POLL - What type of fighter are you?

Do you consider yourself aggressive or defensive in terms of your actual fight strategy? Please note, I am NOT talking about your attitude towards the idea or concept of violence. I am assuming that regardless of how it happened, you are in a fight - do you have an offensive objective (take it to them) or a defensive one (get away from them)?

Please vote and explain.

Offensive - I'm short, so I have to get onto the inside. I like clinching, I like hitting hard, and I think that the psychological advantage of being extremely aggressive is massive.

In a fight, I think agression and offense is crucial to success. In sparring, I alternate between an offensive style of coming forward, and a defensive countering style depending on what I want to work on that day.

When I spar in competitions, both TKD and Judo, I try to be as aggresive as possible. In the TKD ring, I try to bully my opponents- the result is a more defensive opponent giving you effective control of the pace and range of the fight. In Judo, I like the advice that I have been given to go for a big throw immediatly. It suits the kind of judo I like, the sort that results in ippons, rather than smaller scores winning bouts.

Now for me competition has been the closest I have got to a real fight, and if an attacking mindset works there, I think it will work in a fight as well.

When I fight I am a Counter Offensive there is no pretenses or regret, I take what the opponent gives me. But I don't wait for him to complete his action. I consider myself counter offensive in that when his intent is to strike or move, I pre empt strike (a MA way of saying I sucker punch/stike) him even though I verbally-counter saying, "Man I wish therewas another way to resolve this", (as I kick him in the balls and move in with elbows) here I try to make him give me an angle either way I don't stop attacking & controlling him until I see or feel his body goes limp.

Sparring I practice all kinds of fighting strategies testing my weakness and strengths, you need to be skilled at all ranges and principles against skilled opposition.

Now more skilled doesn't = More tenacious or dangerous all the time, when you have someone that can put all that together you got a mean SOB. Even though he's smiling or cursing.

All depends on who I am fighting, and I am only addressing sparing.

If I sense even a hint of fear or confusion then I come in like a bull offensive. If I am fighting a good or better fighter I wait them out and hope they make a mistake.

IF they are better then me I will usually be offensive and take my beating.

Well considering my sparring experience (since I dont have a real fighting experience) I am an offensive fighter. I like to hit them before they get to hit me. I dont want to take the risks of getting hit, so I like to make the first strike (after they have started the fight).

Prefer not to be involved one micro second, not one iota longer than required! AVOID the first time it is viable, and get away go elsewhere...

Jeff

I'm a defensive kinda guy. Although I am very aggressive, my defence is built on being first, feinting, and being very unpredictable.

If I'm actually in a confrontation I'm completely offensive. Since I look to avoid trouble, if someone has been a big enough knucklehead to actually get me in a position where I have to fight, I'm coming right and end the situation.

Offensive.

Like Supremor said, I go for the big throw right away.

My most natural range is the clinch range, where elbows and knees are my main weapons. Then I have my throws, so naturally, I will need to be aggressive to get into my comfortable range.

Also being build short and stocky, does not lend well if I try to be defensive.

Counter-fighting? Useless idea in my opinion. Get in, get it done. If I'm there waiting for the guy to throw something at me, I might get jumped from behind while anticipating something from my first opponent.

Defensive? Has it's uses in competition. In real fights, good offense is the best defense.

These are entirely my own views, and also they have been instilled because the arts I practice are pre-dominantly offensive with not much emphasis on defense (MT, Judo, Wrestling, Boxing).

-Taison out

I voted defensive but that is in a real confrontation. I want to keep things at a distance, be wary of my surroundings, bait, counter strike, look for an opening to escape, and get the heck out of there in one piece. We have had the knife/hidden weapons discussion here many times.

Sparring, it varies depending on how agressive and how prone to making mistakes my opponent is.

Scottie

Depends, I was taught to seek openings and if they don't exist, to create them. I can vary from fighting defensively to charging in offensively, it took a while to learn how to turn to the offensive because I'm instinctively cautious but it's worth learning.

I'm a lover, not a fighter...so this is kind-of hard to quantify.

I suppose the only way to get a feel for how we behave is to observe sparring. In that sense, I'm sometimes aggressive, sometimes defensive. When does "the best defense is a good offense", or, "the best offense is a good defense" come in?

I just try and impose my game on guys. I work to obtain my objectives which are obviously both offensive and defensive.

In sparring, I enjoy mixing it up and trying different strategies/techniques, depending on who I am sparring with. I don't mind standing and trading. But I also try and counter my partner's primary strategy (if he wants to stay up, I'll try and take him down...if he wants to take it down, I'll try and keep it standing).

I have to say that I don't get into "street fights" and doubt I ever will. I'm betting I could easily avoid any and all such conflicts if I truly wanted to, so examining this from the "street" perspective is kind-of a moot point IMO.

That said...if I ever managed to get caught up in a fist fight, like Cord, I'm going to throw everything I have. Whoever my opponent is will deal with my standing game, my clinch and whatever ground & pound/submission skill I have, all will be thrown at my opponent in a machine gun manner. You will have to either knock me completely unconscious, or break something major to force a stop.

But like I alluded to, I'm pretty easy-going so talking about street stuff is somewhat weird to me, mainly because I'm a civilian and not involved with the security industry (doormen, police, etc). I think this has a tremendous bearing on my personal philosophy.


-John

(edited because in thinking about my post, I realize I couldn't have been more vague...)

In sparring I tend to be defensive until I am hit a few times, then I get the motivation to come forward and use my strengths. I often let myself get hit a couple of times on purpose so as to get me in the right frame of mind.

If its a personal dispute, I am very good at de-escalation, but if its gets physical then I am throwing 200% and the kitchen sink at you till your a stain on the floor. I have been known to completely black out and have to be dragged off people, but I am more controlled these days.

In the case of confrontation at work, i never really saw that as personal, so its never an issue.

I like to mix it up. If you to develop into a complete fighter you need to develop both an offensive and defensive game.

Matt,
I'm "old", deceptively fast, accurate, and hit like a train wreck. To me, the fight's not over until the other guy's down or defeated... so I have some staying power.

What style fighter?... one that takes advantage of what I see happening in the situation... punches when available, throws, pins, etc... whatever "offers" itself to be used... so the best answer is "constantly changing".

Injuries require me to be "thoughtful" before jumping in now, so I'm also an "analytical fighter" who watches the movements of my opponent. If I know anything about them, I don't play into their strengths.

Maybe the best answer is "surprising for an old man"...

As I mention I'm a (verbal deception)counter Offensive fighter, but the type fighter that gives me the most trouble is the fleet footed counter fighter with natural instinct, I eventually get to them but I take some come in.

Unless I do major damage with my pre-epmt interception, if thats done he is too, it doesn't matter how good he was. If I catch him by surprise and hurt him or drop him (unless he is extermly good or lucky) ITs over. I use the element of surprises while trading I might say, "Darn here comes the cops, or Isn't that your buddy!", If he turns his head to look its lights out or he's swepted and stomped. Some might say thats cheating or unfair, so what. I didn't start it.

I'm a counter Offensive Sparring or in actual fight. But sparring I can and find it eaiser to defend and counter sometimes even if equally skilled and really if I'm better, bc you are waiting for the slightest mistake. Though its a little too slow pace for me, I can play that game.

Against a offensive fighter I like to make them fight defensively or trying to counter, backing up. Amazingly some good offensive guys, can't fight well moving backwards or under pressure. I can I don't back staright back I circle or work angles, I never go straight back for long, unless I have to, if I do I shoot rules or no rules. Take a point or whatever, I apologies. You ain't getting a clear shot, just bc of a rule.

The goal is not to "kill them", the goal is to avoid the avoidable as quickly as can be done.

J

Nowadays, retired.

I fought my last tournament in the late 70s. Over time my style changed considerably. At first and up to black belt, you could describe my style as a ram going straight head to head. That was a painful time. Eventually I learned to slip and slide around. I learned to work the angles. I could fight more rounds more easily and let the other guy beat himself up. Age and experience are great teachers.

I need to correct myself;

I forgot to add that my fighting style is purely for sparring, tournament and competition.

I'm a sports type of fighter, not a commando. Street altercation, I'll run away from.

I want a fun but safe fights, not murder attempts.

-Taison out

Where did I learn the verbal deception from? My Sensei when I was Shodan/Nidan I could hold my own with him, being slightly bigger and almost as fast. Then he started this verbal thing, while exchanging he say, "Hey your girl friend just walked in" or "There comes your mother". If its someone you care or want to see its hard not to look. After months (off and on years) of being dropped or swept and stomped, I started attacking while he was talking, still got dropped or swepted and struck, but it happened because he was just that good, not because I looked the other way. I called that being cunning, and chicken s^%^%, but a wise lesson learned that can work on the street. Take what you can use and discard what you cannot. I learned not to look away, and if they turn to look, hit hard and fast!

Being a Cunning fighter works, sometimes.

I think that it depends largely on the situation. Generally, I'm offensive, because you can't actually win a fight being on the defensive. I'm comfortable in all ranges of combat, though I have a bit of a bias toward striking (in and outside of the clinch).

I believe that, in most situations, going all out and finishing the fight post-haste is the best choice.

That being said, there are times when it really is just inappropriate to cream your opponent. Recently, one of my best friend's cousins attacked me. I was offensive, in the sense that I went after him, but defensive in the sense that I sought to pin/restrain him.

I trend to forget that I can get touched by the oponent. So I only go forward and fordward... close to him. That is why I always loose.

I am an offensive fighter I suppose. This is just decided by the way I spar, since I havent been in a fight . However, I like to attack rather than block the opponent. I like to get in the first hit, since who knows how many hits I will be able to take.

i usually start off defensive. to a point i believe that until a threat or attack is made, there's no reason to act. but even a good defense ends with a good offense.

that isnt to say that if im arguing with someone, and they enter my bubble that i wont blast em though