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How to Avoid a Fight Like a Martial Artist

Contributor
By eHow Contributing Writer
(10 Ratings)

A martial artist fights only when absolutely necessary - when there is no alternative. Follow these steps and you'll lessen your odds of becoming a victim or a defendant in a lawsuit.

Difficulty: Moderately challenging
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • Self-defense Courses
  • Martial Arts Videos
  1. Step 1

    Do not put yourself at risk. Stay fit and alert, refrain from excessive drinking or drugs and remain in control of your actions.

  2. Step 2

    Never provoke or escalate an incident. Traffic rage is the norm today and the angry driver who cuts you off is seldom rational. Better to let it go than escalate an incident that could end in violence.

  3. Step 3

    Cultivate your powers of observation in a situation that is unfamiliar to you. Be aware of your surroundings. Ask yourself, "Where are the exits? Where is safety if I need it?" Visualize an escape plan.

  4. Step 4

    Be cautious. Watch anyone whose behavior is making you uncomfortable. Is that person a potential threat to you? Anticipate what could happen.

  5. Step 5

    Tell an attacker loudly that you don't want to fight. Depending on the situation, it may be enough to end the conflict. If it doesn't, anyone watching has just witnessed that you tried to avoid the fight.

  6. Step 6

    Be clear on your goals. Your first goal is always avoidance. If confronted, your goal becomes escape. If attacked, your goal shifts to self-defense.

Tips & Warnings
  • Plan ahead to reduce your risk. Be sure you ask the concierge about the neighborhood around that great downtown restaurant before you decide to walk from the hotel. It could be a lot safer to arrange for a cab.
  • If you use a weapon, be certain your attacker won't be able to take it from you and use it against you. Instead, consider using your hands and feet to punch and strike.
  • Take every threat seriously. Better to offend than to become a victim.

Comments  

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on 3/1/2009 Very true, and wise.

finnviking said

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on 12/12/2008 Ccont'd from belowI) the Japanese definition of "ki", which is your center. Other styles use other words and some belief systems incorporate many energy points in the body. However, ki is very simply your center of gravity about 2 inches below your navel and the fundamental source of energy deep inside your body. Whether it is the same as the Chinese definition of "chi" or the Indian definition of "center chakra" is up for debate. The important thing to know is that if you develop your ki, you will improve your balance, alert but calm mind, control of your reflexes, and a tremendous powerful energy - call it "vibes" - which your opponent can feel. It is useful to shout at your opponent to intimidate and "steal the ki". If there were more room to write, I would do so, but this is enough to get you started and you can study more.

finnviking said

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on 12/12/2008 The reason the beserker style of rage fighting works is because it intimidates your opponent so he loses confidence in the first moments of the fight. It also raises your adrenalin levels, which makes you feel stronger. The danger in this is twofold. First, by elevating your "ki", which is your center, you are becoming aggressively emotional and open yourself up vulnerably to an experienced fighter. Secondly, you lose your ability to remain in complete control of your body because adrenalin kicks everything into a "flight or fight" response. This means other systems in your body are not as receptive because adrenalin elevates certain senses which inhibits other senses.

You can obtain all the energy and confidence to be a good fighter without inducing beserker rage. In fact, this is fundamentally what martial artists do when they meditate to develop their "ki", and I use this in

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on 3/2/2008 We have enough fighting between our two ears anyway in this lifetime to become the best we can become as a person that seeks for holistic self-knowledge ;D

Bigscarz said

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on 7/2/2007 I am a MMA fighter, but outside of the octagon I hate fighting and try to stay out of it. I find the best way to defend myself is to dodge or block the attack as much as possible, or land as little strikes as possible until the attacker is either to tired to fight or just gives up. If there are more than one and they are just being ambitious blowhards I use the tecniques my trainer taught me to usually fend off pretty well.

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