Considering in real life I've had the misfortune of having to prove that I was able to handle 1 vs 3 unarmed vs armed with knives...though admittedly unarmed did not remain so long in that case... and unarmed vs unarmed 1 vs 10... perhaps. Honestly, it actually depends on the opponents. In the mentioned situations I was lucky in that while outnumbered...my assailants were fools, were not trained, and didn't know how to fight together...hindering eachother more than helping, and generally almost proving more asset to me than to eachother...as well as in both cases I was able to use terrain to limit how many could engage at once and to fight back directly. A forested setting can prove...useful, at times, even when there's no truly viable improvised weapons readilly at hand. Now, if I'd been against equally trained opponents who'd actually learned to fight together in similar situations? I'd have been screwed. Fortunately, gang banger thugs...tend to be rather low on the skill and training department. Against similar skilled opponents...I'm capable. I know a variety of weapons and am fairly solid in Judo and Wrestling, and have done solidly in self defense situations and spar on numerous occasions, including practicing against multiple opponents, and in strategies for fighting beside others. Am I a master of any such? No. If I have the misfortune of being assaulted by someone with greater skill and the will to follow through, enough to get past some of the advantages someone who actually NEEDS to win can pull off at times, even if technically outmatched... I'm in trouble. Multiple opponents with the right arms and training, or someone armed better and who knows how to use it, and isn't stupid...concerning. Honestly, it really depends on who and what I'm dealing with.
Can you defend yourself?
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It kind of depends on how fit they are. I knew a dude who was like a foot shorter than me and fifty pounds lighter, but he was a boxer who could bench my max as a warmup and I know he'd have kicked my ass in ten seconds flat. If we're talking strictly from a physical build, as in, he's that size but not because of any physical conditioning on his part, I could maybe take out one guy bigger than me, probably one guy equal to my size, two guys smaller than me, maybe three, and any more than that I'll probably bail if I can't immediately bring it to two (most people drop after a single punch to the nose, or so I'm told). But five guys? Unless we're talking burgers, I'm out.
first of all i'm not proud of myself or anything and also i'm not saying that it was a fight, who cares if you play fair or not i don't want to get hurt :<TheTurtleMan said:
and i heard it still hurts if you hit a girl there
Better to talk my way out of a problem than fight, walking away is also good. Some people are just looking for an excuse and I'm generally not interested in giving them one.
Spoken like a Texan.White Lightning said:
Define "win."
I could probably not outrun a guy. However, I could either hide in a crowd, bail into a store, or kick him in the balls and flee. That'd probably work, and I count that as a win. (Remember, kids, you win if you come out of the fight intact. This means you don't have to land a punch. At least, that's what my sensei says.)
As for an actual fight, where I have to put knuckles/palms/knees/whatever on skin? Yeah, I could definitely take one unarmed guy. But it's not going to be boxing/sparring style; it's going to be dirty fighting. Groin kicks, palms to the nose, knee to the face when they double over, broken elbows, all that. No mercy. Some drunk guy decides he's going to come get some, and my life might be in danger because there's no way I can get away and he's looking at me like I'm a steak? I hope he likes learning to use his limbs again.
Guy with a knife or a gun, at melee range? Hmmmmmmm. I like to think I can deal with it, but I am still very wary. You really have to *commit* when they have a weapon; that's the point at which you can't half-ass things even less than you already could. Someone punches you, they can knock you out, yes. Someone knifes you, you might die right there. Once that weapon is out, you're either gone, you're cooperating so the guy leaves with your wallet and not your life, or you're on that weapon arm like dots on dice. No middle ground, and once you choose to either fight or flee, you have to really do it.
Add a second guy and things get nasty. While we do train for multiple attackers, I'm not that badass yet, and besides, it's just never a good situation. There are some basic tactics like "don't let anyone get behind you" and "don't stop moving" and all that, but...really, you just don't want to mess with that. I am not confident I could take on a group, where a group is more than one.
I could probably not outrun a guy. However, I could either hide in a crowd, bail into a store, or kick him in the balls and flee. That'd probably work, and I count that as a win. (Remember, kids, you win if you come out of the fight intact. This means you don't have to land a punch. At least, that's what my sensei says.)
As for an actual fight, where I have to put knuckles/palms/knees/whatever on skin? Yeah, I could definitely take one unarmed guy. But it's not going to be boxing/sparring style; it's going to be dirty fighting. Groin kicks, palms to the nose, knee to the face when they double over, broken elbows, all that. No mercy. Some drunk guy decides he's going to come get some, and my life might be in danger because there's no way I can get away and he's looking at me like I'm a steak? I hope he likes learning to use his limbs again.
Guy with a knife or a gun, at melee range? Hmmmmmmm. I like to think I can deal with it, but I am still very wary. You really have to *commit* when they have a weapon; that's the point at which you can't half-ass things even less than you already could. Someone punches you, they can knock you out, yes. Someone knifes you, you might die right there. Once that weapon is out, you're either gone, you're cooperating so the guy leaves with your wallet and not your life, or you're on that weapon arm like dots on dice. No middle ground, and once you choose to either fight or flee, you have to really do it.
Add a second guy and things get nasty. While we do train for multiple attackers, I'm not that badass yet, and besides, it's just never a good situation. There are some basic tactics like "don't let anyone get behind you" and "don't stop moving" and all that, but...really, you just don't want to mess with that. I am not confident I could take on a group, where a group is more than one.
hmm i think i've used the wrong word but i don't care anymore, you win and i want to go to sleep. alright?TheTurtleMan said:
I'm only a basic level ninja. My inherent size and strength, combined with my ninjutsu training, Means I'd pretty much destroy any average person 1v1, and would probably give me a decent chance against two completely average people. Maybe even three.
Against more than three I'd be pretty screwed.
Against opponents of similar strength or skill to me, the number I can take goes down.
If they're armed, the number goes down.
If I'm armed, the number goes up.
If my opponent is Jackie Chan, I'll lose 1v1.
There are just too many variables for a general assessment.
Against more than three I'd be pretty screwed.
Against opponents of similar strength or skill to me, the number I can take goes down.
If they're armed, the number goes down.
If I'm armed, the number goes up.
If my opponent is Jackie Chan, I'll lose 1v1.
There are just too many variables for a general assessment.
I have no prior experience with martial arts and I have a fairly average build. Any advice on what specifically would be best and practical for real life scenarios? Just a basic self defense class?Riff Moonraker said:Waiting until you are feeling confident enough, is similar to waiting until you are ready to have children. If you wait until you are ready to have kids, you probably wont ever have any. Throw caution to the wind and go for it! I promise you that it will give you plenty of self confidence. I'm not trying to tell you what to do, dont get me wrong. I just wanted to offer a little advice, because when I first started I had NO self confidence at all. I think you would be doing yourself a great service if you just said the hell with it, and gave it a shot. I dont think you will be disappointed.
Sorry i know this question wasn't directed at me but realistically your best self defense is to take up running, even looking at this thread most people presume the'll win a one on one but basic maths shows that it isnt possible, And any fight involving multiple attackers just means you'll get bum rushed.BiscuitTrouser said:I have no prior experience with martial arts and I have a fairly average build. Any advice on what specifically would be best and practical for real life scenarios? Just a basic self defense class?Riff Moonraker said:Waiting until you are feeling confident enough, is similar to waiting until you are ready to have children. If you wait until you are ready to have kids, you probably wont ever have any. Throw caution to the wind and go for it! I promise you that it will give you plenty of self confidence. I'm not trying to tell you what to do, dont get me wrong. I just wanted to offer a little advice, because when I first started I had NO self confidence at all. I think you would be doing yourself a great service if you just said the hell with it, and gave it a shot. I dont think you will be disappointed.
Although saying that if you do take up a martial art for self defense as long as it does full contact sparring occasionally you should be ok.
Also on topic I would run away in zig zag lines, does that count?
Definitely good advice. I know id lose 1 on 1 (most of the time) as it is but im definitely improving. Ive started an exercise routine already to assist in general situations like running away or smacking my fist as hard as i can in any random direction but for something with more control i was just wondering where i should start. Im looking for something practical (not too constrained by rules) that will teach me real applicable skills for use in self defense that doesnt require me to be built like a tank to properly master it. Obviously becoming good/masterful at these things inevitable WILL make you a tank but id rather than be an outcome than a pre requisite.asdfgtrew said:
The issue with martial arts not constrained by rules is that you never get to test them so its impossible to tell if its effective or not (hint ball shots will often just annoy people), A Judoka for example has hundred of hours of constrained fight experience he will know how someone reacts to being grabbed and how they attack in return, compared to someone who has just practiced on pads and theory this sparring experience is vital.BiscuitTrouser said:
Sorry if I misread your post but I see sparring as vital part of any fight training. Also sorry if im too far off topic
Edit Yh I clearly misread your post, try looking round for Judo, Boxing, MMA or Kyokushin gyms in your area any of them will teach you applicable skills.
Really that depends on who is teaching it...most 'Basic Self Defense Classes', really aren't covering enough to be useful. However often they are useful for reminding people to keep track of situational awareness and try to avoid getting caught in a combat situation if possible...and that if they must...even their keys are a potential useful weapon for improving escape. Their focus is generally evade first (reasonable), and if unable, lash out hard and fast enough to enable yourself to evade second. Self defense courses generally aren't about 'winning' so much as about just that. Self Defense. Surviving. Not a bad thing, really. Often however they are incomplete, or insufficient, and merely give people the illusion of preperation without truly getting them ready. While often useful as a initial prep...it's better to make sure you don't take a Basic Self Defense course, and assume you're set. That...can get you hurt badly.BiscuitTrouser said:I have no prior experience with martial arts and I have a fairly average build. Any advice on what specifically would be best and practical for real life scenarios? Just a basic self defense class?Riff Moonraker said:Waiting until you are feeling confident enough, is similar to waiting until you are ready to have children. If you wait until you are ready to have kids, you probably wont ever have any. Throw caution to the wind and go for it! I promise you that it will give you plenty of self confidence. I'm not trying to tell you what to do, dont get me wrong. I just wanted to offer a little advice, because when I first started I had NO self confidence at all. I think you would be doing yourself a great service if you just said the hell with it, and gave it a shot. I dont think you will be disappointed.
Being the runt of eight cousins and doing MMA. I feel like five guys would be a manageable situation
...if I have some kind of sword, then I'm set, provided no more than one of the other people has a sword.
Otherwise strictly hand-to-hand, much as I'd like to believe I'd be okay one-on-one in most scenarios, odds are that I wouldn't be. I have however starting learning Japanese jujutsu (turns out one of my maths lecturers is an instructor) in an attempt to rectify this (did some TKD when I was younger, but it's very sport-oriented and I didn't find it very useful. JJJ is entirely combat oriented, which is great except that it makes sparring difficult, due to the high chance of breaking somebody's neck).
Otherwise strictly hand-to-hand, much as I'd like to believe I'd be okay one-on-one in most scenarios, odds are that I wouldn't be. I have however starting learning Japanese jujutsu (turns out one of my maths lecturers is an instructor) in an attempt to rectify this (did some TKD when I was younger, but it's very sport-oriented and I didn't find it very useful. JJJ is entirely combat oriented, which is great except that it makes sparring difficult, due to the high chance of breaking somebody's neck).
Not even close. The full extent of my martial arts training was about two weeks of Kuk Sool Won when I was eight years old.
If I did get into a fight, it would boil down to half desperate catfight-esque slapping and half crying while attempting to block my face.
If I did get into a fight, it would boil down to half desperate catfight-esque slapping and half crying while attempting to block my face.
I have a little hand to hand experience so I could hold my own against one person assuming they weren't trained or something.I wouldn't want to go against anymore then 1v1 though, no bueno. Im a lot better with a gun then I am with fists.