Most important factors in fighting?

Question

Hi. Somewhat of a poll. Just wondering what people think the most important factor in winning an unarmed fight.

To start it off, I say speed is key, and next is weight (with higher better being better), until one compromises the other (so it's best at at an equilibrium). Afterall, force equals mass times acceleration.

Answer 1

Good question-there are a number of things that are important factors that most people don't even consider. I don't think you can break it down to just one important factor that will always be the determining factor. Among them are the following:

Your mind. A good smart person will beat just a good, or mediocre person almost every time. They will be able to make allowances for the situation and adjustments as the situation happens and best utilize their skills and abilities to counter those of their opponent's.
Speed. Speed gives you the ability to both act and react and stay ahead of your opponent. Speed can be countered and its effectivness minimized and speed without good action behind it will not be as effective-only wasted.
Heart-you have to have heart man! A person without it can more easliy and quickly be defeated by a lesser opponent that does have it.
Footwork. Try to hit a person that has good footwork or moves well and see how long he can go before you land a solid punch. Most out-of-shape people will tire before they ever do and you can bet the person that has footwork will be making you pay every time you miss or hit him on their arm or shoulder or your punch is smoothered.
Good vision. Punches come anywhere between 70-140 mph and if you can see them coming-especially early you have a better chance of making them miss or blocking them.
Experience. There is no substitute for it-enough said.

Everyone posses these skills or attributes to some degree and all generally will be factors to some extent in a situation besides the more obvious ones like size and strength.

Answer 2

A random unnarmed fight on the street? Or fighting in a ring?

On the street:

1. Level of Sobriety: Sober person beats a drunk person 9 times out of 10 regardless of skill level.

2. Element of Surprise: Huge factor, a person getting jumped from behind is at a major disadvantage, a person who has the initiative in a fight is at a major advantage. This can also include the surprise factor in having techniques or skill that your opponent is unaware of. Skill comes into factor here, with the element of surprise.

3. Combination of Physical Attributes: Obviously if someone is bigger, stronger, and faster than you, you are at a disadvantage. Size does matter but can be overcome with skill, you can be supremely fast, or extremely strong and get easily beaten by someone who is extremely accurate. I wouldn't count any one physical attribute as a definitive advantage, as those things can be used against you. While there is a counter for all things. Size definately has more to do with the outcome than speed. Speed without skill does you little good.

4: Luck: With pretty much all the factors involved luck still comes into play. Any streetfight is simply a matter of luck, a glancing blow across the chin, lack of weapons or other participants, endless different things. You can be ten times better than the other man and he could still land a lucky shot that puts your lights out. The purpose for taking Martial Arts and learning to fight is to remove as many variables as you can and have odds more on your side. It's like a normal fight is drawing a ball 1 through 100 for victory, gaining Martial Skill takes it down to 1 through 50, gaining fighting experience and life experience 1 through 25, etc.

You want your chances for success as high as they can get, you don't know what the other guy has or doesn't have.

There is still a good amount of luck involved in hoping that it is a 1 vs. 1 fight, he is weaponless, etc. Even a great fighter can be K.O.ed by someone of lesser skill.

Those are what I would consider to be the 4 factors in a unarmed combat on a street level.

Totally different then a sporting competetion where you know your competetor a bit more, and certain variables are taken out, and you are sure you fighting someone equally as skilled as you are. Totally different set of factors.

Answer 3

i think that quality & length of training has to be first in my opinion (for instance, i'm not very skilled compared to the black belts at my dojo, but i'd have a very helpful advantage in an unarmed fight against someone who is untrained), b/c training in martial arts is an advantage most people do not have.

next, i think speed is important. if all other fields (training, size, etc.) are balanced, then speed will be the tie-breaker. if i'm fast enough to prevent my opponent from seeing the tell-tale signs of my next move (say it's a back kick, i'll begin to turn my head & shoulders first), then i'll have another, extremely helpful advantage.

i think that size is the last determining factor in a fight. don't get me wrong, it's important, but if you have speed, or training, it's possible to win a fight against someone larger than you.

Answer 4

Speed is good to have, but if you look at most martial artists, size has little to do anything...leverage is a science & pressure points are facts good to know. The true key to over-coming an obstacle is turning fear into focus...and turning your opponent's focus into rage (a fear-based emotion)...anger greatly distorts focus, giving you the greatest advantage in defense.

Answer 5

1) Presence of mind; intelligence; rational thought.
2) Emotional stability; control of fear, anger, and agression.
3) Timing; knowing when to move and where.
4) Speed; the ability to move without pause.
5) Endurance; stamina.
6) Strength; power or force of musculature.

Answer 6

Training. whoever is trained correctly and in "fight condition" will win. Look at Jack Dempsey, who was quite small for a heavyweight champion. He was always in better fight condition than his opponents.

Answer 7

Without sounding like a jerk I have to say the most important factor is walking away, as unharmed as possibe while making sure that your opponent (s) are unwilling or unable to stop you from walking away.

Answer 8

thats true but my philosophy has always been to remain calm
if you get upset and overly angry you will get yourself out of what you know how to do and into just brawling instead of actually figthing

so your head also plays a role in being able to win a fight

and besides if your opponent sees you being relaxed and not getting outwardly angry they will get even more upset which helps take them out of their rythym


B.

Answer 9

Balance
being calm but with a sense of urgency.
and having a firm strategy for winning.

everything else is just for show.

Answer 10

I'd say speed and having "nothing to lose" in other words, you are truly committed to winning that fight even if it means biting his throat.

And physical conditioning.