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Hahaha, are you KIDDING?

This is real life! Justice is but a dream!

I was once being attacked in primary school by some horrid little girl wielding a rounders bat. I put up my arms to defend myself, a teacher saw it, and because it was apparently attacking a girl I got a week's detention. All the stupid cow had to say was that she'd managed the grab the bat after I hit her several times and anything I said was meaningless. I didn't do anything wrong.

This isn't a movie. The downtrodden don't rise on the wings of salvation. Society first kicks you in the stomach and then jumps up and down on your head once you're down.

Using traditional MA in a life or death situation would in fact, be foolish. Though, traditional, is the lose term here.




Grabbing and pushing are considered to be physical provocations, so in that case the person grabbing or pushing you would have made the first 'strike', and in that case it would justify your actions from that point forward. However, I never read that part in what I was referring to when you responded here:






Essentially you were here. Someone yelling at you across a cafeteria shouldn't be enough incentive for you to get up out of your seat, walk across the room and deck them in the face if you really believe in doing everything you can to avoid a fight. Words, are only words. When I was in school, there were always kids screaming and yelling insults back and forth at each other in study hall, but no one ever walked to the other side of the room, punched the guy in the face, and later claim they did it in an act of self defense.

In this case, it would not have constituted as a preemptive strike, since there was no physical provocation beforehand. It would have just been you walking up to a guy and knocking his block off for calling you names across a lunch hall. And though I will admit, high school would have been much more entertaining if everyone carried that same mindset, I still don't think I am wrong in thinking that action only would have been the cause of the fight in the first place--and not at all the way to avoid it or diffuse it.


I don't disagree with you're saying otherwise. In life or death situations or on the street, you have to fight to 'kill', to use that term losely--kill or be killed. And it's good to see you also believe in doing everything you can to aviod a fight in the first place. I was only questioning that one instance you mentioned; which, in that circumstance, seemed unnecessary, and contradictory to doing everything you can to prevent a fight in the first place.

Basically, standing up to confront the person that was yelling at you on equal terms, when and if he starts to approach you; would make a first self defense strike understandable. But, walking over to a common high school 'tough guy' trying to impress his friends by throwing french fries at you, and busting him full-force 3 times in the face--not at all self defense.


Kravenwolf

Although I would much prefer knocking the guy out and running. I wouldn't kill if I could help it.

I didn't literally mean kill them


Kravenwolf

Ah, that's good

@Kravenwolf: Fair point, I guess my view came accross wrong it the respect, that hammering some guy in the face for shouting insults at you without a physical degree of interaction is wrong. and I don't condone it.
The reason I included it though was because the scenario was given to me as an example where the end result was you being attacked. I still stand by the rule that you should stand up, and If you are approached, and you honestly believe that you will be physicly harmed, then get in there first.

CoZ

As Teddy Roosevelt says "Speak softly and carry a big stick."

Or always carry a cup of hot McDonald's coffee, preferably with the lid loose. If you get jumped pour said coffee on attacker's face. Repeat if necessary.

Chapter 3: The Warrior Mindset

"In an unarmed confrontation, your survival relies on 99% Mental and 1% physical training"(My unarmed combat instructor)

You often hear about experienced Martial artists getting beaten and left for dead in the street, regardless of their counless years of training. This is because they have spent years training their physical body to perform these complex techniques flawlessly, but they have'nt trained their minds!

The warrior mindset works on the principle, that as humans, we are programmed to be martyrs. We ususally don't do as much for ourselfs as we would for others. We also endure alot more for others than we would for ourselfs (Look around and you will see this is true). When your life is on the line, most people, may or may not fight fiercely to protect themselfs. Most people will just wait for the abuse to be over, instead of confronting it, or fighting to avoid it (Be it physical or verbal abuse). BUT, If the lives of our loved ones are in danger, we would do heck of alot more!, to protect them from harm, compared to ourselfs. The very thought of loosing a loved one is enough to get any warm blooded individual pumped up and ready for a fight.

Switching it on
I this simple exercise, I will teach you how to switch on a mindset and physical state, that can be avtiveated a few secconds before a fight. It's also worth noting that whilst in the warrior mindset, you so not pity your attacker. You attack as violently and as quickly as possible. This technique is also used in the teaching of US Marines during the MCAP or now known as L.I.N.E combat system.

*Close your eyes and imagine that your with someone who you really love or care about more than anything. It can be a parent, nice, brother etc, or whomever else holds the most importance in your life.

*Now imagine your walking down a street without a care in the world with your loved one. Then suddenly, out jumps an attacker, who is ready to hurt you, and your loved one. Now, the only thing that stands between the attacker and your loved one is you. You don't have time to plan, strategize or think!. Your simply explode into rage, and do whatever it takes to protect this loved one!. You pound away until the attacker is out of commission, then then Run!.

You can imagine the result if you hadn't been there to protect your loved one...I don't have to say it.

If you wish to intensify your warrior state of mind, Close your eyes and I want you to imagine what would happen if you didn't protect this loved one. Imagine this will all its emotion and intensity.

Practise this technique a few times over the next few days to get in touch with this feeling fo the mindset. After a few times of practise, you will be able to switch from your normal everyday mindset to the warrior mindset within secconds. If you ever find yourself in a unavoidable physical confrontation, I want you to imagine that your loved one is with you.

In basic terms, this state creates a huge surge of adrenaline around the body. whilst adapting your mind to deal with the effect of a violent physical confrontation and the large amount of adrenaline in the body. This state also suspends fear and hesitation, and during this state your strikes will land with more force (much beyond the force of someone who is fighting in a normal angry mindset).
Try this technique over a few days to get used to how this state feels, and to what your own boundaries and emotional ranges are.

This is probably one of the best fighting techniques you will ever be taught because many Martial arts only train the body and forget about training the mind for a violent confrontation. Combine this mindset with the techniqes mentioned so far, and you have a truly lethal cocktail of self defence.

CoZ

Chapter 3: The Fence


All the Unarmed combatatives in the world won't help you if you don't retain control in a 'live' situation. Most confrontations will start with the attacker about an arms length away from you, but this distance with quickly decrease, and then you find your self with the attacker right in your face, which is then a vunuable position for you to be in due to various groin strikes and headbutts are deployed from this range. Due to the short distance, you wont have anytime to react against the attack which will cause your problems. If you going to invade his 'attack' space, then it should be on your terms, not his.

As shown in the picture above, you should keep your attacker at arms length in order to maintain a degree of space, and so no contact can be initiated. This is also a great position for launching pre-empetive strikes if you feel that the situation is escelating to violence.

Your front hand can be used for control of the attacking arm or a push, whilst your rear hand can be used for attack. If the situation has not yet escelated, you can use both hands to maintain distance (or execute a push etc). This techniqe also retains physical control on the opponent up until the point of violence, as well as creating mental control within the opponent of which he isnt aware of.

Your fence should keep a light touch when your talking, and move your arms around slightly (like people do when they are expressing themselfs talking). Do not create a threatening fence that shows your opponent "I am in control". This is because once your opponent conciously knows your in control, he will fight for control. Using the above method will still retain control, but it's not conciously obvious. Your opponent will know he's being controled subconciously, and you aim to trap him from attacking before he even does by retaining control.

Also, when someone is fronting up to you for a fight, they always keep their centre line matched with your centre line. Stepping off your centre slightly when talking to your opponent etc, wlll make him feel uncomfortable mentally, due to you have just increased the area of which you can attack.

To prove this to yourself, get a friend etc to stand directly in front of you as if he was squaring up to you for a fight whilst talking. Then whilst your fence is up and your talking, step slightly forward and to the side (lean slightly if necessary). When this happens, people will shift their position to remain directly square with you because it makes them feel uncomfortable (e.e Matching the centre line)

I have spoken to many doormen and security personnel over the years, who all state that this is the most valuable tool in there toolbox of self defence. From this position, you can launch all the above techniques mentioned so far, and you will also have plenty of time to see an attack coming, so you can then deal with it.

And that Boy's and Girl's is 'The Fence'.

Any more requests that you would like me to cover?

I would also like to know your feedback on the course so far

CoZ

WHAT!!! Thats really only for people who have short reach. Why would you go up close? I know you can elbow, but so can he. Plus, he can also throw you to the ground, then if you dont know what to do, your pretty much done.

I think this is the craziest thread I've ever seen unlocked. CoZ, I totally respect you, as a game designer, and as someone who has obviously spent a considerable amount of time smashing seven different types of faeces out of drunk welshmen, but I genuinely think this thread is a bad idea.

First, I think your stance on learning martial arts is hypocritical. You say that fancy moves and martial arts will get you beaten crapless on the street, yet you post your credentials as



I'm going to make an educated guess that around 90% of the people here have never been in a real fight. By real I mean, you were outside of school, no one is coming to your rescue, and potentially someone is going to stamp on your head until you haemorage , piss blood, or get both your arms broken.

So, lets say you are in the above situation. A quick scan of the london papers, and almost all the attacks reported on in the last 4 months were by 1 person against a group. So, you've never been in a fight before, and here are a bunch of dudes ready to smack you out.

I'm thinking, even if someone follows the advice you've given, a critical beating is inevitable. You may land some good punches. You may break a nose but eventually you are going to get kicked to the floor and stamped on. repeatedly. Until you cry for your mum. And then someone snaps your jaw off and you can't even do that.

I know that the above will get quoted and ripped apart, but here's the only bit that matters:

You have obviously trained and practiced under the supervision of people who are really good at this, and against people who also really want to win. You have been in this situation before, and you are mentally prepared.

Most people who have read your advice will be no more prepared for a fight than they were without it. Because as you said, their adrenalin will kick in, and their mind will go blank, and everything they read here will evaporate.

It's like, I could type in here exactly how to do a kickflip on a skateboard. I could tell you the mind set, the physics, the body position, everything, but until you'd practiced it like 100 times you'd still suck. Unless you go out and practice this stuff, you're going to suck in a fight. And the only way to practice a real fight is to get in one (because according to you training is no preparation).

If it turns out you are a natural, and you beat the other guy's ass:
a)You're on CCTV
b)You laid the first punch
c)You're in court

If it goes badly,
a)You're going to have a huge confidence hit
b)You could get stabbed/shot
c)Permanently disfigured?
d)god knows...

Think how bad you're going to feel when there's a post in the Geek Chat from Timmy143 saying
"I tried CoZs techniques in a real street fight and now I have a corkscrew in my sphincter and no eyes."

Um... ow.

In my opinion, as long as you still have the opportunity, RUN!
Or if you can't, try and confuse them by looking intently at something behind them, or talking to someone who isn't there. Once they look behind them (who isn't going to look if you start talking to someone supposedly behind them) you should try to break free and run.

Unless you've done something to really piss them off, they're probably not going to put all their effort into catching you.

This way you might also be able to keep a clear head, and make some intelligent decisions should you need to.

Or use Karl Pilkington's advice when getting mugged--- just act like you're crazy.

I understand what your saying. I only posted that so it you actually know I have background, and am not stating facts without experience.



I could understand this if they had only been learning complex martial arts moves all their life, but the techniques mentioned in this thread are designed to work under an adrenalised state, due to all the techniques being gross motor movements.


Quite true, and I would strongly reccoment running in this situation (unless you know what your doing)



Fair point, but did you consider the effect of them after you have just rammed your thumb into their eye, kicked them in the balls, and then run off. Somehow, I feel they won't be gettin up to chase you.

Basicly, all I'm trying to get accross in this whole thread is that if you find yourself in a corner, having to fight for your life, or an individual suddenly attacks you whilst walking down a alley etc, then go in hard, and go in fast. A eye gouge, a groin kick, or grabbing their face and hitting their throat etc is the same under the andrenalised state, as it is the normal state. But as constantly stated, run, or always offer your opponent plenty of chanes to walk away.

I shall though, strongly reccomend 'The Fence' technique when your talking to someone etc, it's mighty effective.

CoZ

I must admit, a post about 'not standing outside the crack house', or 'not walking through the ghetto at 2am', would be good advice. I've lived in a few dodgy areas in my time, and have never been attacked or mugged (I'm 28). I put that down to being sensible about where I go, and when, and with how many mates.

I'd think anyone who's been attacked more than a couple of times either lives in a proper ghetto, where axe wielding bandits roam day and night, or they don't exercise common sense in where they go, when and with whom.