Why do you like fighting?

[Kung Fu Wang]

I would calmly, ask simply ask "When and where?"

When I had my MA school, I had a lot of challengers walked into my school door. After I set up a time with them, 80% of the time, they won't show up. The funniest thing was those challengers liked to set up rules. I had rules set up by them such as:

- punching without kicking.
- striking without take down.
- push hand without wrestling.
- ...

One stranger even brought his girlfriend, knocked on my front door, requested a "push hand" match in my living room. After I told him that I don't do "push hand", but I don't mind to wrestle or spar with him, he said he had a bad knee and could not wrestle any more.

 

[Psilent Knight]

As someone who's been in both worlds, your post is very valuable to me and I appreciate the honesty. It seems that there is a common evolution in most martial arts practitioners (if and when they do not actually need to fight to defend life) away from hurting and malice, while retaining a love for the art or mechanics of fighting. It's as if the survival instinct is kept alive in most martial artists, but evolves into the 'art of fighting'. This enables us to work on fighting every day despite the fact that most of us may go years or our whole lives without actually needing to use it.

This sounds about right to me. It's amazing how I now loathe violence when there was once upon a time when I thought nothing of it; just another day at the office.

Sometime it's not just "yourself" but the whole neighborhood. I still remember that about one midnight, someone knocked on my window. One of my neighbor's young brother was beaten up and some justice would be required. I jointed in my neighbor group, didn't know whom and how many that I was going to fight against.

Of course I could turn down my neighbor's request. If I did, I would be considered as an outsider after that. Not only I would be looked down by my neighbor, next time when I need help, I won't get any.

Yeah, I almost forgot about this one. If you had a dedicated clique that you rolled with day in and day out then you knew about the unwritten rule which says that you are obligated to fight for any and everyone who belong in that clique even if the beef originally had nothing to do with you.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Yeah, I almost forgot about this one. If you had a dedicated clique that you rolled with day in and day out then you knew about the unwritten rule which says that you are obligated to fight for any and everyone who belong in that clique even if the beef originally had nothing to do with you.

When my father was a student in the North East University in China, the students were divided into the "national party" and the "communist party". During the class time, everybody would sit in the classroom as normal students. Between classes, student would fight against each other depending on which party that he or she may belong too. My father told me that sometime when he had to fight his friend who belonged to the communist party, he would switch and fought another communist party member. In those kind of fight, there were no talk down, avoid, run, but just fight. I asked my father why did students fought like this, he told me, it was an order from the top of their political party. Both parties didn't want their party members to be friend of the opposite party members.

 

[Ben S]

Is different for every person I am sure.. Do you like fighting? I am asked this question and find it difficult to explain to a person who does not routinely fight.. I do not mean training drills and technique. I mean fighting. Any fighting that is not training drills or technique, in any circumstance, why do you like it?

Also, have you ever been engaged in a fight out of necessity and got what might be called enjoyment, or a buzz from it? Just a question.

Thank you.

Jenna - Great topic - getting to the heart of it for all of us. I admit that martial arts is about much more than fighting for me - such as energy cultivation, moving meditation, and self-expression, but it wouldn't be martial arts without 'fighting spirit' and techniques that actually work in a fight. What do YOU like about fighting.

 

[Jenna]

Jenna - Great topic - getting to the heart of it for all of us. I admit that martial arts is about much more than fighting for me - such as energy cultivation, moving meditation, and self-expression, but it wouldn't be martial arts without 'fighting spirit' and techniques that actually work in a fight. What do YOU like about fighting.

Ah I am happy to know it give you cause you to think That is all to the good.

Me I like to fight, yes. More I do it, more I like it, less I avoid it, more I act to precipitate it. Is a hobby, a thrill, sense of control of someone perhaps.

 

[Buka]

Me I like to fight, yes. More I do it, more I like it, less I avoid it, more I act to precipitate it.

This, too, will change.

 

[senseiblackbelt]

Maybe a bit offtopic and no weird intentions involved, BUT you are very pretty....... just saying.

Ontopic, I don't like fighting

why would you even say that?

 

[Jenna]

This, too, will change.

You would explain for me how you can say this? Is a teaching of experience yes? I would be grateful thank you

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Would either feel worse, injuring some one or injuring your self??

Also, can you specify what it is that makes you not crave that scenario? Is it a compassion for all humanity? Is it fear of consequences, physical or emotional? Do you know?

Thank you

I'll say that for me, I think I'd feel worse about getting injured. If someone attacks me, my view is that they limited my choices. I'm not willing to just let them injure me, and they are apparently not willing to just not injure me, so I'll do what I have to. If they get injured, I don't think I'd lose much sleep. Would it bother me if I caused serious injury? Probably, but I really don't know for sure.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Jenna - Great topic - getting to the heart of it for all of us. I admit that martial arts is about much more than fighting for me - such as energy cultivation, moving meditation, and self-expression, but it wouldn't be martial arts without 'fighting spirit' and techniques that actually work in a fight. What do YOU like about fighting.

I agree. I'm enjoying this topic. I like reading some well-conceived views that are distinctly different from my own. Good thread, @Jenna!

 

[Jenna]

and they are apparently not willing to just not injure me, so I'll do what I have to.

Exactly so.

If they get injured, I don't think I'd lose much sleep. Would it bother me if I caused serious injury? Probably, but I really don't know for sure.

I had done that when I was a lot younger. Is feeling that encourage ambivalence both then and now.. like it was unnecessary for it to have happen at all.. and but entirely necessary for it to end in that manner. Is the way of things.. the flow of nature.. not every fight can or ought to be avoided. Introspection, forgiveness, objectivity.. lot of that in the afterwards.. now I have rules.. to hurt is not the intention -though invariably can and does happen- to stifle the anger in some one.. that they would otherwise apportion out.. Is control..

 

[FriedRice]

Is different for every person I am sure.. Do you like fighting? I am asked this question and find it difficult to explain to a person who does not routinely fight.. I do not mean training drills and technique. I mean fighting. Any fighting that is not training drills or technique, in any circumstance, why do you like it?

Also, have you ever been engaged in a fight out of necessity and got what might be called enjoyment, or a buzz from it? Just a question.

Thank you.

Adrenaline rush....release of dopamine. It's a weird yearning to legally hit someone while getting hit back. Competition fighting is basically using all the tools that can lead to death, but stopping before it can happen. I bet a lot of fighters suffer from depression also, which can explain the strong desire for such dopamine release. And of course, concussions and head trauma usually also causes or increases depression.

 

[Jenna]

Adrenaline rush....release of dopamine. It's a weird yearning to legally hit someone while getting hit back. Competition fighting is basically using all the tools that can lead to death, but stopping before it can happen. I bet a lot of fighters suffer from depression also, which can explain the strong desire for such dopamine release. And of course, concussions and head trauma usually also causes or increases depression.

Is there an implication in what you say that fighting can be addictive?

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Is there an implication in what you say that fighting can be addictive?

Anything that causes dopamine release can be addictive. I don't think I've met anyone addicted to combat dopamine release, but it seems likely they exist.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Is there an implication in what you say that fighting can be addictive?

I had trained a private student how to fight. This guy didn't want to learn any basic, didn't want to learn any form. He just wanted to learn how to fight. We met 4 times a week, 2 hours each session. When he came, we put on gloves and tried to knock each other down. Sometime I had to hit him on the same spot multiple times to stop his aggressiveness. During that 8 months, I felt my body pain all the time. After 8 months, our training session finished. My body suddenly didn't feel pain any more. Also my mental pressure (ready for the next class) was gone. It was a very strange feeling that was hard to describe.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Anything that causes dopamine release can be addictive. I don't think I've met anyone addicted to combat dopamine release, but it seems likely they exist.

This really depends on the amount of dopamine, and if it releases it quickly or not. For instance, pills that increase dopamine/norepinephrine, but do so slowly/dont react right away are not going to be addictive. Similarly, there are some pills where a slight dopamine increase is just a side effect, and those are not addictive either.
I would be combat is different since it has a fairly big reaction, and it is incredibly fast, although I also don't think I've met anyone addicted to fighting (plenty who enjoy it though).

 

[FriedRice]

Is there an implication in what you say that fighting can be addictive?

Yes, as it releases dopamine. Especially for people who suffers from depressions. For some, it's shopping...others, drugs...fighters, it's probably the danger/competition. The bad thing about fighting though is getting head injuries, which usually causes or increases the level of depression = worsens the cycle.

 

[FriedRice]

I had trained a private student how to fight. This guy didn't want to learn any basic, didn't want to learn any form. He just wanted to learn how to fight. We met 4 times a week, 2 hours each session. When he came, we put on gloves and tried to knock each other down. Sometime I had to hit him on the same spot multiple times to stop his aggressiveness. During that 8 months, I felt my body pain all the time. After 8 months, our training session finished. My body suddenly didn't feel pain any more. Also my mental pressure (ready for the next class) was gone. It was a very strange feeling that was hard to describe.

Was he much bigger and stronger than you and had lots skills and experience fighting in the streets, school yard, etc.? How was he able to hurt you? And holy crap, he paid for 8 months of this? Untrained people would get concussions up the wazoo on day 1 if we went full power and both of equal size. Then if we did the same on the 2nd day, that would be irresponsible to risk a secondary concussion that builds upon the first. You need like months of rest to heal from the 1st concussion. Getting out of bed would be difficult. People can die.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Was he much bigger and stronger than you and had lots skills and experience fighting in the streets, school yard, etc.? How was he able to hurt you? And holy crap, he paid for 8 months of this? Untrained people would get concussions up the wazoo on day 1 if we went full power and both of equal size. Then if we did the same on the 2nd day, that would be irresponsible to risk a secondary concussion that builds upon the first. You need like months of rest to heal from the 1st concussion. Getting out of bed would be difficult. People can die.

We used the Karate rubber gloves in our sparring.

He was about 220 lb size, 40 lb advantage over me. He was untrained, but he had quite a lot of street fight experience. He might try to knock me down with full force, but I tried not to hit on his head that much. The place that I tried to hit on him was most on the upper chest area just to stop him from coming too close. He was not afraid to get punched. Sometime I hit him but he still moved forward. I had to hit him on the same spot again to stop him.

After 8 months of training, one day he came back and said, "It works! It works!" He got into a bar fight. His opponent could not land even a single punch on his body. Finally his opponent sat down and didn't know what had just happened. A year later (1975), he died in a car accident.

This is why I have always believed that if your opponent wants to fight you, you can play "defense only" until your opponent are totally exhausted. The fight can be end with nobody get hurt (of course assume no weapon is involved).

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

The bad thing about fighting though is getting head injuries, ...

This is why I had invented the "rhino guard".