# have you ever used it?



## drummingman (Feb 8, 2007)

has anyone ever had to use their karate training in a real life situation? if so what were the circumstances that caused you to have to use it and how did it turn out?


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## twendkata71 (Feb 8, 2007)

I have had to use my skills in a few situations. One was at a friends party, I was trying to save this girls life and was attacked from behind, after I turned around I was able to focus, he attacked with a jab, rightcross combo. I deflected the punches and side kicked him in the ribs, he tried again and I roundhouse kicked him in the testicles, that pretty much took the fight out of him. I had a busted eardrum, bleeding from the ear. This was from the unseen attack from behind.
The second situation was at a local bar, I was there with friends, bumped into a guy that apparently had too much to drink, he broke a bottle and came after me, when he stabbed at me, I deflected it, but still got stabble in the arm. Kicked him in the knee and the abdomin,backfist strike to the side of the head, he went down, that's when I noticed that I was bleeding and was stabbed in the arm. Had a friend take me to the hospital, got 24 stitches.
I would say that I should have been able to avoid the situations better because of my training.


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## bushidomartialarts (Feb 8, 2007)

i use my training every day, especially the situational awareness part to spot trouble before it's on me and the good personal judgment part to leave early before trouble really starts brewin'.


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## INDYFIGHTER (Feb 8, 2007)

The last two times I've opened the medicine cabinet above my sink my floss has falln' out and I've instinctively caught it before it landed in my sink.  :asian:

And that's before I've even had my Wheaties!!


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## Drac (Feb 8, 2007)

bushidomartialarts said:


> i use my training every day, especially the situational awareness part to spot trouble before it's on me and the good personal judgment part to leave early before trouble really starts brewin'.


 
Well said...


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## The Kidd (Feb 8, 2007)

I use it all the time working with aggressive youth, I use holds, submissions, and joint locks more since in only extreme cases can I strike one.


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## Brandon Fisher (Feb 8, 2007)

Yes I have had to use it.  It worked well as I came out ok but sore. The situations could have been really bad but my reaction saved me.  I still look at has being lucky.


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## Infinite (Feb 8, 2007)

I want to throw a story out about how it saved someone ELSE.

I was leaving an old apartment too pick up a few of my last things. The people I was moving out from didn't like me very much but I'm not claiming to be innocent.

I had my entire knife collection. I was transporting in the winter snow to my car when the guy confronted me. He asked to take off my glasses cause he was going to hit me. He asked twice I tried to defuse and he threw a right hook. I blocked with my one free arm (which had a 20oz coke in it) he threw a left hook and cought me. I spun around and he was behind me.

Now he started to throw punches like crazy against my back (it was winter in Michigan). I relized he had no idea what he was doing. So I stood there and let him wear himself out.

Eventually he got tired and I left and filed a police report and he got arrested for battery.

Now it had occured to me I was being assulted and I was outnumberd. It also occured to me I had a lot of exceptionally capable weapons at my disposal.

In the end my training told me leathal force wasn't needed I never even dropped the boxes I was carrying. When I spoke to the cops they told me I'd be going to jail right now if I would have stabbed him even tho he started the fight.

So I guess it saved him an me 

--Infy.


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## bushidomartialarts (Feb 8, 2007)

that's a great story, infy.  just sat there and let him hit you since he wasn't really doing any harm.

took a lot of personal grit and discipline to subsume your ego like that.  well done.


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## dragonswordkata (Feb 8, 2007)

The Kidd said:


> I use it all the time working with aggressive youth, I use holds, submissions, and joint locks more since in only extreme cases can I strike one.


 
I work in a similar, but different, situation with DD and Brain injured adults. Unlike your situation we can not use submission or joint locks. We can use the CPI responces when they get to the Acting Out Person state, which basicaly means if they come a swing'en we can block and move and do 2 person contolr holds, that's about it.
I was curious if you were in more of a lock down facility.


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## Cirdan (Feb 9, 2007)

One story comes to mind. This happened some years ago when I was a white belt.

When I returned home late friday night around midnight after eating dinner with some friends, I discovered I had forgot to post an important letter. I slid my boots back on without tying them properly (the nearest mailbox was under five minutes walk away) and went to post it. Doing a shortcut I walked trough an alley and under some scaffolding into the main street. While under the scaffold I heard someone running lightly behind me. I think I recognice the footsteps of my brother and thinking he probably wants to scare me I decide to play along. Catching up with me, the person jumps onto my back. I spin around and slide him off but get my back against the wall in the process. However it is not my brother, and he is not alone either having a nerveous looking buddy with him and circling me. " Do you have money?" asks the leader, "Give us your money!" Well I don`t have any money on me but I am not about to be bullied and even in the dark I can tell they are not too sure of themselves. I do a front kick against the leader, causing him to jump back. His buddy also steps back and I take the opportunity to move out from the wall. Next they both appear to be pulling something from their pockets. "****! these guys got knives" I think and consider running. However my boots are not tied properly (STUPID!) so I`d very likely trip myself. I back away slowly, positioning me so I can face them one at a time. Next I am smacked in the face and shoulder by belts, not knives. As it was very dark I was unable to block or see what they in fact were pulling out. Now this only stings a bit and they appear to be waiting for my reaction instead of pressing the attack. Do these punks think I am an old woman or something? I nearly lose my temper and attack but I remind myself that would not be self defence. Instead I take a step towards them and in my most commanding drill sergeant voice tell them to "F*** OFF!". This has the desired effect as both take a step backwards and the nervous one even drops something out of his pockets and move to pick it up. I take the opportunity to walk away, slowly and glancing over my shoulder. Getting out from under the scaffold I quickly walk the 100 yards to the mail box, post my letter and tie my laces. The would-be muggers are following me at a safe distance but when they see I have stopped, they avoid me, walking down the other side of the street. They also crack their belts in the air and shouts to me "you want something eh?". I ignore them, find a witness who had seen part of the incident and call the police. Of course it took them over minutes to arrive and by then the two low lifes were long gone.

I learned two things from this: always tie your laces and never trust someone walking up behind you.


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## The Kidd (Feb 9, 2007)

dragonswordkata said:


> I work in a similar, but different, situation with DD and Brain injured adults. Unlike your situation we can not use submission or joint locks. We can use the CPI responces when they get to the Acting Out Person state, which basicaly means if they come a swing'en we can block and move and do 2 person contolr holds, that's about it.
> I was curious if you were in more of a lock down facility.


 

I have worked in a lock down treatment facility before but now I work in an alternative school. I have found in my 20+ years working with CPI I could only use it twice, usually the agitated person does not cooperate and get in a good control position it usually ends up being a free for all and you have to use what you can so no one gets hurt to bad. That is why I have been training a great deal in BJJ and Aikido it allows me to deescalate a situation rather quickly and safely.


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## NDNgirl4ever (Feb 17, 2007)

drummingman said:


> has anyone ever had to use their karate training in a real life situation? if so what were the circumstances that caused you to have to use it and how did it turn out?


No, I have never had to use karate, and I pray that I never do.


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## jtbdad (Feb 21, 2007)

Working as a Paramedic I have had to defend victims from further battery two  times.  Doing so I have never had to strike but have had a few intances in which I had to deflect or parry.  Usually we also had police protection so it never got to the point I had to strike back.  The police usually do a good job of watching out for us.

As a bouncer however I  had occasion to defend myself.  The worse required a quick knifehand under the nose.  That didn't do any damage that I am aware of but it did take the fight out of him.


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## Zero (Feb 25, 2007)

Right on to Bushidomartialarts! I think the best defense skills that I have picked up is trying to always be aware of my surroundings, those around me and changes in the environment or atmosphere - and picking when a good/sensisble time has arrived to cut out when things are turning dodgy/potentially dangerous - particularly when my girl's around, it's no good being a hero and having your woman get into grief with you!

It's not exactly paranoia but things such as positioning oneself when on the tube/train on a late Friday night so no one can come at you from behind etc, checking out exits/doors etc when going into parties, being aware of others around you etc can really hold one in good stead.

That said, I have had a few run ins - when I was younger (maybe more willing to fight rather than difuse or walk/run away). A couple of times I was attacked by single assailents and I actually used my judo background, once to choke-hold and once to flip to the pavement. 

I was also confronted by three guys after I had bumped into one of their younger brothers and knocked him over by accident. I tried explaining and backing out but they kept getting closer until they were right up in my face, then I just snapped and next thing two of them were on the ground holding their faces - I must have punched them both in the face but to this day I can't remember either deciding to hit or even being aware of hitting them - it freaked me out a bit at the time. TO this day I can't recal striking out!

Now after having fought a lot (in the ring, not on the street) I am much more aware at the time of conflict and able to focus on my actions and analyse my opponent) but even though I'm a far better fighter than when I was a young punk I now do all I can to avoid confrontations on the street. Now days with the threat of guns everywhere and whole gangs picking on one guy, whatever fun or excitment there was in a street brawl has long gone.


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## searcher (Feb 25, 2007)

Yes, and I am not happy to have done so.   It shows that Ilacked the ablity to talk my way out of a situation.   I used to think it would be cool to useit and leave my enemies in pain, but as you gain knowledge and experience it all changes.


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## thardey (Mar 8, 2007)

As I was nearing my black belt test, a new student asked me the same question. I told him that I use it every day. He looked at me in a confused way, then I explained that the confidence, discipline, awareness, and self-control are as much a part of karate as any technique. He sort of looked disappointed, but he understood what I meant.

About a month later, I was chaperoning a group of 25 kids and about 10 parents on a walking tour around Rome and Athens. I always stayed in the back so I could keep an eye out for pickpockets and troublemakers. Also, I am pretty tall, so I could keep a eye on the tour guide, and keep people from falling too far behind and losing the group.

At one point a street vendor approached one of the 13 year-old girls to try and sell her a necklace. Since we were en route I headed over to keep her moving, but she had already agreed to a deal by the time I got there. He conned her into giving him extra money, expecting change, but he just took the cash and started to put it in his pocket. By then I was at his side, and without even thinking about it, I grabbed his wrist in a "subtle" wrist lock, and twisted it back out in front of him where one of the mothers had plenty of time to pick out the proper change, then we let him go. 

It wasn't until afterwards that I realized that I had him in a bona-fide lock, and that if he struggled I was positioned and ready to take him to the ground using that lock. I just knew that once that money reached his pocket it was gone.

Over all it worked out pretty well, she got her necklace, he got his money, and she learned a very important lesson about being street-wise. Best of all, nobody got hurt!


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## Empty Hands (Mar 8, 2007)

Infinite said:


> When I spoke to the cops they told me I'd be going to jail right now if I would have stabbed him even tho he started the fight.



Christ, that is just like high school - someone else starts a fight, you defend yourself, and you BOTH get expelled.  What is it with cops these days that are so harsh on people defending themselves?


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## undeadcheese (Mar 30, 2007)

I use karate at work every day when I have to lift more than 80lbs of salt.
I've only had to use it frequently when I was helping my mother with a needle exchange program as part of county outreach programs.  Otherwise its been limited to a few muggings, and breaking up some fights at school.


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## undeadcheese (Mar 30, 2007)

Empty Hands said:


> Christ, that is just like high school - someone else starts a fight, you defend yourself, and you BOTH get expelled.  What is it with cops these days that are so harsh on people defending themselves?


I've been told by cops that its because they cannot tell who "started it", nor is it in their job description in many cases.  The only thing that cops can see is the amount of damage inflicted, and having evidence that someone trained in martialarts is an easy way to add premeditation to a list of charges.  Also from a political side note it may look "sexy" to catch and charge a martial artist.


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## Em MacIntosh (Apr 17, 2007)

I've been jumped by a group of guys once coming out of the subway station.  I felt a bad vibe as I began walking up the stairs to the street.  You know you have a bad vibe when your knees begin to quiver.  I was just about at the top when I was surrounded by three guys. One guy got one inch from my face and asked "where you from?".  I told him I was new to toronto but he cut me off.  "What are you, funny or something?  He's got some $**t.  What's he got?" he asked one of his buddies. 
"Up your $**t punk." he told me as the two others began circling to my sides.  I stood for less then a second in shock and he yelled in my face, "oh what?  You don't think we'll **ck you up?"  I remember the spit when he said that.  My knees were shaking so I started stamping my foot.  His two buddies tried to grab my backpack or my arms or something and throw me down the stairs.  I put two hands on his throat and held on for life as his buddies started hitting me in the head and kicking me in the legs, tugging me this way and that.  I felt that frustration you only feel when someone holds your arms down and beats the hell out of you and you can't do anything.  I kept taking it out on the guy in my face and I bit his nose really hard, holding on to his throat for dear life.  I felt him trying to scream but he couldn't.  I was growling with my teeth on his nose as I let go of his throat.  I was going to dig his eyes out.  One of his buddies grabbed my arm and spun my around face first into a wall.  I hung on to his arm and pulled him into me, spitting his freind's blood on his face, saying obscene gibberish as we traded head-butts over and over until they got me to the floor and started kicking and stomping on me.  I covered my head and I heard the first guy whimpering horsely.  I caught the leg of one of them, not sure who.  I grabbed his bag for dear life, him and his buddy kicking me and trying to pull my hand off.  They got me off and kicked/pushed/shoved me down the stairs.  I remember rolling and bouncing a couple times before I hit the bottom.  My whole body felt warm.  I didn't feel the pain anymore.  I got up before they were down the stairs and ran toward them.  I used a side elbow to the head on the guy to the left and stomped the side of the other guy's knee.  I grabbed him by the face and bashed the back of his head on the stairs.  The guy on the left I used a really hard open handed slap right to his face.  I grabbed his face and tried to bash his brains into the stairs too.  The first guy's holding his nose and throat calling me a Mother F-er over and over but couldn't help his freinds.  I was red.  I was going to kill them.  I had a moment of clarity and ran up the stairs and took off to a mohawk gas station where I called a taxi to go to a hospital.  They gave me a bunch of paper towel so I wouldn't bleed all over the cab.  Waiting for the cab was when the pain set in and I began groaning and holding my ear, pacing back and forth and wondering if I should have called an ambulance.  I went to the ER and had to wait in line for half an hour after they made sure I wasn't terminal.  I had three broken ribs, a ruptured eardrum, a broken nose that was so severe it was actually considered a skull fracture, three broken fingers, a fractured fibula (smaller of the two bones in the lower leg), blood on the brain, a gash on my temple and other more "personal" injuries.  After the examination and X-Rays, they gave me some painkillers and local anisthetic to set my fingers.  They gave me some other medications to reduce the swelling and blood on my brain.  They kept me awake for twelve hours.  Eventually they gave me something to help me sleep.  I woke up moaning after 6 hours and had to be medicated for two days.  I was out in three with references to other speacialists.  I've never fully recovered.  I talked to the police but they couldn't really do anything.  If I ever met them again, I could pretend to forgive them, but I still want to kill them.  All I can say is be home before dark, never walk alone and be ready to do what has to be done, or suffer the consequences.


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## Em MacIntosh (Apr 17, 2007)

I agree.  I'm always concious of my surroundings and feel that anyone wanting to fight me wants to take my life.  Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure I'll use excessive force.  I had all the nice guy beaten out of me.  I'll give them my watch, my wallet, my hat, even my jacket...   if  he touches me, he'll be short two eyes and a pair of jewels.  Money is money, life is precious.  I wish I was brave.  I wouldn't get so desperate so quick.


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## chinto (Jun 12, 2007)

drummingman said:


> has anyone ever had to use their karate training in a real life situation? if so what were the circumstances that caused you to have to use it and how did it turn out?


 

yes unfrotunently.

I was attacked in a boarding school by some one who was larger then I, and on PCP and alcohal. I used the small amount of training i had back then and did a lot of damage with the one strike i managed to land. fortunently no police were involved and the attacker was expelled. but I learned then at a young age that if attacked your life is at stake. you will win or die or at least be badly injured so you must dispatch the attacker imediatly.  

today I am sad to say that the police would provably arrest you or me for daring to defend ourselves if attacked. that said, I will surender my wallet provably, my coat most likely, but if he or his acomplise touches me we will find out how it will end quicly. I lost all my " ideals of peace and non-confrontationism" that day.  I will make them pay the butchers bill if they want me. they may get me, but they will pay the butchers bill to do it.


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## kingkong89 (Aug 4, 2007)

of course many times, but one fu thing to do is, when someone ask you to show them some karate, what you do is pick a spot on the floor a couple of feet away, tell them to walk there and once they get there tell them to go back where they were. this is an example of karate due to the fact that it is about controlling your opponite, you controll the person by telling them what to do. ha ha ha ha ha


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## chinto (Aug 5, 2007)

kingkong89 said:


> of course many times, but one fu thing to do is, when someone ask you to show them some karate, what you do is pick a spot on the floor a couple of feet away, tell them to walk there and once they get there tell them to go back where they were. this is an example of karate due to the fact that it is about controlling your opponite, you controll the person by telling them what to do. ha ha ha ha ha


if I was asked I would say " I dont know much about it." ( if they knew I trained at all, which most people do NOT.) if they did not know like most pople dont.. then I would say "perhaps you should go and ask some one who knows about such things?"


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## FieldDiscipline (Aug 15, 2007)

kingkong89 said:


> of course many times, but one fu thing to do is, when someone ask you to show them some karate, what you do is pick a spot on the floor a couple of feet away, tell them to walk there and once they get there tell them to go back where they were. this is an example of karate due to the fact that it is about controlling your opponite, you controll the person by telling them what to do. ha ha ha ha ha



I used to train with an excellent shotokan 3rd dan.  Superb martial artist and instructor this guy.  He was widely known in this village for teaching lots of local children, and he got harrassed in the bar one night by a guy demanding he show him some karate.  Of course he refused and refused and this drunk got angrier and angrier before throwing a haymaker.  So the karate man blocked his haymaker and slapped him!  This carried on with the karate man blocking, weaving and slapping until things got to the point when he had to really hit him.  Shame really, you'd have thought he'd have got the message.


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## TheOriginalName (Aug 15, 2007)

Some great stories here - and some excellent points as well....

Here is one from my school.
A few months ago we had a black belt grading, and they naturally encouraged all us white belts to go along an support them as well as to see the full spectrum of our style.
One of the white belt students (not me) was walking to the grading when they were assulted by two guys. 
The first one attempted to king-hit them - so they blocked and then used a rear kick to take out their knee. 
The second one then attempted a double lapel grab - which they deflected and then layed a right cross into the jaw to send them to the ground.

This i use as a motivation to myself every week - every thing we practise is prepairing us as Martial Artists to take on every aspect of life - and it is all has a purpose.

Also, i think it's rather ironic that they were on their way to a black belt grading......but that's just my rather twisted sense of humor.


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## chinto (Aug 16, 2007)

gota love it that some idiot thugs picked the wrong persons to assualt. I bet the person testing for black belt ( shodan? or shodan-ho?) got a kick out of it too!


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## onibaku (Aug 26, 2007)

I use the simple techniques that can really do damage. Some techniques are used depending on the situation. But I think kata is useless in real-life situations


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## Kacey (Aug 26, 2007)

onibaku said:


> I use the simple techniques that can really do damage. Some techniques are used depending on the situation. But I think kata is useless in real-life situations



There have been quite a few threads on this topic already.  Rather than disagree with you in detail, I suggest that you use the search function to find some of those previous discussions.  Here are a few of them to get you started:

karate and self defense? 

Does one's skill flow from the kata?

why do people hate kata

Forms: A total fighting system?


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## Brandon Fisher (Aug 26, 2007)

onibaku said:


> I use the simple techniques that can really do damage. Some techniques are used depending on the situation. But I think kata is useless in real-life situations


You obviously have not been taught kata throughly enough to see the most destructive techniques that are there.  I would imagine if you were taught bunkai it was very surface and not as deep as it can be.

There are very effective techniques in kata at least the Okinawan kata but you have to research and be taught them.


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## chinto (Aug 26, 2007)

onibaku said:


> I use the simple techniques that can really do damage. Some techniques are used depending on the situation. But I think kata is useless in real-life situations


 
I dont think you have been properly trained in the use of kata. You should have been trained in bunkai and to look deeper then the very surfice of the kata!  there are a lot of very destructive and effecently effective and even leathal techniques in all of the Okinawan kata if you look deep enough. perhaps you should consider doing some reserch into what you have already learned and learn what it is really trying to teach you?


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## tshadowchaser (Aug 27, 2007)

as for the original question inthis thread   YES I have used my knowledge of the arts outside of the school and as far as I am concerned the techniques worked > I did not end up in the hospital or worse and The outcome of the incounter was a few people had a better understanding of why you just do not pick any person walking down the street to try to steal from


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## chinto (Aug 28, 2007)

tshadowchaser said:


> as for the original question inthis thread YES I have used my knowledge of the arts outside of the school and as far as I am concerned the techniques worked > I did not end up in the hospital or worse and The outcome of the incounter was a few people had a better understanding of why you just do not pick any person walking down the street to try to steal from


 
sounds like a good outcome to me!  ... and very nice that you did no some how end up in a cell waiting for some judge to figure out that same thing about the situation.


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