Not a month goes by where I don’t see a blog post, video or article that shows some average, everyday schmuck off the street, talking trash and challenging a trained fighter. It NEVER ends well, with the average Joe (or Jane) getting their proverbial clocks cleaned. As the saying goes, “You would be better off sand papering a lion’s ass in a pair of pork chop panties…”
A part of me totally understands the instinct; you’re watching a fight or watching an action movie and you may think, “That’s ridiculous! I’d totally block that and do this, instead.” But depending on whether or not you’ve received any level of training (or have trained at all), challenging someone who trains in the combat arts is a foolish endeavour at best; a dangerous one at worse.
When I trained in my younger decades, I had three two-hour classes a week, two days of training on my own at the beach or at home, several bouts of cycling, weights and rock climbing… This was all in addition to whatever materials I’d read or study, as well. I’ve always been what I would consider “skilled”, but even I wouldn’t be foolish enough to intentionally challenge someone who spends their time learning how to kick someone’s ass.
Especially in today’s modern society of armchair warriors, people who just love to chime in and provide their two cents even when it’s worth less than that, it’s a trend that I seem to notice more and more. The beauty of the martial arts is that it’s not about being bigger. Or stronger. Or faster. The martial arts is a unique journey for every student, but intense study makes for a deadly warrior, regardless of one’s motivations.
Why anyone would choose to challenge a trained fighter is beyond me. It’s one of those things that I rank right up there with snorting condoms or eating Tide pods. But it certainly makes for some entertaining videos. There are plenty on YouTube, if you feel like having a laugh… ☯
The Blogging Buddhist 
Also, I’m not one for commenting on my own post, but this is easier than editing the post and having those who have read it miss out… I’ve recently seen a number of videos where martial artists have been pitted against MMA fighters, with the results being positive for the MMA fighter. Many comments on these posts focus on the fact that “martial arts is only for the movies” and that styles such as Kung Fu and Karate are ineffective unless the director can yell “Cut!”
I haven’t only trained for several decades, I have unfortunately been in a position, both in my personal and professional life, where I have had to use martial arts to defend and protect myself & others. And I can say with definite certainty that martial arts is effective. It all comes down to how hard you train and push yourself. As I often say, no matter how skilled you become, there’s always someone better.
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Here here
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snorting condoms – ha ha
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