kicking in a fight

[Ace2021]

If you're talking about kicking between the legs, I would kind of consider that cheap..unless your life was in danger.

But from experience I can tell you, kicking isn't cheap. I would recommend low kicks though, they will decrease your enemies mobility, while not throwing you as off balance as a highkick would be, and they can't usually be caught unless the guy is hunched over waiting.

Edited February 13, 2007 by Ace2021

[bushido_man96]

Why keep any of your body's weapons unused? I'd do whatever it took to win.

I would have to agree here. Headbutts, gouges, whatever you can do to get it over with.

If you're talking about kicking between the legs, I would kind of consider that cheap..unless your life was in danger.

I am not so sure why so many people think that a groin shot is considered cheap in a fight. I feel that if you are in a situation to fight/defend yourself, and you start thinking about what is fair, cheap, dishonorable, etc., you are beginning to set yourself up for defeat.

[Knuckle Dragger]

I do not consider anything cheap in a real fight, and unless I am in a ring or on a mat it is a real fight.

[baronbvp]

I would have to agree here. Headbutts, gouges, whatever you can do to get it over with.

Ace2021 wrote:

If you're talking about kicking between the legs, I would kind of consider that cheap..unless your life was in danger.

I am not so sure why so many people think that a groin shot is considered cheap in a fight. I feel that if you are in a situation to fight/defend yourself, and you start thinking about what is fair, cheap, dishonorable, etc., you are beginning to set yourself up for defeat.

I do not consider anything cheap in a real fight, and unless I am in a ring or on a mat it is a real fight.

I agree with you both. I'd rather be defending my tactics after having escaped alive, while the guy in the hospital who started it is whining about my cheap shots.

[Ace2021]

When I said that I consider kicking between the legs cheap, I'm also classifying it with eye gouging, fishhooking, groin pulling, and hair pulling. But then again that would be in a perfect world where everyone fought fair, and where trained Martial Artists wouldn't have to resort to in-between the leg kicking.

I took Martial Arts for 3 reasons, to learn self defense primarily, to get in better shape, and to become a better person.

I go to the gym, and I'm not a bad person, have a lot of self discipline from ROTC alone.

I would not have taken martial arts if my philosophy was to just try to survive a fight, by any means necessary like hair pulling and groin shots. I just want to put what I learned to good use. I'm just trying to say that I don't pay so much every month that when the time arises to fight, I just go for "cheap" shots.

Sorry if I offended anyone, only trying to elaborate on my views.

[baronbvp]

Nope, nicely summarized. We don't like cheap shots either, or sucker punches, or egotistical punks with something to prove.

We're lethal but happy.

[Ace2021]

Out of everything that could be classified as "cheap"..sucker punches are the worst! I watch fights often to observe things...common things untrained people do (like haymakers), and seeing someone throw a sucker punch is just sad.

[Cormoran]

When i consider the various 'cheap' moves in kata i'd have to guess that not very many karateka of old found these moves to be all that 'cheap'.

As far as kicking, people can find it cheap all they want, i don't mind having the advantage of using more weapons against them than they wish to use against me.

In the end, you're in a fight, there's no 'honour' or anything like that to be gained or lost, it's not some b grade martial arts movie, it's real life. You just try to survive.

[bushido_man96]

I would not have taken martial arts if my philosophy was to just try to survive a fight, by any means necessary like hair pulling and groin shots. I just want to put what I learned to good use. I'm just trying to say that I don't pay so much every month that when the time arises to fight, I just go for "cheap" shots.

Martial, by definition, means war. Most of the techniques that are taken from any fighting style, are descended from moves that worked directly in defense of life, country, family, etc. Included in these techniques are the "cheap tricks" like hair pulling, eye gouging, biting, groin kicking, etc. If you are defending yourself, and skip an opportunity to do something that you consider "cheap" because you feel that is not the way it should be done, then you end up doing yourself a disservice in the end. Especially if it ends up in your defeat.

Whether it is pretty or ugly, fancy or brutal, a fight is a fight. Just my opinion, though.

[baronbvp]

If you are defending yourself, and skip an opportunity to do something that you consider "cheap" because you feel that is not the way it should be done, then you end up doing yourself a disservice in the end. Especially if it ends up in your defeat.

Whether it is pretty or ugly, fancy or brutal, a fight is a fight. Just my opinion, though.

That's not just your opinion, Bushido Man. A fair number of us agree with you, including even the OP I think.