How many fights have you been in? How many fights have you seen?

[Mythologicly]

I made this thread based on a conversation that my and my freind had on the bus.

The whole thing was about fights i said that at least manly everyone has been in a fight or will get in a fight, and if not that they have at leats seen one fight. And she basicly disagreeded with me as she always does. But any i would still like to ask my fellow members of the OB how many fights have you been in and how many have you seen.

(If you've been in a sport were you had to fight please tell me the sport and put how many.)

I use to box.I've boxed 50 matches and i've only lost 10. Out side of that i've only been in 10 fights but i've seen at least 100 fights(not exsasurating.) thats about it for me i'm sorry if i spelled anything wrong.

[Zen]

[color=darkred][size=1]

Similar to you, I've been in alot of what people would consider 'fights'. I take Tae Kwon Do, and we frequently spar, so I 'fight' all the time. As for serious conflicts between individuals on the street, however, I've been in maybe three. All of them ended before they could be finished, and two of the three I've been in were against mutliple opponents. The first fight I was in, I can barely remember as I was but a lad. The second, I was in sixth grade, and fought two kids who had been messing with me far too long and ended with a stair down between me and the bigger of the two after the other had been dispatched. It was eventually broken up. The last real fight I can remember was between me and three other guys (who I'd actually later become friends with). One held my arms, while two tried to slug me. Luckily I had already begun taking Tae Kwon Do and was good enough at kicking to keep them at bay until they got tired of trying.

I can't count how many sparring matches I've been in, or Jiu-Jitsu rounds I fought, but I know it's plenty (possibly over 100). I've seen more fights that I've actually been in, be them televised or in real life. The real life ones are always dissapointing, because the majority of people don't know how to fight, they just swing their arms at each other until some get's tired of being hit in the head. Or it's a tackle. Either way, they suck.

[/color][/size]

[Vicky]

[SIZE=1]Aaah, fights.

I have never started a single fight in my life. I'd never try and fight someone. But if anyone is familiar with chavs (wiki it), then put it this way; chavs do not like me or my friends. I will never even speak to anyone on the street, even if they yell abuse (which we sometimes get often) I won't do anything at all.

Until they 'start' on us. I have a very bad habit of telling people to back off. I'm incredibly short for my age, so people think they can push me around. They'll hurl abuse at the older, bigger kids but they only ever actually try to hit me or anyone who's with me at the time. So yes, I have been in fights. Several. Most of the time I've been beaten up because there are a lot of them.

In fact, two weeks ago myself and my friend got mugged walking back to the bus stop. There were seven of them, or around that many, and two of us. They asked for my friend's money and phone, he said no, they got angry. All I did was tell them to leave him alone and pushed one of them away, then I got hit and ended up in a bit of a fight. Pretty much, I got my head kicked in. They were at least 18. I'm 15 and not even 5 foot tall.

Besides that incident, I've been in a lot of fights because I simply don't lay down and let people hit me. Anyone heard of happy slap? I'm sure you have. Everytime that happens, I'll hit them back twice as hard. And get in a fight on the street because of it. But, really, it's spur of the moment. I get angry and just go at them.

I'll have seen as many fights as I've been in. I won't actually stand around if my friends are being attacked, I'd rather get my head beat in then theirs, and I'll run away from strangers fighting. I don't tend to watch any other fights unless they're on movies.

I'm not actually lying here at all. Manchester is pretty violent nowadays, it doesn't help that I have a big mouth and an attitude when people yell at me across the street. I'd say I've been in around 15 or so street fights, most of them ending in me on the floor, lol. Some of them aren't really fights, about 5 or so were real, real fights and involved several of my friends.

I'm proud to say I've never had a school fight to my name =) At least I have that to be proud of, heh.

I won't say fighting is 'manly', or that I'm proud of the fact I've been attacked more times than the average adult. I'm not proud at all. Maybe if I shut up and let them call us - oh, and spit on my friend's hair - then I won't be hit so many times walking home. I ain't proud of it at all. But, I don't exactly start it, just bring it upon myself really.[/SIZE]

[Claire]

[FONT=Arial]I've never been in a real, physical fight before. The only times I can think of where I was involved in some kind of fighting was the short time I took karate, and with my friends or cousins (back when I was a lot younger and liked that sort of thing :P). I will never get into a fight, either; I just don't have the constitution for it. I can't stand up for myself and I don't have a very strong sense of pride, so it's not like the conditions will ever be right.

As for seeing fights...one would think that since I go to a school where fights happen as often as someone changes underwear, I would've seen at least ONE.

Nope. I've never seen a fight in my entire life. I always seem to miss them, and it's really annoying, because apparently the fights at my school almost always end up with peoples' shirts being ripped off (which isn't that exciting) and a tazer being used. Once I was walking down a hallway to get to the bus, and as soon as I got outside a mob of people appeared out of nowhere and ran into the hallway I just came from - a sure sign of a fight. I guess I just have really bad luck when it comes to seeing that kind of spectacle.[/FONT]

[Panda]

I'm in a similar situation as The Boss. I was very active in Tae Kwon Do for many years. I'm don't really consider that a "fight" in the school yard sense of things since those are planned and regulated.

As for what I consider a real fight I've only been in one. It was in grade school and an older boy was teasing my friend for being Japanese. I snapped after hearing all the hateful words spewing from his mouth that I beat him up. He went and told a teacher. The crazy thing is I didn't get in trouble which I was quite surprised about since he was in tears. Perhaps it was because the teacher knew he wasn't really physically hurt and it was really his pride that took the beating. Getting beat up by a 2nd grader probably didn't help his standing with his other bully buddies. Who knows, I just know I lucked out by getting away with it. I never tempted fate again by getting into another fight.

Otherwise the only fights I saw were a couple of fights in Junior High. One was two guys who pretty much just bounced around and occassionally took a swing. That got broken up by teachers. The other one was two girls. Eeegah! Those two were after blood. Hair pulling, screaming, scratching, punching, wrestling and kicking. The police showed up at that one since the girls took their fight off campus.

As a "grown up" the only fighting I see is when I happen across shows like Cops or something. :p

[Swordsaint]

[SIZE=1]Same for me as the boss and Panda...I'm in a mixed martial arts class oriented towards self defense, so I've been in several regulated matches that get stopped at a decisive strike or after 3 seconds and someone can't get out of an armbar ect.

For actual fights I've only been in one that didn't involve my younger brother. The first one was in 3d grade, the PE teachers son and his friend were making fun of me for wearing glasses. I tried to keep going and ignore them, but one of them ran by my and yanked my glasses off my face. I tried to get them back for minutes, until finally they tossed them on the ground and said "Take em." when I reached down, the PE teachers son smashed them with a rock.
I was so absolutely furious that I tackled him to the ground and let him have it until one of the neighbors ran out and pulled me off of him and that was that.

As for me and my younger brother, we did things weird...We would wrestle around until one of us got a better hold, then we would slam the others head into a tree until we got loose then let the other have it. When we got to tired we'd sulk for a while then help each other home and play on the nintendo or something.

that's about it for me.[/SIZE]

[Magus]

The same with me, although I was in a different martial arts. (Shotokan) And we pretty much sparred every Thursdays and Saturdays. And that was while I was in middle school, and I haven't been back since then. I've never been in any street fights or anything because every time people tried to start things with me, and by the time I get up, I'm already being held back.

As for witnessing fights. >_> In school I've seen my fair share of fights, but in all honesty, I could barely see anything. Every time a fight broke out in my school, people wanted to crowd around the folks that were fighting. So I just gave up trying to witness a fight.

And even now, every time a fight would break out in my neighborhood, I'm always sleep or not around to witness it.

Only fights I witness these days are the ones I see on UFC. "shrugs"

[Johnny Justjohnny]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=Gray]I play a lot of Lacrosse. That should be 'nuff said,' but I'll continue anyway.

Lacrosse is a tough sport. Officially, it is played with a birdcage on so you don't bang up you're pretty little face, so fighting isn't that common (plus it carries an instant suspension...). But when we're just screwing around in gym or whatever, things can get pretty entertaining. I've been in one or two, participated in a few others, and watched some great ones.

Probably the favourite I was when I was in front of the net with another guy and the ball was shot at the net. I was defending, so when the goalie saved it I dug my elbow into the guys neck and drove him headfirst onto my goalie, which got him a goalie interferance... so he got pissed and cross checked me in the chest, so I slashed him on the ankle, then he popped me in the jaw, and I grabbed him by the collar and kinda pinned his head between mine and my left arm, using my right to drive a few haymakers into the back of his skull... then someone else came flying off the bench and dropkicked me, which caused the teacher to blow the whistle and tell us to settle down. Great game, Lacrosse.

Another good one was between a goalie and another kid... the guy was hanging around in front of the net away from the play and slashing the goalie, so the goalie grabbed him by the throat, and the the other guy ripped off his mask and grabbed HIM by the throat, and they started throwing punches, and both benches ran over to try and pull the two guys apart. I ran in and grabbed the guy punching my goalie and lifted him (he was a little 95 pound guy, tough as nails but a lightweight) and pulled him away from the fight so we could get back to the game... he was suspended 12 days for that one. Hilarious stuff.

Couple other gems... a friend of mine baseball-slashed a guy across the back a few times, and then the crazy ************ (the guy was a fargin' cokehead for sure) playing goal for the other team runs out of his net all the way across the arena, but is intercepted by another guy on our team, who rips off his mask and tears his shirt while lifting him off the ground, which causes more fighting and cursing and swearing... very good stuff. I didn't get involved in this one because the teacher had told us to stop or we'd get suspended, but it was fun while it lasted.[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[Veritas]

[size=1][color=gray]Ahh yes fighting, I guess you could kinda say I've grown up fighting. It's never been something I've enjoyed and I don't seek it out, but I don't back down either. I've been it quite a lot of fighting in my 18 years of life, the sad thing his the majority of it has to do with the color of my skin.[/color][/size]

[size=1][color=gray]I'm half black, half white, but the area where I live is predominantly white, (Orem, UT, USA, it's a bit more integrated now but still mainly white). Well because I'm still half while I was growing up certain kids who wanted to cause problems or stuff would drop the N-Word, that is basically one of the quickest ways to pick a fight with me at least. [/color][/size]

[size=1][color=gray]I've encountered the word less and less as I've gotten older, as well as gotten in less and less fights but every once in awhile there is a kid that says it. Whether they are trying to be disrespectful or just make me mad I don't know, but in my mind that's one of the last words I'd wanna say to someone. Though it's kinda funny, the word itself doesn't make me as mad anymore, not to say that it doesn't make me mad, but my white friends go into head hunter mode.[/color][/size]

[size=1][color=gray]All in all I'd probably say I've been in about 20 street fights, and seen about 40 and alot of them have been for other reasons than race, fought my dad once, girls being taken advantage of or disrespected, and plenty of stupid reasons I won't even metnion. [/color][/size]

[size=1][color=gray]For the record I've seen and participated in more if you just want to count for sport. Like Vicky said I'm not really proud of fighting either, it's just something I've had to do from time to time. I don't enjoy it, but I'm not gonna let people disrespect me or the people closest to me. You might call it foolish pride, but my pride is something that has kept me above water so to speak. But then again it's but me in some "sticky" situations.[/color][/size]

[Mythologicly]

Man I'm the only one who hasn't learnd a style of martial arts :animecry:.
As far as liking to fight goes i love fighting not street fights but play fighting. Me and my freinds go to the body alot, and at times if someone brings the gloves to school while all be in the back boxing. I'm sure everyone benn play fighting since the begining of birth.

[Juke Box Hero]

Fights? Ahaha, which fights haven't I been in is the question. A lot of people are talented at different sports, getting all state in this or Captain status that, and I'm ok at most sports, as I love to run jump, and all things ball. However, I've never excelled at a "sport" per se, though if personal combat were a sport, I'd be 1st team all state. Not that I'm that terrifically good at it, its just that I love it so much, that even when my opponent says "That's enough man, let's be cool!", I'm still kicking him in the head.

I know no boundaries when the floodgate of rage opens, and I usually don't care at all about what I'm fighting over nor is it personal between me and my opponent, its just that the sting of battle is better than sex. Far better. The thud of flesh slamming into bone (mine or his, I love to give AND take), or the thrill of a well executed throw are enough to have me all smiles and giggles for days. I have taken Tang Soo Do for about five years now, and recently joined the US Army Infantry (AB/R). So even in terms of career/hobby I display a love of battle.

It all started when I was about 8 or 9 years old, the oldest in what was then a family with 3 children and a highly abusive father. My mother had picked up the neighbor woman and her two boys (10 and 12 at the time) and we were all going to Sam's Club near Hagerstown, MD to get groceries (I lived in the little backwater "town" of Mont Alto near Waynesboro, PA then). They were rough and tumble farm boys, and I was recently of Johnstown, PA, for those of you not familiar with the area it is classic white suburbia. I never liked Brad and Donald at all, because they were loud (pot calling the kettle black :-P), boorish, and very crude. We began calling each other names, and in the backseat of my Mom's Ford Winstar, pushing and shoving began to occur, them v me.

I was a bookworm with no interest in athletics up to that moment in time, but I had much rage and a ton of hereditary strength at my disposal. When Brad's fist hit my lip and I felt my blood seep onto the surface of my flesh, something clicked in the back of my mind, some door deep in my soul opened. I released the catch for my seatbelt and went nuts. I jumped over the seat separating me from the two older boys and launched a whirlwind of punches, elbows, and knees. The two mothers were engaged in heavy duty highway traffic, and could do little more than yell at us, I paid them NO heed.

When it was all said and done, I had the wind knocked out of my, a huge bloody lip, two bright black eyes, and a broken pinky. I felt better in that moment than I had in my entire life, it was orgasmic and insanely pleasing. I was lucid, clear headed and totally calm, despite the new sensation of battle rage flowing through me.

Brad and Donald on the other hand, both delayed our trip to the Sam's Club with stops to the Hospital. It's been over a decade now so I don't remember who had what, but between them the was a broken wrist, broken jaw, four black eyes, good sized bloody lips, and about zero air in their lungs.

I expected to get in trouble the entire ride home, because my mother was furious (no legal issues here at all, this was farm country). However, she told me to wait till my father got home (a horror in its own right), and told him what happened over the phone. He brought me an ice pack, and a full meal from Sheetz MTO (Sheetz is the most amazing place in the entire world, visit PA just to go to one). That one moment was the only moment we ever had a good time together, he was proud of me, and didn't let mom get the van redone to remove the blood.

My love of battle doesn't stem from a need to seek my biological father's approval, because it comes from both of my Grandfathers (one an armor Col. in the Army) and many uncles (assorted police, marines, etc.), and I have long since outgrown him and become very comfortable with my mother's second husband.

Strength!

Honor!

Here's to Battle!

[Sho Ayori]

Like some of the previous posters, I do take Martial Arts, moreover I [B]did[/B] take them anyway. I really dislike fighting and violence altogether really, thusly I have never thrown the first punch in a brawl. Since I was in year 3, I had a fight nearly every year. I'll see if I can summarise:

Year 3 (About 8 years old): I had a fight with an older kid. I don't know why he wanted to fight, but he did. After throwing me around, I managed to kick him squarely in the shin, and fracture it at the same time. That was the last time I heard of him.

Year 4: Another older kid was bad-mouthing me, but I ignored it. Eventually he got to pushing then hitting me, in which I retaliated by punching him straight in the jaw. He soon backed off.

Year 6: I had an arguement with my friend and we ended up getting a few hits to each other. We soon made up though.

Year 7: Ah yes, I remember this one well. A kid in the same year as me, but a lot shorter, thought it would be smart to pick on my little sister with me in presence. I stepped in to see what his problem was, and he suddenly hit me in the face right out of the blue. So I decided to give him some ***-kicking. Yet again, it was the last he ever bothered me or my sister.

Year 8: Another big brother incident. It was a case similar to the year before. In other words, I was simply protecting my kid sister from a small gang. They were known for picking on younger kids.

Year 9: A long-time asshole that I knew through a lot of school years was the target this time. He'd always been rather cocky, but in this year he became unbearable. We eventually ended up fighting after a PE lesson. Being the coward he was, he tried to get some of his friends to help him but they weren't interested.

Year 10: The last fight I've had was with a rather obnoxious little loser called Alex. WHile I was hanging out with my friends and sister, he thought it would be funny to taunt and make fun of us, and he wouldn't think we'd retaliate... just because he had a tennis racket with him. While my friends simply bad-mouthed him, I decided enough was enough after he swung for my knees. I thrashed and beated his wretched hide, while ontaining a very swolen arm where he had smashed it with the racket. The day after, I can admit that I would have severely beaten him and not cared about the conseqeunces, but I decided against it. Yet again, I haven't heard from him since.

So as you can see, all my fights have been around the school area. It seems that college is getting more violent nowadays. :animestun I'm not a violent person though, I can turn the other cheek even in the most extreme taunts, but I don't allow anyone to hurt me and get away with it. That's just the way I am. :animesigh

[IceRose]

Well is it verbal fights or physical fights. Physical fights I've been in a total of 7. My most important victory was up against a group of racist kids who were picking on my little brother and I. In verbal fights I've been in far more, too many to count. I assure though, fighting is not good for the soul :animeswea

[Vicky]

[SIZE=1]I think I see the connection between those that know martial arts and those who don't get their faces beat in. Except last time I was at Tae Kwon Do, I couldn't stand it because the folks intimidated me... anyone know any ideas for me besides learning martial arts to defend myself a bit better?

Reason I asked was because we actually got attacked today. When you hear 'racist attack' you don't think it'd be the other way round.

Partly my fault, they were threatening my friend and I stepped in between them and told him to back off. The dude said "Nah I ain't hittin' no girl!" then slugged me in the face. Then he proceeded to smack my other friend (who's a girl) in the face, get the rest of his stupid gang to threaten my other friends. Then I was on the floor, he asked everyone "Why aren't you helping her?" I kicked me in the face.

Got helped by people in a Church, though, how awesome is that? =p

I was not very pleased simply because, unlike the other times, they acted superior. They had followed us all the way from the Arndale, where they were actually hurling abuse at us and slammed into us walking past. All the other times people wouldn't stand over someone on the floor, kick them in the face and ask why nobody was helping me. All the other times no one acted like they were better.

Add one more to my list, then.

More annoyed that they broke my glasses because I was walking around town holding the broken lenses up to my eyes everytime I wanted to see.

So does anyone actually know (other than taking martial arts) a way I could [strike]beat people senseless to they think they're not the top ****** dog anymore picking on 15 year olds and slugging them in the face[/strike] defend myself? Not to take the thread off track, like, just send me a message or something. Thought this was the best place to ask being most of you are martial artists.[/SIZE]

[Farto the Magic]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS][COLOR=DarkGreen]I like fights. I don't know martial arts. I know how to beat on people with martial arts. See, I'm 6'2" and I weigh about 200 pounds. I have no arm strength.Most fights begin with a friend talking tough, and I talk tough in return. Bear in mind that these are all girls. But they aren't regular girls. They're tough. They have muscles. The fact that they're girls means that I won't throw punches and let them tap out, as my style is wrestling.

See, I pace for a bit, sizing them up, then shoot out at them and then go for the legs. I have crazy reflexes. One of them, my ex, I always used to put in a grapple where her leg was locked in in one of my elbows, and her head was in the other elbow. Then I draw my arms closer, until she taps out.

The other girl was shorter, and the fight ended up on the ground, with her grabbing me around the neck, so I flung her off like a rodeo bull.

Girls fight dirty. They scratch and punch and kick and one time, one bit my nipple. They are cruel, and the fact that I am both merciful and gentle marks me as chivalrous enough. These girls want to fight. I've fought guys, but they always go for some crazy choke hold, where I can't breathe. I was in one for five minutes, biting his knee and breathing wee bits of air.[/COLOR][/FONT]

[Gavin]

[SIZE=1]Interesting, most interesting.

Off the top of my head I can't really count the number of fights I've been in, though I'd be nearly certain it's more than forty. My younger brother is a purple belt in karate so we spar quite often, mostly before competitions, that said I don't consider those sessions to be fights as such because we never aim to injure one another. I suppose I "learned" how to fight so to speak in school growing up, they were pretty common and you just have to learn how to defend yourself. After [b]Fight Club[/b] was released, it just got a whole lot more serious in the empty classrooms at lunch.

Personally I really do enjoy it when martial artists get into your face about how they've got a high belt in Karate/Judo/Tae Kwon Do/whatever as the cocky little roosters always end up regretting it in the first thirty or so seconds. I'm just over six feet tall and weigh nearly 80 kilos, most of it pure muscle, so when the fight starts I just grapple and put a hurting on them. I rarely go for face shots, I just see them and belt shots as being the sign of someone who can't fight properly, I don't kick much either, mostly because I broke a guys ribs once with a roundhouse, and it's something I'd prefer not to repeat. Regardless of how angry I am with someone else, I never fight to really badly injure someone, just to put them down.

How many fights have I seen, well as I said with my schools old "Fight Club" at lunch it stands at well over a hundred, though given that we were in school most of them never really went worse than black eyes or a broken fingers. Outside pubs and clubs I've seen them as well, but I don't exactly stand around waiting to see who wins.[/SIZE]

[Rachmaninoff]

[QUOTE=Mythologicly]The whole thing was about fights i said that at least manly everyone has been in a fight or will get in a fight, and if not that they have at leats seen one fight. And she basicly disagreeded with me as she always does. But any i would still like to ask my fellow members of the OB how many fights have you been in and how many have you seen.

thats about it for me i'm sorry if i spelled anything wrong.[/QUOTE]I can remember seeing a few fights during grade school and High School, but I myself have never been in a fight. And with my chosen profession I have absolutely no intention of using my hands to hit anyone or anything.

[Swordsaint]

[QUOTE=Gavin][SIZE=1]

Personally I really do enjoy it when martial artists get into your face about how they've got a high belt in Karate/Judo/Tae Kwon Do/whatever as the cocky little roosters always end up regretting it in the first thirty or so seconds. I'm just over six feet tall and weigh nearly 80 kilos, most of it pure muscle, so when the fight starts I just grapple and put a hurting on them. I rarely go for face shots, I just see them and belt shots as being the sign of someone who can't fight properly, I don't kick much either, mostly because I broke a guys ribs once with a roundhouse, and it's something I'd prefer not to repeat. Regardless of how angry I am with someone else, I never fight to really badly injure someone, just to put them down.

[/SIZE][/QUOTE]

[SIZE=1]This brings up a few points for me that I agree and disagree with, to a point anyways. I said before that there really havn't been to many actual fights that I've been in or that I've witnessed. However, yeah Gavins right, it is funny when somebody that's gotten their higher belts in a martial arts class start acting like they've gone a few rounds in a UFC cage.
To me that says whoever is teaching these people isn't really so much concerend about teaching their students discipline and restraint, the instructors are concerened with churning out tournament machines and nothing else, big egos and martial arts tend to not mix well in a fight. Mainly because no one style is superior or inferior, it is the person themselves that is superior or inferior to another fighter.

With that said, I can't say I agree with not going for face shots in a fight, though I do applaud you Gavin for being able to do so and win it says a lot towards your character and ability. I was taught that a fight is a fight and the only time there are rules is if you have enough friends to match the other guys.
Especialy since theres always the offhand chance that someone has a knife or brass knuckles on em. I live in western Montana and just about all the people out here go hunting or live on/near a ranch and knives are common and usefull tools, so the possiblity is very real. If someone wants to start a fight and wont listen to reason, then they will know they've been in a fight.
But then again, there are so many possibilities out there that can determine just how much you hold back or not. For example: I wouldn't go full out on my brother if he were drunk and starting a tussle with me, I'd want to go as far as simply restraining him. But again, you wouldn't want to go so easy on some dude that jumped out of an aleyway at you with a knife wanting your wallet, if you wanted to go rounds with them at all.
In all though Gavin, I have to say I can appreciate and see the validity of what it is your saying and again, I applaud you for being able to put a person down more gently than I can, it is a reflection of your abilities.[/SIZE]

[Guest Siafire]

[[QUOTE]QUOTE=Swordsaint][SIZE=1]This brings up a few points for me that I agree and disagree with, to a point anyways. I said before that there really havn't been to many actual fights that I've been in or that I've witnessed. However, yeah Gavins right, it is funny when somebody that's gotten their higher belts in a martial arts class start acting like they've gone a few rounds in a UFC cage.
To me that says whoever is teaching these people isn't really so much concerend about teaching their students discipline and restraint, the instructors are concerened with churning out tournament machines and nothing else, big egos and martial arts tend to not mix well in a fight. Mainly because no one style is superior or inferior, it is the person themselves that is superior or inferior to another fighter.[/QUOTE]

I am in taekwondo but I don't brag about being able to beat anyone. Different styles of fighting work for different people. On the other hand, I hate how everyone seems to think they can beat a person in martial arts because they beat up some whimp that got in their face years ago. I also don't think that being in a fighting sport gives one the right to pick fights. Now that just makes you an egotistical jerk.

Where Im taught taekwondo, bragging gets you nothing but trouble. One of my friends seems to think shes better that the world but, she likes to brag. My cousin was in a fight with this jerk at my school in PE and the teachers just stood there and watched. THere was no winner because the teachers eventually broke them up but it ended with all the blame on my cousin. It was sad because hes like three times the size of the guy he was fighting. His dad knows five different types of martial arts, was a boxer, and state champion or someting big like that UNTILL he broke his back. And my cousin doesnt know a thing about any sort of martial arts or boxing. (he can hardly throw a staight punch)

*Sorry if i spelled anything wrong, my computer hates me*

[Gavin]

[QUOTE=Swordsaint][SIZE=1]This brings up a few points for me that I agree and disagree with, to a point anyways. I said before that there really haven't been to many actual fights that I've been in or that I've witnessed. However, yeah Gavin's right, it is funny when somebody that's gotten their higher belts in a martial arts class start acting like they've gone a few rounds in a UFC cage.

To me that says whoever is teaching these people isn't really so much concerned about teaching their students discipline and restraint, the instructors are concerned with churning out tournament machines and nothing else, big egos and martial arts tend to not mix well in a fight. Mainly because no one style is superior or inferior, it is the person themselves that is superior or inferior to another fighter.[/SIZE][/QUOTE]

[SIZE=1]Tell me about it, I'm well aware that there are plenty of martial artists, my brother being one of the best examples, who epitomise the discipline and restraint of his art. But sadly in my own experience, too many just train in a style to improve their odds in a fight, and once having learned to fight sufficiently well enough to do damage go and pick fights just to see how good they are.

As for whether it's down to the master, well I know my local Karate sensei (a former World IKA champion) and my local Judo instructor (under whom I trained for a few years) both pretty well and I can say with near certainty neither of them train their students for cage fighting and would probably beat the stuffing out of any who used their training for such a purpose.[/SIZE]

[QUOTE=Swordsaint][SIZE=1]With that said, I can't say I agree with not going for face shots in a fight, though I do applaud you Gavin for being able to do so and win it says a lot towards your character and ability. I was taught that a fight is a fight and the only time there are rules is if you have enough friends to match the other guys.

Especially since there's always the offhand chance that someone has a knife or brass knuckles on them. I live in western Montana and just about all the people out here go hunting or live on/near a ranch and knives are common and useful tools, so the possibility is very real. If someone wants to start a fight and wont listen to reason, then they will know they've been in a fight.

But then again, there are so many possibilities out there that can determine just how much you hold back or not. For example: I wouldn't go full out on my brother if he were drunk and starting a tussle with me, I'd want to go as far as simply restraining him. But again, you wouldn't want to go so easy on some dude that jumped out of an alleyway at you with a knife wanting your wallet, if you wanted to go rounds with them at all.

In all though Gavin, I have to say I can appreciate and see the validity of what it is your saying and again, I applaud you for being able to put a person down more gently than I can, it is a reflection of your abilities.[/SIZE][/QUOTE]

[size=1]I can definitely appreciate you not holding back if someone pulls a knife or wears knuckle-dusters to a fight. I've been fortunate enough never to have someone pull a knife on me in a fight and I hope I'm equally fortunate enough that I never will. Most of the fights that I've been in have had ground agreed ground rules beforehand (the high school Fight Club from my previous post) so there?s always a sense of what you can and cannot do. That said in the fights I?ve been in after some jackass shooting his mouth off at my girlfriend or whatever I have found that generally below-the-belt and face shots are unnecessary as they?re too drunk to know what their doing, so really I just fight to put them down quick and let them sleep it off.[/size]


[quote name='Siafire']I am in taekwondo but I don't brag about being able to beat anyone. Different styles of fighting work for different people. On the other hand, I hate how everyone seems to think they can beat a person in martial arts because they beat up some whimp that got in their face years ago. I also don't think that being in a fighting sport gives one the right to pick fights. Now that just makes you an egotistical jerk.[/quote]

[size=1]I?m definitely aware Siafire that there are martial artists in my school or local area I wouldn?t have a hope in hell of beating in a fight, and as I already said, it?s usually the martial artists who pick the fights. This isn?t an intended as an insult to you or anyone else who practices Tae-kwon-do but it?s been my experience that it?s their students and Thai-boxers who are some of the worst for picking fights in school, or at least bragging their could beat the hell out of anyone else.[/size]

[Farto the Magic]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS][COLOR=DarkGreen]In my limited experience, tae-kwon-do hasn't proven itself an effective fighting style on its own. Coupled with judo, its owwie, but the idea of kicking someone is flawed, as one could easily grab the other person's leg and twist to get them on the ground. Is my observation correct, or do people learn amazing moves as they get more experienced?[/COLOR][/FONT]

[Gavin]

[quote name='Farto the Magic][FONT=Trebuchet MS][COLOR=DarkGreen]In my limited experience, tae-kwon-do hasn't proven itself an effective fighting style on its own. Coupled with judo, its owwie, but the idea of kicking someone is flawed, as one could easily grab the other person's leg and twist to get them on the ground. Is my observation correct, or do people learn amazing moves as they get more experienced?[/COLOR'][/FONT][/quote]

[SIZE=1]I know what you're getting at Farto, and most people would imagine they could catch a kick before it impacts, but in all reality, the better trained guys could kick you in the head before you've even realised it. [/SIZE]

[Zen]

[color=darkred][size=1]

I concur with Gavin on all points presented.

Yes, many martial artists don't have a grasp on actual combat. The ones that do are the ones that fight and spar often. Even then, in a situation with no rules, you gotta change your game and adapt. No amount of sparring and bag hitting is going to fix the fact that a striker doesn't know how to stop a grappler or a grappler doesn't know how to stop a good striker. Which is why I cross train with Jujutsu and Hap-Ki-Do in my Tae Kwon Do school.

Even then, you must practice in realistic situations to know how well you would fair in a fight. You won't know just how much a chance you stand in the streets until you take a few fists and feet to the jaw, or get dropped to the floor for a little grappling. Me and my friends in the class go to the Do Jang after hours often and have harder rounds of sparring where legs kicks and take downs are go. Once on the ground, we can mount and feign face punches or go for some Jujutsu.

Best practice for martial arts in real life.

Also on the grounds of kicking, I agree. Yeah, against a skilled fighter, a mediocre martial artist might get a kick grabbed (again, I study grappling just in this case. Grab my leg, and you get a flying elbow directly after in the face). But a person such as myself, who kicks more than he punches and knows how, can prevent that sort of thing from happening. I've never had a kick grabbed because I know how to gauge an opponent at a certain level. I'm not saying it can't happen, because I know it could (with a guy who can take a good hit to the ribs) but it hasn't in a very very long time.

When it comes down to it, fighting is left to just how well an individual knows how to fight. An experienced street fighter could definetly beat a martial artist who's never been in a real fight. But a good martial artist could more than likely beat about any opponent off the street.

Remember, if your fighting some dude who doesn't know you, then he's not going to expect that reverse downward axe kick.

Oh, and Farto, yeah we kinda do learn more amazing moves as we go on. A yellow belt isn't going to grasp that 540 Turning Kick that a black belt is trying to perfect. Also, as we become more experienced, we're proned to look into other martial arts for moves. Like, me, I've begun incorparating Muay Thai elbow strikes, knee thrusts, and the famous Thai Clench into my free-form style (because I can't use said techniques in regulated sparring matches with TKD).

Also, not all martial arts schools are equal. Example, I went to my first tournament as a red belt and it soon dawned on me that I could easily defeat the majority of the black belts at the school who hosted the tournament. The funniest thing was, that each of them boasted about how they have "amazing defense" or "unpredicatable kicks" and yet none of them sparred and their form techniques were awful and lazy.

After taking first place in both my divisions sparring and forms rounds, one of them came to me and said "You don't need to go all out like that... it's not good." Here I am, holding two first place trophies and wondering to myself "That must be why you don't have these...". I was taught to put 100% into whatever I was doing. Granted I was fighting lower belts, these guys where several years older than me one a college student and the other a U.S. Marine.

So please don't generalize all martial arts schools from one. A commercial school with hundreds of students may seem appealing and 'the best that can be offered' but the school I attend is behind a grocery store and beside a small church. It has about fifteen adult-level students, and yet it's the best martial arts school I've seen in my state thus far.

[/color][/size]

[Aberinkula]

[COLOR=Blue]Yesterday was my first fight.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=DimGray]I had just entered 7th grade homeromm and put my stuff down on the register. One of my fellow home-mates, Spencer asked if anybody wanted gum. Being me I always want gum when people offer it. So I couldn't stand up this chance. One of my friends, Dillion also wanted a piece. So the gum-offerer told us to fight to the death. Of coarse he didn't really mean death.

But Dillion has a bad reputation in terms of fighting. He's one tough customer. So I said "Hell no!". Just then my friend Nick said "I want a piece." But he just entered soll he knew was that gum was up for offer. So we started to fight. Of coarse it wasn't because we wanted the crud beat out of each other but...

Anyways I didn't exactly land the first punch. But he did, or slapping if you will.
I got mad and kicked him in his "happy place" or maybe it was his shin. I'm still wondering. THen I puched him in the eye. He forfeited. Spencer threw the gum towards me, but it landed on the floor. Behind Nick. He grabbed it on me. Ihe sat on the homebas teacher's chair.

I grabbed him and we just wrestled instead of fist fought. No one of coarse was hit. Well I did punch him once, sorry I didn't say it a sentence ago. :animeswea

Nick threw the gum and Matt picked it up. I got off the chair. With Nick hanging of my back. He denied this though. And I got the gum. So I was the victor. We're still friends though.[/COLOR]

[SaiyanPrincessX]

[QUOTE=The Boss][color=darkred][size=1]

I concur with Gavin on all points presented.

Yes, many martial artists don't have a grasp on actual combat. The ones that do are the ones that fight and spar often. Even then, in a situation with no rules, you gotta change your game and adapt. No amount of sparring and bag hitting is going to fix the fact that a striker doesn't know how to stop a grappler or a grappler doesn't know how to stop a good striker. Which is why I cross train with Jujutsu and Hap-Ki-Do in my Tae Kwon Do school.

Even then, you must practice in realistic situations to know how well you would fair in a fight. You won't know just how much a chance you stand in the streets until you take a few fists and feet to the jaw, or get dropped to the floor for a little grappling. Me and my friends in the class go to the Do Jang after hours often and have harder rounds of sparring where legs kicks and take downs are go. Once on the ground, we can mount and feign face punches or go for some Jujutsu.

Best practice for martial arts in real life.

Also on the grounds of kicking, I agree. Yeah, against a skilled fighter, a mediocre martial artist might get a kick grabbed (again, I study grappling just in this case. Grab my leg, and you get a flying elbow directly after in the face). But a person such as myself, who kicks more than he punches and knows how, can prevent that sort of thing from happening. I've never had a kick grabbed because I know how to gauge an opponent at a certain level. I'm not saying it can't happen, because I know it could (with a guy who can take a good hit to the ribs) but it hasn't in a very very long time.

When it comes down to it, fighting is left to just how well an individual knows how to fight. An experienced street fighter could definetly beat a martial artist who's never been in a real fight. But a good martial artist could more than likely beat about any opponent off the street.

Remember, if your fighting some dude who doesn't know you, then he's not going to expect that reverse downward axe kick.

Oh, and Farto, yeah we kinda do learn more amazing moves as we go on. A yellow belt isn't going to grasp that 540 Turning Kick that a black belt is trying to perfect. Also, as we become more experienced, we're proned to look into other martial arts for moves. Like, me, I've begun incorparating Muay Thai elbow strikes, knee thrusts, and the famous Thai Clench into my free-form style (because I can't use said techniques in regulated sparring matches with TKD).

Also, not all martial arts schools are equal. Example, I went to my first tournament as a red belt and it soon dawned on me that I could easily defeat the majority of the black belts at the school who hosted the tournament. The funniest thing was, that each of them boasted about how they have "amazing defense" or "unpredicatable kicks" and yet none of them sparred and their form techniques were awful and lazy.

After taking first place in both my divisions sparring and forms rounds, one of them came to me and said "You don't need to go all out like that... it's not good." Here I am, holding two first place trophies and wondering to myself "That must be why you don't have these...". I was taught to put 100% into whatever I was doing. Granted I was fighting lower belts, these guys where several years older than me one a college student and the other a U.S. Marine.

So please don't generalize all martial arts schools from one. A commercial school with hundreds of students may seem appealing and 'the best that can be offered' but the school I attend is behind a grocery store and beside a small church. It has about fifteen adult-level students, and yet it's the best martial arts school I've seen in my state thus far.

[/color][/size][/QUOTE]


[SIZE=1]So true.

I take martial arts aswell. Taekwondo, and combat class. The combat class is a mixture of kick boxing, grappling, & Muy Tai.

My school doesn't look very big atall, though the amount of students is growing. My instructor is a strong believer in giving all of his students knowledge in every area for real life aswell as tradition when it comes to fighting. Thats up to the student though.

We have been getting alot of students in our school lately from other TKD school and staying. Most other schools around us don't teach their students to the full potential, somewhat like your were saying Boss. There are some schools who will sell you a black belt...which totally defeats the whole purpose. Martial arts is learning and growing strong, becoming better. I know of one in particular who does this. The man who owns it used to go to my school, I actually remember him from when I started. He said he wanted to open his own school and become an instructor, but was told he wasn't ready yet. He did it anyway. Therefore, his black belt was taken away, and he is no longer under the master and grand master. There is actually alot more to this however. Anyway, he does terrible things in his school that we hear of from people who left and came to ours. He's slept with various mother's within his school, and handed out black belts, among other things.

You really need to research if you ever think of taking up a martial art.

Anyway, I've been in alot of fights before starting martial arts. When I was little, ten years old and younger, I used to beat up my brother's friends. Mainly a select few really. I always loved to fight. When we moved I still enjoyed fighting with his friends. I pretty much always made friends with his friends because I liked to fight them. I threw one into the couch which gave him a nasty gash. o_O I got my share though.

Of course now I don't do that now. I still make guy friends easily though.

I always found it funny that I'm the one who enjoys working out, and trying to get stronger, and fight, when I'm the girl, and my brother has absolutely no intrest.

As for seeing fights, I've seen plenty in movies but in real life, aside from those when I was younger, not so much. I do remember a few in high school, kind of. Though there was this one when I was in tenth grade. I was walking to class and out of no where these two girls flew out of a classroom. Make up and shoes were flying, literally. I almost got hit by a shoe. It wasn't much, mainly pulling of hair and things flying accross the floor. [/SIZE]