[K-run] Boston Feb 01, 2006 - Anatomy of a fight [Abernathy (2003)] (or, how to misread a situation)
...slamming his fists, his shins, his forearms into the bag. Picturing the various faces that could be on the other end of his strikes. He could feel the fight coming. It'd been too long, and now their were signs and portents. Anger filled his mind. Practice. Discipline. Everything is self-control. Get rid of the anger so when it comes...you're ready.
[before]
"Why?"
"Because she was asking about you."
"Luce...that's fucked up."
[now]
The winner will usually be the first to act
The first to land a good punch will probably be the one to win the fight. As explained in the "First-Strike" item, traditionally there is no first strike in Taekwondo. However, in a fight, you can never allow your attacker to gain the advantage. You must take control of the situation and not merely react to the attacker's actions.
You blew your chance at surprise , bitch. If you were gonna come after me it should have been a couple of your hitters surprising me in an alley. You fucked up by telling Lucy you were interested in me. Friends watch each others backs.
Bros before hos.
Most fights are decided by punches to the head
In a fight, most people strike toward the face. It seems to be embedded in our make up. As stated above, the one who land the first good punch usually wins. That first good punch will probably be to the head. However, punches to the head have two big problems: the head is very mobile and difficult to hit, and, since the head is dense, punching it with the fist will probably break the hand.
Vanity.
Your sin is vanity and pride. And I have your penance. It comes in 'easy to swallow' horse pills.
Never should have re-openned the wounds.
Now you need a doctor.
Paging Dr. Kyle. You're need in surgery.
Most fights are at close range
When sparring, competitors usually start outside of kicking range. Then the competitors will close the range, attack, and then open the range again. However, fights usually start at punching range and rarely, if ever, have the back and forth motion seen during sparring matches. Usually, a few punches will be thrown, then the fighter will clinch, fall to the floor, and start grappling.
It'll be dirty. It'll be close up. Snide comments. Half-truths.
Isolate the oponnent and the clinch up.
It may have worked on me, but it won't work on my friends.
So prepared for your dirty pool.
Opponent is very unlikely to use martial arts techniques
Since most martial artists train to be non-violent, most will not be initiating fights. Since martial arts training involves discipline and hard work, most violent people are weeded out. So, it is highly unlikely that attackers will use martial arts techniques. Not impossible, just unlikely. However, they may use highly effective street techniques that have been learned through hard experience.
You scraped your way up, over broken dreams and shattered lives. You take what you want. You destroy what you can't have.
Not me, bitch.
I'm too hard for you.
Should have walked away, you have no idea who you're fucking with.
Fights are unorganized
Fights are not choreographed as fights in films, nor are they as organized as Taekwondo sparring matches. Fights are crude and rude. As martial artists, we work to perfect our techniques, but in a fight, the bad guy is not impressed by technique, he or she is only impressed by pain. A technique that is very easy to execute in class against a willing partner may be next to impossible to execute in a fighting situation. It is difficult to hit specific targets and complex combinations fall apart. As martial artists, we practice techniques against other martial artists, so boxers get good at fighting boxers and Taekwondo students get good at fighting other Taekwondo students. To win a fight, you must train to fight against an un-classically trained person who is probably well experienced in street fighting.
Coming at me the way you'd come at one of your black hat fucks won't work.
You got nothing I can't handle.
Probably gonna send your new boy-toy after me too. I bet he won't see the Buick to the face coming.
Not everything in life is a fight.
But the principles of a fight will see you through anything.
Even psycho-ex-girlfriends.
Bring it Mafia Princess.
High kicks are unlikely to be effective
High kicks in a fight are dangerous to the kicker. First, your clothes will probably not permit the movement required. The soles of your shoes may grip the floor/ground too much or they may slip and slide. Your leg may be grabbed leaving your vulnerable. Groin kicks are expected. Street fighters know this so they only kick at the knees.
Showy won't take me down.
Monologuing will just give me another shot at the brass ring if I need it.
Plans within plans will just fall apart the first time I do something unpredictable.
Take you out at the knees.
Most fights are over in seconds
Most fights end quickly. Often, the winner will be decided in the first few seconds; the victim of the first good blow. If most fights only last a few seconds, how many techniques do you need to know? Knowing numerous techniques is not only unnecessary but dangerous. For a technique to be useful, the user needs to be able to apply the technique with little or no conscious thought. If the user has to choose from numerous techniques, he or she make choose the wrong one. Instead of learning numerous techniques, learn the basic principles of self-defense and then react to your opponents movements with techniques that cause them pain.
Three sentances.
It has to reduce to three sentances.
Can't let you take advantage of that education, the social wit.
Three sentances.
Should never have let me prepare.
Blocking and countering is unlikely to work
Blocking works best at long range, as in sparring ,and it works best when you can see the attacking technique coming. Neither of these things is likely to occur in a close range fight. Watch boxers, how many blocks do you see them do. If the attacker is intoxicated and moving in slow motion, you may be able to block, otherwise, you must learn to slip attacks and counter hard and fast.
I'll take my hits. Then I'll hit back.
I will get hit. I will hit back.
I will get hit. I will hit back.
I will get hit. I will hit back.
Like a Buick in the face.
Real fights are not like sparring matches
There are no rules or referees in a fight. Your opponent can bite, gouge your eyes, spit, use weapons, etc. Losing a fight can result in permanent physical or mental damage, or even the loss of your life. You must be prepared to use violent, repugnant methods when it becomes necessary.
Anything goes.
Should never have let me see you coming.
Your only shot at taking me out was surprise.
Now you don't have it.
No rules.
Time to make you leave bad enough alone.
He looks at the bag, stuffing akimbo, seams split, chain links broken.
"Lesson number one in life: When the stove is hot, don't touch it."