglecting a crucial part of your survival tactics.

Hitting first is a tactic that i would consider effective if a person is threatening me and moving beyond verbal and becoming more aggressive despite my attempts to calm the situation. These things can happen, you wont always be able to walk away, or be in a position to let your attacker attack first and you counter, or even see the first strike before it hits you.

The premptive strike is not the answer to every situation, but its a very important tactic for some, knowing when and how to use it all comes from the preparation.

[baronbvp]

Well said, Cross.