|
|||||||
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|||||||
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|
CANADIAN |
||
|
Multiple Attackers Much has been written on the subject of
multiple attackers. Some of it is good sound advice and some of it is
complete fantasy. The sound advice would consist of learning
to avoid a multiple attacker situation. Should that prove unsuccessful, the
advice would also contain simple methods to allow you to stun and run. The fantasy advice would look something
like a Hollywood movie where you were surrounded by the bad guys and teaching
you how you could knock out the entire group. Sadly many students believe this type of
fantasy. After all, they see it in the movies and if their instructor is also
teaching it to them then it must be possible. They may reason, "Why
would my instructor lie?" The answer to that question is the same
answer that can be given to many things in the martial arts- EGO. It is almost impossible to separate ego
from the martial arts. Learning methods of fighting is like fertilizer for a
persons ego. People like the idea of being tough, of being unbeatable. Some
styles of martial arts actually attract wanna-be tough guys. The behavior of
some in the martial arts is not much different than that of thugs. While I
enjoy watching the NHB’d type of events, I believe that they have probably
done more harm than good, and they help feed the tough guy image. In the case of the martial arts instructor
lying, it’s his ego that cause him to lie. He can’t admit that his
style/system would fail against multiple attackers so he creates a
choreographed series of movements to use against multiple attackers. But the
flaw in this should be obvious- how can you predict the movements of multiple
attackers? The combinations of actions are endless. So what should you do against multiple
attackers? You should look to escape. If you can do so
without physical contact, so much for the better. If you need to make some
physical contact, then "stun and run". Hit the one closest to you,
and if possible push him into the others. Look to buy yourself a little bit
of time, time that you will use for escaping. What if there is no way to escape? I would think that it would be the rare
situation that involved no chance of escape. But people do ask these question
and so here is the answer. Forget all the BS you have come to believe
over the years regarding martial arts. The unarmed fighting arts are not
"battlefield" proven. No nation, no culture, no society has ever
fought wars through the use of unarmed fighting skills. They all used
weapons, and they all looked to develop better and better weapons. You might
then say, "Yes, but what about the Chinese monks who used their kung fu
skills to defeat bandits who might prey upon them during their travels?" My answer to that is- your reading too many
stories and watching too many movies. We have absolutely no proof of any monk
fighting off a bandit or a group of bandits. And even if we did, does that
mean all the monks were successful? I don’t think ancient China did much in
the way of recording crime stats. So what’s my point? My point is- if you
have no means of escape and you are facing multiple attackers, then you
better have a weapon! But what if you don’t have a weapon? I hope we don’t have to keep playing this
"what if" game. So here’s my last answer to your question. Then you
had better fight hard and you had better be able to soak up a lot of
punishment. In fact your odds of surviving probably have more to do with how
much punishment you can absorb than they do with how good your technique is.
If you can’t withstand the punishment you’ll never get a chance to use your
skills. So is it really as bleak as I make it
sound? Yes and no. It is almost impossible to
fully cover the subject of multiple attackers due to the existence of so many
variables. How many are there? 2? 4? 7? Defeating 2 would be far easier than
defeating 7. How determined are they to injure you?
Stopping the attack of 7 attackers only interested in bully you would be far
more possible than stopping 2 attackers determined to stop at nothing in
order to beat you to death. Level of the determination and savagery or
the attackers plays a bigger part than do their numbers. But since you probably won’t be able to
tell their level of commitment, and while 2 uncommitted attackers might be
dealt with rather easily, it would still be best to look to escape from this
situation. I should also add- this philosophy holds
true for single combat as well. A single determined attacker could prove more
dangerous than 3 oafs looking to just put a bit of a scare into you. You fight only because you have no options. Don’t let your ego get the best of you. We
are not still in grade school. Fights among adults in the real world can have
serious consequences. Your goal is to stop the aggression and escape, your
goal is not to teach him/them a lesson, nor is it to save your pride. NHB’d type of events, I believe that they
have probably done more harm than good, and they help feed the tough guy
image. In the case of the martial arts instructor lying, it’s his ego
that cause him to lie. He can’t admit that his style/system would fail
against multiple attackers so he creates a choreographed series of movements
to use against multiple attackers. But the flaw in this should be obvious-
how can you predict the movements of multiple attackers? The combinations of
actions are endless. So what should you do against multiple
attackers? You should look to escape. If you can do so without physical
contact, so much for the better. If you need to make some physical contact,
then "stun and run". Hit the one closest to you, and if possible
push him into the others. Look to buy yourself a little bit of time, time
that you will use for escaping. What if there is no way to escape? I would
think that it would be the rare situation that involved no chance of escape.
But people do ask these question and so here is the answer. Forget all the BS
you have come to believe over the years regarding martial arts. The unarmed
fighting arts are not "battlefield" proven. No nation, no culture,
no society has ever fought wars through the use of unarmed fighting skills.
They all used weapons, and they all looked to develop better and better
weapons. You might then say, "Yes, but what about the Chinese monks who
used their kung fu skills to defeat bandits who might prey upon them during
their travels?" My answer to that is- your reading too many stories and
watching too many movies. We have absolutely no proof of any monk fighting
off a bandit or a group of bandits. And even if we did, does that mean all
the monks were successful? I don’t think ancient China did much in the way of
recording crime stats. So what’s my point? My point is- if you
have no means of escape and you are facing multiple attackers, then you
better have a weapon! But what if you don’t have a weapon? I hope we
don’t have to keep playing this "what if" game. So here’s my last
answer to your question. Then you had better fight hard and you had better be
able to soak up a lot of punishment. In fact your odds of surviving probably
have more to do with how much punishment you can absorb than they do with how
good your technique is. If you can’t withstand the punishment you’ll never
get a chance to use your skills. So is it really as bleak as I make it
sound? Yes and no. It is almost impossible to fully cover the subject
of multiple attackers due to the existence of so many variables. How many are
there? 2? 4? 7? Defeating 2 would be far easier than defeating 7. How
determined are they to injure you? Stopping the attack of 7 attackers only
interested in bully you would be far more possible than stopping 2 attackers
determined to stop at nothing in order to beat you to death. Level of
the determination and savagery or the attackers plays a bigger part than do
their numbers. But since you probably won’t be able to tell their level of
commitment, and while 2 uncommitted attackers might be dealt with rather
easily, it would still be best to look to escape from this situation. I should also add- this philosophy holds true for single combat as well. A single determined attacker could prove more dangerous than 3 oafs looking to just put a bit of a scare into you. You fight only because you have no options. Don’t let your ego get the best of you. We are not still in grade school. Fights among adults in the real world can have serious consequences. Your goal is to stop the aggression and escape, your goal is not to teach him/them a lesson, nor is it to save your pride. |
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
