# How many have had to use thier skills outside the ring!



## DAC..florida (Aug 25, 2003)

I work in corrections and unfortunately have to use my skills more often than I would like. 


How many of you have used them?
were you satisfied with your performance?

:asian:


----------



## KenpoMatt (Aug 25, 2003)

I (fortunately) have not been challenged on the street. I used to wonder how I'd fare on the street. Then, I got into a few situations that _almost_ turned into the real deal. 

Once, I chased a guy who grabbed my wallet right out of my hand. I followed him around a corner and quickly found my self in an alley surrounded by a horde his friends - more than I could count at the time. Yes, I am a dumb-*** in case you were wondering. Fortunatley, a cop on a bike happend by and the situation ended. 

Another time I was chased in my car by a man in a pick-up truck. He tried to run me off the highway. He rammed my car a couple of times. He waved a knife at me out his window. Fortunatley, I had my cell phone with me and was able to summon the state police. Again, another sickeningly close call. Still, to this day, I don't know who he was or why he chased me.

In my high school days I managed a fast fod restaurant. Twice, I was robbed at gun point in the store. 

Anyway - that's as close as I'd like to get to a REAL life or death fight. That sickening feeling you get in your stomach when you realize it's about to go down is more than enough to wipe out any fantasies you might have about your martial skills.


----------



## MartialArtsGuy (Aug 25, 2003)

My last unfortunate incident happend while I was in the service. I had a run in with a drunk marine that I was trying to help.

To make a long story short, he did not like the fact that I told him to get away from the edge of the pier where our ship was moored. Drunks tend to fall from time to time so I tried to help but instead of thanks I got a right cross that grazed my chin. Well, I returned the favor and was happy he did not recognize me the next day.:boxing:


----------



## Cruentus (Aug 25, 2003)

> _Originally posted by DAC..florida _
> *I work in corrections and unfortunately have to use my skills more often than I would like.
> 
> 
> ...



Yes...my first wake up call was when I was about 18 years old, and I had never been in a "real fight," just high school brawls. This one was a life or death scenario, which I am not going to get all into here.

I had been doing both competition and combative martial arts. Being in good shape from the competition stuff probably helped, but only too a degree. It didn't last as long as being in the ring for me to need the conditioning. 

I was somewhat satisfied with my performance, but not enough. I still suffered a black eye (which was no biggy considering what could have happened) however they suffered actual injuries, one pretty severe. It was a big wake up call as too how the S**T can really hit the fan when the situation is life or death. I realized that no amount of "training" immulates combat. No competitive arena can even come close. They are 2 different animals. I found myself obeying "rules" in the beginning of the confrontation from my competitive experience; this almost got me killed. It wasn't until my brain fully switched to fight or flight mode when my combative training kicked in and I was able to overcome the situation. 

I realized that the best thing I could do to improve my self defense ability is to improve my combative martial art skills, because that is what is what I found to be the most useful. You train for there to be "no rules" and for you to be in "fight or flight" where you work from muscle memory. And...it takes a lifetime of training to constantly improve combative skills.

So, since that day I have gradually converted my training over to more combative training, and less competition, to where now I don't train to compete at all. And I enjoy my training very much today even though it is practically void of competition.

I have been in other situations since, mostly doing some "low level" or "low key" bouncing work. I found since my mindset wasn't rooted in competition or fantasy, and was instead rooted in real application, I handled things much better.


----------



## Franc0 (Aug 26, 2003)

I am called upon to use my skills on an almost weekly basis. My primary job is working security at a rehab facility in the worst part of town, so when I'm not restraining crazed druggies inside, I'm dealing with drug dealers & derelicts outside. My secondary job (besides instructing)  is security at my buddies country/western nightclub, so you can imagine having to deal with drunken cowpokes every weekend, yeehaw! I can honestly say I get ALOT of "hands on" training


----------



## OULobo (Aug 26, 2003)

Unfortunatly my friends call me a fight magnet. I have never, since juniorhighschool, instigated a fight, but they seem to find me none the less. Usually at bars. Its not so bad now because I don't go to bars often anymore, but when I was still in college I used to get in a scrap about once every two weeks or so. Most never got too rough because there were always bouncers around, thank god. Still this was a little bit of practical experience. It showed me how alcohol impares judgment and how some situations just can't be defused. It gave me one of my principles that I live by, "Don't poke the bear!". I have seen many a demonstration of the beer goggles and liquid courage.


----------



## arnisador (Aug 27, 2003)

Yup, been there.


----------



## Rich Parsons (Aug 27, 2003)

> _Originally posted by arnisador _
> *Yup, been there. *



So have I.

I did ok. I always came away going I need to work on this. This being something in general.

I am still alive, after numourous weapons assaults, multiple opponents, too many nights in the police station answering questions or just sitting there exercising my right to be silent. And many more.

Spent a night in the hospital, that was not good, yet the bad guys all spent a three plus days in the hospital. So did I do well? Yes I am a live. Could I have done better? Yes, yet it might have ended differently with court cases for homicide or ..., .

Good luck to all of those that still require this on a daily basis.


----------



## Nightingale (Aug 28, 2003)

I've used them.

Once, someone tried to steal my purse. I held it out for him to take, and he grabbed me instead.  I didn't like that much.  He regretted the decision as well.  I think the only reason it worked, though, was that I had the element of surprise, and that everything else just fell into place.  it was a textbook attack.

Another time, I was at work, and someone took a swing at me. I had my back to a wall, and ducked.  He hit the wall instead and broke his hand.  Although I technically didn't use martial arts, I think if it hadn't been for my training, I wouldn't have had the presence of mind to get myself out of the way.


----------



## pknox (Aug 28, 2003)

It depends on what you mean by techniques.  If you mean having to actually punch, kick, or grapple someone, not very often (I'm 32 years old, and I believe I can remember using actual fighting skills twice).  If however you mean using awareness training, such as not putting yourself in a bad situation, or recognizing a potential problem and avoiding it before it gets out of hand, or projecting confidence so as not to be a victim in the first place, than yeah, all the time.


----------



## arnisador (Aug 28, 2003)

> _Originally posted by nightingale8472 _
> *someone took a swing at me. I had my back to a wall, and ducked.  He hit the wall instead and broke his hand.  Although I technically didn't use martial arts, I think if it hadn't been for my training, I wouldn't have had the presence of mind to get myself out of the way. *



I have a similar story. It was a high school fight--this guy had been trying to pick a fight with me for weeks, and had actually pulled a knife to threaten me once but I had been able to leave the area. We were fighting in the locker room. I hit him with a right to the nose and immediately afterward he swung a huge right at me blindly. I ducked and he hit the lockers--his hand was in a cast for quite a few weeks after that. Cheesy technique but my few months of training helped give me the confidence--and the right hand punch I hit him with was one I had just used successfully in sparring a short while before.


----------

