Why do you like fighting?

[Dylan9d]

When you say aware.. could you explain please in what way you mean that to be aware? Thank you

Maybe a bit offtopic and no weird intentions involved, BUT you are very pretty....... just saying.

Ontopic, I don't like fighting

 

[Langenschwert]

I like this quote from Madmonk on MAP:

"To be a martial artist you don't have to just be a fighter, but you have to at least be a fighter"

It's important to try out your stuff if you want to be assured of your own competency. Outside of "real" encounters (which are to be avoided), the only way to do it is to fight your training partners in varying formats. It also provides an inoculation to violence in a way that no other training can.

So I like to fight because it points out flaws in my abilities and will hopefully prepare me somewhat for a real encounter should one happen. I also like it because it's fun! Actually, mostly because it's fun. The chances of needing to use my training for real are infinitesimally small.

It's a win-win. The next best thing to pulling off a perfect technique is being on the receiving end of it!

 

[Dylan9d]

I like this quote from Madmonk on MAP:

"To be a martial artist you don't have to just be a fighter, but you have to at least be a fighter"

It's important to try out your stuff if you want to be assured of your own competency. Outside of "real" encounters (which are to be avoided), the only way to do it is to fight your training partners in varying formats. It also provides an inoculation to violence in a way that no other training can.

So I like to fight because it points out flaws in my abilities and will hopefully prepare me somewhat for a real encounter should one happen. I also like it because it's fun! Actually, mostly because it's fun. The chances of needing to use my training for real are infinitesimally small.

It's a win-win. The next best thing to pulling off a perfect technique is being on the receiving end of it!

So you are actually saying you like to spar.......because there is a distinct difference between sparring and fighting.....

I like sparring too...

 

[Langenschwert]

So you are actually saying you like to spar.......because there is a distinct difference between sparring and fighting.....

I like sparring too...

Within civilian confines, that's all that's legal. Besides, going out and getting into real fights is not only illegal, but stupid. I have no intention of joining the military or police at my age, so there you go.

By that rationale, nothing short of some kind of lethal combat is "fighting". It's a slippery slope. Where is the line between fighting and sparring? Isn't sparring a form of controlled fighting? Is an MMA match a fight, but a Judo match not? Neither one has lethal intent, only to win a sporting contest. Both are plenty rough, and can result in injuries far worse than a barroom scuffle. Just curious as to where you draw the line.

 

[Ironbear24]

Within civilian confines, that's all that's legal. Besides, going out and getting into real fights is not only illegal, but stupid. I have no intention of joining the military or police at my age, so there you go.

By that rationale, nothing short of some kind of lethal combat is "fighting". It's a slippery slope. Where is the line between fighting and sparring? Isn't sparring a form of controlled fighting? Is an MMA match a fight, but a Judo match not? Neither one has lethal intent, only to win a sporting contest. Both are plenty rough, and can result in injuries far worse than a barroom scuffle. Just curious as to where you draw the line.

When we spar we are supposed to not harm eachother too much. When we fight we are intending to do harm.

 

[Millennial Martial Artist]

Well, fighting will most likely cause that adrenaline rush in a person. I guess how their body interprets that rush, as a thought of "awesome! Go wild with it!" or "on no, somethings wrong, panic!" will determine more if they like fighting or not.
I personally can't say either way, In my 10 years of martial arts training, I've never been in a real fight... I've had a couple of instances, but chose to talk the situation down and avoid letting it become physical.

 

[Jenna]

but chose to talk the situation down and avoid letting it become physical.

Dumb question maybe.. common sense question perhaps and but why did you choose this?

 

[Martial_Kumite]

By that rationale, nothing short of some kind of lethal combat is "fighting". It's a slippery slope. Where is the line between fighting and sparring? Isn't sparring a form of controlled fighting? Is an MMA match a fight, but a Judo match not? Neither one has lethal intent, only to win a sporting contest. Both are plenty rough, and can result in injuries far worse than a barroom scuffle. Just curious as to where you draw the line.

The way that I see it, is that it depends on the other person (opponent) whether it is a "fight" or a "match". Now, I am not talking about letting them decide whether you should fight, or try to talk down the situation. I am talking about the intent of actions, ad the go through of those actions. So to this extent, I agree with you. But some people just thrive in a good match with someone else.
A personal example of this is the time I went to a church camp for the fall break. Ther was this big.....bubble made of thick fabric that acted like a trampoline. One of my friends on the trip had a wrestling background and was trying to convince someone to have a quick match with him. There was no "evil" intent, just someone wanting some fun the way he knew how. I ended up volunteering for a match, and he didn't want to have a match with me because he knew I had an MA background. I ended up having a match with the other friend that was looking for some fun as well, and we knew each other. I wonder if the friend who started it would have had a match with me if he knew that my art had very little grappling training.

Moral of this story is, the difference between a "fight" and a "match" (at leat how I see it) depends on the intent of your opponent and yourself. As can be seen by the verse views discussed on this thread.

 

[drop bear]

Fight with bad intentions is the advice we send our guys into competition with.

That and go to the toilet before you get your gloves signed.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Fight with bad intentions is the advice we send our guys into competition with.

That and go to the toilet before you get your gloves signed.

Both of those are good reasons for me not to compete.

 

[Millennial Martial Artist]

Dumb question maybe.. common sense question perhaps and but why did you choose this?

No such thing as a dumb questions!
In one situation, I was helping a friend out, and things escalated to a point to where a guy pulled a knife out and threatened me saying I needed to leave. I simply backed away and talked to him. However, someone else stepped in to deflate the situation, or else I would have had to fight most likely. The smartest fights are the ones avoided, because in any real fight, you will get hit, in a knife fight, you will get cut, and in a gun fight, the gun will go off. Always smarter to stay out of harms way and simply walk away if at all possible

 

[Jenna]

No such thing as a dumb questions!
In one situation, I was helping a friend out, and things escalated to a point to where a guy pulled a knife out and threatened me saying I needed to leave. I simply backed away and talked to him. However, someone else stepped in to deflate the situation, or else I would have had to fight most likely. The smartest fights are the ones avoided, because in any real fight, you will get hit, in a knife fight, you will get cut, and in a gun fight, the gun will go off. Always smarter to stay out of harms way and simply walk away if at all possible

Thank you for your courteous reply. If it is ok I should like to ask another question please.. so like some one else interceded and there was no fight which is proof the fight was avoidable. Knowing that now, how would you view your self had you chosen to fight in that situation? Hope that is not too convoluted a question.. Thank you.

 

[Tames D]

Maybe a bit offtopic and no weird intentions involved, BUT you are very pretty....... just saying.

Them thars fightin words

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Them thars fightin words

Spoken like someone from my my neck of the woods, TD.

 

[Ben S]

I'm going to separate my answer into controlled fights (i.e. sparring) and uncontrolled ("real" fights). I personally enjoy controlled fights because I like being able to test my skills against an opponent and see the efforts of my training. As for uncontrolled fights, the only thing I feel while I'm fighting is the adrenaline rush, but then when the fight is over, I feel afraid. I am afraid not only of the strength of my opponents, but my own strength too. Even though I'm not the strongest guy around I know that I could seriously injure or even kill someone if I'm not careful, and that scares me more than anything else. I could never forgive myself if that happened, which is why I'm fearful of uncontrolled fights.

I agree completely with this - I haven't been in a real fight since I was 15 and I'm now 63 yrs old. As a martial artist of 35 years, I greatly enjoy controlled fighting or what I learned as 'temple fighting' because it's the only 'non-malicious' measure and exchange of skills between martial artists available to most of us. Even MMA fighters, who engage in brutal fighting, often hug each other after their fight - I like that respect and regard for the opponent. I don't crave a scenario where I'd be in the position of having to injure someone or being injured in a real fight.

 

[Jenna]

I don't crave a scenario where I'd be in the position of having to injure someone or being injured in a real fight.

Would either feel worse, injuring some one or injuring your self??

Also, can you specify what it is that makes you not crave that scenario? Is it a compassion for all humanity? Is it fear of consequences, physical or emotional? Do you know?

Thank you

 

[Ben S]

Actually, I would probably feel worse injuring someone else - I'm non-violent and compassionate by nature, though I like the 'spirit' of fighting in the martial arts sense - the expression of it - it's my form of dance I suppose. I wouldn't crave the scenario because someone would get hurt - just not my nature to want that.

 

[Ben S]

Unfortunately, growing up in bad neighborhoods and living pretty much below the poverty level may be the reasons why I have been in more fights than I can possibly count. The reason WHY I fought in those situations was pretty simple....to establish my place in the hierarchy of the streets. Plain and Simple. I fought to protect myself from the neighborhood bullies and (in some cases) to remind others where their place is compared to mine. It is my personal assumption that this is the number one reason kids, preteens, teens and young adults fight in the schoolyard and backyard.

I used to enjoy point competition as a teen and young adult in my early 20s because I was good at it, it was fun and I won way more times than I have lost. For me, personally, it was not so much the thrill of victory or even the thrill of combat. To me it was the feeling, I would even say elation, of accomplishment. Possibly somewhere in the back of my mind I may have also enjoyed the narcissistic belief that I proved that I was better than someone else; meaning the people I defeated in point competition.

Now, as an adult in my mid 40s this may shock alot of people to say that I LOVE Martial Arts but I ABSOLUTELY HATE violence!!!! I LOATHE it! Especially senseless unnecessary violence that could have been resolved by more civilized means. It will take a whole lot to get me fired up enough to engage in mortal violence. But if I am pushed that far or if someone is threatening my wife or kids WATCH OUT!! When it comes to certain things that I must protect I can very, very easily turn that switch on and go into that dark place to defend mine. And I'm NOT fighting to hurt you. I embarrassingly admit that I am actually trying to end your existence and take my chances in court.

OP asked the question of WHY some people like fighting. I cannot answer for every human being on earth but I can offer personal observations and pearls of wisdom I was able to pick up in my lifetime. In the uncontrolled arena, some do it for survival while others do it for sociopathic thrills. Some do it to defend themselves and their loved ones against street predators while others do it because they love being street predators. Some do it to have enough while others do it to have it all.

In the controlled arena, some do it for fun while others do it because they feel they have something to prove. Some do it to test themselves and have goals for their training while others just enjoy fighting....just because. Some people enjoy hurting others. Some may even do it because they would love nothing more than to be able to hurt, maim and mortally wound other people without facing legal consequences and some forms of combative competition allow them to do just that.

TO ME, all of these reasons really point to one reason and one reason alone......that human beings are still a violent, primitive, savage and unevolved race of beings that still have such a long way to go. THAT'S WHY WE LIKE FIGHTING!!

My apologies if that answer seemed too personal, judgemental or forthright but that is my personal observation.

Btw, I stopped competing even during my 20s because I eventually had a personal epiphany about competition and came to view competition as more harmful than beneficial.

Take Care Everyone and PLEASE Have A Great Day,
OSU!

As someone who's been in both worlds, your post is very valuable to me and I appreciate the honesty. It seems that there is a common evolution in most martial arts practitioners (if and when they do not actually need to fight to defend life) away from hurting and malice, while retaining a love for the art or mechanics of fighting. It's as if the survival instinct is kept alive in most martial artists, but evolves into the 'art of fighting'. This enables us to work on fighting every day despite the fact that most of us may go years or our whole lives without actually needing to use it.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

to establish my place in the hierarchy of the streets. Plain and Simple. I fought to protect myself from the neighborhood bullies ...

Sometime it's not just "yourself" but the whole neighborhood. I still remember that about one midnight, someone knocked on my window. One of my neighbor's young brother was beaten up and some justice would be required. I jointed in my neighbor group, didn't know whom and how many that I was going to fight against.

Of course I could turn down my neighbor's request. If I did, I would be considered as an outsider after that. Not only I would be looked down by my neighbor, next time when I need help, I won't get any.

 

[Martial_Kumite]

See, I knew people who would constantly pull the " u wanna fight" card every chance they could get. They were mostly chickens and just trying to through their weight around. Every time someone would try to pull that card on me, I would calmly, ask simply ask "When and where?" Then, for some mysterious reason, they had somewhere they had to be or tried to talk out of it.

That was the best part of those fights, to see what kind of people they really were. You can tell a lot about someone when blows are exchanged. It's why I random matches with fellow MA students.