Nearly ALL of the martial arts profess to be effective for self defense. It is easy to imagine a professional boxer or Muay Thai fighter having little difficulty dealing quickly with with an intoxicated aggressor in the street.
A jab or cross and the problem lays unconscious on the sidewalk. A Muay Thai knee to the head brings the confrontation to an abrupt end.
But the problem is that not all of the situations we might find ourselves in necessitate such violent responses.
Security guards, night club bouncers, school teachers, and law enforcement who are forced to deal with threatening situations and potentially violent people cannot strike aggressors in the face, causing a broken nose or bloodied mouth.
These types of situations require tools to deal with what I have heard described as “drunken uncle” scenarios: another person – quite possibly intoxicated – is becoming threatening, but the level of violence has not yet escalated to the point where punching and kicking are required.
Uncle Jimmy may have had too many rum and cokes at the BBQ. He is getting belligerent, but no one wants you to destroy him Wanderlei Silva style in front of all the kiddies eating ice cream.
Here is where the “gentle arts” of judo and jiu-jitsu are ideal.
If need be, you can trip him to the ground and control him with a hold until he calms down or police can come and take over the situation.
There are different levels of escalation in a physical confrontation: verbal, crowding and intimidation, grappling, striking, and an all-out fight. If you can handle a situation at an earlier point before the entire situation gets out of control, you have a powerful tool for control.
Truth is that most situations do not require striking another person to the point of concussion!
My first Japanese ju-jitsu instructor often said “Ju-jitsu is for making friends”. You could place an aggressor in a painful, controlling hold and ask her to reconsider her options: “Are we friends?”
This is the best way to handle the vast majority of “drunken uncle” situations.
Jiu-jitsu Times – Eddie Fyvie – Jiu-Jitsu for Teenagers = IMPORTANT!
