Fight club?

[White trash]

And I think we're all forgetting the good ol' WWF.

I mean *those* cunts can fight!

I'm gonna suplex that Deano fucker, no problem.

[Dr Bob]

What I love most about TKD bouts is the rule where if you turn your back to your opponent, they're not allowed to touch you...

TKD these days is a sport, not a martial art. It's closer in spirit to rhythmic gymnastics than boxing.

You can't hit someone in the back of the head in boxing either. However, in both codes you will be warned - and lose points etc. because of it.

Although I bagged WTF just now, don't underestimate it, or a successful competitor. Good competitors can cover a good deal of ground and kick you in the head before you have had a chance to think about it.

A 2nd dan guy that used to train with us (typical 1900mm 67kg korean) used to specialise in speed kicks. You would hold a 1inch thick board by forefinger and thumb (dangle it) and he would do a jumping spinning hook kick and leave you with half the board in your hand - just using air pressure resistance behind the board.

[jrandom]

Although I bagged WTF just now, don't underestimate it, or a successful competitor. Good competitors can cover a good deal of ground and kick you in the head before you have had a chance to think about it.

True, dat.

I'm not a qualified commentator, in any case. People are welcome to kick each other in the head all day long, in whatever fashion they please, as far as I'm concerned.

Here's another question for all you folks considering (or who already are) taking up full-contact martial arts.

Aren't you a little worried about getting your brain bounced around? And ending up real dumb? There's plenty of stuff to do that will keep you healthy, fast and strong, but doesn't involve other guys doing their best to kill or maim you.

Now, I fully understand the attraction of the idea. It's the ultimate expression of competitiveness... I mean, who *hasn't* wanted to beat the snot out of some prat you're competing against in some more 'polite' sport?

But (entirely apart from the ethical aspects of violence, which I'm not speaking to here) I can't just rationalise it. One lucky or unlucky (depending on perspective) punch, and you're a vegetable. Yes, I know there are injury risks in every sport. But it seems that putting yourself in front of someone and daring them to do you direct harm is just... foolish.

[mattt]

To make it even more interesting, have a few beers first.

By having those beers at a south auckland pub before your work out you'll be able to combine an anaerobic factor into your workout.

[Dr Bob]

True, dat.

....
Aren't you a little worried about getting your brain bounced around? And ending up real dumb? There's plenty of stuff to do that will keep you healthy, fast and strong, but doesn't involve other guys doing their best to kill or maim you.

Lawn bowls has a higher fatality rate than any other sport. I am avoiding that one.

I started martial arts because I didn't want to one day be in a position of getting in harm (and now of my loved ones being in harms way). I would prefer to get the vaccination in the form of sparring against friends than one day be placed in front of an enemy as fresh meat.

[jrandom]

Lawn bowls has a higher fatality rate than any other sport. I am avoiding that one.

Ha. Ha. Well, I couldn't have asked that question without leaving myself wide open for the obvious cheap shot...

I started martial arts because I didn't want to one day be in a position of getting in harm (and now of my loved ones being in harms way). I would prefer to get the vaccination in the form of sparring against friends than one day be placed in front of an enemy as fresh meat.

Have you considered carrying a weapon?

[Dr Bob]

If you carried a weapon then you would be breaking the law. If you know how to make things around you a weapon then you are defending yourself.

The 400mm socket bar, the broom handle that has been left behind the door that you have been meaning to put back on the broom, the handsaw....

[jrandom]

If you carried a weapon then you would be breaking the law. If you know how to make things around you a weapon then you are defending yourself.

This particular aspect of New Zealand law has always seemed disingenuous to me. But then, its true purpose being to give the police an easy mechanism for apprehending armed Undesirables, perhaps disingenuity is necessary.

In principle, would you prefer to be a member of an armed society, or an unarmed one? I'm quite honestly undecided on that question, although I lean toward unarmed.

The 400mm socket bar, the broom handle that has been left behind the door that you have been meaning to put back on the broom, the handsaw....

... or the knife in your pocket?

Which you use as a letter-opener.

Of course.

The problem remains, however, of what your wife is to do when such problems arise and you aren't there. No amount of training will help her much in the face of the rather determined 120kg chappie with a crowbar who just wandered in the back door. In fact, nothing much other than a gun in her hands will help her, there.

But I personally think that such scenarios are rather contrived.

Do you have an already-considered opinion?

What legislative framework would *you* like to see around the question of self-defense?

[NC]

How about you get past NC30 chick first mate ? Now that I would like to see.

But he's so lil...he'd break!

[White trash]

But he's so lil...he'd break!

I'll fuck-you-up man!

[NC]

I'll fuck-you-up man!

But I already have a broken wrist bone thingee..yah meany!

I'll kick you in the nuts-ah!

[Dr Bob]

This particular aspect of New Zealand law has always seemed disingenuous to me. But then, its true purpose being to give the police an easy mechanism for apprehending armed Undesirables, perhaps disingenuity is necessary.

.....

The problem remains, however, of what your wife is to do when such problems arise and you aren't there. No amount of training will help her much in the face of the rather determined 120kg chappie with a crowbar who just wandered in the back door. In fact, nothing much other than a gun in her hands will help her, there.

I prefer not to think about it in those terms - if you have faith then you can only do things about the things you can do things about.

[jrandom]

... you can only do things about the things you can do things about.

... but you've already described the actions you've taken to expand the range of things that you can do things about, or at least the things that you can do about things that, had you not done anything to create something that you could do about such a thing, you might not have had anything you could have done about.

If you see what I mean.

I guess it comes down to 'where does one draw the line'?

What is the difference between using your m4d l33t finely-honed skill to kick someone in the head, and pulling out the bludgeon you keep stowed beneath your overcoat for such a purpose, and thwocking them with it?

Surely the kicking-in-head training equates to the act of stowing the bludgeon.

If the law draws a distinction, perhaps that just means that the law is an ass...

(No, Hitcher, the law is not an arse. Well, sometimes it is, but in this context it's more of an equine thingy.)

[Motoracer]

Cheers for the input everyone, it's been a good read. I'll do that slob.

P.S. Don't let WT's rather slender looks fool you. He's one strong mofo and I'm sure he can pack one hell of a punch.

[Slipstream]

P.S. Don't let WT's rather slender looks fool you. He's one strong mofo and I'm sure he can pack one hell of a punch.

He's the scrappiest scrapper I know....

I'd be up for a Welly fight club thingamee .... I'd have to fit it around my chess club, sci fi club, gaming club, maths club, physics club, my economics lectures, my statistics tutorials, my orniothology club and K.A.O.S.... Not to mention my stamp collecting time, dusting my rock collection time, and when I go to my work in the library and help out in the university paper

Man I'm cool