How to Do Well in a Fight

Co-authored by Adrian Tandez

Last Updated: August 15, 2019 Approved

If you find yourself in a situation where fighting is unavoidable, its better to be prepared than get walloped. Scroll down to Step 1 to learn some tricks about how to do well in a fight.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Fighting Successfully

1
Try not to be violent. If you have the opportunity to do so, walk away from the fight. The best way to do well in a fight is to not fight at all. However, if you can't avoid being in a fight, acting like you don't care whether or not you fight can be a diffuser of sorts. Most of the time, guys who want to fight really just want someone to provoke. If you can't be provoked, they might lose interest.
- At first act like you are not going to fight and let them take a few punches. Act like you couldn't care less and that it doesn't hurt. Sometimes this can make the attacker back away but sometimes it provokes them more.
2
Be prepared. Once you have successfully made it clear that you don't care whether you fight or not, your attacker might try to provoke you by laughing at your non-violent attitude. Make sure you are ready with many techniques and that you are prepared to feel pain.

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3
Act confident. Even if you've never been in a fight before, you should still act confident. Confidence can actually be a good diffuser. Act like you've been fighting everyday of your life--you could couldn't care less whether you fought this opponent. As your opponent is getting ready, throw in a yawn then take your jacket and give it to your mate. (No matter how cold it is this technique works well with all attackers.)
4
Tire out your opponent. Roll up your sleeve and make sure you're prepared to feel pain. Imagine you're a brick and no punches or kicks can break you! Do not hit them first. Keep arms distance away and jump around smoothly and swiftly to confuse your component. If you see them go to punch your head.. Duck! Circle them and Dodge!
5
Watch for lack of speed and move. Once you see them hesitate charge and punch them in the jaw, tensing your arm and using your shoulder for more power. Then quickly knee them anywhere you can, preferably in the back of the knee or stomach.
6
Finish it. When you opponent doubles over, do the moves that will end the fight. A few knees in the face or solid punch in the nose or eye usually puts them in too much pain to carry on. Take this opportunity to flee but don't run. Strut off but fast enough not to give your beaten up enemy a chance to recover. Avoid future conflict with this person and attempt to keep the fight quiet.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Avoiding Getting Hit

1
Try to diffuse the situation. The best way to avoid getting hit is by avoiding a fight entirely. Try to calm the guy down. Swallow your pride and apologize if you unknowingly did something that offended your attacker. While apologizing or calming the guy down, try to keep a look of confidence about you. Confidence can be intimidating.
2
Keep a close eye on your opponent's movements. Don't look away even for a second--the one moment you look away may be the moment that he decides to go in for a punch. Instead, follow his movements with your eyes. Use your peripheral vision to keep track of where you are in the space that you are fighting in--you wouldn't want to trip over something.
3
Keep a bit of distance between yourself and your opponent. If he has to stretch to hit you, chances are he won't take that challenge. Instead, keep a bit of space between you and your opponent so that you can determine when you want to go in for a punch. By controlling the distance between you, you can begin to control the fight.
4
Do not let your guard down. Whether or not you are the one who instigated this fight, you will have to participate if it is in self-defense. An important part of avoiding getting hit is staying as alert as possible during the fight. Do not let yourself get distracted.
5
Tire your opponent out. You may be able to win the fight without ever having to throw a punch (or taking one). Simply keep moving, forcing your opponent to really work to keep up with you. Chances are, if you are really determined, you will wear your opponent out before he has a chance to attack.
6
Go on the attack. If you can't get out of the fight and it doesn't seem like your opponent is going to let up, you might consider going on the attack. This could be a punch or, if you are defending yourself, an end-it move like a kick or knee to the groin.

EXPERT TIP

Adrian Tandez
Jeet Kune Do Instructor
Adrian Tandez is the founder and head instructor of the Tandez Academy, a world-renowned self-defense training center in Mountain View, California. Trained under the renowned martial artist Dan Inosanto, Adrian is a certified instructor in Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do, Filipino Martial Arts, and Silat, among other things. Adrian has over 27 years of self defense training experience.

Adrian Tandez
Jeet Kune Do Instructor

Pay attention to the way you throw a punch. A lot of people will teach you that you should punch with the first two knuckles of your hand, but that can break the bones in your wrist or your hand. Instead, turn your fist so it's vertical, then when you make contact, hit with the bottom three knuckles of your hand.
7
Finish the fight. Whether this means tiring your opponent out, going in for a big hit, or simply walking away, you will need to end the fight. Assess your situation and choose the best option.

Expert Q&A

Question

What should you not do in a fight?

Adrian Tandez
Jeet Kune Do Instructor
Adrian Tandez is the founder and head instructor of the Tandez Academy, a world-renowned self-defense training center in Mountain View, California. Trained under the renowned martial artist Dan Inosanto, Adrian is a certified instructor in Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do, Filipino Martial Arts, and Silat, among other things. Adrian has over 27 years of self defense training experience.

Adrian Tandez

Jeet Kune Do Instructor

Expert Answer

Don't be slow: in a real fight, you have seconds to finish the fight. The odds of you surviving become worse every second that ticks after nine seconds. Don't forget that sport and self-defense are not the same, so don't try to use any flashy tricks — they are only good for show or movies, not for the street. Don't allow that person to get too close to you if you can control the distance. Don't be passive, don't allow yourself to be a target by just standing, and don't try to just block every punch. I; instead, be mobile, control distance and strike.