As anyone who's ever been in a fight will tell you: it isn't like the movies. Real fights aren't well choreographed and glamorous. People don't receive a series of uppercuts and then stagger away with little more than a woozy head and a bleeding lip.

Far from it.

A real street or bar fight is short, ugly and incredibly violent. On average they last no longer than three seconds, and those seconds can result in life-altering systemic damage to a human being. A single punch can either put you in a coma or kill you, and almost every fight will end up with you in A&E even if you are the winner. (Think: teeth embedded in your knuckles, HIV or worse.)

Bottom line: you don't want to be in a real fight, ever. So rule one: the best way to avoid being hurt, is to avoid getting involved in the first place. Don't lower yourself to someone's drunken level. Walk away. Or run if you have to. Remove your ego and live another day.

Sometimes, though, it is impossible to avoid a violent situation. How do we deal with this when it happens? First, we have to size up our opponent(s).

If someone demands your wallet, the chances are all they're after is the money. Hand over the cash and get out of Dodge. Your pride might be wounded, but your body won't be.

But if someone is shouting abuse, or prodding you and spitting aggressive language at you or your wife or kids, understand that it is not about the words - the words should be a sign that you are already in conflict. The person is out to hurt you. Your opponent doesn't want to negotiate, and isn't after material goods. They want violence. Understand this and you are halfway towards protecting yourself. Most fights escalate fast, and victims often don't even know what happened in the following three violent seconds. It is all a blur. So be prepared. Abusive words and body language mean conflict is coming. Your response must be to do what it takes to stay alive. That means entering the fray first, and winning.

Churchill once said words to the effect that when we walk away from danger we don't halve it, we double it. That is true. When danger is in front of us, we have to move forward to meet it if we are to overcome it. Most do the opposite - and lose.

You might have experienced an adrenal freeze - that feeling when you are shocked into inaction. Energy drains from our muscles and our mind seems to have no control over our body. Most people get hurt in fights because of this overloading physical response to an unfamiliar situation. It is fear. The best way to overcome it is with positive action.

It's for moments like this that I train in martial techniques.

Many martial arts are impractical for everyday use, but Krav Maga is different. It is a self-defence system developed by the Israeli military. Trust me: those guys know how to handle themselves. It's highly practical and focuses on real-world situations. It teaches you to avoid violence where possible, but also have a full complement of brutal - often pre-emptive - counter-attacking tactics at your disposal.

Krav Maga teaches never to let an aggressor into your safe zone.

Put your hands out to hold an aggressor at bay. If they enter that space, push them out with a loud dominant command: "Back away!" If they attempt to enter your space again, you strike, because that person wants to hurt you or potentially kill you or your family. (Remember, if all they want is your wallet, then give it. The situation I'm describing here is personal and much more deadly.)

So how do we strike? Fast and accurately, aiming for the soft part of the throat. Keep punching and moving forward, continually striking until the threat goes down.

Remember, you will never win a defensive fight. Your reactions will never be fast enough to counter an attack. What's more, you are moving backwards. A recipe for defeat.

For women, if you are being overwhelmed, it has been proven that screaming and clawing violently at an aggressor's face is the best way to repel an attack. Never acquiesce. Meet force with an overwhelming force back. Make them think twice. Clawing is instinctive and will help you overcome adrenal freeze.

Finally, never agree to relocation or being tied up. If you allow either of these, you lose all power. When a predator in the wild smells victory and blood, they don't calm down, they get more violent. It's the law of the jungle.

The right moves

Krav Maga self-defence: strike the weakest areas

© Mark Watkinson

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