A lot of literature has been written about methods for properly conducting combat in street conditions. Masters of various martial arts try to pass on their knowledge to their students and tell them how to behave in a fight. But all recommendations will be meaningless if a passerby who gets into trouble is afraid of a fight and is afraid.
Many people wonder what to do if I am afraid to fight. Don't be ashamed of the feeling of fear. This is a normal feeling that you can work with and overcome.
Why is a person afraid to fight?
The main reason for the fear of fighting is the elementary inability to use physical force for self-defense .
The second most common factor is having had a bad experience (for example, being attacked by bullies, causing serious injury).
In some cases, the reasons for the occurrence of such fear may be embedded in the subconscious and due to certain character traits of a person.
provoke fear of fights:
- Children's fears (fear of fighting can be provoked not only by bad experiences in childhood, but also by punishment from adults for any attempts to repel the offender with force).
- Fear of injury and pain (at the subconscious level, a person begins to think how much discomfort a bruise on his face or other injuries will cause him).
- The presence of fear of causing pain to another person (at such moments, fear of excessive use of one’s strength and pity for other people, even those with an aggressive character, may be combined).
- Innate mental properties (fear of a fight may be due to certain character traits, for example, modesty, excessive vulnerability, etc.).
- Fear of consequences or ignorance of them (fights can be punishable by law and entail many negative consequences; ignorance of the outcome of events becomes the cause of psycho-emotional discomfort).
- Suffered physical and mental violence (if a person is intimidated or has been subjected to regular beatings, then it will be extremely difficult for him to cope with the fear of a fight).
You will find a list of the most common human phobias on our website.
Psychology of street fighting
Street fights have some peculiarities.
First of all, the nuances concern the psychological aspect. Fights on the streets are most often provoked by a crowd of hooligans .
In this group of people there is always someone on whom all other participants in the conflict focus. Participants in a street fight do not rely on their physical capabilities, but are motivated by the potential protection of their comrades.
Such nuances have a powerful impact on the self-esteem of each group member. to resist an aggressive crowd .
Who usually wins?
In most cases, the winner in a fight is the one who literally thinks less and acts more. Combat skills play an important role .
If you have experience in numerous street fights, mastering boxing, wrestling or martial arts techniques, then it will be extremely difficult to cope with such a person.
Victory is guaranteed to those who do not allow the enemy to comprehend the situation and find ways to retreat or attack.
Why do intelligent people lose?
A good, intelligent person is initially less likely to win a fight.
The reason for this forecast is numerous factors, including the nuances of upbringing, certain character traits and the principle of thinking.
An intelligent person, at the time of a conflict, thinks how to settle it with words , how to avoid beatings, what consequences a fight will have for both sides.
Modesty, indecision, shyness and other traits can prevent you from giving the right rebuff to an ill-wisher.
A bad, ill-mannered person at such moments relies only on his instincts and reactions.
What to do if you are afraid to hit someone else ? Psychology of a street fight:
Physical Qualities
If you are not better than your opponent, then you will have to outwork him. This method is the most spectacular way to victory because it changes the course of the battle and contributes to excellent turning points. I think every child dreamed of a strong-willed victory in the style of Rocky. In reality, this rarely happens because skill trumps physical ability all the time. After all, why learn to fight at all if big muscles could do all the work?
One way or another, it is still possible to defeat a more skilled opponent by cutting him down in a power struggle. You're going to have to overwhelm him, chop him down, overload this guy until he breaks. If your punch is harder, keep trading with him until he falls. If your jaw is stronger, just keep taking punches until he's exhausted from throwing punches. If you have the strength and stamina, why not just leave it in the ring...keep going until you fall or until he falls. Some of the greatest fights have been won this way, with one fighter taking 3 hits to land one. (Antonio Margarito VS Miguel Cotto comes to mind.)
If you can't outbox him, outwork him.
Turn the Fight into a Power Struggle
If this is how you want to win, then I wish you all the best. This is why you always push yourself to the limit in training; you never know when you'll need it. Go out in really good shape and pray that your opponent isn't in better shape than you.
How to stop being afraid?
The most effective way to combat the fear of fighting is to master self-defense techniques. Women, men and even teenagers can enroll in such courses.
Working with students, the trainer teaches fighting skills, works with the psycho-emotional state and uses some psychotherapeutic techniques of influence.
After a course of such classes, a person’s self-esteem increases , confidence in their abilities appears, and the ability to protect themselves with the help of physical strength is developed.
Several ways to overcome the fear of fighting:
- You need to mentally imagine a conflict situation and play it out in your imagination to the end (you should pay special attention to your actions in the presented situation, you should see yourself as a brave, dexterous and decisive person).
- Fights should not be constantly expected and feared (feelings of anxiety in some cases can materialize and literally attract troubles into a person’s life).
- Mastering the skills of controlling your own emotions and the basics of breathing exercises is very effective
What is the fear of mirrors and reflections called? Find out the answer right now.
How to overcome fear? 100% way to learn how to fight:
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Knowledge of system-vector psychology by Yuri Burlan makes it possible not only to stop being afraid of a fight, but also to solve the problem of any fear forever. In addition, there are enough conflict situations in our lives without physical impact. They also require understanding other people's reactions and courage in making good decisions.
“...The constant oppressive feeling of anxiety is gone, I always feel balanced and calm, not detached, but calm.
I’ll tell you a secret, I was an outcast at school (to put it mildly), you can imagine what an achievement it is to stop hating and despising people, I begin to be drawn to them, take an interest, I know what exactly and to whom I need to say in order to automatically win them over.
Communication has become, more than ever, convenient and comfortable for me and especially for others. I feel people, what they love, how they live, what can be expected from this or that, who can and cannot be trusted. I wouldn’t want my story to be boring, I’ll just say: if you have a feeling of anxiety, fear (for yourself and others), depression, apathy, lack of hope for tomorrow, doubts about yourself and your loved ones, irritation, resentment a person who seems impossible to forget - you can deal with it. Come to the lecture and you won't regret it. Tested for myself..."
Alexey N., Voronezh
“...Many fears have gone and continue to go away. I didn’t have phobias or any obsessive or severe fears, but those that did exist were often unconscious or repressed; only certain situations can become their catalyst. But when you understand the roots of fear, then you begin to control impulses from the unconscious, decipher them and realize the sources - and fear cannot be born, it does not exist ... "
Evgeniy U., Internet marketer, Moscow
“...Shortly before I went through the training for the first time, I went to a psychologist, it seemed like sometimes it became easier, but it’s so... some kind of illusion. First lectures. The conditions are still the same, it is extremely difficult to perceive information, you sit in fears, anxieties, there are just a bunch of extraneous obsessive thoughts in your head...
...The first visual... lesson, for those who have not completed the training - and since you are reading my review and you are here, you will definitely pass it - after it I felt some kind of first relief. The burning in my chest began to go away, not immediately, not instantly, but more often and longer, some desires appeared, I wanted to communicate, I began to be among people more, and I listened further...
...At the initial stage, the conditions came and went, there were even exacerbations after lectures, but now, now this is not the case. I had already forgotten about this wild burning sensation in my chest. I don’t even know what else I can write, my conditions were so severe that, looking back, I don’t even believe that all this is behind me and that all this could have passed at all...”
Nikolay E., Vitebsk
How to learn this? Come to a free online training on system-vector psychology by Yuri Burlan. Register HERE.
Author: Sergey Nasonov
The article was written using materials from online training on system-vector psychology by Yuri Burlan
How to prepare?
The risk of a fight may come as a surprise, so you need to start working on yourself in advance. First of all, it is necessary to understand the object of fear and identify the specific cause of its occurrence.
In some cases, doing this yourself is problematic. Psychologists or psychotherapists will help determine the exact nature of the fear of fighting. These specialists can select the best options to combat such fears.
How to become brave and confident?
How to prepare yourself for battle?
Before you begin to develop self-confidence in your own abilities during a fight, you need to understand what courage is .
This concept does not mean the absence of fear, but implies the ability to carry out the task despite the occurrence of anxiety.
Courage must be trained and should begin with small actions and careful work on yourself.
How to remove fear? Methods of working on yourself to develop courage and confidence in your physical strength:
- honestly admit to yourself your fear (you can tell your reflection in the mirror about it),
- try to find the reasons for the fear of fighting (childhood grievances, character traits, etc.),
- regularly perform small but courageous actions (showing initiative in making acquaintances, defending your point of view in front of colleagues or friends),
- you need to praise yourself for your success in acquiring new character traits (it is recommended to celebrate even the most insignificant manifestations of courage),
- if the fear of a fight becomes an obsessive state, then it is necessary to seek help from specialists (psychologists and psychotherapists) as soon as possible,
- You can eliminate the feeling of fear only by long-term work on yourself and your emotions (fear must be realized, accepted and overcome),
- you need to learn to scream (fear of speaking in a raised voice can provoke negative consequences if there is a risk of a fight, you can choose deserted places or natural areas to practice screaming),
- we must try to show courage with maximum regularity (if possible, stand up for a child in front of peers, save a kitten from a dog or other offender, etc.).
How to overcome the fear of the dark? Read about it here.
How to get angry before a collision?
The easiest way to provoke aggression in yourself is to mentally imagine a situation in which you have already shown strong traits of your character or could show them.
For example, an attack by hooligans on a defenseless person, bullying of a child by peers, or other examples of injustice.
You can try to imagine one of your long-time offenders or specific people who cause you attacks of rage and indignation. Anger as a result of such experiments with the subconscious will appear very quickly.
Luck
Luck is the craziest way to win a fight, and it happens all the time. Your opponent is injured, the judges are biased, whatever. I don't really want you to count on luck. I brought up luck because you should know about the fights you won with luck. Don't become complacent. You need to know when the universe worked in your favor. Learn something from this lucky situation and make changes in your training so that next time you don't need luck.
I've been lucky many times. My opponents' noses were bleeding so much that they could not continue. Or I would knock down an opponent's glove so that his wrist bent or his thumb dislocated. One time I landed a perfect body shot when I wasn't winning the fight in the first place. Yes, a body knockout is considered LUCK if you lose! I know damn well I lost that fight. I treated myself like a loser and punished myself in the gym the next day. I'm honest with myself about it and I learned something from it instead of walking around bragging about how I landed a good body shot.
Use your intelligence
Intelligence can be used at the stage of trying to prevent a conflict situation. It is important to try to use psychological techniques that will help create the impression that you are a fearless and strong person.
At the moment of a fight, thanks to intelligence, you can identify the weaknesses of the offender and even calculate battle tactics.
However, in street fights, intellectual abilities become powerless. The actions of some people prone to aggression defy logical explanation and cannot be predicted.
Victory Over a More Skillful Opponent
Know that the essence of boxing is fighting. Boxing is not about who has a better jab or whose defense is better. Boxing is about who can fight, and fighting is more than just a combination of techniques. And just because someone is better trained than you, or a better fighter than you, does not necessarily mean that he will beat YOU.
Sooner or later, you will meet someone who is better than you. This is a necessary part of learning and improving your skills. I hope you will be prepared for this in all aspects. Never forget the degree of control you have over all the methods listed above. Spar with opponents of different styles. Train hard and continue to grow your love for this sport. Even when you are heading towards inevitable death, think positively and go out there with a smile. One crazy Russian boxer in my gym always said:
When you fight someone worse than you, you pick up their bad habits. When you fight someone better than you, you pick up his good habits.
