HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU FIGHT IN REAL LIFE

There is a belief that in order to become a good fighter, one must fight on the street as often as possible and regularly participate in real fights.

I have a different opinion on this matter.

To put it briefly: if you have the moral and/or physical ability to avoid it, it's best to never take part in a real fight. A Samurai proverb says: “The best fight is the one that never happened.”

Why is that? Because some victories may cost as much as — or even more than — defeats.

Example 1: Imagine you neutralized your opponent in a fight, but in doing so, you injured your hand or leg and now need to take medical leave to recover. That could be a costly outcome.

Example 2: Imagine you eliminated the attacker, but in the process exceeded the limits of lawful self-defense. While it’s certainly better than dying, in most cases you will have to stand trial and face criminal charges. In the end, your “victory” came at a high price.

However, if there is no moral and/or physical possibility to avoid a fight, then you must fight hard and brutally.

To develop the skills of a fighter, you need to train properly, for example, by sparring in controlled conditions, and day by day walk the Way of the Warrior.