# "Know your enemy..."



## geezer (Aug 14, 2008)

"Know your enemy and know yourself and you will be victorious in 1,000 battles..."  (Or something like that )-Sun Tzu, _The Art of War_. I was in Disneyworld's "The Magic Kingdom", dragging along with my family, approaching a state of exhaustion bordering on delerium ("...it's a small world after all...") and it occured to me that, just barely concealed beneath the surface of all the faces in the crowds, was a seething hostility bread from too many hours in long lines with fussy children, bad food and innane cartoon characters in fuzzy suits. It all got me thinking...

How would you react if someone just suddenly snapped... (or if I did) and...

What percentage of all these normal looking people might be able to really hurt you. 
I mean how many people have picked up enough skills to totally surprise you and kick your hiney, or worse, if they chose to.

After ages in and out of several MAs, I don't have a clue as to the answer. But along the way I've met some very friendly, civil-looking people that have the ability to maim or kill with disturbing ease. There's an old Chinese MA cliche that "You can tell a kung-fu man by the way he moves". _I'm not so sure I can do that._ But recognising a truly dangerous adversary beforehand is...well, kind of an important self defense talent.

These are just a few of the many thought fragments that come to mind whenever I get really P-d off and want to get "physical" with some jerk. Any thoughts or comments?


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## Touch Of Death (Aug 14, 2008)

Having been burned in a few relationships. I say don't look for the way a person is moving but how they are reacting to various stimuli. Spot the victim mentality before the pre-emptive lash out, is my new motto.
Sean


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## JadecloudAlchemist (Aug 14, 2008)

My teacher use to say watch how people walk.

He meant by this to show how easy they are off balance.

How would I react if someone snapped? 

An honest answer would be anything to insure my surivival.

I look at everyone has the potenial to harm me to some degree So I would not rule out anyone.

I truly feel someone with good kung fu/Taijutsu body movement will use it in daily activites.

I agree with Touch of Death in the way someone reacts to Stimuli example 
 Some guy watching kids oddly or standing still laughing with a huge grin may ring bells.


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## Deaf Smith (Aug 14, 2008)

It's a nice idea this 'know your enemy..', but you can know your enemy and yourself quite well and still lose. It's called being surrounded by a whole lot of bad dudes who just won't take no for an answer.

Yes it's wise to study up on your opponents (but on the street, with encounters with so many strangers that might be hard to do), and it's very wise to know yourself, or at least think you know yourself, but short of a prepaired battle it's not all that realistic.

You may very well not have all that information.

Deaf


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## tshadowchaser (Aug 15, 2008)

First and foremost insure the safety of my family by getting them away from the area if possible.  If removing them is out of the question my responsibility is still to protect them at all costs. If the person going berserk comes there way I feel it is then time to intercede and stop the person.


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## bowser666 (Aug 15, 2008)

It is indeed hard to know your enemy. Noone sadly has "spider sense" , it would be nice,  but i think the best way to find a potential enemy , is to see how people around the potential are acting. People do have a sort of 6th sense when something is out of place, and they just get a gut feeling. Best thing is to go with your gut in situations like that. 


On the other hand you can't always walk aroudn worrying about what enemy is going to pop up around the next corner.  If that is how you feel on a daily basis then I woudl seek professional help.


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## 7starmarc (Aug 15, 2008)

You have to remember, as well, that some of the most dangerous people have not been trained fighters, but people who have "snapped". The safeties go off, and the person not only may be accessing some strength out of rage, but also out of gross disregard for their own well being. These people are particularly dangerous, as they will not react rationally to injury or threat thereof.

Also, with regards to the way people move. I'm sure there is some credence to this, but there are many athletic individuals who would have good balance, etc. while still being unable to throw a decent strike (ever seen some basketball or baseball brawls?) Also, there are others who may not appear particularly athletic, until you see them in action. One of our sigungs had a stroke a few years ago, and you can still see it in the way he moves. However, I have also seen him demonstrate techinques and there is still a lot of power in his techniques, and I am sure that I would barely be able to touch him, much less hurt him. I suppose a truly adept observer might be able to pick out the differences and identify his skill, but it would be difficult.

I tend to look at the way people are behaving. Since studying martial arts, I have come to recognize that anyone could be trained enough to be able to hurt me. Also, recognize that even without training, they may have some weapon (even if it's a fork from the cafeteria) which may complicate matters.

Not paranoid, but observant, aware, and vigilant.


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## JBrainard (Aug 15, 2008)

Being able to pick a threat (that isn't obvious) out of a crowd is probably a skill you can learn, but in my experience, you either can or you can't. I know a few people who are horrible judges of character, and usually end up getting burned. My wife, however, has a "6th sense" for this kind of thing. I few years back a pretty normal looking guy came to our door looking to get some money in return for doing our yard work. My wife checked him out through the little "peep" door that we had, and instantly told him to get lost. We saw on the news a couple of days later that the same guy forced his way into a house a raped a chick. That was creepy.


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## Ahriman (Aug 15, 2008)

: semi-off:
Just as a side note, what do you mean by "snap"? A simple loss-of-self-control or a full-out "berserkergang"? If the latter, run and order everyone around you to follow the example *IF* you can realize the situation in time unless you can behead him or shoot him in the head or have a few guys to help you out. I don't really want to witness a massive adrenaline overdose again even as the one I witnessed was used on bad guys. _(a few thugs wanted to rob a guy we know. He doesn't have any martial training and is rather skinny but we know that he's rather unstable and he snapped for some reason he can't remember. When we got there, he already immobilised the BGs, and was beating the head of one of them into the pavement. It took all 4 of us to restrain him to help him avoid some jail time. Funny thing is, he can't remember a single thing, only the first few words of the confrontation and that we hold him. He suffered quite some injuries /had 2 of his fingers, 3 of his ribs, his jaw and his left forearm broken/ but still - we could hardly restrain him for that circa 5 minutes he needed to calm down.)_
: semi-off:


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## sgtmac_46 (Aug 16, 2008)

geezer said:


> "Know your enemy and know yourself and you will be victorious in 1,000 battles..." (Or something like that )-Sun Tzu, _The Art of War_. I was in Disneyworld's "The Magic Kingdom", dragging along with my family, approaching a state of exhaustion bordering on delerium ("...it's a small world after all...") and it occured to me that, just barely concealed beneath the surface of all the faces in the crowds, was a seething hostility bread from too many hours in long lines with fussy children, bad food and innane cartoon characters in fuzzy suits. It all got me thinking...
> 
> How would you react if someone just suddenly snapped... (or if I did) and...
> 
> ...


 
I have a plan to kill everyone I meet should it become necessary.


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## sgtmac_46 (Aug 16, 2008)

JBrainard said:


> Being able to pick a threat (that isn't obvious) out of a crowd is probably a skill you can learn, but in my experience, you either can or you can't. I know a few people who are horrible judges of character, and usually end up getting burned. My wife, however, has a "6th sense" for this kind of thing. I few years back a pretty normal looking guy came to our door looking to get some money in return for doing our yard work. My wife checked him out through the little "peep" door that we had, and instantly told him to get lost. We saw on the news a couple of days later that the same guy forced his way into a house a raped a chick. That was creepy.


 I can pick a fight coming generally a mile away, from across a crowded room or a parking lot several minutes before it starts

There's a bar I pass on my way to the police department when i go to work in the evenings......I often walk in to the office and say 'We're about to get called to <Blank> bar because I saw something odd about the way in which folks were interacting outside.....an invariably within moments of me saying that we get a call to respond there for a fight in progress.

We had a rookie working the other night and I was just telling him we were about to get a call there....he laughed.....then dispatch sent us there not 30 seconds later and he said 'How'd you do that?'

When I pass the bar it's not as if the folks are at the pushing, shoving or even arguing phase......it's just that postures are tenser, voices (not arguing just talking) are louder than normal, someone appears drunker than the rest, and everyone seems......agitated.  It's the way you can know a predator is around by watching a herd of animals.


And people almost NEVER surprise me......once I make a character judgement, they usually always act within my estimation of their character.  'This man's dangerous, that man's a thief, this one has an ulterior motive' I go with my gut.....and it works for me.


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## sgtmac_46 (Aug 16, 2008)

Deaf Smith said:


> It's a nice idea this 'know your enemy..', but you can know your enemy and yourself quite well and still lose. It's called being surrounded by a whole lot of bad dudes who just won't take no for an answer.
> 
> Yes it's wise to study up on your opponents (but on the street, with encounters with so many strangers that might be hard to do), and it's very wise to know yourself, or at least think you know yourself, but short of a prepaired battle it's not all that realistic.
> 
> ...


 If you truly knew your enemy and your surroundings you wouldn't find yourself in the middle of a bunch of 'bad dudes'.......it's a lack of situational awareness that put you in the situation in the first place......I know, i've been in bad situations, and they were ALL because I walked headlong in to them with my head up my ***!


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## theletch1 (Aug 16, 2008)

Ahriman said:


> : semi-off:
> Just as a side note, what do you mean by "snap"? A simple loss-of-self-control or a full-out "berserkergang"? If the latter, run and order everyone around you to follow the example *IF* you can realize the situation in time unless you can behead him or shoot him in the head or have a few guys to help you out. I don't really want to witness a massive adrenaline overdose again even as the one I witnessed was used on bad guys. _(a few thugs wanted to rob a guy we know. He doesn't have any martial training and is rather skinny but we know that he's rather unstable and he snapped for some reason he can't remember. When we got there, he already immobilised the BGs, and was beating the head of one of them into the pavement. It took all 4 of us to restrain him to help him avoid some jail time. Funny thing is, he can't remember a single thing, only the first few words of the confrontation and that we hold him. He suffered quite some injuries /had 2 of his fingers, 3 of his ribs, his jaw and his left forearm broken/ but still - we could hardly restrain him for that circa 5 minutes he needed to calm down.)_
> : semi-off:



By snapped I think the OP means suddenly lost his temper and all self control and began attacking someone/anyone for no reason.  As for your friend... the most dangerous person to have a conflict with is the one who is terrified and believes they have no options at all.  It's the wounded bear scenario... unpredictable, fighting with an overload of adrenaline, and willing to kill to survive.  We've all heard stories about small women picking up 3,000 lb cars to save their child.  It's the same thing.

As for picking out the potential threats I (and my wife, luckily) tend to be able to pick up on a bad "wa" pretty easily.  A predator seems to exude a certain something that you can pick up on.  In the Disney scenario, though, it would be a bit tougher as your adding a stimulus to the general population that would/could cause them to react in a way that they other wise would not.  In that scenario you would have to follow TODs advice and watch how they are reacting to various stimuli.  Are they really over reacting to the smallest of problems? Are they getting loud for no reason?


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## sgtmac_46 (Aug 16, 2008)

A truly skilled predator is the hardest attacker to read.....as deception is his number one weapon.

'Undetected movement for total surprise on the enemy' are the watchwords of the predator......destroy by stealth, subterfuge, and efficient violence.

A skilled predatory criminal is the consumate actor......Ted Bundy convinced most of his victims to help him kill them......he came across as charming, trustworthy and disarming.

That having been said I find that spotting a predator is easier by looking at what ISN'T there......normal people react in a certain way that a predator shields.  For example, using my profession, law enforcement......NORMAL people are nervous when they deal with the police, and it's a normal response to be agitated if an officer tries to arrest you.......that's normal.   If someone appears TOO cooperative, TOO disarming, TOO friendly.......my alarm bells go off.  If I tell a guy he's under arrest for a felony warrant and he goes 'Oh, Okay officer, no problem.....i'll cooperate in anyway I can'........that strikes me as odd and my threat level goes up a notch.  The typical response is fear, anger, agitation 'Warrant?  WHAT FOR?!'


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## theletch1 (Aug 16, 2008)

sgtmac_46 said:


> A truly skilled predator is the hardest attacker to read.....as deception is his number one weapon.
> 
> 'Undetected movement for total surprise on the enemy' are the watchwords of the predator......destroy by stealth, subterfuge, and efficient violence.
> 
> ...


Very true but Bundy was an extreme case.  For the sake of this particular thread, though, how do you pick out the guy that is normally a good person but has just been pushed too far beyond his limits by what the OP has described as death by a thousand cuts on vacation at D'world?


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## sgtmac_46 (Aug 16, 2008)

theletch1 said:


> Very true but Bundy was an extreme case.  For the sake of this particular thread, though, how do you pick out the guy that is normally a good person but has just been pushed too far beyond his limits by what the OP has described as death by a thousand cuts on vacation at D'world?


 Normal human beings experiencing a moment of stressor respond with agitation.......Bundy was an example of predatory aggression, designed to destroy the other.

In human aggression we see two basic types of aggression......predatory (the aforementioned Bundy) and more commonly defensive aggression.......defensive aggression is the aggressive response WE get when someone pushes us, shoves us or otherwise attacks us.......it is a product of our limbic system, we respond with a body full of excess adrenaline, we have a fight or flight response (actually in human on human aggression it's fight/flight/posture/submit)...........we go in to physical survival mode, EVEN if the threat is merely psychological (it's how our brains are wired, and why we can't speak 'rationally' when upset).

So a common-joe pushed too far emotionally demonstrates all the classic signs of the extreme stress survival response......elevated heart rate, vasoconstriction (skin may become pale), perspiration, dialated pupils, visible agitation, inability to articulate, yelling, violent outbursts.

The common-Joe about to explode is actually very easy to spot......the easiest in fact......and they tend to escalate in a predictable progression.


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## theletch1 (Aug 16, 2008)

Thanks, Mac!  An informative post as always.


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## sgtmac_46 (Aug 16, 2008)

theletch1 said:


> Thanks, Mac!  An informative post as always.


  When dealing with someone watch for the pupil dilation, sweating, visible agitation, jaw clenching......people so mad they are about to physical attack someone tend to clench their jaw as if biting down or grinding their teeth.   People who are acting out of emotionally telegraph their intent for anyone paying attention.....many often even say it before they do it.


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## KenpoTex (Aug 16, 2008)

sgtmac_46 said:


> I can pick a fight coming generally a mile away, from across a crowded room or a parking lot several minutes before it starts
> 
> ...When I pass the bar it's not as if the folks are at the pushing, shoving or even arguing phase......it's just that postures are tenser, voices (not arguing just talking) are louder than normal, someone appears drunker than the rest, and everyone seems......agitated. It's the way you can know a predator is around by watching a herd of animals.
> 
> ...


 Exactly, I've always been able to do the same thing, I get laughed at occasionally by others, "oh you're just being paranoid," or "you shouldn't judge people so quickly."  But I've learned to trust what is sometimes nothing more than a _hint_ of a gut feeling.


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## theletch1 (Aug 16, 2008)

Trusting your gut is a great thing.  It's saved my hide a time for two.  Here's a question for ya'll.  Do you think that the gut instinct about others that we're talking about (and which plays nicely with the OP) is something that you are simply born with if you'll listen to it or is something that has developed over years of training?


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## Drac (Aug 16, 2008)

sgtmac_46 said:


> it's a lack of situational awareness that put you in the situation in the first place......I know, i've been in bad situations, and they were ALL because I walked headlong in to them with my head up my ***!


 
Been there, done that...




			
				theletch1 said:
			
		

> Trusting your gut is a great thing. It's saved my hide a time for two.



Ditto..





			
				theletch1 said:
			
		

> Here's a question for ya'll. Do you think that the gut instinct about others that we're talking about (and which plays nicely with the OP) is something that you are simply born with if you'll listen to it or is something that has developed over years of training?




I believe its a combination of both..


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## Ahriman (Aug 16, 2008)

As opponents with mental disorders were mentioned, I second sgtmac_46's view about them - they are the most dangerous, especially ones with a serious case of psychopathy. They are often very intelligent, very charming, and appear very trustworthy but they feel no regret and/or don't understand or accept the legal or moral laws of normal people. And the fact that most of them prefer hunting over open confrontation makes them even more dangerous as you can't predict or understand their motives or thought processes. Most of them are emotionally shallow and stabile which is the reason of the calmness they usually have - this makes them easier to spot as sgtmac_46 mentioned but makes them a more dangerous opponent at the same time as they won't be anxious and will rarely if ever loose their temper._ (on a side note, there *are* stupid psychopats and they are those who get caught soon)_
...
theletch1: even a "simple" adrenaline rush can be extremely effective, but it was clearly a case of berserkergang or running amok or choose-random-cultural-equivalent. If not self-induced, it usually starts without notice and may be launched by anger or by fear or any other extreme feeling or situation, resulting in a loss of conscious processes _(this, beside a few other things, means that he forgets his goals completely which is__ IMO__ the defining difference between an adrenaline rush and a massive adrenaline overdose)_ and a will to kill anything and everything in sight. We could restrain our friend as we could surprise him and because he never cared to work out or to have any serious martial training - otherwise he would've likely killed the BGs AND us.


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## jks9199 (Aug 16, 2008)

theletch1 said:


> Very true but Bundy was an extreme case.  For the sake of this particular thread, though, how do you pick out the guy that is normally a good person but has just been pushed too far beyond his limits by what the OP has described as death by a thousand cuts on vacation at D'world?


Someone who's been pushed to the edge will show it in many ways.  Some are unique to the person; one person may get quieter and more still as more of their personal resources get tied up in restraining themselves, while another may become louder and more energetic as that same energy expresses itself.  Others are pretty common; eyes opening very wide (you may see whites on 3 or even all 4 sides of the pupil), tension throughout the body, flushed skin or pale/blotchy skin, and so on.  You may see a change in expression -- either dead flat, or kind of a "scared/cornered rabid animal" look.

The biggest indicator is what Sgt Mac alluded to...  Their entire demeanor and person just won't fit with the situation.  Go to a mall, pick a convenient spot (I like second floor overlooks where I can see the most people), and do some people watching.  It won't take long, and you'll be able to pick out the guy who's being dragged along by his wife, the person who's going to go off on the next jerk who asks him to "take just a minute for a survey", and so on.  You'll pick out the different groups, and if you watch carefully, you'll see which groups get along with each other -- and which don't.  If you do an exercise like that regularly, it'll become habit and spread into other activities.  I even often know which cars and drivers are going to cut me off in a moment, and so on...  just because I've subconsciously noted the driver and all the behaviors of the car.


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## morph4me (Aug 16, 2008)

theletch1 said:


> Trusting your gut is a great thing. It's saved my hide a time for two. Here's a question for ya'll. Do you think that the gut instinct about others that we're talking about (and which plays nicely with the OP) is something that you are simply born with if you'll listen to it or is something that has developed over years of training?


 

I think that we're all born with that instinct, but it becomes subservient to intellect as we grow up, and we have to be trained by experience to learn to trust it again. Alot of people have bad feelings about a situation or a person, and, instead of trusting those feelings, they rationalize and ignore them. With experience we learn that every time we ignore our gut, something bad happens, but we aren''t really suprised, because at some level we expected it, so we start paying attention to our gut.


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## sgtmac_46 (Aug 16, 2008)

theletch1 said:


> Trusting your gut is a great thing.  It's saved my hide a time for two.  Here's a question for ya'll.  Do you think that the gut instinct about others that we're talking about (and which plays nicely with the OP) is something that you are simply born with if you'll listen to it or is something that has developed over years of training?


 I think it's both....we all have the capacity to varying degrees, but you hone it by watching people, by being an observer of human behavior.  Spend enough time hanging around people in violent situations and eventually you develop a very acute sense of the signs.


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## sgtmac_46 (Aug 16, 2008)

I might mention for all those interested in how to spot a fight coming in bar......watch the women.....the woman who's spent the night courting the attention of several men is going to start a fight between at least 2 of them.  80% of bar fights are started because of a woman, directly or indirectly.  A good bouncer can usually spot the fight coming 20 minutes or more before the first punch is thrown.

Simple rule......when the woman above has been giving several guys attention, watch the one she was just talking to....if he spends a lot of his time staring at her, especially when she's talking to another guy, there's likely going to be a fight.


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## Adept (Aug 31, 2008)

sgtmac_46 said:


> Spend enough time hanging around people in violent situations and eventually you develop a very acute sense of the signs.



Very true. Something I picked up on early in my security career was the way the more experienced bouncers could pick a fight coming well before it happened. I sat back, and watched and learned, and having that skill has saved my skin (and that of others) many a time.

It's just something I take for granted now.


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## sgtmac_46 (Aug 31, 2008)

Adept said:


> Very true. Something I picked up on early in my security career was the way the more experienced bouncers could pick a fight coming well before it happened. I sat back, and watched and learned, and having that skill has saved my skin (and that of others) many a time.
> 
> It's just something I take for granted now.


 Exactly!  The best bouncers don't have very many fights on their watch because they see one coming 20 minutes or more before the first punch is thrown.....and move in to remove the offending party(s) long before it ever gets to physical violence.


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## Yew (Sep 1, 2008)

Adept said:


> Very true. Something I picked up on early in my security career was the way the more experienced bouncers could pick a fight coming well before it happened. I sat back, and watched and learned, and having that skill has saved my skin (and that of others) many a time.
> 
> It's just something I take for granted now.


 
In other words,the bouncers hit first right?How do they do that without getting into trouble with the law for hitting first?Do the police give them the benefit of the doubt because they are bouncers?

I think the ordinary citizen on the street would be in trouble with police and law if he didn't have a position("rank/authority") as a bouncer or body guard.Obviously since the court isn't going to buy the "I hit first cause I could sense he was going to hit me" reasoning from a normal citizen.Just curious cause I want to know how to protect myself.


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## Adept (Sep 1, 2008)

Yew said:


> In other words,the bouncers hit first right?How do they do that without getting into trouble with the law for hitting first?Do the police give them the benefit of the doubt because they are bouncers?



No no, nothing like that.

A huge part of being a succesful bouncer is being able to think on your feet, use your mouth, and build rapport with your patrons. When you see a fight coming early, you don't just jump in and start swinging! You talk to the aggrieved parties, find out what the story is, and take steps to resolve it. Usually you'll get a story about how some guy shoved another guy, or has been staring at his girlfriend, or spilled a drink, or whatever.

If you've done your job right, you can tell them 'Mate, don't worry about it. I'll have a word to them and we'll take care of it' and the problem is solved. If the patrons think you are a straight-up kind of guy, and have a little respect for you, then they will usually feel comfortable leaving something in your hands. Sometimes you can move patrons around inside the venue. Sometimes you can tell them how saturday nights in this venue are pretty slow, but a mate of yours works the door at another club three blocks away that is pumping.

Sometimes you just need to tell them that it's time to leave.

You only really need to hit them when things go _really_ wrong.

It's not a matter of seeing a fight coming in the seconds before punches get thrown. It's about identifying the posturing and behaviour patterns that indicate a fight is probably going to happen in twenty minutes.


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## tshadowchaser (Sep 1, 2008)

> Do you think that the gut instinct about others that we're talking about (and which plays nicely with the OP) is something that you are simply born with if you'll listen to it or is something that has developed over years of training?


 
both 
I think you are born with it but many people loose the ability to listen to it.
It can be developed to a high lever by training but one still has to listen to it when it presents itslef


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## jks9199 (Sep 1, 2008)

Yew said:


> In other words,the bouncers hit first right?How do they do that without getting into trouble with the law for hitting first?Do the police give them the benefit of the doubt because they are bouncers?
> 
> I think the ordinary citizen on the street would be in trouble with police and law if he didn't have a position("rank/authority") as a bouncer or body guard.Obviously since the court isn't going to buy the "I hit first cause I could sense he was going to hit me" reasoning from a normal citizen.Just curious cause I want to know how to protect myself.


How about the bouncers ACT first, hopefully to avoid having to hit at all.  Whether you're a bouncer at a bar, or a cop monitoring a county fair or similar event... when you see the signs of a fight brewing, you have two basic choices.  You can wait till it happens, and get some thumps in -- and possibly get thumped a time or two yourself -- or you can intervene before the fight happens.  That might mean kicking someone out, or distracting them, or simply letting everyone there know that you see them...  I've generally avoided fighting people because I don't give them the opportunity to fight me.

It's something you can do in your daily life, too.  You look around, and realize you're in a bad situation, you can attack the person you think might be about to hit you before they get a chance.  Probably not a good idea, though...  But, you also can move, acknowledge them, or take other actions that will reduce the odds that they'll attack you.  Without hitting 'em first...


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## BLACK LION (Sep 2, 2008)

sgtmac_46 said:


> I have a plan to kill everyone I meet should it become necessary.


 haha I like the way you think ....  and you actually set an example with your comment....   
this is a fighters mentality.... this is a man who can completely function on a social basis but has also habituated violence.... he most likely purposely watches people of all walks of life to sum up his environment... 

knowing ones enemy is merely perceiving ones surroundings.....children are great at it and they win most of thier battles...this is because they use thier perception to know thier parents weaknesses and they exploit them with simple tools.... we forget that we have this ability to adapt naturally but the more we consume the more we forget....  there is no special training all you need is the will to turn your life around and take control of your surroundings...as we used to... from the time you open your eyes until the time you goto sleep it is your responsibilty to have complete perception of ones surroundings...know what you are capable of and believe it.... forge your reality with your mind and your will....  this is knowing yourself and this is survival....   


i personally make it a point everyday no matter where I am...  you must habituate it... does not matter if it is wal-mart, mcdonalds or church on sunday... it is your responsiblity to have a complete perception  

 oh... you can tell by looking them in the eye  and so can they....  some only glance...some look up and away...most look down and away.... few will lock eyes...   body language is secondary... but even when in doubt act as if....  dont worry about being polite

i make eye contact wherever i go...I do it abruptly but respectively...




****


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## BLACK LION (Sep 2, 2008)

....to know the predator one must become the predator....  

habituate violence....although you may not be a mind reader... you will know when there is another hunter in the bushes....


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## shihansmurf (Sep 3, 2008)

BLACK LION said:


> you will know when there is another hunter in the bushes....


 
I like this phrase. Aware but not paralyzed with fear. Good mindset. I'll be swiping this analogy.

Thanks
Mark


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## sgtmac_46 (Sep 5, 2008)

Undetected movement for total surprise on the enemy....speed, surprise and violence of action.  That is the mindset of the predator.

Predators are not fighters, they are hunters, stalkers....they exploit weaknesses and attack at a time and place of their choosing.

One must understand the difference between a fighter and a predator.  If we look at nature and study those animals adapted to fighting versus those adapted as predators, we can see traits and themes that transfer to us.

We see the fighters in nature have evolved those fighting traits in order to defend.....bulls evolved to defend the herd from attack.  When threatened the fighter attacks the threat......but a fighter is reactive.

Contrast that with a leopard, which may be the ultimate mammal ambush predator....the leopard blends in to it's surroundings, it observes detail, it stalks, it moves silently, it attacks weakness at a time and place of it's choosing.  It embodies the principles of undetected movement for total surprise on the enemy.

Now when we say you should learn to think like a predator it doesn't mean you should become a predator.....being a predator assumes your goal is predation.  You actually want to defend and protect yourself.  

But UNDERSTANDING the predator gives you valuable insight with how a predator is going to be looking at you and how you can make yourself a VERY unattractive target to that predator.  Just as Lions and Leopards avoid tackling healthy male adult Cape Buffalo, knowing what they look for goes a long way in making them consider you too hard a target if possible, and at least see them coming in time to build a defense.


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