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Street Fighting - First-Punch Tactic

Author: Keith Pascal
Date Posted: December 16, 2007

Hit First In a Street Fight?

You are on the street, maybe walking out to your car after eating out. Your martial awareness clues you that all is not right. You notice a big, mean-looking guy about 40 feet away. What's more important is that you realize, he has noticed you.

Before you can escape, the aggressor has closed the distance. You are going to have to defend yourself. No question about it.

In a second or two, he's in fighting range. Now what?

If he's in fighting range, and you know for sure that you can't escape, then you are going to have to make a decision -- will you be the first to hit?

From a legal standpoint, if you hit first, then you are the aggressor, even if you felt that you had to defend yourself. And if there are witnesses, then they will be more than willing to report who took the first swing.

This is why some martial arts experts advise letting the other guy swing first, as you scream, "Please don't hit me!"

Then you "defend yourself."

By the way, allowing your attacker to swing first, doesn't mean you have to allow yourself to be hurt ... or even clobbered. It means making sure that witnesses see that you have to defend yourself, to escape unharmed.

Street Fighting Multiple Attackers

I think it's much more dangerous to allow someone to even take a swing at you, when you are dealing with multiple attackers. Allowing one of the attackers to attack could put you at a distinct disadvantage.

In fact, if I can, I want to add an element of surprise, if I have to take on more than one assailant.

If you absolutely can't escape, and there several attackers, then you should consider a way to take the first attacker out with one hit, even before the others know the counterattack is underway.

I may look toward one attacker, as I punch or kick another.

One of the reasons I am willing to take an early-punch risk with multiple attackers, is that I feel a judge may look favorably on me having to be the one guy against several ... as long as there are third-party witnesses. You don't want some of the attackers to testify against you.

If this situation ever were to occur, then you'd need some impartial bystanders.

You have to make quick decisions like these when you find yourself in a potential street fighting situation. You have to be ready...

About The Author

In a street fight, would you be ready for anything? Read my new, Free ebooklet: Ready for Anyone and Anything.

Here's another martial-arts article that might interest you.... Martial Arts Solo Training

Here's a site about punching harder and faster ... Free Punch ebook.

Keith Pascal has been a full-time martial-arts author for eight years and a martial-arts teacher for 25 years.

Article Source: JKD Street Combat - online collection of Self-Defense articles.

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