Throw the first punch?

[bushido_man96]

Unfortunately many attacks are NOT preceded by a lot of talking. Thus, the idea that one will have time to say things like "leave me alone" or even "stop" may not be a viable assumption. This idea is based in the assumption that altercations begin small and then escalate in a relatively smooth continuum. This is simply not true in many cases (especially when dealing with criminals and / or people drunk or on drugs). Hence again the idea of trigger points.

Even if no talking takes place prior to any actions, if one can talk/yell during the altercation, stating the things I mentioned above, it can help one's cause.

This is something that we covered in a weapon retention/control class that I took in early 08. If your gun gets grabbed, you yell out "gun grab!" as loud as you can, as often as you can, so as to alert others around you to the circumstances of the situation. This kind of thing can be trained for scenarios as well.

[FitOrDie]

It is true that in more cases than not of self defense, you are surprised, or have very little chance to throw the first punch. This is why training to instinctively react, or how to react in accordance with your flinching instincts, is so important.

But yea, if you know an attack is coming, I say take them out first. If you are in one of the stupid areas where the lawmakers make such actions illegal (as if that will dissuede an attacker), you can always say that he DID hit you, in the stomach or something.

[mooseman25]

I think it depends on the situation. If you cant talk your way out and are forced to fight than if you should strike first is subjective.

However, the idea of letting them throw the first punch is that your going to let them strike at you, but not let them hit you. There are advantages to letting the other guy strike first. If your ready for it you can use that first punch to lock the guys punching arm and end the fight without having to resprt to beating on someone.

[Grego]

I definately want them to attack first, so I have some legal defense when I bust his face.

[bushido_man96]

However, the idea of letting them throw the first punch is that your going to let them strike at you, but not let them hit you. There are advantages to letting the other guy strike first. If your ready for it you can use that first punch to lock the guys punching arm and end the fight without having to resprt to beating on someone.

I think that this is a common thought, but I don't think that it is a practical line of thinking. Why would one want to put oneself behind the eight-ball, and allow someone to strike first?

Here is a simple drill that anyone can try the next time you are at the dojo, or, even at home with someone that has no MA training at all:

The Towel Drill

1. Face your partner, and hang a towel from your shoulder, letting it drape down so that half of it is to your front and half to your back.

2. With your hands down at your sides, tell your partner to "attack" you by trying to take the towel off of your shoulder as fast as he can, without warning. Your goal is to try to stop it.

How did it work out? I've done the drill before, and I know that it is not easy to keep the towel from being taken. In fact, most of the time, the "attacker" ends up holding the towel.

3. Now, alter the drill a bit by putting your hands up in a fence position, and letting the "attacker" take the towel whenever he feels ready to try. Getting the hands up makes your defense quicker, for sure. But still, after analyzing the data, is it a chance that you want to take, to put oneself behind the reaction curve like that? Not me.

[joesteph]

Here is a simple drill that anyone can try the next time you are at the dojo, or, even at home with someone that has no MA training at all:

The Towel Drill

1. Face your partner, and hang a towel from your shoulder, letting it drape down so that half of it is to your front and half to your back.

2. With your hands down at your sides, tell your partner to "attack" you by trying to take the towel off of your shoulder as fast as he can, without warning. Your goal is to try to stop it.

How did it work out? I've done the drill before, and I know that it is not easy to keep the towel from being taken. In fact, most of the time, the "attacker" ends up holding the towel.

3. Now, alter the drill a bit by putting your hands up in a fence position, and letting the "attacker" take the towel whenever he feels ready to try. Getting the hands up makes your defense quicker, for sure. But still, after analyzing the data, is it a chance that you want to take, to put oneself behind the reaction curve like that? Not me.

This is a good one, Brian. You know there's an "attack" coming, but you've still got a challenge. Your partner doesn't even have to be a martial artist and there are two levels of readiness. We say that when we're confronted by someone, that we should put our hands up, but it may be that he's not listening, so there's no pause for the hands to make that fence. All you have to do is blink, and then you find yourself on the floor.

This reminds me of "The Magnificent Seven," when Yul Brynner had his hands wide apart, and the young man in front of him was to draw his handgun, the idea being to beat Brynner's clapping his hands together. The younger one couldn't do it, but Brynner did when they switched.

[ShoriKid]

It's a matter of awareness and judgement. If your not comfortable with the idea of striking first, don't. If you are and you think the situation warrents it, commit to the act.

For me, I'm on the side of striking first under certain circumstances. It's a matter of action being faster than reaction.

[JusticeZero]

There's also the option of shrieking and acting as though one had been struck while countering first, say with a front kick set to knock the kicker over.

Alternately, whimpering loudly things like "Don't hurt me! Don't punch me in the face!" while turning the face away fearfully, hands down and in position to react to a face punch.

[bushido_man96]

It's a matter of awareness and judgement. If your not comfortable with the idea of striking first, don't. If you are and you think the situation warrents it, commit to the act.

For me, I'm on the side of striking first under certain circumstances. It's a matter of action being faster than reaction.

I agree on both accounts here. Your first poing, being comfortable with it, is important. If it is a tactic that one would consider, then it would be important to train for it, at least periodically.

There's also the option of shrieking and acting as though one had been struck while countering first, say with a front kick set to knock the kicker over.

Alternately, whimpering loudly things like "Don't hurt me! Don't punch me in the face!" while turning the face away fearfully, hands down and in position to react to a face punch.

I like this approach, too. Its a good way to seperate the mind from the body, so to speak; get the aggressor distracted, and also draw more attention to yourself and the situation. I don't know if I would try it all the time, but I am sure that there would be times that would warrant its usage.

[Otto]

Be a member of the 4H club.

Hit first,

Hit fast,

Hit hard

and Hit last.