street fights-tell your story

[judobrah]

hi everybody lately i was thinking a lot about street fights,self defense e.t.c,i am the "quiet" peacfull guy e.t.c but i cant stop wondering what if i had to defend myself,knowing that fights are best avoided,please tell your story when you had to use martial arts to defend yourself,what tecniques did you use,how did it went,what caused it e.t.c,thanks and stay saffe btw i am portuguese so no grammar pun intended

[Dobbersky]

JudoBrah

You will find that true martial artists do not boast about "Street Fights" as although we train to protect ourselves from attackers in the street aswell as other arenas, we tend to only use our skills only when there is no other avenue.

not too sure how long you have been training or your age but you will find the older you get and the more senior up the grades you get, this will no longer be an issue for you.

Just relax and enjoy your chosen Martial Arts Styles!

[judobrah]

i know that "whe" dont train for fights,that fights are ignorant and pointless,i am just looking for some stories whem you HAD to use martial arts,i trained a lot condition for 1.5 years and start training ma for about 1 year,i am 15 with a full beard lol, best of luck

[judobrah]

btw i hate fights

[Shizentai]

Well, I've never really had to engage in a full-on street fight before. However I have "used techniques" that I learned in training to keep myself out of them, which is in my opinion, all too often understated.

1. Run the heck away - When it's just me that I am worried about protecting, often getting the heck out of there is the best defense. I was inspired by kata like enpi and kanku sho/dai to practice a lot of running and knee-tuck jumping over tall and wide objects. I have become comfortable gauging exactly what I can and cannot clear, where as an assailant is often not. At least three times I have run away from would-be muggers in a rough part of town late at night.

2. Talking people out of it - As a kid I didn't have the confidence to do this, but now that I have a backup plan I am much more at ease in this sort of situation. I was attending an out-of-town karate tournament when a man came up to me and my friends with a knife and asked for our money. I just stood there and talked to him politely about his financial situation, and then about my own while shaking out an empty wallet (that I always carry with me). He not only apologized. He actually gave me a can of cola he had in his pocket. TRUE STORY!

3. Rolling and break-falling - Twice now I have been struck by a hit-and-run car while riding my bike. Both times it was my method of falling that I learned in karate class that literally saved my skin.

4. Being creepy (okay, so this one I didn't really learn in training! lol!) - Earlier this year someone tried to break into my apartment via the back door. I awoke when I heard the sound, picked up one of my tonfa and used it to tap on the adjacent window with an accompanied slow but disapproving finger wag. He ran. Another time when I was a freshmen in college I saw a man trying to take my bike outside of a taco bell. I just walked out there silently and stared daggers at him with no words until he eventually got creeped out and and went away (I was SO glad that he gave up easily, since I REALLY wan't planning to fight over a stupid bike).

All in all, no real problems. Fighting for me is the last resort, so other than responding to some uninvited playful roughhousing with gentle blocks or joint locks here and there over the years, no, I've never found a real need to use the fighting techniques I've learned as of yet.

[judobrah]

i dont get it,did you ever had to defend yourself or not?nice storys trough

[evergrey]

When I was a stupid teen I got in a couple of fights, long before I trained in martial arts.

Now that I do, I know better than to get in street fights. I haven't yet had to defend myself on the street since I started training- for one thing, I've grown up a lot, and gotten wiser, so I have more situational awareness and work at not getting myself into dangerous situations in the first place. Watch the people around you and avoid trouble. Don't go down that dark alley alone late at night.

For another, I'd rather just apologize and walk away if it's over something stupid. Wounded pride heals faster than a broken nose, or a messed up knee cap that keeps me from training. If I HAVE to fight to defend myself or a loved one, I will not be trying to fight like I do during kumite in my Kyokushin dojo. Oh, I'll hit hard, but I'll go for nasty dirty tricks first and foremost, if I am truly in a situation that cannot be diffused or de-escalated.

Like one of my senseis says: "Oh no, if I were fighting you guys out on the street, I'd be taking so many bites out of your flesh that I'd be able to make stew."

But really unless you have no other choice, why risk serious injury or jail time, or worse? What if the other person has a knife, or a gun? No, I'm not too keen on street fights.

My primary sensei was once attacked by two guys with knives, when he was way younger. He managed to fight one off, the other managed to get him down on the ground and they were struggling with a knife when a guy driving by ran out of the car and chased the other guy off. While his training saved his life, Sensei ended up with a dislocated shoulder that required surgery and still has a lot of problems to this day. It was scary and nasty and ugly and nothing he'd ever want to repeat.

He did really start to take his martial arts seriously after that incident, however.

The one thing he always says is that being attacked for real on the street is completely different from consensual fighting in a dojo or gym. No matter how alive and full contact you try to make your training, it's just not the same thing. It can still cause panic, you can still freeze up, you can still forget some of your training in the heat of the moment... you might be less likely to, but it can still happen. Just the shock of it happening can really unbalance you, mentally, emotionally, and physically.

The moral of the story is- minimum wage plus cruddy tips do not make delivering pizza in the ghetto worth it. There are people who will try to shank you there for a pizza.

[sensei8]

...looking for some stories whem you HAD to use martial arts...

You're going to hate my answer, but...the last time I HAD you use martial arts was just last night...I was conducting an advanced Tuite class with Godan's and above.

Well, it's true, I had to use MA to teach. I've HAD to use my MA the last time I tested. Another time I HAD to use MA was this afternoon when I was working out.

Sorry, I just couldn't resist...I tried...but I just couldn't. Hopefully, you'll forgive me.

[sensei8]

When I was a stupid teen I got in a couple of fights, long before I trained in martial arts.

Now that I do, I know better than to get in street fights. I haven't yet had to defend myself on the street since I started training- for one thing, I've grown up a lot, and gotten wiser, so I have more situational awareness and work at not getting myself into dangerous situations in the first place. Watch the people around you and avoid trouble. Don't go down that dark alley alone late at night.

For another, I'd rather just apologize and walk away if it's over something stupid. Wounded pride heals faster than a broken nose, or a messed up knee cap that keeps me from training. If I HAVE to fight to defend myself or a loved one, I will not be trying to fight like I do during kumite in my Kyokushin dojo. Oh, I'll hit hard, but I'll go for nasty dirty tricks first and foremost, if I am truly in a situation that cannot be diffused or de-escalated.

Like one of my senseis says: "Oh no, if I were fighting you guys out on the street, I'd be taking so many bites out of your flesh that I'd be able to make stew."

But really unless you have no other choice, why risk serious injury or jail time, or worse? What if the other person has a knife, or a gun? No, I'm not too keen on street fights.

My primary sensei was once attacked by two guys with knives, when he was way younger. He managed to fight one off, the other managed to get him down on the ground and they were struggling with a knife when a guy driving by ran out of the car and chased the other guy off. While his training saved his life, Sensei ended up with a dislocated shoulder that required surgery and still has a lot of problems to this day. It was scary and nasty and ugly and nothing he'd ever want to repeat.

He did really start to take his martial arts seriously after that incident, however.

The one thing he always says is that being attacked for real on the street is completely different from consensual fighting in a dojo or gym. No matter how alive and full contact you try to make your training, it's just not the same thing. It can still cause panic, you can still freeze up, you can still forget some of your training in the heat of the moment... you might be less likely to, but it can still happen. Just the shock of it happening can really unbalance you, mentally, emotionally, and physically.

The moral of the story is- minimum wage plus cruddy tips do not make delivering pizza in the ghetto worth it. There are people who will try to shank you there for a pizza.

Solid post Ev!!

[sensei8]

My Dai-Soke always told us...

"We train in the MA to not fight!"