How Real Fights Start

The problem with defensive tactics training is that people form opinions based on their own views and experiences in life rather than based on statistical information.  One of the most significant differences in the self defence field is the opinion on how fights are started and how fights are ended. 

Most people incorrectly train for self defence tactics. They practice under relaxed, controlled conditions and normally practice for attacks and feeds that are less probable to occur in real life.  Often, in a self defence class the student is left standing passively while a partner throws a controlled strike. The instructor is correcting the technique of the partner throwing the strike, making sure that the strike lands in a predictable area of your head or body. 

This type of preparation prepares you to defeat a style or a system in a predictable, comfortable environment. It does not train you to defeat a common attacker who does not adhere to the style, in the real world. You are not being trained for a real life situation. Don’t be fooled. A real life fighting environment is not:

• Comfortable
• Relaxed
• Fun
• Ordered

 Real fights are

• Uncomfortable
• Stressful
• Unpredictable
• Fearful
• Emotional
• Messy

To be successful in a real fight you need to use statistical facts, not fiction, to determine the most probable way that a conflict will start. Statistics show that 51% of violent assaults involving males, start with an argument—either an alcohol-related argument or a domestic argument. Sixty percent of assaults with females start with arguments.

 
Your brain is consciously engaged when you are arguing with someone. You are using your brain to reply to the person you are arguing with and you are verbally communicating and trying to ascertain the information the person is feeding you. You can’t help this, as this is the way we have been taught to communicate with others. But trying to consciously converse with someone and at the same time ensure that you are exploring your best chance of defending yourself can become quite a complex activity to perform. Often when people who have trained for self defence are under pressure in a fearful or stressful situation, they end up in an argument or being verbally assaulted.  Then they are attacked by the person they are arguing with catching you off guard due to the way you have trained.

You need to make sure that your defence training provides sufficient conflict resolution training. Your conflict resolution training needs to simulate a real-world encounter where people are arguing and abusing you, using profanities and swearing at you, and then attacking you.

 
Not only will these drills enhance your chances of survival in a real fight, they can also help you train to stop a violent situation before it even starts. In reality-based training, it is essential that you practice your skills of verbal communication. After all, this will be where any conflict arises. Remember, your first line of defence, first and foremost, is de-escalation. Avoiding a conflict is always the best resolution. You should try to immediately diffuse the situation as quickly and as efficiently as possible. 

 
The best way to acquire the ability to diffuse a situation is to practice role playing.  Unfortunately, people often laugh and can’t role play properly in a class environment. You need to be able to role play and you need to be able to engage your brain to act out the correct role at any given moment. You need to adopt my Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde theory. When you are in the training environment you should be able to easily switch from passive, relaxed Dr. Jekyll who tries to talk down and avoid a confrontation, to Mr. Hyde who is aggressive and proactive with the attacker. If you can’t make that switch in class, you probably can’t make the switch in a real confrontation, in the real world.

 
Remember that statistics show that in most circumstances your violent situation will start with an argument of some sort. Many people may know this factor, but not enough people train for this factor.  Start training for it today! Get out there on the floor and practice abusing someone, practice trying to diffuse the situation by verbally communicating with them. While practicing, remember to never take what someone says to you personally. Often people will try to assassinate your character.  Don’t do any body motions that may look aggressive to the other person and may cause them to immediately impact you.  Don’t raise your guard in the typical martial arts or self defence tactics orientated position, use a pre-fight stance. 

These simple life survival skills will greatly enhance your rate for survival in a real life situation. Practice them often and incorporate them in your training regime on a regular basis. You will find that you will be more successful at surviving a real life situation. 

 Glenn Zwiers is a world leading Close Quarter Combat instructor.  He teaches Close Quarter Combatives across the world and has appeared in numerous self defence publications including Blitz Martial Arts magazine, Blackbelt magazine, The Modern Combatives Journal, Security Oz magazine, Close Quarter Combat magazine; as well as appearing on national TV programs and national radio. His unique ability to relate complex procedures in a simplistic format has people performing in real life situations rapidly. He also has in excess of 20 different educational DVDs available and is available for hire in any location across the world. To find out more about the services that Glenn Zwiers can perform for your company you can email him direct at chief@cqctactics.com or visit is website at www.cqctactics.com