In the hood

[ewallace]

Hypothetically speaking, how much influence do you think the place you grew up in had in regards to how good of a fighter you are now?

Would a kid who grew up in beverly hills, trained in wing chun for 6 years and got in fights with the local beverly's be a less ferocious fighter than say, a white kid who grew up on the southside of chicago, trained in wing chun for 6 years and got in fights with the locals?

[red5angel]

Hard to quantify Ewallace, I think alot of it has alot to do with what makes a good fghter in the first place. For example, I grew up in a rich suburb but I know some real scrappers. I also know a guy who lived in some bad neighborhoods of minneapolis but he wont spar with me anymore because he keeps getting knocked down!

[Water Dragon]

It's a lot more dependant on the person than the environment. That being said, spend enough time in bad neighborhoods and your instincts will be more heightened.

[ewallace]

It's a lot more dependant on the person than the environment. That being said, spend enough time in bad neighborhoods and your instincts will be more heightened.
That's exactly the kind of answers I'm looking for. We all know it ultimately depends on the individual.

[shaolinboxer]

I grew up in a good neighborhood, and got picked on constantly, shoved from behind down stairs, beat on by 3 or 4 kids at a time....becuase of the shifts in social climate, one day a kid would be my friend, the next he be insulting me and shoving me (or my fave, bookworming, where they grab your book and rip them out of you hand while they trip you or hit you in both thighs).

My life was never in danger, but I got hurt a lot.

Until I learned some muay thai in the 10th grade.

[Kristoffer]

Not sure. Can only aswer on my own experience on this one. In my Kwoon, some of the best are from both the ghettos and the rich snob- locations. I don't think living in a ghetto makes you a better martial artist, however I definitly think it gives u a better awarness and 'thoughness' that can be to an advantage over the one who never been scared when going outside in his home. It's all up too the induvidual in the end anyway. Growing up, I've been threatned with a knife a few times. Robbed (but I never carry around anything that is valuble :D ), seen LOT's of blood and been forced to run from a possible lethal situation. I'm not sure what to answer in this thread, but I can say that if someone have experienced violence, he may not be as afraid of it as someone who has never experienced it.

[fa_jing]

Well, I think that having grown up with violent kids, just makes you realize how much violence is in the world, and how you have to be prepared. Actually being in some streetfights gives you some experience, and might inspire your training with a sense of realism. It'll also make you more likely to train martial arts in the first place.

At least that's my experience. I was in 15 fights before I was 16, including getting jumped in a 20 to 3 random, racially motivated beat-down while waiting for the bus. Strangely, nothing since then. Maybe more like an inoculation, you know?

-FJ

[Justa Man]

yea the awareness of kids who grew up in harder environments is much higher than those who didn't. those kids also just have better street smarts when it comes to people than beverly's. they tend to watch people's actions more, and have a better sense of a person's intentions that beverly's do. from what i've seen. beverly's tend to get taken by surprise more. again, tying into awareness.