strike first

[bodhitree]

I for a long time have been of the view that it is better (legally, morally, and otherwise) that it would be better to counter and not throw the first attack in any situation. However now my opinion has changed. I do believe it is possible to retaliate/defend successfully. I do think though that if a situation is escalating and I take controll with the first violent action, it would be much more advantagous till the end of the situation. I know legally this is not the right perspective, but what thoughts do you all have a martial artists?

[Samurai Jack]

One of the nice things about taking the initiative is that you get to determine the level of force you use if you prempt his attack. On the other hand if you wait you put yourself at risk, and you must then match or exceed the level of force he uses against you. Alot of "punch him first" guys miss this point.

For example, if your would be assailant is "barking" at you, and wears a knife on his hip, why wait for him to pull the knife? Also, why punch him in the face? To do so does nothing to negate the threat of him using his knife, unless you're lucky and you knock him out. Instead you could simply apply a leverage or Chin-Na technique, gain control of his center (and his weapon), and peacfully defuse the situation. Your objective is met, everyone is kept safe, and nobody can hold you legally liable because no one's been hurt.

Same goes for a punch scenario. A couple of days ago a large mentally ill client of mine (we'll call him Joe) told me he was "going to knock my teeth out." I didn't wait for him to do it, I just applied a thumb lock before he'd completed his sentence, and said "I don't want to get hurt, Joe. Please sit down. I'll leave you alone and we can talk this out tommorow when we've both calmed down."

Joe has injured a few of our staff in the past, and he's never cooperated with a directive like this before. I expected Joe to struggle, but I had his center and was prepared to take him into a prone restraint. This time Joe complied, probably because I took ownership of my feelings i.e. "I don't want to get hurt... we can talk...when we've both calmed down", and I allowed him to save face by acknowledging his threat i.e. "I don't want to get hurt, Joe." I also gave myself a legal out by making it clear to all of the witnesses that I put Joe in a thumb-lock because I feared for my safety.

At any rate, the point is that you can use a premptive movement safely and humanely. You don't have to be a sociopathic "karate-killer" to keep yourself safe. You just need skill. That comes with practice.

[MaxwellUppercut]

Well for me it depends on the situation, on the street or in a bar where no one knows me, as soon as someone acts aggressively towards me i feel i am within my rights to take them down as quickly as possible and i will ALWAYS try and strike first, because really sometimes you dont even see the punch, you just wake up on the floor, if your lucky enough that the guy dosent start stomping you while your unconcious. But if i was in the work place or some where where everyone knows me, i would be very careful how i acted, its not really worth getting the first strike in in that situation, although if someone made a verbal threat towards me and i thought they were a dangerous person i would probably strike first, i dont think its a particully smart way to behave in that situation, unfortunately its just my nature.