-Not to sound all Fight Club, but I truly believe that everyone should get into a brawl. Whether it is in the street or sanctioned and controlled in a gymnasium; a brawl will give you some insight into who you are.
-Not too long ago, I was sparring with a kid who was fifteen years my junior. Dude made me realize that my current fighting style was on some Commodore 64 shit. Way outdated. -This kid was faster than me—and I’m really fast—and he was stronger than me—and I’m very strong—but he was just handing me my ass.
-While trying to defend against his rain of punches, kicks and elbows, a dilemma presented itself: Do I continue to allow this dude to whoop on me or do I alter my current combat strategy?
-By allowing him to continue taking me apart, I would have to concede defeat. I would have to acknowledge that my nearly thirty-five-year-old body had physically peaked a while back and my effectiveness as a fighter—while still formidable—was being usurped by the younger, fitter, faster, 21st century fighter.
-But if I changed my strategy, mid-fight, I may be able to disorient him, give myself some breathing room and, quite possibly, counter him and swing the fight in my direction.
-My ego is far too big for capitulation, so I switched approaches. While I am a powerful striker, I excel in the trapping and grappling ranges.
-Every time he threw a strike, I’d let him complete the full motion, but I’d either be in too close or too far away for it to do any damage. Once I gauged his fighting pattern, I’d slide into my comfort zone and either tried to clench with him or trap him up so badly that he’d get frustrated and break away.
-After this set of techniques seemed to wear him down, I pulled more from my toolbox. I growled at him, barked, feinted, spoke poorly about his mother, did everything I could to freak him out, get him angry and off his game.
-After two more rounds of my all out, albeit unorthodox assault, he slipped up. He overcommitted to a punch and threw himself off balance, making himself vulnerable to a choke. Slamming him to the ground, I maintained my choke until he eventually tapped out.
-Yeah. He was pissed.
-He questioned my tactics and intent, but he was too much of a gentleman to call me a cheater outright.
-Playing the role of the wise old sage, I asked him how could any violent encounter be fair.
-That stopped him, for a bit.
-We spoke for a while longer and we discovered that our reasons for fighting were different. He trained in hopes of making it big in either the UFC or IFL. I was training for the streets—for combat. Real-world self-defense.
-Congratulating each other on our fight (these UFC-type guys are probably the most respectful people I have ever met) we went our separate ways, both having learned some valuable lessons.
-This may seem a bit contradictory but I not a violent guy, nor do I believe that violence can solve things. However, I do believe in defending me and mine and I also feel that everyone should have some type of self-defense knowledge.
-As sad as it is, our world can be a dangerous place and it is best to be prepared.
-So, why do I feel that everyone should get into a brawl? Because when you find out that you can take a hit and are not as fragile as you thought, and that you can strike back with intensity and purpose, it is a liberating feeling.
-I knew that I couldn’t beat the kid, so I was forced to “evolve or perish”. I evolved, switched up my normal paradigm and came out the victor.
-The interior process that I underwent, leading up to my change in methods, is applicable to any other conflict driven situation. If something isn’t working, search yourself for the answers. Most of the solutions to our various problems are within our immediate grasps. I am aware how difficult this may seem, but it is necessary. We spend more time searching our exterior environments for protection and guidance, but we sometimes forget that we are the central focus for most of our problems and we have the ways and means to solve said problems. The solutions reside within us.
-Change or die. Adapt and live.
-Don’t believe me. I’d be more than happy to meet you at the gym.
--Shawn
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