Of course, it’s always best to avoid getting into a fight whenever possible. Try to get out of the situation to the best of your ability because fighting leads to really bad things: getting hurt, hurting someone else, or even going to jail sometimes.
It’s really not worth it (especially when you’re older), but sometimes things spiral out of control and you need to defend yourself. Maybe it happens at a bar, or maybe you’re accosted by someone when you’re walking home at night.
Whatever the case, it’s always good to have these skills just in case…because you never know…
AskReddit users offered up their advice on how to win a fight.
1. Pay attention to this.
“If they’ve got their hands down, angled slightly and sort of looking away but keeping you in the corner of their eye, they’re lining up for a sucker punch.”
2. Fancy footwork.
“Footwork is important, stand so that a punch won’t knock you over. Don’t lean into a punch. Also know what advantage you have over your opponent.
If he’s bigger than you, try to move to the side or behind him, movings harder for him so make him move. If he’s taller, get in close so his reach advantage is taken away. If he’s Lactose intolerant, throw milk at him.”
3. Stay low.
“If there’s no way to avoid it, try to keep a low center of balance and make sure to keep your feet on the ground.
Don’t kick or anything. Once you lose your balance and you’re on the ground, it’s over.”
4. Good tips.
“Never use haymakers, hooks and football kicks, they’re fucking stupid and will get you beat real fast, the trick is straight punches using your hip to throw your arm a bit more.
Try to get in close so the aforementioned kicks and haymakers wont be able to get enough power in, keep your hands up, if you have to dodge go sideways instead of back so you keep the distance advantage, but either way don’t get in a fight in the first place”
5. No rules.
“Remember there are no rules in a fight.
If you are getting jumped there are no rules, go for the balls, your safety is more important than any stupid rules.”
6. Hands up!
“If you have no fight training, the best stance to block against punches is hands on top of your forehead near your temples so you don’t block your eyesight, elbows out.
Punch coming from the side? Throw that elbow out, they may connect with it and break their hand or at the least deflect the brunt of the attack away from your ear/jaw.
Punch coming from straight ahead, close up those arms. Again, the punch could connect with your elbow, or at the very least, protect your nose/eyes.
Obviously this will only work for a few attacks before they start going for other body parts or kicking, but the point is to defend yourself long enough to get out of the situation. If you have to fight back, this is also a really good stance for landing straight jabs.”
7. Soft spots.
“Go for the sensitive/ soft spots:
Eyes, ears, nose, throat, solarplexus, groin, armpits, and frontal part of the elbow.
Oh, and don’t assume you know how to throw a punch. You’ll get boxer’s fractures.”
8. Be very careful.
“You should never be trying to win a fight outside an organized sport competition. You should be trying to avoid it, and if inevitable, to disengage from it and get to safety.
Voluntarily going into a fight with the intent to “win” is dumb and reckless. It is extremely easy to sustain or cause a lingering injury or death in combat. The kinda guy who seek fights with strangers tend to be armed or have a bunch of friend ready to curb stomp you.
If you want to protect yourself, there is no quick tip. Go get actual training. I guarantee you they will repeat this very advice too.”
9. Get out of there quickly.
“I mean theres all sorts of posts that say for you to avoid the fight altogether, but as some of us know, some guys just dont know when to let it go.
In a situation where a fight is unavoidable, attack first and overwhelm if you can, then GTFO.”
10. Right on target.
“Liver is located on the right side of a person’s body, instant sit down if you hit it right.
Liver shots for days.”
11. From an expert.
“I’m a black belt in BJJ, have several years of judo and Muay Thai experience as well. I’ve taught many self defense classes and women’s self defense seminars.
The best advice I can give you is this: Run. If you can’t run, you have to accept you will get hit and likely injured. Keep as much distance as you can with the intent to separate from your opponent and run. If they get their hands on you, attack as quickly and as violently as you can until you can, you guessed it, run.
There is no winning a street fight. Only who comes out less injured. Barring extreme self defense situations, it’s simply not worth it.”
12. Body shots.
“Punching is for the body, not the head. If you are inexperienced and punch someone in the head, you’re going to break your hand.
If you’re going for the head, use a palm strike or elbow.”
13. Looks don’t matter.
“Don’t care about how you look. If you have pocket sand, use that shit. If there’s a book nearby, you now have a weapon. If people call you a pussy, well you’re a pussy who beat another guy in a fight.
Fuck fighting fair, the other guy’s probably stronger so you’re just balancing the fight.”
14. Get weird.
“I know a guy who twice has avoided being in fights because he was willing to start shouting and taking his clothes off. Get weird. Start shouting things. Unless you have the upper hand somehow (and you aren’t as tough as you think) you got a 50/50 shot at winning in the best case scenario. Avoid the fight. Be a weirdo.
I also had a nursing instructor who is convinced she avoided an assault on an otherwise empty trail by turning around suddenly and hissing like a cat at the guy who had been following her.”
There are definitely some good tips in there.
Do you have any additional advice in this area?
If so, please share it with us in the comments!
