Why don't you go and learn how to fight?

[Song4TheBroken]

Here's the thing, the vast majoriy of humans don't have the slightest clue how to fight. How do I know this? Well, just go and stand outside a bar or club at the weekend, or watch a youtube video. You'll see what I mean. Or maybe you won't see what I mean, because (given the odds) it's overwhelimingly likely that you also don't have a clue how to fight, therefore you're probably unaware of what 'good' and 'bad' fighting looks like.

Personally, I feel as though learning how to defend yourself is one of the most important skills anybody can ever learn in life (for obvious reasons). That's why I train MMA, it encorperates all possible areas of unarmed combat; punches, elbows, knees, kicks, standing grappling and ground grappling. I would just like to point out that I'm probably one of the least violent people you'll ever meet, but I LOVE fighting. This may sound like a paradox but it isn't.

My question to you all is: why don't you learn how to fight and how combat actually works? I find it bizzarre how people can just go through life without truly knowing the most efficient ways (tried and tested) to defend yourself in an unarmed combat situation. Yes, you should try to avoid fights whenever possible, but that's not always possible, is it? Is it down to laziness? Lack of interest in your personal safety and the safety of those you care about? Ignorance? I'm genuinely curious to know why 99% of people don't learn how to fight.

I already train MMA dude.

I like to pretend I train MMA dude.

I train in a useless martial art that doesn't work in real combat.

I'm too lazy to learn self defence.

I didn't know martial arts was a thing...

I just don't care tbh.

Updates

+1 y

Yes, I'm aware that I should have added a poll option for people who train in a single (useful) martial art.

[oddwaffle]

Same reason I don't learn rock climbing just in case I need to hang on for dear life. Or maybe sky diving in case I need to jump off a plane. Or survival training in case I get lost in the wild (actually I might learn this considering how many people die a year).

I'm going to use survival training as an example here. Without it, you have about 48 hours to live in the wilderness. Most people die after the 1st 48 hours due to exposure, injuries or lack of water. With proper training, you can survive up to 7+ days without food and longer - enough time for people to save you. If you like travelling and adventures then survival training is a very very life saving skill.

Then there are hunting and tracking skills as well as the stuff that they teach rangers, special forces and scouts. Technically, the whole package they teach soldiers and rangers can be considered very very useful (they also teach close combat) for when you need it.

If you notice why you haven't learn all of those very very useful and practical skills then you will notice why a lot of people don't learn martial arts.

[Song4TheBroken]

But the chances of a person trying to kill you (or even inadvertently killing you) are much higher than getting lost in the wild. But yeah, wilderness survival skills are also a useful skill to have. I'm interested in those too.

[oddwaffle]

If you have actually have a danger of people killing you then you might want to consider having life insurance. If they say no or just give you a crazy amount then better learn those survival skills quick. These guys are in the business of betting that you'll live to pay up. They are really really good at looking up how much your life is worth.

Personally, if I think I need skills to survive then I probably try to take those courses that teach rangers and soldiers wanna be. Not the special weapons training stuff but more like how to survive in almost any situation from close combat to getting chased by guys with guns. How to stop a bleeding wound, how to keep your broken bone straight (or bone setting), what you need to do to keep your body functioning... etc.

I'd prefer their combat rather than MMA. They have no rule. Eye poking, groin kicking, use a deadly melee weapon... etc much more useful if you fight for your life.

[Song4TheBroken]

But eye gouging, biting, hair pulling and groin kicking are all unskilled moves, anybody can do them. They don't require years of practice and thousands of repetitions to perfect. Trust me, those rangers are noobs when it comes to unarmed combat. Sure, they could probably defeat an average untrained human. But against a properly trained fighter they will get eaten alive.

But do what you wanna do.

[NearlyNapping]

It's quite simple. There is no reason to learn. I've managed to get through my life without it. That's even hanging out with a lot of pretty hard core people. I've been around a lot of drug dealers, been in jail many times, dealt with a lot of real scumbags. If someone "needs" to know how to fight, then they are doing something wrong, or just having really bad luck.

To spend so much time learning something that in all likelihood will never be used seems like a waste of time, unless it's just something you want to do. You can claim that you "might" need it, and that's true. But you "might" need all kind of things. There are probably thousands of things that might come in handy in a given situation. But it's not realistic to learn every one of them.

[Song4TheBroken]

I love martial arts and fighting, those are additional reasons why I train. The potential life saving aspect is just the most important reason to train (imo). Let me ask you this: do you think it's better to know how to fight and not need it, or not know how to fight and need it when it could potentially save your life (or the life of your children, spouse, parent, sibling, friend). I think any answer other than the former would be borderline idiocy.

[NearlyNapping]

It's not that simple. It's about time vs risk vs reward. If you could instantly know how to fight, then sure, it's better to know it. But to really learn to fight takes a large investment of time. Even then there is nothing saying it would ever be used, or if it would be effective.

As I said, there are probably thousands of things that might come in handy to know under the right circumstances. With every one of those you could ask the same question, "Is it better to know it and not need it, or to need it and not know it?". In every case the answer is probably yes. But we can't possibly learn all of those things. We make judgement calls and allocate our time.

I wrestled for three years in high school, did lots of sports and was in pretty good shape. I also took a little martial arts until I had a serious injury. But I just did it because I wanted to and liked being in shape. I don't feel like it was needed to protect myself.

[Song4TheBroken]

Well, I don't know about you, but I value being alive tremendously, more than anything else in the universe. So even if there is only a 0.00001 percent chance that I'd ever be in a life threatening combat situation, I'm sure as hell gonna invest the time into training my combat skills so I can use them if and when needed,

[NearlyNapping]

Why don't you use that time to get medical training? You are probably hundreds, if not thousands, of times more likely to use it.

But really, if you want to learn to fight, that's fine. You asked why people don't learn and I said why. That's the answer to your question.

The health benefits of being in shape probably far outweigh the potential benefits of needing it in a fight. Being in shape WILL extend and enhance your life if you live to an older age. So whatever sport you enjoy serves that purpose.

[Song4TheBroken]

I know CPR and the Heimlich maneuver, but that's about as far as my medical knowledge goes.

So, just to be clear, your answer as to why people don't learn martial arts is because they think the odds of them ever being in a life threatening situation are too low to invest some time into training?

[NearlyNapping]

That's one of the reasons yes. Or maybe they just don't want to. Or maybe they just don't like sports or fighting. But whatever the reason, if somebody thinks it's important enough, they'll do it. They just have to weigh how important it is to learn vs whatever reasons they have for not learning.

[Song4TheBroken]

That's fair enough.

[lost_kitten]

I've taken a few self defense classes and the thing i found was that most of the time they weren't teaching me how to fight but rather how to escape.
When i go out i go with a lot of friends and we stick together. I don't drink and i pay attention to the people around me. I try to be nice and respectful to everyone to avoid conflict.
My focus is on avoiding fights and escaping as effectively and efficiently as i can. I've considered taking up parkour for this reason, and because it looks really cool and fun.
I don't feel like learning to fight is realistic for everyone, in terms of their build and also their schedule. I personally don't have enough time to dedicate to really learning to fight, and even if i did train enough i doubt i could fight a guy as i'm a pretty slight girl.

[Song4TheBroken]

That's a very common misbelief, that women can't fight men. It's quite simply untrue and ignorant. So the average man is physically bigger than the average woman, that's true. But so what? That's like saying smaller guys don't stand a chance against bigger guys. It's completely untrue because combat is primarily about technique and skill. Size does play a factor, but only makes any noticeable difference when two people are of the same skill level.

Also, 'self defence' classes are bullshit. I guess they kind of give you more of an idea of how to fight than you had before, but just barely. To become a competent fighter, you need to train in a legit martial art at a legit gym.

If you don't have the time to train martial arts, that's fine. Just don't use your size as an excuse, because it's never an excuse.

[lost_kitten]

I don't think it's ignorant to assume the size of your opponent matters. Even in MMA you have weight divisions. But i then i don't really know all that much about it so you could be right.

[Song4TheBroken]

Yes you have weight classes, but as I previously said, physical attributes only come into play if two people are (roughly) on the same skill level. Size can never make up for a huge gap in skill, ever.

[BelleGirl21]

I don't like your choices bro. Taekwondo is totally feasible irl situations. Mma is good too. Different techniques for different people. But actual street fighting is different from regular things you'll learn in a class, you're right about that.

[Song4TheBroken]

I love TKD, I never said it was a bullshit martial art. I train a little bit of TKD myself and it has some of the most deadly kicks of any martial art. TKD is also part of MMA, depending on whether the individual mixed martial artist chooses to incorporate it. All MMA really means is a mixture of different disciplines. However, it needs to be combined with other martial arts to be effective against a trained opponent. But against an untrained person, TKD alone would probably be more than enough,

[BelleGirl21]

Awesome. I think it's really cool you're so devoted in MMA.

[Song4TheBroken]

Thanks. I think it's cool that you like TKD. A lot of people seem to brush it off as useless, when it's easily one of the best kicking arts in existence.

[RichardTheFrog]

If someone were really out to get you... They would just blindside you... No training for that...

[Song4TheBroken]

@RichardTheFrog They may do that, they may not. But let's suppose they do blindside you. After they've done that (unless you're unconscious) then you're in a position to engage in combat.

I don't know why so many people are coming up with ridiculous excuses as to why they have never learned any self defence. If you're lazy or don't value your life enough, then just say that, it's fine. But don't come up with these pathetic attempts to justify it.

[NeglectedDyldo]

Most people who train martial arts aren't going to attack you on the streets...

[Song4TheBroken]

@NeglectedDyldo I agree, I'm not quite sure why but speaking from personal experience, when you actually learn how to fight, you're less likely to start fights for no good reason. Maybe it's because you know for a fact that you could easily destroy 99% of humans, so you feel as if you've got nothing to prove.

However, not all people who train are like this. There are still trained fighters who are douchebags that go looking for fights.

[BertMacklinFBI]

because a gun is the ultimate equalizer

[Song4TheBroken]

And do you have a gun on your person at all times? You're never without a gun for any period of time? And what if your 'ultimate equalizer' jams? You're rendered defenceless.

[BertMacklinFBI]

that doesn't knock off a gun as the ultimate equalizer, whether shit happens or not, in this world, a gun is the ultimate equalizer lol.

[Song4TheBroken]

I'm not disagreeing with that. I'm just saying that you're not always going to have a gun on you. So, what happens when you're attacked whilst you aren't carrying it?

[imnotcrearive]

@Bellegirl21 is right. Training MMA for a street fight is nowhere close to your best option. There's 4 factors that determine who wins a fight, mental, physical, environmental and luck. MMA removed the environmental one and luck usually plays a very small part. However when you're on the street, the environmental factor IS the biggest one. So all your MMA training goes down the drain and you're basically left with your stand-up game and perhaps Judo if you have some sort of background in that. Because lets face it as soon as you take your opponent down in a street fight you're a dead man. His buddy could kick you in the face, there's way too many factors to even consider. If you're looking at self defence someone with a Krav Maga background among many others will be much more prepared than you, because in a street fight, eye gouging, groin hits, back of the head, spine, face kicks when you're down are all ok. After all if you think that being nice or fighting fair against someone who attacks you is honorable you're an idiot. And at the end of the day all it comes down to is who's better prepared. You could have a background of 8 years experience in w. e martial art you chose. If the guy you're fighting trains 3 times a week in anything, even boxing, and you have trained in a year... He'll win.

[BelleGirl21]

I'd love to get into krav maga! So intense but really hard to find an actually qualified trainer!

[Song4TheBroken]

You're very misinformed, but it's cute that you actually think you have a clue what you're talking about.

[imnotcrearive]

@BelleGirl21, yeah I was lucky enough to have someone who had a good understanding of psychology on top of his Krav Maga so he taught everything from an adrenaline dump point since that's normally what you'll be faced with in your first 4-6 life threatening fights. And @op if you have something you disagree with just say it don't just get salty because I share a different point of view that goes against yours...

[Song4TheBroken]

It's not that you have a different point of view. It's that you're simply incorrect. That's all.

[Phoenix98]

I've known how to fight since I was quite young, been trained in my martial arts in Jeet Kune Do both the art and the philosophy, Goju Ryu, Traditional Karate, Wing Chun, Filipino Escrima which relates to unarmed combat as well as knife, Rattan stick and Bo staff fighting, and Niten Ichi Ryu an art dedicated to nothing but the sword it is quite literally an art of killing and relates to the Katana as well as unarmed combat and philosophy, and of course I've been shooting with firearms of all kinds since I was quite young.

I'm probably one of the least violent people you'll ever meet, but I LOVE fighting. This may sound like a paradox but it isn't. ( me in a nutshell so I totally get it by the way )

[Song4TheBroken]

Thank you! It's rather annoying to see how many ignorant people are calling me a violent person just because I love to fight. Even though I clearly stated that I'm not a violent person.

[Phoenix98]

Exactly it's like the difference between loving to spar and loving to fight on the streets it's two different but similar things. You can love to fight but at the same time your not trying to hurt or kill them, just improve your skills, besides very few people can ever understand how blood and pain would be fun lol.

[Song4TheBroken]

lol I know.

[Phoenix98]

Yeah I know you do I just have a habit of describing stuff lol.

[PT1911]

I've been training in Hwa Rang Do since I was 8. What made me stay was my instructor emphasizing application, understand what we are really doing.

And yes, I have been in fights and won. People think the stronger someone is, they know how to fight. Bullshit, strength doesn't mean jack if you don't know how to apply it.

And I know what you mean, I love fighting, especially ground fighting, its so technical and precise.

Here is our stand up component. It was designed to get rid of the aged tae kwon do point style to truly show your skill level, yet without the risk of serious injury. The goal isn't to knock them out, the goal is too show how gpood you are. And yes I've had injuries, plenty of them, popped my elbow out once.

https://youtu.be/iR5E4wTTeYY

[Song4TheBroken]

It's cool that you love to fight, but I have to criticize that video. I'm not sure it it's your art or just these particular practitioners, but they are constantly leaving themselves open to ALL SORTS of strikes. Any decent kickboxer or Thai boxer would pick them apart with ease. They kind of just stand right in front of their opponent with their chin sticking out.

[PT1911]

As I said, the goal isn't to knock out, its just to show your skill level. Have i had my fair share of of head strikes? Oh yes. Its a new system we implemented, just last year. Before, you would just plain point sparring. It took some time to perfect, but you don't see us sticking our heads out like that lol.

[Dez22]

How much money do you invest in MMA? I want to learn, but what holds me and probably a lot of people back is money and time. We have too many other priorities and dont make enough money for extra things. So self defense usually gets put on the backburner especially if you're chances of getting into a fight is slim. Maybe that's why I don't know

If I were to make a high school, instead of regular gym, it would be self defense 101 or something because it is a life skill.

[Song4TheBroken]

Me personally, I pay £5 per training session. I'm not entirely sure what that would be in dollars. Also, if money is an issue, you could try and self train. There are a lot of videos and information on the internet about the technical side of different martial art disciplines. You could watch how the techniques are correctly executed (on youtube for example), record yourself performing the techniques, watch it back and see if it looks anything like the demonstration.

Obviously, learning at home is nowhere near as good as going to an actual gym but it's certainly better than nothing. I used to learn at home from internet videos when I was 17, before I decided to actually start properly training a few years later. And when I first went to a gym, I had MUCH better technique than my friends who also joined with me but never self trained.

The thing about fighting though, is that you need actual experience sparring with resisting opponents to make any real progress in a combat situation.

[Song4TheBroken]

Just be careful and don't fall for any of those McDojo martial arts. They're all bullshit. Aikido, for example, is useless against an opponent who doesn't basically run at you and try to clothesline you like an idiot. Learn martial arts that have been tried, tested and proven to be effective in a real combat situations. Basically anything that is successful in modern day MMA (aka UFC or cage fighting) is useful in a street fight. Because MMA is the closest combat sport we have to a street fight. So boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, taekwondo, wrestling, judo, bjj and certain types of karate are all useful martial arts to learn. However, 99% of karate that is taught is complete bullshit, especially in western countries.

[CityBoy773]

I personally do kickboxing and Judo at my college for stress reasons. Helps relieve my stress and anger, builds muscle, and leaves me too tired to be pissed. But the only reason I even can take these classes is because kickboxing is covered with my Group X membership ($55 a semester is hard to beat) and Judo is $60 a semester for students. With a one time fee of $115 per semester, or only $55 since I can't really afford Judo, I can easily make that up in a paycheck.

However, city wise, it's $30 a month to use the gym, another $30-something to go to the MMA gym in the city. That's around $60/month. Cheap to some, but too much for me.

[Song4TheBroken]

That's cool. Good luck with improving your skills.

[dartmaul15]

frankly i would never touch mma.
I'm a pacifist, i don't use violence. It doesn't solve anything.

The ONLY reason i'd practice martial arts is for the self-controll. Taekwondo, karrate, jun jitsu... They're martial arts alright, but they also focus on mental balance and self-cotroll.

I think people need more of that, rather than the ability to beat the shit out of eachother.

Also, don't bring fists to a gunfight. If someone picks a random fight, you can simply back off and he or she will likely give up. Or, you know, just run faster than him? If someone want you real dead, the person will use a gun, rendering your martial arts useless.

[Song4TheBroken]

You clearly don't know what MMA even means, do you? Of course you don't, or you wouldn't have made such a ridiculously ignorant statement. Please educate yourself before making such absurd statements. By the way, you can be a pacifist and train martial arts, duh.

Also, you spelled Jiu-jitsu wrong...

[dartmaul15]

MMA? as in the staged shows, or actual martial arts?
I'll asume you talk about martial arts.

I am well aware it's more effective than just one martial art (because it's a mix of them all), but historically MMA has been more about raw combat ability. I aknowledge this is highly effective for a self defence scenario.
However as said, i'd preffer one that focus more on mental balance and self control. Because that'd be my reasons to practice martial arts, not so i know how to effectively beat the living hell out of people.
MMA simply does not fit MY purpose for potentially practicing martial arts.

I probably did spell it wrong, yeah. but it doesn't hange my point :P

[Anpu23]

MMA works in the realm of an MMA ring. I have studied for 38 years in many forms of combat. I have worked with some MMA combatants, and trainers. My current study is Dim Mak, and HEMA great sword. If I you are fighting one on one with the rules of the ring, then you can't beat MMA, on the other hand if your opponent has even a stick and knows how to use it, then your training is gone as you have nothing against an armed opponent. Every system is good for what it was designed for, and to say that one system is the BEST is a gross oversimplification.

[Anpu23]

By the way, I honestly don't think that I'll ever fight an opponent armed with great swords but it's a fun study (and great upper body workout) on the other hand the pressure point techniques I am learning will definitely help in an unarmed combat situation.

[Song4TheBroken]

Fighting outside of an MMA contest does not necessarily mean armed combat. Nice strawman argument though. Anything that works in modern day MMA will also work in a 'street fight' without rules (as long as both parties are unarmed). The only difference being that the mixed martial artist wouldn't be bound by the rules of a contest.

[Anpu23]

I have a good buddy who is ranked shehan in the Shotokan system he hwld off 3 attackers two of whom had knives with nothing but a 6" plastic tube. I have another buddy who is runs a Ninjitsu school who you would never want to meet fully equipped. Yes street fighting does not necessarily mean armed, but you also can't rule it out. Another point that is valid is that a tournament trained fighter is never taught to kill or maim as a first strike option. And yes some schools do teach that if you are put in a situation where you must fight, your first duty is to stop the fight any way you can. That includes killing, permanently crippling, blinding, etc. But these schools have clear rules of engagement

[Song4TheBroken]

Sorry, but it's all bullshit. There are no 'secret attacks' that are capable of instantly crippling someone. It's simply untrue.

[Anpu23]

From "Vital Pount Strikes" by KimVital Points Can Shut Down the System Because the human body is a highly complicated interconnected system, it is vulnerable to attacks that disable key points of the system, thereby causing systemwide failure. By attacking one of the vital regions of the body, you can paralyze the entire system. Particularly damaging are attacks on the nervous system. When the nervous system becomes disabled, so does the rest of the body. Injuries to the brain and spinal cord are among the most lethal. A relatively minor injury, like a concussion causes a temporary loss of mental faculties while a serious injury, like a severance of the spinal cord can cause permanent paralysis or death. Because it attacks a key area of the human system with a specific objective, a vital point strike can turn a physical brawl into a tactical fight and render an opponent powerless.

[Song4TheBroken]

Yeah, it sounds great in theory... but it doesn't work in reality.

[goflipaburger]

I've been training to kick ass since I was very young 😎 I've been in my fair share of fights so I'm pretty confident that I can protect myself.

[Song4TheBroken]

That's cool, we need more girls like you in the world. What do you train?

[goflipaburger]

mostly shuri goju ryu, jujutsu, and aikido. lately i've been into kick boxing, too

[Song4TheBroken]

Kickboxing is awesome you should focus your attention on that. Aikido is bullshit, sorry, but it really is. And by Jiu-Jitsu do you mean BJJ or JJJ?

[jaydogs1990]

Used to do a bit of boxing which I found to be a good martial art as any when in a sticky situation although I use a lot of street moves that you can't use in a boxing ring or cage fight. As you probably know already there's no rules in a real life situation and when there's no padded gloves or head gear and no rounds its often the guy that moves fastest and hits hardest. I have knocked down a karate guy and taekondo guy, fought a couple of MMA in the street and one in the ring guys with mixed results the first guy I literally battered his face into submission with jabs while not letting him get close enough to grapple he was apparently a good grappler but needed to work on his hand skills, the second guy I knocked down down a few times while he tried to trade punches but he got took me down and got a submission. Personally I dont think its the martial art but the man using it and who's better on the day.

[Song4TheBroken]

The term 'better on the day' only applies if two people are relatively close in terms of skill. If one person is much more skilled than the other, than the less skilled person is never going to be better on any given day.

Also, the dude you're talking about was certainly not a good grappler. If he was in your striking range enough to constantly get jabbed (unless you have FREAKISHLY long arms) then he would have been in range to shoot for a takedown. At the very least, he would have been close enough to cover up, rush you and grab hold of you.

It's definitely the martial art that matters. In MMA there is a hierarchy of which martial arts are the most dominant.

[Xelebrum]

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai right here. 8) I think everyone who is able to should learn how to fight, at least enough to defend themselves or their loved ones.

[Song4TheBroken]

Well said, dude. Are you cringing at the majority of replies too? The excuses that people come up with are honestly pathetic. Fair enough, if someone doesn't value their life enough to learn how to adequately defend it, that's okay. But why do they find it necessary to think of ridiculous excuses?

[Xelebrum]

Their excuses really do bother me to be honest. All of their replies, with the exception of those saying they don't have the time or money, are based entirely on the ASSUMPTION that they won't ever be in a situation where they'll have to defend themselves. Nothing is guaranteed in life, they can say that now but then a week later some random drunk guy could try to start shit with them and either pull out a weapon or make on from their bottle of beer/vodka/etc. If they don't care enough about their own safety to learn then fine, that's on them. But if anything, they should at least learn how to defend their loved ones. Especially if they have kids one day.

[Song4TheBroken]

Exactly!

[Prettygurl12]

I don't train in any school of fighting. I do train in self defense as per the requirements for my job. I just completed a PPCT course but I'm sure you don't care for that.

I am reasonably confident that, despite my size, I am able to handle myself in a physical altercation.

[Song4TheBroken]

PPCT?

[Prettygurl12]

Pressure point control tactics

[Song4TheBroken]

Oh, you're right, I don't care for that. Please don't let this 'training' give you a false sense of security. Why not go to BJJ class for just one night? You could just go and observe and see if it's something you wanna try. It's an art that doesn't involve striking, if you're worried about getting hit in the face. And it's probably the most effective martial art for a fight.

[Prettygurl12]

Pft. No.

[Song4TheBroken]

lol okay.

[9mfeo]

Why is it necessary? Don't all Americans carry like 78 guns at all times anyway because they have no gun control laws?

[BertMacklinFBI]

LOL! im trying to get my concealed carry license

[9mfeo]

@BertMacklinFBI *sigh* how vulgar.

[BertMacklinFBI]

something did happen recently at a bar down the street from my place, of all the places someone was stabbed to death in my city, that has a good reputation.

[Lolomon]

Lol, my parents said life is hard and even harder and more dangerous for a girl. so, I was taught how to box since little and taught that life isn't a field of roses. we live in a hippie era where people rather love than fight which is unrealistic for the real world.

[Song4TheBroken]

That's awesome. You mean your parents put you in a boxing gym since you were a child?

[Lolomon]

Well, I was in karate first then boxing but I haven't done either in years but im sure if I needed to use them I could.

[Song4TheBroken]

Well yeah, if you repeat a certain movement enough times, it becomes ingrained in your muscle memory. If punching becomes as natural as breathing, then you never forget how to do it.

[throwit]

I've never been in a fight and I don't like learning how to punch and kick punching bags in gym class. If someone tries to swing at me its natural instinct to suck or to use an arm to block it. That's all I really need in reality, no one is out to get me.

[Song4TheBroken]

Everybody seems to be missing the point. I'm not saying that anyone is out to get you, or that you will ever necessarily be in a situation in which you'd have to fight for your life. The point I'm making is that it COULD very well happen to you just as much as it could happen to the next person. So, would you rather know how to competently defend yourself and never need to use it, or need to fight for your life but not have a clue how to do so? I know which one I'd choose.

[RichardTheFrog]

Pepper spray

[Song4TheBroken]

@RichardTheFrog No.

[throwit]

Yeah, chances are I would learn how to defend myself and when the time finally came where I needed to use it all of hat info would go straight out the window. I'm not gonna waste my life learning and practicing everyday for something that won't even happen. I'll carry pepper spray

[RichardTheFrog]

Thank you!!! My brother spends all his time "training" and doing stretches. It's like, first of all, I could pepper spray you or take you... Second of all, you should do the same if you get attacked on the street... Third, all of this is illegal anyway...

[Song4TheBroken]

@throwit If your training goes out the window in a real fight, then that simply means you haven't practiced enough and you haven't sparred enough. There's no other reason you would forget your training. Take it from somebody who actually trains and has used that training in a real fight.

[throwit]

I would never waste my time learning something I won't use

[Song4TheBroken]

But you don't know that you won't ever have to use it...

[throwit]

I'm never in a situation where a fight would be possible. I don't make enemies. I've never so much as been in an argument with someone.
If I'm walking someone and someone jumps me chances are they are going to be bigger and stronger than me and probably have a weapon and any knowledge I have would be useless (I wouldn't risk my life to try and fight someone who said they would kill me if I moved)
I know how to block a punch and how to claw and scratch and bite and kick
You can't convince me that I need to learn to fight.

[Song4TheBroken]

I'm not trying to convince you that you need to do anything. I'm simply telling you that it's possible someone will try and seriously hurt you one day, and when that day comes you won't have the slightest clue what to do. Just stating a simple fact that can't be disputed.

[meowcow]

People with aggressive personalities are the type to learn to fight and start a fight or get into fights. These are the types to go to clubs acting macho, taking ab selfies and talk a lot of shit. For all the time and training, it does not make you a better person. Aside from high school where I got into fights monthly, I have never been in a fight as an adult, nor have the friends in my circle. I suspect you are surrounded by aggression and fighting because you yourself are an aggressive and violent person.

During the hundreds of hours you spend training to fight some imaginary future adversary, I probably learned something new and made a shit load of money off of it and made a better lifestyle for myself.

[Song4TheBroken]

All I could do was shake my head at this post because it was just so fucking ignorant. You don't even deserve a proper reply.

[NeglectedDyldo]

Where's the option for "I train in a useful martial art that does work in real combat"?

[Song4TheBroken]

I realise that I should have added the option for a single useful martial art. What do you train?

[NeglectedDyldo]

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

[Song4TheBroken]

Fair one! But do you never think of becoming well rounded in all aspects of combat?

[NeglectedDyldo]

Yeah I want to learn Muay Thai but I don't have the time or the money to practice two martial arts at once.

[Song4TheBroken]

Fair enough. BJJ is amazing though. If I could only train one martial art, it would probably be that. What belt are you? Or do you train no-gi?

[NeglectedDyldo]

I train gi but have only been doing it since June this year.

[Song4TheBroken]

Okay, that's cool. Just remember not to get too caught up with belts. That's not what Jiu-Jitsu is about.

[ThisDudeHere]

You didn't include the "I'm considering learning it someday" in the poll.

[Song4TheBroken]

My bad dude.

[ThisDudeHere]

No worries, dude.

[ColdHeartCries]

Can you train me
I don't know any of this stuffs. So I don't even know where to start.

But yeah, I am paranoid.

[Song4TheBroken]

lol just google martial art classes in your local area. If you want to be well rounded then look for MMA specifically because that will give you a very well rounded skill set. As I said to another girl, make sure to only train in martial arts that are proven to be effective in real combat situations against resisting opponents. Any martial art that doesn't incorporate sparring is a bullshit martial art and needs to die.

[ColdHeartCries]

Thank you!!

[Song4TheBroken]

You're welcome ^_^

Also, if you're worried about getting hit in the face, maybe you should try BJJ. It doesn't include striking and is completely grappling based. But it's SUPER EFFECTIVE

[ColdHeartCries]

Lol, yes. I don't want to get hurt.

[Song4TheBroken]

Well try grappling martial arts such as BJJ or Judo. But seriously, even if you train a striking martial art, you're highly unlikely to ever get hurt. When you sparr, you don't go 100% trying to knock your partner out. It's really just light punches.

[ColdHeartCries]

I will see if I can handle it. I am just paranoid easily lol

[Song4TheBroken]

lol okay, have fun! Martial arts can be very fun, as well as an important life skill. ^_^

[RationalMale]

If I'm fighting someone hand to hand with my bare fists, something has gone terribly wrong. When I have reason to believe something might happen, a Sig 2022 9mm is in my waistband. When I don't have reason to believe anything will happen, I carry a nice knife with a 3" blade.

I've had lessons and I practice, but if it comes down to empty fists, I'm just trying to stay in one piece. I don't believe in fighting unless I planned and have a heavy advantage, haha.

[Song4TheBroken]

Well, things sometimes go wrong in life. That's just the way it is. Do you believe you're going to carry a gun or knife on you for the rest of you life, 24 hours a day?