Tough guys don’t use weapons.

Belt, I have studied many martial arts, and many that deal mostly with self defence such as Hopkido, Akido, and Krav Maga. Bah... All I've done is studying Chinese Kenpo (I've only been in since... mid may). Sadly, I'm still a white belt, but I am deathly close to orange. All I need is a set of block to learn, 4 or 5 combinations (easy, beacuse all I'm doing is combining moves I already know), I know my two Katas (long 1 and short one) and I have 4 or 5 more self defence moves to learn. But still, I know almost 20 selfdefence moves, plus another 20 strikes, and their variations. But I know the most important thing... DISTANCE... I have knowledge and control of distance. That is more important than life itself in a fight (well... distance IS life in a fight... if he cant hit you, you cant get hurt). <insert more long winded boring crap here>

As a matter of fact I was at a 2 hour class on the Human Phylosiphy of Self Defence at my martial arts school the other day. I find myself a good mind on this subject. I wouldn't be suprised..

Basicly it comes down to this. The BEST fight ever is the one that never happens. Try the best you can to not fight. I know, I know. I have been told this by my private instructor, all of the other instructors, and the head-master instructor (a 9th degree black belt, in chinese kenpo, over 30 years teaching experiance)

In your situation, I dont know, but could you have walked away? I could have, but this kid was asking for it (I know, thats a bad excuse, but still). To tell you the truth, it was all a reaction... He cocked his fist back, so I took a half step back with my left foot, then he sort of jumped at me (to intimidate, and get a reaction out of me), so I sort of did a modified block. I kind of made it up as I went. It was sort of a combination of an outward block, a downward block, and a shoulder grab. It's aim was to get him far off my left side, and to get my arm between him and I. (then he cant hit, even if he did swing, I could block or reverse it) It was all a pure reaction, and it happened in about 1 second. You know when you hit someone, and the shock affect kicks in for a brief second? where their eyes get huge, and their mouth makes a uge circle, sometimes their face turns slightly red or white? Well, this happened. I could see the pain in his face as he stoood up and stepped back. At this point I basically did a cross over, and a side step, sort of, to get behind him, then to his side. etc, etfc, etc.

Trust me, You can call me a wussy or a girl, but I dont have an ego, I will walk/run away from a fight if it comes to it. I can understand that. I never ment to hit the guy, but it was reaction. I didn't have time to think. Basically all that went through my head was "<pooey> cocked fist, flexed muscles, now he's jumping at me..." WHAM. I strike. It all went through my mind in what seemed like a half a second... then I hit him. I was actually aiming for his Occipital lobe, to knock him out cold, but I missed. I ended up hitting him in the rear-left corner of his skull. You know how when you hit a concrete well, how it makes a crack/a pop sound? When I hit his skull it made that hollow sound. Not hard enough to actually injure him (he may have a bumb on his head, or a bruise, but that will be gone in a few days)... but he definatly felt it...

There is a definate line between when the situation has gone from the point where you can resolve it by leaving or talking. I realise this. This is important. Talk and timing is important in a bad situation. Talk your way out, try to reason with them, try to run, what ever... but worst comes to worst, you have to hit him... but you do it in a way as not to endanger your life or the life of innocent bystanders.

To me, cheak slaps and shoves are warnings that escalate into a fight. You will know when you have crossed the line from warning into "Ok I need to do somthing now". I've seen it happen, man... I've seen quite a few fights at school. But what I notice is they always start out the same way. The cause is always a huge ego. Every one has an ego, but people who are desirable to be around either dont have a big ego, or they are good at hideing it... Almost all fights start out as some stupid little thing... smacks, <pooey> talk, etc...

In my opinion, there are certian levels of power to use in a fight. Dirt basics are if you dont feal really that threatned and know that the person dosnet have the ability to really do THAT MUCH harm. In thoes situations I think that moves such as Forearm/Elbow, Palmheel to the nose, and basic Hopkido and Akido take downs will work. I think the next step up is punches. Once again, it was all reactionary (I made up a new word...). What ever... I'll leave the wording to you... but my point is, I didn't have time to think "oo, I should palm this dood in the nose..." it was basically: "oh <pooey" he's attacking me" block, WHAM... 

Enough said. Kicks can be used and can be very very dangerous. I dont take kicks lightly in self defence. A strong Mui Thai kick to the groind or knees will work. But it will also rupture his testicles, or blow out his knees... 

Then comes the more nastyer of moves that I really dont want to use unless I feel that I am in alot of trouble and somthing has to be done. This is stuff like Throat strikes, Throat gouges, Eye gouges, Punches to the spine/back of the head, and kicks to the floating ribs (Has the potential to crack the ribs and send them into the lungs/kidneys/liver). This is a life and death/life and limb sitaution. I'd only strike like this if the guy serioulsy injuried me (like broke my rib, or something) or if weapons were involved.

I think that one of the best things to do is know basic phylosaphies of self defence. Keep humble. If -Like in your situation- somebody is coming twords you, put your hand up, palms exposed, like a 'surrender' pose, with your eyes downward. Nine out of ten times the person coming at you will take you lightly, let his ego get the best of him and drop his hands. He gets squashed like grape. I never knew this tactic existed... you learn something every day... But basically, I kept back up in this situation, keeping my mouth shut, eye contact with him (now I realise that was a misteak, eye contact is a sign of agression), backing up, etc... I was at the very edge of the basketball court pavement... I was ready to back into the field, and down this small hill that was there, but at this point he basicaslly jumped at me... that was a misteak on his part...

Basicly what it comes down to is knowing what the situation calls for. Know that you have to be willing, if it is called for, to take a fight to death. A punch to the back of the neck/head or a strong kick to the head WILL snap sombodys neck. A kick to the floating rib CAN cause them to peirce an organ and bleed to death. A throat gouge CAN collapse there airway. You have to know when that is nessisary and when that is not.  I'll admit I should have used a different strike. In my opinion, a back fist then a reverse punch (reverse punch to solar plexus, back fist to the nose) was PERFECTLY suited to this situation... but my reaction... get him the hell away from me (far off to my left side) then strike, then when he gets pissed (natural reaction) get the hell out of dodge and get to a safer position (fighting horse stance)

Moral of that - Best fight is on that never happens. You win.

Go in peace, Grasshopper.