Any ideas on handling multiple opponents?

[rogue]

In regards to Ryu's posts.

From what I've learned it's not about fighting each of them but moving bodies around. I've found from JJJ and sparring 2 on 1 that moving one opponent into another worked better than trying to punch it out with each of them.

From JJJ: Use one of the opponents as a shield or barrier, preferably one of the smaller ones. I used this one on the street.

From sparring 2 on 1 in TKD: Grab one and spin or push him between you and the other opponent. From the little Tai Chi I've done that art could utilize this tactic easily. At least I've had it happen to me during push hands.

Of course you need some skills to keep from getting your bell rung when trying for this, and you'd have to stay alert for any opening to finish or escape.

Of course a nice weapon would be handy too.

Any other ideas?

[TaoBoy]

The basic philoposhy I have been taught is maintain your distance and take out anyone who invades your space. Don't choose an opponent. Use them as shields if you can but this is not necessary. You don't have to fight all of them - make a hole and then run.

[NafAnal]

In general relax and flow, keep moving. Try to look at everything as a whole rather than becoming fixated on just one person, looking above the heads of your opponents accomplishes this nicely. Don't get involved in grappling or locking up one person if he grabs you, move where it is uncomfortable or awkward for him and others to manipulate you. You're still going to get tagged a lot but hopefully your movement will mean most blows glance off. redirect attacks into the paths of other attackers. Relax and fold with the blows. elbows can be nice for redirecting incoming blows, and if you're lucky can also destroy some limbs. If they got weapons you'd better have trained this. A lot.

At least that's one very general way of looking at it....

[LEGEND]

Keep them in punching and kicking range...if someone hits the ground....quickly kick or stomp them...if u hit the ground...quickly get up! Most multiple attacks are cowardly waiting for one to hit the other before he jumps in.

[African Tiger]

IMHO (wow, now that I'm 33, I can finally use that!), I would think that your opponents would be coming straight at you.

You have the advantage of not having to commit to one direction, so sidestepping and backstepping would be the key to winning. Or, of course, running away screaming like a 5 year old girl :D

[Braden]

Check out the last segment on http://www.chi-arts.com/Video/chris-demo-isdn.ram

[Chang Style Novice]

I have three thoughts on how to handle multiple opponents. They are, in order of preference

1. flight
2. surrender (including bribery)
3. prayer

I hope this has been helpful.

[NorthernMantis]

This isn't from my experience but from a friend that has actually used his kung fu in real fights. It's mostly pyscological and strategy.

When you're faced with multiple attackers you want to have your back againts a wall or something. The reason why is that you never want to have anyone behind you. Hey, your peripheral vision only goes so far and you don't have eyes behind your head. Every time when more than one opponent is involved, especially if its in the street, more often than not one guy will try to divert your attention while the other one will try to move behind you,that's why you can't just focus on one. In that type of situation it can get get dangerous, the other guy could have a knife and slash you. With something behind your back you can be assured that there wont be any surpise attacks from behind and all your opponents will be in front of you. However you don't want to be traped in a corner either.

Another thing is that you don't want to immediately get into some type of stance because it alerts them that you know some method of fighting and they'll start changing their strategy ,including trying to psyche you out.That's when they'll start to circle you or take out a knife. They'll start thinking (which is dangerous becuse it makes your goal harder) and taunt you by lunging their body foward just to test you out to see if you flinch. If you let that get to you ,your body will start to get anxious and jumpy causing you to get tight. In this day in age just about everyone knows something wether they saw it on tv or took a lesson or two and if they see that they are gonna change their plan of attack. That's when you lose your advantage. When the situation arises you don't want hem to know that you know something. It may have worked back in the old days when the little China man got into a weird posture to trick a westerner out but these days everyone knows something, even if it may be chop soky.

Very importantly you want to to try to maintain calm and what I mean by calm I mean emotionless.Not angry, not ****y, not happy just calm. Psychology is a big factor in these situations and if they know you're scared then you already lost half the battle. Trust me you'd be very surrised how much effect a cold stare will have on your opponenets. If they see that you're very confident then they'll start to keep distance and the more space you got between the better.

When you're not thinking move. The time you can't think is when you get hit. Plus you want to be aware of your sorroundings i.e. the chair that you can knock down to slow them as you make your exit , the bottle that you can throw or hit with to cause a diversion, etc. If you seea way out then run like mad because you can't be Jackie Chan like in the movies. Every master of any discipline/art/combat system/whatever will tell you : the last thing you would want to do is to fight multiple attackers. It's not like the movies and I'm sure Wong Fei Hung would have or has done the same thing, bash someone over the head with a chair and run like a wild man while the guy is one the ground and his buds trailing after him. It doesn't get simpler than that.

Whatever you do to the first two guys will sometimes change the outcome of the altercation as it is the impression that you will give of. In that case you want to make an example out of them. Although I'm againts being cruel you have to be as brutal as possible. [hypoteical scenario] When the first guy comes in *wham!* slam him into the wall and grab him and use him as a shield againts the second attacker and throw him on top of the other guy. While they're stumbling to regain balance grab that chair and *Kablau!* [end of hypothetical scenario]. The other guys will think twice about coming in garanteed,unless they have weapons which can be worse.

Knowing ground fighting is a plus but don't make it your goal if it's more than one guy.

However there's always exceptions and I know duking it out in a bar is not as easy as sitting down and typing it on the computer but being mentally ahead can help you at times.

[NorthernMantis]

Originally posted by Chang Style Novice

3. prayer


Oh yeah almsot forgot. Most importanly pray!

[joedoe]

Holy ****. Remind me never to visit your town.

[Serpent]

Uzi 9mm.

Unless you live where Guohen lives. In that case I'd suggest two Uzi 9mm's.

[guohuen]

Fight one, robbery attempt, Columbus Georgia
Fight two, gang beating, Columbia Maryland
Fight three, police beating, Ellicott City Maryland

I now avoid places with bad reputations.:p

[Serpent]

Sorry, clarification needed.

1. Were you attempting the robbery?
2. Were you in a gang versus a rival gang?
3. Were you doing something wrong, or was it a bit of a Rodney King thing going on?

[guohuen]

1. Being robbed.
2. I was at the wrong party.
3. Rodney King thing.

[Serpent]

Dayamm! You've had some bad luck in that case!

You need a tingly spidey sense implant. As it happens, I can arrange one for you for just $999.99 + P&H. Contact me by pm if you're interested.

I've also got a couple of bridges for sale and some prime real estate in Nevada.

;)