How did you guys overcome the fear and fight for the first time? I've only had one incident with a fight on the street and it scared me enough. I'm really afraid to fight now. I'm only 14 and i'm not trying to get into any fights, I just wanna be prepared for when I do get into one. How did you guys overcome the fear of being beaten up? Cause I sure can't...I just wanna be able to stand up for myself and not be afraid of getting beat up...Any help?

Realistic preparation.
Go get training and spar.

Ps. I am always afraid to an extent and I have been in dozens of "real" fights.

Sometimes a good dose of fear does you good. Keeps you from doing something stupid, you know. I think it's the airheads who don't fear anything who end up in the most trouble. Don't let it get to you and keep up your training.

Use that fear to motivate yourself into action. If you fear being beaten so much, well, it's a certainty if you don't fight back.
Look out for Geoff Thompsons, Fear, the friend of exceptional people.

nekogami13 V2 said it best!


Train. Spar. Repeat a LOT! Over time you toughen up and aren't afraid anymore. That's the biggest benefit of training martial arts. So the training has to be there.

Then remember this: The FEAR is always what you feel BEFORE a fight happens. It's "pre-fight" jitters. Once it's underway, you're not going to be scared anymore - because you won't have TIME to be afraid.

Here's Matt Thornton's analogy:

You're standing on very high diving board, contemplating jumping off into the water. The water sure looks like it's a LONG way down though. You're nervous as you consider what you're about to do, wondering what "might happen if you screw up". You have the "pre-dive jitters".

Suddenly you're in the air and then in the water - there's no TIME to use your brain and "think" about what's happening, you are only reacting. It's then that you AREN'T scared.

Same way in a fight. Once it's underway, you're just reacting. With good training, you'll react in a positive manner. No fear.

-John

My devestating good looks and rapier like wit aren't the only reason I am a mod

I've always convinced myself that fear is the other guys problem ... he should be fearing me. Anyway, don't confuse fear from adrenaline or nerves. They're always present right before a fight. My leg used to always twitch right when a fight was about to go down.

And being 14, try not to get into too many fights. Train and spar. That's the ticket.

my head gets all tense before a fight is about to go down.. i dont know its weird.. lol

an ex-bouncer,martial artist,writer geezer call geoff thompson covers this kind of stuff well.in fact he covers all things to do with realism well.fear,adrenaline dump.etc etc.
Peter Consterdine also .
Marc 'animal' MacYoung has wise words too.
a guy called charles nelson too.
getting your state of mind right and your attitude in your head is often overlooked and important.
i remember once on a night out in one of my 'experiences',this guy started on me verbally and when i said i didnt want trouble ,his mate said 'he's scared'..probly my shakey voice,,,so it defo made me look easy......then it kicked off.