How to assess a fight situation

[yomomma]

Hey guys.
I just wanted to ask you guys what you think about the appropriate response when involved in a fight.
This post will be a little longer, but bare with me.

Asking because yesterday I was out with my friends and a friend of mine hit a glass bottle on the street he didn't notice, and 2 guys were just passing us, and one of them started provoking us.
All but one of my friends just ignored him, and this one friend just provoked him him further until this really big guy started getting aggressive.
We only tried to avoid the fight and even asked his mate to try and stop him but he just seemed to want a fight happening.

I myself judged the situation very differently than what happened.
These 2 guys were both probably 190cm (6' 2.8") and looked really tough and little buffed, I myself think I have a pretty hard punch, but I thought I wouldn't do anything to him if I landed a perfect punch (not that I have any martial arts experience). My immediate reaction was to try and avoid a fight, just because I seriously thought these guys could beat the granny out of a few of us, even with just one successful punch.
He was just pushing my friends out of the way like they didn't weigh much when they tried to calm him down.
In the end this big dude attacked my friend and tried to punch him, but he missed, and my friend who was smaller and definitely not as bulky, just had him on the ground in 1 second and was lying on top of him.

I guess the guy got a little shock because he stopped after that, and we both went our ways.
My friend has no martial arts or "real" street fighting experience, and nor did the other dude I believe.
I have to add that both were a bit drunk, but the big dude did seem to be in good condition to fight.

I'm just wondering, how I can "analyze" my opponent, if I'm forced into a fight? Should I try punching or grappling, and what to do when your opponent is bigger or smaller?
Because I think that punching in this situation wouldn't have done anything to that dude, but maybe I underestimate myself?
I was pretty surprised to see this big guy lying on the ground, not that he really had any winning chance since we were 3x in their numbers but still.

 

[Street_Vato]

Moved to the self Defence Forum.

karateman, please watch the masked profanity.

Thank you.

 

[UofMgirl]

Sorry, I figured they get beeped out anyway.
I'll make sure my next topic goes to the right forum as well.

 

[pianolovermegan1632]

It sounds like your friend was just interviewed for violence by two idiots looking for an excuse to prove to each other how tough they were. The best strategy is probably to help your friend recognize that ego-driven reactions to such situations are merely following the aggressor's intended script. He was essentially giving them exactly what they wanted; an excuse to attempt to harm him. Understanding the social psychology of those encounters will hopefully encourage him to act more thoughtfully in the future. If he chooses not to learn from those lessons, it might be wise for you to avoid that particular friendship.

Size is an advantage in a fight, but determination and training and far better ones. I recommend training hard and remaining cognizant that the law takes a very dim view of those who stand around verbally escalating violence to defend their egos.

 

[JoeyT]

I wont go judging the whole situation you just mentioned, though i don't see anything wrong with the way it went. (No doubt someone will come along and pew pew me )

Anyway on Analyzing an opponent.. what I do.
I check first if they have any signs of recent injury, limp, cast on the hand etc, if its going to get serious these will be the first things I go for. Size up their breathing, if there actually enjoying the situation, is he afraid of you?


Do they want to fight you? If the guy is being forced into , you might well get away with it after some minor posturing.

If hes nervous as .... If he appears very nervous, then grabbing and pushing to the ground might be enough to deal with it.
Whats he wearing? etc etc

The problem with this is its so circumstantial. You ideally want to use the least force necessary to bring it to an end.

The above was all based on street fighting not sparring in a martial art that's different.

Raz

 

[xxtaylor_tragedyxx]

I realize the fight could have been avoided, but what am I supposed to do if I can't escape a fight situation, so when I'm forced in a fight.
Should I try to punch my opponent if he is bigger and bulkier? I mean he looked like he wouldn't care if he got a few punches, what are my options and how can I check how skilled my opponent is?
Are there any certain things to look for when analyzing my opponent, so I know how I can win the fight?

 

[yummymummy]

I think you need to decide now:

What you are prepared to use physical force for.
What you are / are not prepared to do to another person.
What legal/follow through consequences you are prepared to endure post fight.

What your tactics are depend firstly on the level of the threat and secondly on your intent.

If you want to restrain a person (safely) then you need to be clear on
who
how
why
and train appropriately.

If you want to strike someone the you also need to be clear on
who
how
why
and train appropriately.

If the other person is intent on causing harm, unless they are incapacitated by drugs/alcohol then you are likely to need to employ the latter to a degree to employ the former.

 

[ElizabethO]

But you WEREN'T in a situation you couldn't escape. You were in a situation fueled by alcohol, testosterone, and ego. And just because he "looked" like he wouldn't care if he was punched doesn't mean much. That is called posturing. He obviously did care because once your friend got the upper hand, he didn't continue fighting for very much longer.

Nobody here is going to be able to adequately prepare you for self-defense against violence with some secret fight sauce recipe. The best we can do is give you suggestions about finding an appropriate teacher to physically train you and eventually build those skills over a prolonged time frame.

I understand that you were shaken up by the experience and want a new tool to feel secure in your safety again. Well, some nifty strikes and joint locks might seem like the answer here, but they're probably a lot less practical than learning how to avoid situations where potential trouble is probable in addition to learning how to deescalate the monkey dance before it comes to physical responses.

 

[prototype_sev]

I never said we couldn't have avoided the whole situation. I asked because if I ever find myself in such a situation, I'd know how to better defend myself.
Of course, I can't say how I would've reacted if I were in my friends shoes, but by watching over the situation and trying to calm both of them down, I assessed the situation completely wrong. I thought the bulky guy would beat the crap out of my friend and I was just waiting for him to make the first move and sucker punch him, which thankfully never happened.
I haven't had really any experience fighting someone I don't know, so I was just asking how, if I ever find myself in the same situation as my friend, I can estimate my opponent and know what is the best move.
Basically, what other things can I look out for other than "general appearance", like in this situation, he looked tough but wasn't. Could I have "looked through" his appearance?

 

[iluvcountrystuff]

My assessment of the situation is that you should ditch your 'friend' who kept escalating the situation.

You'll find, that if you don't hang around with douchbags, you attract a lot less douchbags to yourself.

 

[TiredOfVikes]

See the problem is when you post something like you did on here your going to get a lot of hate and retrospective advice about what you should of done.
And about the evils of your friends behaviour.

For future reference just ask the bit about analysing an opponent or you will get the lessons, unless you want them that is ^_^




Raz

 

[damncat]

Yeah it seems everyone here is perfect.
I should've just left the fighting bit out of my post, but I was trying to tell what my point was.
My point being I assessed the situation completely wrong, and I want to be able to assess fighting situations much better. Like everything from checking your surroundings, and like someone said if he is limping etc. and target those areas. It seems as though the big mouths are just what they are, big mouths but no balls so to speak? At least from the stories I've read here.

 

[Rookie]

To clarify I wasn;t trashing the advice given by those above, what they are saying is correct but its not what the OP was asking.

jwt's post I think handles most of what you were asking

Raz

 

[NilaS]

If the crux of your question is can I assess and weigh up a potential opponents likely hood to withstand attack or likelyhood of them fighting you cant realy, well not in my experience anyway.
I have come across loads of people who love to work out, look fit, look good, would never dream of hurting anyone.
To some people who are just plain savages when provoked but look a bit ........ whimpy.
So If we want to garuntee making the next club, taxi or kebab shop, we diffuse, if we cant we do the itallian drill.
In transactional analasys, the most basic behavioural model (taught to SIA door and security staff) is a big circle. MY BEHAVIOUR affects YOUR BEHAVIOU affects MY BEHAVIOUR affects YOUR BEHAVIOUR.
example 'WHAT YOU LOOKING AT!!!!!!?????'
' that shirt, where did you get it! do they do a check?'
'oh ah yeah its a joe browns'

 

[Shweepy]

It's called a "bataris box"

 

[autigersfan89]

theres a few models. I have seen it as a square or a circle.
The more advanced have things like calm adult-angry child
where things like someone acting like a tantrum child if for example they think they wont get what they want, can be offset or dialed down with questions like 'so how can we help' and calm body language.
one of the best ones used by door staff, is the sympathy/understanding/taxis on its way one.
as in blokes just been in an argument, sympathys with him, dont agree, but 'yeah mate, sucks that does, I can see why ya angry, come on lets get some air fella, wanna fag? taxis there. see ya next tuesday'