Does self assurence + natural ability+ martial skill= Win?

[Trudemon]

Hello all,

Question to the floor.

 Does self assurence + natural ability+ martial skill= an Advantage or a Win in a real life self-defense situation?

I have meet some pretty self assured people who have demostrated vast talent in martial arts.  Sometimes they are self assured and borderline cocky, they even boost about their own ability.  But is the secret to defeating them, their over confidence in their skill or are they spot on that when you are good you are a "beast"? 

I ask this question because I think that in a real life fight you must understand an opponent's weaknesses to defeat them.  I believe that over confidence is a weakness! What do you think?

I will even go further and say that the nicer,quiet ,more unsupecting people are the ones who have more of a tactical advantage.  You never know what they are thinking.  They do not have to be the most talented but maybe the most lucky!  If you are a master at ten different arts and you are confident that you can defeat many people.  That you would not freeze in a fight.  Do you think that this master can be defeated by a martial, skillful (not a master) person who is a tactical thinker?  Who has the advantage?

[Hangman]

I don't know if I can give a good answer to that, but I'll share a story.  This is from a self defense book called Attack Proof (John Perkins).

    In one of our seminars, an arrogant teacher of a particular style that emphasizes knife work (who also happened to be a police trainer) thought he was overqualified for a particular drill using rubber knives.  He was matched with an untrained, five-foot-two-inch woman.  Before the exercise began, she was pulled to the side and told to imagine that she was a Native American warrior and that settlers had come and captured her family . The only thing standing between her and her children was the self-assured man standing in front of her.  She was given permission to do whatever she wanted.  She proceeded to annihilate him.  With a yell, she ran strait at him.  At the last second , she slid on her knees and stabbed him five times in the groin with the rubber knife.  Stunned, her opponent managed one feeble swipe at her head (which she blocked), before falling backward on the ground.  The woman jumped on top of him and finished him with a "stab" to the throat. 
   Not surprisingly, the police instructor was crestfallen.  He was obviously highly skilled, but he suffered from a reactive handicap--pattern recognition.  Because what the woman had done resembled no pattern he had ever practiced, he could not respond to her movement effectively. 

[Amorak]

In my experience there are 3 types of self-assured people... 

The 1st guy is is confident in his ability.  He can defend himself when need be, but he doesn't feel the need to share.

The second is cocky because, well, his is good.  And he wants to make sure everyone knows.

The third is cocky because that is all he has.  His defense is talk and hopes to scare everyone from even thinking of fighting him.

All three can be dangerous. 

Hangman,

I liked that article. It made me laugh ridiculously hard. There is something to be said for the reckless brawler.

 

[Saltatrix]

Amorak, I think that there might be a reckless brawler within YOU, trying desperately to get out...if only your well-mannered fiance would allow it...

[Trudemon]

Guys,

Amorak I agree that all three can be dangerous but over confidence can be dangerous as well.  When fighting you must out think your opponent.  If your opponent thinks that he can beat you without effort then he is weak. He will not pull out his best skill and he will try to toy with you because he thinks he can.  That is when the "weaker fighter should strike".  That is when the weaker fighter should use his thinking skills to make up for some of his fighting skills.

I have seen this at work.  I remember when I was testing for a belt at my previous school.  The opponent that I had thought that I was weak because I did not boost about what I knew and I took more time to learn the simpler moves then the more complex.  I also shied away from sparring too much at first.  I did not have as much intent when I did spar because I wanted to learn from my opponent and my mistake.  So on that test date he thought that my 50% was really all I had.  We were testing for the same rank.  When the bell started I attacked him with full force.  Let just say he was quite surprised.  It was written on his face.  He lost his weapon at least three times and when he lost his weapon I tried to wrap the stick around his head.  I believe that a man who has lost his weapon is an opportunity for a good ole fashion a@% whipping.  I was all over him and if the judges counted all of the hits I would have won that match.  I knew that he did not give all he had and that he did not know that I had that much. 

Many people underestimate me and I actually like that.  It means opportunity:0

The lesson on this is
1.  Never underestimate your opponents
2. Always give %100
3. Never down another person's skill because you never know what is there 100%
4.Do not be over confident because in my opinion that is your weakness. (I will definitely exploit this)
5. In real self defense situations a lucky shot can kill you.
6. Confidence is good but cockiness is not.




Triley

[Amorak]

Amorak, I think that there might be a reckless brawler within YOU, trying desperately to get out...if only your well-mannered fiance would allow it...

I take offense to that.  Brawler...hmph.

T,

You are right about the over confidence.  I have come up against several of these kind in different situations.  Prominently in when I played basketball in my youth.  The kid that stood a foot and a half taller than me would all ways be over confident that he could beat me on the tip-off (For those of you who do not know what a tip-off is, it done at the start of a basketball game where a player from each team will face off at half court.  The ref will toss the ball in the air between them.  Whoever can jump the highest usually gets the ball).  He would trust too much in his height and he would never jump high.  He never practiced it either because he never had a call to.  I on the other hand would practice jumping constantly.  Even if the kid did jump I usually could go higher. 

Deception and misdirection are our tools the same as the jab and hook.