A question in comparing street fighting to our styles

[prince006]

in your opinion can our style...(whatever style you do) easily beat a street fighter?

how does your martial arts go up against street fighters?
if you dont know just what do u think

[pest]

in your opinion can our style...(whatever style you do) easily beat a street fighter?

I dont think its so much style then how much do you train and can you apply it at combat speed with a resisting opponent who is trying to do the same.

When I think of a street fight, I start thinking more of a survival situation because you never know if the opponent has weapons, how far will they go or what kind of background they have (if its a stranger).

Just a thought,
~Pest

[Samurai Jack]

Aikido focuses on restraining and controlling an assailant, and when it's used for that it is exceptionally effective. As with anything you've got to do what you train in a fight. How many times have we seen a kickboxer try to grapple with a Jujutsuka? Or a wrestler try to box a boxer? The results or only good when you actually fight the way you train, then the only thing that matters is whether or not you've put in enough training time to be really good at what you do.

As far as easy? Fighting isn't easy. Anyone who tells you different hasn't ever been in a real fight.

[prince006]

well i have been in street fights and i do boxing and i have been in lots of sparring and they are completely different
boxing lets you take a lot of beating in order to get your move. you cant do that in a street fight
one hit in the head and you can get knocked out cold
boxing might make you hit harder and quicker but it doesnt really help that much in a street fight

on the other hand your martial arts? you tell me

and do you think it makes you better...etc

my area has a lot of fights...ist not good
you really need self defence

[Samurai Jack]

I've boxed for longer than any other MA I've trained. Boxing is an excellent MA for self-defense. Taking a shot to the head on the street and taking one in the ring is different for two reasons. Firstly, the boxing glove tends to make it less likely that you'll open up a facial cut. That's about it. The glove does more to protect your hand, and less to protect your face. The second big difference is that most untrained individuals can't hit very hard at all. You're entitled to your opinion of course, but my experience is that most boxing trained fighters are better prepared for the street than the majority of martial artists from other arts with similar amounts of training. In other words, boxing will teach you to fight in less time.

That said, I preffer Aikido for my purposes. As a full-time mental health crisis counselor, I'm called upon to intervene in physical confrontations all the time. I'm not allowed to just clock a violent mentally ill person, nor would I want to. Aikido's joint locks and unbalancing techniques work very well for the purpose of control and restraint. The added benifit is that if someone's under your control, they can't hit you! In that regard, I believe Aikido to be superior.

Again, I'll reiterate: A martial art is only good for you if it trains you to fight the way you need it too. If you are a regular joe, without alot of time to spend trying to learn to fight, your needs are going to be different than a cop's or a soldier's. The first step in selecting an effective art for self-defense is deciding what it is that you need your art to do for you.

[prince006]

well in a street fight its mainly brawling and you know how to punch dont get me wrong and u can take a hit.


but saying that if someone tackles you to the ground...you have no idea how to react to a grapling hold or a throw..etc.

so how can boxing be the best self defence for street fighting?

[pest]

Hi prince006,
On the ground I dont think much has changed other then the obvious. If you have hands free you can punch and defend, when you have the opportunity to get up take it.
You train standing up you should try to stay there especially in a fight that has no rules.


so how can boxing be the best self defence for street fighting?
Just for the record I have never boxed. Use whatever fighting system you know, it can be the best for you because thats what you know how to do.

Somtimes while training at home, I just lay down and shadow box. Consider everything in your arsenal including defensive positions.

Just a thought,
~Pest

[Samurai Jack]

Originally posted by prince006
so how can boxing be the best self defence for street fighting?

Whoa! Slow down there Prince, nobody said anything about "best self-defense". There ain't no such thing. Boxing will give you a set of tools that apply to a street fight. You wanna fight on the ground, you're going to need a different set of tools for that. As I've said now three times, you've got to select an art that teaches you what you feel you need to know.

Now I would never ever personally choose to go to the ground on the street. In my line of work I expect to be assaulted by groups of people on cold, hard pavement. Groundfighting is the last thing I want to do. Sure I need to drill some groundwork, and I do, but I don't want to go there if I can avoid it.

Now maybe you feel you need a groundfighting art. Fine. This is an excellent tool to develop. Combined with your boxing skills, you'll be very formidable, and prepared for almost any unarmed encounter. I'd say do it, if you want to.

You've got to get this idea of "the one unbeatable art" out of your head though. MA provide various tools that are useful for self-defense, but you can't use a saw to drive a nail! Select an art that teaches you to deal with whatever you believe you are most likely to encounter on the street. Spend the rest of your life mastering that art, and once you've developed black belt level skill, seek other arts that patch up the holes in what you've learned.

It sounds like you've already started to do this as you're noticing that boxing isn't going to get you out of 100% of the tight spots you might find yourself in. Great! Now take your hard earned knowledge and build on it. Don't discard your boxing though. It's a good simple base for you to build your arsenal on.

[Vash]

Originally posted by Samurai Jack
I've boxed for longer than any other MA I've trained. Boxing is an excellent MA for self-defense. Taking a shot to the head on the street and taking one in the ring is different for two reasons. Firstly, the boxing glove tends to make it less likely that you'll open up a facial cut. That's about it. The glove does more to protect your hand, and less to protect your face. The second big difference is that most untrained individuals can't hit very hard at all. You're entitled to your opinion of course, but my experience is that most boxing trained fighters are better prepared for the street than the majority of martial artists from other arts with similar amounts of training. In other words, boxing will teach you to fight in less time.

That said, I preffer Aikido for my purposes. As a reserve police officer and a full-time mental health crisis counselor, I'm called upon to intervene in physical confrontations all the time. I'm not allowed to just clock a violent mentally ill person, nor would I want to. Aikido's joint locks and unbalancing techniques work very well for the purpose of control and restraint. The added benifit is that if someone's under your control, they can't hit you! In that regard, I believe Aikido to be superior.

Again, I'll reiterate: A martial art is only good for you if it trains you to fight the way you need it too. If you are a regular joe, without alot of time to spend trying to learn to fight, your needs are going to be different than a cop's or a soldier's. The first step in selecting an effective art for self-defense is deciding what it is that you need your art to do for you.

That was so correct, it made my nipples hard.

[prince006]

Originally posted by Vash
That was so correct, it made my nipples hard.

ok that disturbed me


anyway jack


thats practlaly like saying every martial arts is different
its not answering my question what do u think the best is for a street fight...

each martial arts have there own strength's odviously

bruce lee said that all martial arts have weakness's thats why he invinted jeet kwon do....to have no style

but personally i dont know much about it but its a thought

[SevenStar]

here's a quick, dirty answer to your question: there is no best art. Follow jack's advice and train what you think you need to know.

BTW - it's jeet KUNE do ;)

[SimonM]

Originally posted by prince006

but saying that if someone tackles you to the ground...you have no idea how to react to a grapling hold or a throw..etc.

so how can boxing be the best self defence for street fighting?

Three things:

1: In all the fights I have been in and have seen (by which I mean fights, not matches) a grand total of one ended in ground work. Despite what the BJJ guys say, lots of fights are resolved from standing every day.

2: The one things MMA guys get right is cross-training between styles. If you are concerned about ground fighting, learn some Shuai Jiao or JJ or BJJ or Judo or Wrestling or whatever.

3: As my sifu is fond of saying: there is no such thing as an unbeatable style. No style is the best. Some have obvious deficiencies or weakness that a smart fighter can exploit. Some have fewer or have weaknesses that are harder to exploit. Much depends on the intensity and methodology of how you train and that is remarkably simmilar cross-styles. Find a style that works well for you and train hard every day and you should be able to defend yourself provided that you are getting legitimate instruction. Apply logic to the motions, ask what is this move for? Think about vectors of force while you practice, understand how your own body is moving and how it will respond to the bodies of others. The rest will follow.

Addendum:

QUOTE]Originally posted by prince006

bruce lee said that all martial arts have weakness's thats why he invinted jeet kwon do....to have no style [/QUOTE]

Bruce Lee... Bruce Lee...

He took a bunch of common-sense ideas that had been bounced around the martial arts world for hundreds of years and said he invented them. Jeet Kune Do was a very good way of marketing his Kung Fu and made Bruce Lee lots of money.

He was a very good martial artist. He was not the very best.

I'd refer you to the Wong Jack Man story for some understanding of the Bruce Lee situation but I have this advice:

Linda Lee and Wong Jack Man have very divergent versions of what happened that day. Although both are biassed and both have suspect testemony, the balance seems to favor Wong Jack Man's version of events more.

[Meat Shake]

Its completely subjective.

It all depends on how you approach your training... Realize that someone in the street isnt going to strike up a fighting stance and get ready... they 9 times out of 10 will come barreling in head down arms swinging any which way to hit you. Its a completely different thing to deal with.
...
That said, I completely agree with jack about the fact that the untrained dont know **** about throwing a proper punch. Ive watched some ugggly punches get thrown in street fights.
Also hella less likely to have someone slap al lock on you.

[SimonM]

Originally posted by Meat Shake

That said, I completely agree with jack about the fact that the untrained dont know **** about throwing a proper punch. Ive watched some ugggly punches get thrown in street fights.
Also hella less likely to have someone slap al lock on you.

I also completely agree.

I'd say the most important things to remember in a real fight are:

1: Stay calm.
2: Be the first one to land a connecting hit.
3: Remember your training; it's there for a reason.
4: If you do get knocked over remember points 1 and 3.
5: Street fights are not honorable matches; you get no points for polieness or fair play. Hit fast, hard and dirty. Make them bleed if you can; people don't generally like the sight of their own blood.

I'd say the most common mistakes made by a martial artist in a real fight are:

1: Getting ansy.
2: Forgetting their training and mindlessly lashing out.
3: Getting ****y - no Martial Art makes you invincible.
4: Assuming that an "untrained opponent" will act like a white belt Karate student.

I'm hoping that the people on this board are not going out and picking fights. With that in mind most opponents that any of us face on the street are likely to be angry, prepared to fight and charged up on adrenalin. This is very diffenent from a nervous, self conscious white belt who finds them thrust into the ring with a "superior" opponent. This is why remaining calm, humble and alert are so important. Be prepared for anything.

[WinterPalm]

I think Black Tiger is pretty good. Maybe you should look this style up?

[SAAMAG]

Originally posted by prince006
thats practlaly like saying every martial arts is different
its not answering my question what do u think the best is for a street fight...

each martial arts have there own strength's odviously

bruce lee said that all martial arts have weakness's thats why he invinted jeet kwon do....to have no style

but personally i dont know much about it but its a thought

It's funny, you just answered your own question while asking it.
Jack is absolutely correct, and even though the answer may not make sense to you, it will in time.

Occupational hazards are definitely a determining factor as to what art you want to learn, being ex military I look for things that would completely demolish my opponent in the least amount of time possible, so I've lately stuck with MT and wing chun for my standup, with chin na and shiua jiao for my clinching and throwing, for groundwork I've dabbled in BJJ, but will be getting more in depth with it after I'm fully healed from a bone injury. Anyway - long story short - there is no best style for streetfighting really, and while we're at it...

What is the definition of a street fighter other then "someone who fights on the street"? A streetfighter, technically speaking, can know any style he wants. I think what you're referring to is the athletic tough guy with no formal training. If that's the case, the style won't make a difference as much as your training regimen and brains will. It's all effective - IF YOU APPLY IT CORRECTLY. But if you're training doesn't end with you being able to do that, then more often then not you will lose no matter what style you learned.

[pest]

I agree Vankuen :)

[SimonM]

Be careful not to make assumptions YouKnowWho or you may end up wondering what train hit you. It would have been better to say that some of the following list might or might not effect the situation when facing an opponent on the street that will not in the ring. But one could make a counter list.

An opponent on the street might:

Be armed
Be on drugs that reduce pain/inhibition
Be supported by his friends
Have experience in rule-free situations
Bite, punch the groin, scratch, claw and generally "cheat"

[SimonM]

When you look at from the other angle than you don't have fear.

I didn't say be afraid, I said be prepared. :D

[SevenStar]

Most of the street guys that you have to fight against are:

- In drugs
- Smoke
- Drink too much
- Does not exercise regularly.
- Over weight
- May never work on punching bag.
- May never know how to kick, lock, or throw.
- May not have power and accuracy behind the punch.
- May not even know which part of the fist to use for punch.
- May not be able to take a punch.
- Always leave chest and groin area open.
- Close the eyes during striking.

If you train regularly then the street guys should afraid of you not the other way around.

I'd really LOVE for you to show me a statistic on this one...

most of the guys I know who end up in barfight and such all the time wrestled in high school and/or college

some of them drink

NONE of them smoke

two of them boxed - and one of those two was in a gang.

half of my football team consisted of bloods - so they worked out all the time.

furthermore, mindset is in interesting thing. I've seen black belts in various styles get mauled in street fights because their opponent had the more intense mindset. he wanted to destroy his opponent - and he did.

[Ultimatewingchun]

"furthermore, mindset is in interesting thing. I've seen black belts in various styles get mauled in street fights because their opponent had the more intense mindset. he wanted to destroy his opponent - and he did."


7Star is touching the biggest issue of all with those remarks.

Channeling one's anger, rage...even hate...into a one-pointed focus of concentration upon destroying your opponent...really doing damage...

something that happens more frequently in a streetfight than anywhere else (ie. - any kind of organized fighting event) - is the single biggest key to determining who wins and who loses.

[Merryprankster]

Since you seem more interested in help picking a style to complement your boxing, allow me to make a couple of suggestions:

Wrestling (Greco-Roman if you can find it, but folk or freestyle will do fine) or Judo.

BJJ is nice and all, but the truth is you will get more takedown experience and just as USEFUL, if not as detailed, ground work in both of these sports. Most fights do not start on the ground, and training takedowns all the time gives YOU the power to dictate where the fight goes - a handy skill.

A Boxer/Wrestler or a Boxer/Judoka is a formidable opponent, assuming decent skills in each.

As to the rest of the stuff people are posting, basically yes on all counts about danger, mindset and assumptions about opponents.

OR, you might want to consider a good Escrima or Kali school if you are interested in weapons work.

However, the "what style" argument is somewhat silly. Better for you, as has been thrown out, is "What complements the skill sets I already possess?"

[ewallace]

Check out the thread "A Reality Check". Most, if none "look" like trained fighters, but almost every fight I have seen (mostly when I was younger) looked very similar. Most untrained people start throwing haymakers and usually end up in a clinch. Sometimes that clinch results in both people falling to the ground, as seen in the videos that Darren posted.

Having said that, as you get older you are less likely to be involved in those kinds of brawls except for maybe a bar fight. You are more likely to simply be attacked, a lot of times the attacker has some kind of weapon.

The above does not apply to every situation, but like others have said mindset and intent are key. That is why I personally prefer arts and teachers that are very aggressive.

If I can get my sh!t together I will go back to my Pekiti-Tirsia [Kali] class, which is nicknamed the "San Antonio Pitbulls". They teach to have the mindset of a pitbull, and to think of your abilities like a light switch. The style is mostly stick and knife, but does have great hand-to-hand and some groundfighting techniques. However, it is not "complete" and they encourage you to suppliment your training with other arts that you feel will compliment things you feel are missing in your training. They also teach that if your are involved in a knife fight, even if you are well trained, you will almost always get cut. They are brutally honest. That's what I like about that place, and that's what I feel I need for situations I will most likely come across. Just last week I found a broken-off knife blade in the rear window of my tahoe. Who knows when or where it happened, and how close I was to a confontation with the person who did it.

I'm sorry if none of the above answers your question, but there is no simple answer.

On a side note, you should have seen the look on the face of a reporter from a local news channel that came to do a short take on the school when it opened up in a new building. I think he expected to see your a-typical karate school, but instead saw a bunch of people going full contact with sticks and training knifes(which still hurt if you don't get the fuk out of the way).

[SanSoo Student]

I would get my ass owned against someone on drugs, those guys never go down.

[Samurai Jack]

That's why you've got to pin 'em and put your knee in the backs of thier necks. It ain't police brutality, it's self-preservation.

[PangQuan]

Ya, or bust a kneecap. No one can walk with a broken knee, at least not well enough to give you any real problems. I am not a police officer, so at that point just walk away.

[Erny]

i agree with Simonm . he said
"Street fights are not honorable matches; you get no points for polieness or fair play. Hit fast, hard and dirty. Make them bleed if you can; people don't generally like the sight of their own blood"
I would like to add some thoughts
1)If You feel you are realy in danger why not hit him in the eyes , balls , front side of neck , bottom of his back(if durig fight he turn his back) and in the center of chest in order to cut his breathe. :mad:
Theese might sound too violentbut i'm not saying do it in every situation but when you thik you are in really danger.
2)the one who strikes first a good (by all means)hit he have a chance of 90%to "win"

[brothernumber9]

what is a streetfighter anyway? someone who gets in alot of fights, be it at a bar, street corner, party etc? What if I study MA and still do all those things? am I a street fighter or a MAist or both. Real fights are bizarre surreal real scary sh!t.

If a street fighter is just a guy/gal that has no formal training but has been in alot of fights, then I assume it means they have done okay amongst those fights or they would have been seriously injured or deterred to do it any longer. Having said that implies experience to the street fighter. Experienced street fighter vs. inexperienced MAist = street fighter most likely winner. But the whole argument is flawed and fruitless to begin with. It's like saying who would win in a fight, kurt Angle or a college wrestler, neither because Rex Kwon Do ownzorz all.

Just break the wrist and walk away.

from this thread that is.

[SanSoo Student]

" Real fights are bizarre surreal real scary sh!t." Thats the golden truth of MA & Life.

[spiraler]

on the streets you can die. just like that. if the person(s) who just kicked your ass, decide to kick the crap out of you on the floor, you just may not get up. ive seen it happen,not the act of it but ive seen people who have been beaten up real bad. and it is quite disturbing to knw that a defeat can result in death. that is why we train, right?

[SevenStar]

actually, no. that is not why everyone trains...

[spiraler]

when i said "we" i was referring to "real" martial artists. not phonies.

[ewallace]

when i said "we" i was referring to "real" martial artists. not phonies.
I'd set up a pay-per-view event and would even pay 2 grand myself to see you tell that to sevenstar in person.

[Reggie1]

I would pay good money to see that, too.

[spiraler]

i would love to meet his phony non martial artist, got all of his info online, wannabe cma, with his fake yet almost believable story of how he is part of some circle,undefeated blah blah blah.......sure, uh huh, your a cma master, okay, but you dont even know what chi is, or the benifits of stance training, and most of all, you act like a typical ****, not a cma master. with your made up martial art style which i must say was very creative. its quite sad really.

[ewallace]

What the heck kinda post was that? Could you please break it down into exactly who you were addressing with what questions please?

[spiraler]

since im such a nice guy...

i was referring to seven star, i think hes a phony. thats all. if im wrong,i will honorably eat my words and bow.

[ewallace]

I have not met 7 in person (although I'm sure we'll meet sooner or later once the school down here opens), I do know others that have spoken very highly of his skill. I know of a few of his instructors as well. They are the real deal.

[spiraler]

or maybe you just have a high gullability factor

[spiraler]

i wonder why he cant speak for himself?

[ewallace]

or maybe you just have a high gullability factor
Could be. Or it might also be that you are just posting the same fukwad illogical crap since the day you got on these forums.

You know, I don't mind a good troll every now and then...as long as their amusing and blend in well. You just don't have the skills or the intelligence to be a good troll. That is very disappointing.

[spiraler]

Could be. Or it might also be that you are just posting the same fukwad illogical crap since the day you got on these forums.

You know, I don't mind a good troll every now and then...as long as their amusing and blend in well. You just don't have the skills or the intelligence to be a good troll. That is very disappointing.


you fit the description of troll, mr e wallace or should i say "sevenstar" i have not outwardly disrespected anyone. i only spring questions and try to encourage real martial arts. not some phony black lotus bullshet. to much wu tang killah priest for you. i wonder why it costs 200 dollars to be a member of some fake organization.
tell me have you hooked any fools yet? i must say though, i almost believed it.

[ewallace]

you fit the description of troll, mr e wallace or should i say "sevenstar" i have not outwardly disrespected anyone. i only spring questions and try to encourage real martial arts. not some phony black lotus bullshet. to much wu tang killah priest for you. i wonder why it costs 200 dollars to be a member of some fake organization.
tell me have you hooked any fools yet? i must say though, i almost believed it.
What the hell are you smoking?

First off, SevenStar is a Moderator. He is also well known by many people on these forums who have ties back to my longfist instructor in illinois.

Second, considering my screen name, I don't exactly conceal my identitiy.

Does calling someone a "fool" fall into "outwardly disrespecting anyone"? Check the main forum for any reference you might need.

Black lotus? Not sure who's ass you pulled that one from.

$200? What organization? Oh yeah, that one. You owe me $200.

The only thing real that you encourage is how parents need to monitor the way their 13 year old sons' (or daughters for you?) use the internet.

You wouldn't know real martial arts if it kicked you in the balls.

[Samurai Jack]

Spiraler:

Please check your Personal Messages at the upper right hand corner of your username bar.

Everyone else:

This is one of the few active threads we've got going on the Self-defense forums. It's been pretty hard going keeping this particular forum alive, and we need all of the good on-topic posts we can get. Please don't make me lock/delete this thread.

[ewallace]

My apologies SJ.

[spiraler]

sorry guys, i guess i made a ******* out of myself didnt i, i apologize for this misunderstanding. hopefully you guys wont kick my ass for being a fool.horrible horrible horrible mistake.

[spiraler]

- I wrestled in high school, college and still wrestle today.
- I don't smoke.
- I don't drink.
- I use drug everyday so I'm crazy all the time.
- I boxed and competed in Golden glove boxing.
- I fight in biker's club every night.
- I carry guns and knife with me 24 hours everyday.
- I was the quarter back when I was in my football team.
- I was the bouncer in topless club.
- I was the Presdent Clinton's body guard.
- I was MIB.
- I was assassin.
- I'm the gang leader with 2000 members.
- I have intense mind set that I'll need to kill all the good guys on earth.

When those street fighters (good guys) are fooling around in bar, We MA guys (bad guys) are sweating and polishing our skill in front of our punching bag, and among our sparring partners.

Should we afraid of them (the good guys)? Of course not. They should be afraid of us (the bad guys).

A. Don't go to the Central Park of NYC. It's not safe there.
B. I'm bit of short on money and that's why I'm going over there for.

When you think you are the bad guy on earth then everybody around you are all good guys.


you should be very proud.lol

[SevenStar]

when i said "we" i was referring to "real" martial artists. not phonies.

Wow, I completely forgot about this thread, remembered it, and came back to this. I can play that game though.

1. the "we" you are referring to is full of BS, generally. Of the adults that train, it's likely that less than half of them will EVER have to use what they are learning.

2. people who compete use what they are learning on a regular basis. the guys you are talking about train for a possibility. A sport fighter trains for an inevitability.


3. face facts, not everyone starts training to learn how to kill someone. I, for example, train because I like to compete. Will those skill carry over when I need them? sure. Some people train just because they think it is fun. Some do it to get in shape.

[SevenStar]

i would love to meet his phony non martial artist, got all of his info online, wannabe cma, with his fake yet almost believable story of how he is part of some circle,undefeated blah blah blah.......sure, uh huh, your a cma master, okay, but you dont even know what chi is, or the benifits of stance training, and most of all, you act like a typical ****, not a cma master. with your made up martial art style which i must say was very creative. its quite sad really.


you have a PM.

[ewallace]

you have a PM.
Oops. Meant to post that under this screen name.

[Vash]

I've been in martial arts for a total of 11 or so years.

I've used my training in real situations (not school altercations) two or three times.

One was when some dude in a K-Mart parking lot tried to stab me. He'd been walking around the parking lot all day muttering and talking (I was a 3000 - K-Mart *****, so I ran carts, carried stuff for customers, cleaned the parking lot, stocked, checked out, everything - usually in 8-12 shifts). Anyway, it's about 10:15, I'm walking to my truck. He walks up to me, gets about 3 or 4 feet away, and thrusts out with a knife and yells "huuuh!" or somesuch. So, I used one of my styles basic striking/grappling techniques which involved stepping forward and 45, inside-contacting the attacking arm with my lead hand, grabbing with rear hand, and I added a kick into the back of the knee.

At some point I was holding the knife. At some point I lost it

I got to my truck, drove away. Realised soon that I had pee'd on myself.

Another time in the K-Mart parking lot, drunk customer gets out of truck after the rain because I almost hit his truck with a rogue row of carts - 14 all told. He swings, I parry and swing his arm, he trips and falls. Gets up, tells me I'm lucky it was raining, gets in vehicle, drives off.

I do not wet or soil myself.

See, karate is teh deadly.

[unkokusai]

I got to my truck, drove away. Realised soon that I had pee'd on myself.
.


Do you practice that part in the dojo? :eek:

[Rand]

Vash,

The reaction to the encounter was a fairly common physical experience. It falls into the study of Body Alarm Reaction (BAR for short). These are predictable physical reactions to stress..... like a street fight. There are a number of reactions that happen to us on a subconscious level during any stress inducing event.

Here is a link to one of my articles on BAR.... if you are interested.
http://www.combatkyusho.com/articles/BAR1.htm

Yours in the arts,
Rand Cardwell

[SIFU WILSON]

When you speak of street fighters there aren't any today. They were around in the usa from 1920's to 70's and those guys were really tough. They were extemely hard to fight against. ever heard of the mexican zuit suit's ? switch blade knifes ?
chains ? zip guns ? Kung Fu certainly would help if you were being trained to fight properly.

street fighters from those days were not afraid of anything, neither were bikers. They would beat most of todays Martial Artist in a real fight in my opion. Today these guys just shoot you, they are not fighters today, they are cowards.

[Natus Denuo]

I really doubt that any of the BS about the big bad 'street fightz0rz' is true. I've been in around...50 or so fights (yes, I started counting after a while because I found it amusing how many people in this area liked to try to attack me) with these so-called street supermen, and haven't found anything remotely convincing of their 'unbeatable toughness'.

I mean, so what if they're angry and are focusing on destroying you? I've seen people fight like that against my sifu, against me, against other people on the mat and on the street, and every time they just make a fool of themselves. If you run charging in, trying to tear someone limb from limb who knows how to deal with you with ease, chances are you're going to have your ass handed to you.

I haven't seen anything braggable about any of these people, unless you consider having no skill a braggable asset.

As to the original poster's question, I think it really depends on you. If you're willing to put in the effort, then I think anything short of crappy McDojos and TKD (the two almost always co-inside, but meh) will be helpful to you.