If someone starts acting hostile towards you, ALWAYS throw the first punch and ask questions later. A lot of people think it's legally smarter to wait for the other person to swing first, but in most jurisdictions just the threat of violence is considered assault and that's grounds to defend yourself. Opt for a quick punch in the nose as your opener vs. a huge haymaker.
Keep your hands up at all times to protect yourself if it turns into an actual fight.
If you are outnumbered, you should be running and not fighting. Same goes for if your opponent has any sort of weapon.
If you are in a fight and someone grabs you around the waist, make yourself dead weight immediately because unless they are a wrestler or know BJJ (in which case you are megafucked regardless) they will try to slam you. Even better, don't give them a chance to grab you around the waist.
Overall, everyone should get some kind of fight training if they can afford it. Gyms will be filled with chuds but you don't have to be friends with them and you can leave at any time. Even a couple of months of BJJ or Muay Thai will give you a huge advantage if you ever find yourself in a real situation.
This is very important. In many jurisdictions things are not that clear cut. In many cases it is up to a rather subjective assessment. Threats alone might justify physical self-defence but the severity or credibility of the threats can influence that. Your options for self-defence can also enter into the assessment. Not all places have "castle doctrine" or "stay your ground" principles and will not allow you to do physical self-defence if you have the option of running away.
Stay safe out there. From the Nazis and from their friends in uniform.
Overall, everyone should get some kind of fight training if they can afford it
i always recommend boxing myself
quick to learn, striking beats grappling in most street fights, boxing gyms are everywhere, and it's usually on the cheaper end
Probably less than Muay Thai, more than BJJ. But I agree that striking is going to be safer than grappling in any non-organized fight. You don't want to take it to the ground if there's any sort of risk that somebody might jump in. Sparring in a controlled environment with gloves and headgear on is going to be very safe in general.
Good quality OC/pepper spray is even better, if you are allowed to carry that. You get 10 feet of effective range instead of getting in punching distance. It's worked for me in a real situation.
One good strategy for keeping your hands ready is to keep them up but hands open, palms facing the opponent. This looks more like you are trying to calm the situation rather than squaring up, avoiding unnecessary provocation and keeping at least some element of surprise. The most important part is situational awareness, always assume there's another attacker coming and be ready to escape.
If someone starts acting hostile towards you, ALWAYS throw the first punch and ask questions later. A lot of people think it's legally smarter to wait for the other person to swing first, but in most jurisdictions just the threat of violence is considered assault and that's grounds to defend yourself. Opt for a quick punch in the nose as your opener vs. a huge haymaker.
Keep your hands up at all times to protect yourself if it turns into an actual fight.
If you are outnumbered, you should be running and not fighting. Same goes for if your opponent has any sort of weapon.
If you are in a fight and someone grabs you around the waist, make yourself dead weight immediately because unless they are a wrestler or know BJJ (in which case you are megafucked regardless) they will try to slam you. Even better, don't give them a chance to grab you around the waist.
Overall, everyone should get some kind of fight training if they can afford it. Gyms will be filled with chuds but you don't have to be friends with them and you can leave at any time. Even a couple of months of BJJ or Muay Thai will give you a huge advantage if you ever find yourself in a real situation.
Remember comrades, Assault is the "threat" of violence, Battery is actual physical violence.
Somebody shouts about how they are going to hit, hurt, chase, shoot and or kill you? That's assault.
The battery doesn't start until after the beating, shooting, killing begins.
that's a somewhat common distinction but specific terms do vary by jurisdiction. talk to your lawyer if it's gonna matter
This is very important. In many jurisdictions things are not that clear cut. In many cases it is up to a rather subjective assessment. Threats alone might justify physical self-defence but the severity or credibility of the threats can influence that. Your options for self-defence can also enter into the assessment. Not all places have "castle doctrine" or "stay your ground" principles and will not allow you to do physical self-defence if you have the option of running away.
Stay safe out there. From the Nazis and from their friends in uniform.
i always recommend boxing myself
quick to learn, striking beats grappling in most street fights, boxing gyms are everywhere, and it's usually on the cheaper end
how much will you get hurt in boxing if you're a beginner?
Probably less than Muay Thai, more than BJJ. But I agree that striking is going to be safer than grappling in any non-organized fight. You don't want to take it to the ground if there's any sort of risk that somebody might jump in. Sparring in a controlled environment with gloves and headgear on is going to be very safe in general.
Good quality OC/pepper spray is even better, if you are allowed to carry that. You get 10 feet of effective range instead of getting in punching distance. It's worked for me in a real situation.
And if somebody half turns away from you, balls their fist, and slightly bends their elbow; you're about to get sucker punched.
One good strategy for keeping your hands ready is to keep them up but hands open, palms facing the opponent. This looks more like you are trying to calm the situation rather than squaring up, avoiding unnecessary provocation and keeping at least some element of surprise. The most important part is situational awareness, always assume there's another attacker coming and be ready to escape.