I always stick to the belief that self defense and street fight are two totally different things.
However, after countless martial art demonstrations that boast “street fight” I now question what exactly it means.
For me I view street fight as two idiots in an alley.
After watching this “street savvy” Aikido demo, I wonder why so many martial artists use the phrase. Is it marketing? Or do you view a street fight the same as self defense?
After the first 10 irimi nages, I clicked out, but why is this term being put instead of self defense?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnwSKk-wr…
Categorized | Affiliate Marketing 101
What Is A Street Fight In Your Opinion?
Posted on March 30, 2013.
I agree with you and the others. protection and ‘street fighting’ are much different.
A fight implies that 2 participants struggle, exchange blows or such. And that they have agreed in some way to do so.
Protection is surviving an altercation. Protection arts teach that you never ever fight. You unmercifully end the threat. You do not go beyond that, you end the threat, period.
The phrase is used because it impresses kids, who spend the money on such.
I suggest to avoid any place that advertises “street…anything”, “reality based” , super improved, or any that claim to have refined the arts into something that “works today”.
Tell a small secret, what I learned 40 years ago, and was devised a hundred years ago or longer, works better now that any of those silly things advertised.
I have always thought a street fight as just that, two people fighting in public. All fights are initiated by one person. Somebody throws the first punch, or the first shove, or the first tackle. The person on the receiving end of that is going to respond in most cases by defending themselves in some way. So yes street fighting inevitably has some relation to self-defense. However I have always viewed a physical confrontation as the last resort in self-defense, after you have exhausted all your other options. Such as avoidance of situations that put you at risk, deescalating a verbal conflict, or just plain running away from a situation. I think martial artists who go around peddling magic techniques to stop an attacker does a major disservice to students and serious martial artists everywhere. Real Self Defense training requires not only physical training, but mental training as well. For a student truly interested in Self-Defense then the student must seek out schools or instructors that view Self Defense holistically, and train students in all aspects of Self-Defense.
I always saw the term “street fight” more as two “nutters” beating themselves silly outside a pub, but the term could be quite a bit broader than that.
I think people use that term more for the commercial aspect. Everyone has heard of learning self defence orientated arts, but one of the first questions that almost every new student asks is “will this work on the street/in a street fight”. Therefore, calling it “street savvy” sounds and sells better.
However, I have never seen an untrained guy on the street in a fight who attacks anywhere near the way you learn to defend against in the dojo, nor comply (mainly for their own safety) in the same way. I have, however, seen “martial artists” who try to fight as politely as they do in the dojo get beaten senseless by guys with no formal training, so I wouldn’t call street fighting the same as self defence, even though self defence should work in a street scenario.
Toodles
Most people are not defining a street fight they way that you do. To most a street fight is anything that happens outside of a controlled environment such as the dojo, ring, cage, etc. A street fight can include weapons like guns, knives, bottles, sticks, etc.
Meaning it can be a fight, you being attacked on the streets, schoolyard, alley, club, bar, etc. It could be someone trying to rib or mug you.
Most people aren’t viewing a street fight to be just to idiots fighting because someone got mad or upset because you stepped on my shoes, you insulted me, or you insulted my gf.
Therefore the term they are using is the same as self defense.
Street fight is just a word as I see it and it is how you interpret it. How I see it a street fight is any kind of hand to hand situation that is in a uncontrolled environment. I think most people would consider a street fight self defense or just people having a brawl. Edit: I agree with everyone saying fighting and self defense are different. I’m just saying I believe when someone mentions a street fight, a lot of times their just referring to anything that is not controlled.
They are COMPLETELY different…its ok to confuse the issue when it doesnt have serious consequences but standing before the law the term ‘street fight’ carries no weight whatsoever,it is a media description.Self-defence IS a legal concept and term.
A street fight is imo
1-Organised fist-fight between (whoever) people- mates/enemies/gangs etc
2-Self defense is a legal defense/concept that you must prove as justification for use of physical violence towards another.
The terms is used my many to serve their needs and yes marketing is one
I think street fight and self defense are 2 completely different beasts.
KW just had a link saying this is why ninjitsu is b.s. and he claims these are self defense
the question was asked “Is ninjutsu good to take up ?” Of course KW pushes his MMA stuff as usual and try’s to say this video clip is “self defense”
here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orHyWCXO0…
and if you look at my reply http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;…
And if you look at that video you’ll see it is just teens fighting and it is not self defense one bit.
It can be either marketing, either the culture of the area or the culture or believes of who do they want to attract, or all to a certain degree. A target group of teenagers, may be attracted to the term street fight. The term self-defense may attract a different target group of adults.
STUPID.and yes fighting and self defence are 2 totally different things.most ppl who answer here are to stupid to know the difference.
A street fight, is between to morons that were too stupid to walk away.
edit
oh there was a video i was in a rush and missed it