Thanks for the all the comments. I would've responded to everyone in turn, but after a weekend away there are just too many good comments to respond to all of them. Couple things I did want to address. First, glad to see almost everyone agreed and reiterated that the best way to win a fight is not get in one, and if you do get in one it really should be because there's no other way out. A couple of you disagreed with my recommendation of a headbutt football tackle, and for valid reasons. Something I should have touched on in the article is knowing your own strengths and weaknesses. I was a wrestler my entire life, with a successful high school and college career. As such I am most confident and comfortable going to the ground, I believe I can and will win there, probably the same as a boxer is going to want to stay on his feet. Now as one of you so astutely pointed out this assumes a one on one fight, because otherwise you're asking for a stomping/kicking. Which I think also proves that no advice fits every situation. Chris mentioned the vulnerable areas "eyes, ears, nose, throat, groin, knees and feet" which I had completely forgotten about…good stuff. Anyway thanks for the comments, as you guys have brought some great points to the table. Keep reading GP and tell all your friends.

Cheers,

Jon

If you still feel the need to fight, your best bet is either a heel of the palm or forearm strike to the side of the jaw just below the ear. However if it's not something you do often, please don't expect to be very good at it; so hope and pray that the guy you are attempting to fight shares your lack of experience.

If you're in real danger than all rules go out the window. Most guys won't anticipate a swift kick and you could probably land one to the knee or ribs that could turn the fight in your favor before it even gets going.

The eye that got hit will never be the same, it sees and operates probably, but the bone lying under the eyebrow, hurts sometimes and seems slightly dislocated.

I cleaned up with vodka, being the russian that I am, and took a picture to remind myself, that perhaps its not always worth the fight.

http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/268/lifewillkill…

I would, however, strongly second the advice about walking away from any physical confrontation. The only reason for physical engagement is if you or someone else is in real physical danger. Name-calling doesn't count: tell them you don't give a shit what they think and walk away. It's hard, but you'll look like the bigger man.

Here's what's wrong with the headbutt-tackle strategy: it's easy to get the headbutt wrong if you're not used to fighting—if your opponent is (and you can never tell just by looking at someone), then they can easily move faster than you and put an elbow or shoulder in the way of your face or subtly change the angle of their head such that you'll break your own nose. It's very easy to "telegraph" a headbutt—e.g., by pulling your head back, accidentally signalling what you're going to do. Just fractions of a second are enough for someone used to fighting—or otherwise very aware of how people move—to spot what's going to happen. The minute they do, they have the upper hand and you're in trouble.

But the tackle is the thing that really worries me. If the guy you've just headbutted has friends (and you can't always be sure that you've spotted them), you're on the floor and in the perfect position for them to kick and stamp you into a coma or worse. If you take it to the floor and have no idea how to handle yourself there, it will be very hard to disengage and get away.

Here's my advice. Avoid any and all forms of violence if at all possible. However, if this isn't possible and there's just one guy who's threatening me, I'd wait for him to make the first move, as I'm very likely able to block his attack, which will provide legal cover. But if you genuinely feel like you're in danger, don't worry about striking first. If there are several people threatening you and there's nowhere to run (or, like me, you're a slow runner), I'd strike first, going for either the nearest guy or the 'leader' and making sure one strike is going to put him out of action, before delivering similar blows to one or two others, and then I'd run. But the odds in this case are really against you.

Make use of the element of surprise (which the above article describes very well) and strike at vulnerable areas such as the eyes, ears, nose, throat, groin, knees and feet, and once your opponent is sufficiently wounded or disoriented, run away. Don't just hit once and then stand there waiting for him to fall to the floor like in the movies: strike several areas in quick succession, using an appropriate tool (e.g., fingers for eyes or throat, your heel to stamp on their foot). If something isn't working, change what you're doing quickly and go for a different target, but remember your goal is to get out of there quickly. Once you are safe, call the police and tell them you were attacked: it's worth reporting your side of the story first and voluntarily as the victim.

But if you can walk or run away from a physical confrontation, do so, and feel good about it: you'll have prevented someone (perhaps you) being injured, and that's a really good achievement for the day.