One bit of advice I always disliked when hearing from self-defense instructors is to run away at the first sign of trouble.

[Mallic]

And this isn't because it's a bad suggestion or because you should fight to prove something. Let's get this out of the way, if you can avoid confrontation do so, if you can deescalate the situation do so. My beef is if your first instinct is to run at the first sign of trouble, then why are you bothering to learn martial arts in the first place? Also let's think about this for a second, you are confronted by someone who clearly means you harm, has no intention of backing down or walking away, and you decide that the best course of action is to show them your back?

Because unless you are absolutely confident in your ability to outrun your attacker, all that's going to happen is he's going to get on top of you and have their way with you. Assuming they don't just ambush you, my suggestion is to intimidate them to the point where they are convinced trying to confront you aren't worth the hassle or find something to put in between you and them before making your escape, be it a trashcan between you and them or just knocking them down to buy a few precious seconds.

And while I know I'm probably going to get flack for this for not supporting the idea of just immediately running away, I feel confident saying this because this is the exact same advice that they give you if you're ever confronted by a mountain lion. "NEVER turn your back on a puma" Again I'm not saying you shouldn't try to get away, it isn't a fight to the death or anything, if you can knock them out or throw them off balance long enough to get away, that's a victory. But telling someone to just immediately start running at the first sign of danger just seems like a really easy way to get someone hurt or worse.

And again, if you're THAT confident in your ability to run away from an attacker, why not just take up track and field?

 

[Hot Lunch]

And this is where Bruce Lee's saying "Absorb what is useful, discard what is not" applies. I'm a damn good distance runner (useless in a self-defense scenario), but a horrible sprinter (and that's a problem). So if someone tells me to run first, I'm letting that go in one ear and out the other.

By the way, even if you are a good runner, consider the situation. Is the aggressor someone that you know personally? Someone that you run into frequently? Because in that case, you can't run forever. Calling the police may be a solution in this scenario, but in some cases may cause you more trouble if you both have mutual acquaintances that don't take kindly to that.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

If you run the 1st time, you will run the 2nd time, and you will run for the rest of your life.

I always told my son to stand on his ground and fight back. He had his first fight when he was in junior high. I was so happy that day. I told him that I had my first fight when I was in my 1st grade.

When my MA teacher said, "I'll beat you up if you get into a fight without good reason. I 'll also beat you up if you run away from a fight when you have a good reason to fight."

I like to pass down what he had said to the future generation.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

you can't run forever.

Run, and you will live. At least awhile. And dying from your bed many years from now. ...

 

[Badhabits]

You could make a good argument that training to run fast and far would be a better self defense strategy than standing to fight. If the main priority of self defense is to avoid harm.
If my wife asked me to teach her a little self defense pretty much everything we'd work on would be geared towards facilitating escape/running away. Of course if you're needing to save face, reputation etc it'd be a different story. But then avoiding harm isn't exactly the top priority there. I also think there's people that need to be told running away can be a smart option. Specifically people who's first instinct is to not run away. Or their ego makes it hard for them to run away.
Fist fighting in a social system I can understand needing to stand and fight. Or defending other people.
But to me, thinking of self defense I'm thinking the last thing I want to do is actually have to fight it out with somebody. And possibly get injured and can't work/pay my bills.

 

[JowGaWolf]

And again, if you're THAT confident in your ability to run away from an attacker, why not just take up track and field?

Hey. I ran track and it was always a skill that I cherished. Your boys want to gang up on me? Then you better be faster than me for the first 100 yards like.

As a teen that was always a plus even if ther is one person in the group that could run faster than me. The one thing I knew was that after 100 yards someone was going to be tired and it wasn't going to be me lol.

Follow nature. Animals that can run or flee from danger do. Those who can't use other methods. The older we get the less running becomes and option.

Preditors hunt the old, the young, and the weak and the slow. We all fit in one of those categories.

 

[gyoja]

Hey. I ran track and it was always a skill that I cherished. Your boys want to gang up on me? Then you better be faster than me for the first 100 yards like.

As a teen that was always a plus even if ther is one person in the group that could run faster than me. The one thing I knew was that after 100 yards someone was going to be tired and it wasn't going to be me lol.

Follow nature. Animals that can run or flee from danger do. Those who can't use other methods. The older we get the less running becomes and option.

Preditors hunt the old, the young, and the weak and the slow. We all fit in one of those categories.

Predator? 😁

 

[Mallic]

Hey. I ran track and it was always a skill that I cherished. Your boys want to gang up on me? Then you better be faster than me for the first 100 yards like.

As a teen that was always a plus even if ther is one person in the group that could run faster than me. The one thing I knew was that after 100 yards someone was going to be tired and it wasn't going to be me lol.

Follow nature. Animals that can run or flee from danger do. Those who can't use other methods. The older we get the less running becomes and option.

Preditors hunt the old, the young, and the weak and the slow. We all fit in one of those categories.

Exactly, me I have an old leg injury, never fully recovered. Works fine enough, i can walk on it and go about my day but put too much pressure and it starts to hurt. I'm also kind of a big boy. Simply put, I don't have the luxury of being able to just hit the jets and get to steppin on a whim.

 

[JowGaWolf]

Predator? 😁

Lol. At one time I would have qualified. Now I have some age on me , sprinting 100 yards just makes me feel like I'm going to be really tired. Not as strong as I used to be so I'm trying to be more like a rhino these days. Trying to look like more trouble to deal with than it's worth. Lol

Oh I spend alot of effort to avoid the hunting grounds aka. Not hang out in the streets lol. There used to be a time where I knew I could catch a purse snatcher. Now. Yeah that purse is gone lol. I'm not even getting out of the starting blocks. That type of speed is for emergency only lol

 

[Hot Lunch]

You could make a good argument that training to run fast and far would be a better self defense strategy than standing to fight. If the main priority of self defense is to avoid harm.
If my wife asked me to teach her a little self defense pretty much everything we'd work on would be geared towards facilitating escape/running away. Of course if you're needing to save face, reputation etc it'd be a different story. But then avoiding harm isn't exactly the top priority there. I also think there's people that need to be told running away can be a smart option. Specifically people who's first instinct is to not run away. Or their ego makes it hard for them to run away.
Fist fighting in a social system I can understand needing to stand and fight. Or defending other people.
But to me, thinking of self defense I'm thinking the last thing I want to do is actually have to fight it out with somebody. And possibly get injured and can't work/pay my bills.

I don't think it's fair to dismiss it as "ego." Generally speaking, running is what people do when they're intimidated. Letting an attacker know that you're scared of them, or allowing them to think you are, I don't think is a smart move.

 

[Mallic]

I don't think it's fair to dismiss it as "ego." Generally speaking, running is what people do when they're intimidated. Letting an attacker know that you're scared of them, or allowing them to think you are, I don't think is a smart move.

Right thats the other thing, as animalistic as it is, running away shows weakness.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I don't think it's fair to dismiss it as "ego."

To stand on your ground and fight for what you truly believe has nothing to do with "ego".

 

[JowGaWolf]

Predator? 😁

Funny thing. My cousin and I went to the same college. We agree to meet up on campus at night. So I had a black coat I was fond of. Instead of walking in the light where I could be seen I walked in the shadows for comfort " to see but not being seen" when I saw my cousin I slowly merged into the light. Which made it look light I was targeting him lol. I didn't think about it but it it scared the crap out of him lol.

He said he couldn't tell it was me and he thought I was someone who was trying to mug him. I laughed and told him that if I was I would have stayed in the shadows until the Las moment not come into the light 20 yards out lol.

I can't remember the last time I felt comfort in those shadows. it must mean I've gotten smarter in my age.

 

[gyoja]

Someone

Funny thing. My cousin and I went to the same college. We agree to meet up on campus at night. So I had a black coat I was fond of. Instead of walking in the light where I could be seen I walked in the shadows for comfort " to see but not being seen" when I saw my cousin I slowly merged into the light. Which made it look light I was targeting him lol. I didn't think about it but it it scared the crap out of him lol.

He said he could tell it was me and he thought I was someone who was trying to mug him. I laughed and told him that if I was I would have stayed in the shadows until the Las moment not come into the light 20 yards out lol.

I can't remember the last time I felt comfort in those shadows. it must mean I've gotten smarter in my age.

Wisdom my friend!

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

I think you're misunderstanding the instructors if you're thinking they say run away at the first sign of trouble. Generally what is said, is that running away is a better option than fighting. And if you were to discuss with most instructors, I'd put money down that when it came down to it, they'd say situational awareness and de-escalation are the biggest, then run away if that seems like it'll be effective and safe (ie: if you're not fast, surrounded, or they have a gun, don't run) and keep fighting as a last resort. All of which I'd personally agree with.

That requires having actual conversations with them though, not just watching youtube videos where they simplify everything and can't respond to feedback/questions.

As a side note, regarding the mountain lion, that goes back to the 'running won't be effective' argument since you're pretty much guaranteed to be slower than a mountain lion. They run at 40 mph and use jumping to ambush, so unless you're usain bolt and facing a sick mountain lion, you run away and they'll catch up to you pretty easy. That's not true for people unless they've got some long-ranged weapon (ie: a gun).

 

[gyoja]

As a side note, regarding the mountain lion, that goes back to the 'running won't be effective' argument since you're pretty much guaranteed to be slower than a mountain lion. They run at 40 mph and use jumping to ambush, so unless you're usain bolt and facing a sick mountain lion, you run away and they'll catch up to you pretty easy. That's not true for people unless they've got some long-ranged weapon (ie: a gun).

My grandmother told us to throw off your clothes as you run, so the panther (mountain lions around these parts) will stop and smell them. She would tell us that we may get home naked, but at least we would be alive! 😂

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

My grandmother told us to throw off your clothes as you run, so the panther (mountain lions around these parts) will stop and smell them. She would tell us that we may get home naked, but at least we would be alive! 😂

One of my dad's cousins is an avid hiker, and runner, and survived/won a scrap with a mountain lion years ago. At some point I should ask him how he did it.

 

[Buka]

Running’s an option. But it might depend on where you’re running to. And how well you run.

If you’re not a skilled runner and he gives chase, now you’re tired and more than likely screwed.

Or you could be playing possum. Running to where there’s no cameras and no exit for him.

And there’s the company factor. If you’re with someone else everything changes.

I’ve run before. Too old to run now. I’ve chased before. I hated chasing people as a cop, we carried too much gear to run like we wanted to.

A buddy of mine got chased by three desperados. And he could run like a rabbit. He ran right to us. There was a whole gang of us. Half of us were cops. All of us were armed. It was pretty funny.

 

[Buka]

Run, and you will live. At least awhile. And dying from your bed many years from now. ...

What a great scene. What a great speech.
Bravo.

 

[_Simon_]

I don't usually run, I have powers. So I usually fly straight upwards. They *usually don't follow which is good.


*USUALLY. There was that one time and boooy howdy hooowheee......