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