When two tigers fight, one is certain to be maimed, and one to die - Gichin Funakoshi
The tempo and rhythm of a street fight doesn’t really match any combat sport we have in the civilised world not even mma in the cage.
Strategies, tactics and rhythm are all different on the street this could be because people get angry and upset and start doing before thinking, usually one will be the agressor and the other caught by suprise, or both will be willing to have a dip.
"Anger is a form of short madness." Horace
The calm and calculated execution of technique may desert you in a street fight, no matter what art you practice and then there is the adrenal dump to consider.
Sometimes there is no time for distance and timing, or to wear the other guy down by working on one area is not an option.
In the ring or on the mat in sports competition both combatants are following certain procedures and protocol, even though both street fighting and combat sports use punching ,striking and kicking to hurt and down your opponent the objective of a match and that found in a street fight are not the same.
Not forgetting that you are not on a smooth matted area and there is no referee there to call stop when someone gets seriously injured.
In a street fight there is no feeling out process and generally every punch or kick is thrown with the intention of finishing the confrontation there and then.
Usually in a street fight the first person to get a good strike in to a vital point like the chin, temple or solar plexus will end up winning the confrontation.
Street fighting has no rules and there is always the bag of dirty tricks that apply in street fights and even hidden weapons that might suddenly appear in your guts before you have had time to spot them.
There is always the chance that you may also be attacked from the flanks or from behind by the aggressor’s friends.
While martial arts and combat sports do give you certain abilities to cope with street attacks they don’t guarantee you anything.
Every martial art or combat sport from boxing to mma to karate to muay thai would also need to be modified in a street encounter, not only techniques but strategy and tactics.
So while we do train for health self defence and fitness, street fighting and sports fighting are two very different things that can both change your life forever.
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