[detskpit]

Hi Leinhart,

Getting your ass kicked and the feeling that this is probably is going to happen again is not a good position to be in. If you really feel the need to learn to defend yourself, do so. If you are attacked run like you life depends on it (it might well be the case) and if that's not possible: fight back! Turning your cheek the other way is the most dangerous thing you can do in a the situation you described. First of all, if you do so, you show that you submit and the beating will probably get worse (it doesn't sound as if this guy was after you money). Second, if you take the turning you cheek literal, turning away from you opponent is very, very dangerous (same as with kendo), if you can't see the attack you cannot defend yourself against them. I prefer to get a few hits to the face and defend against most of the attacks, rather than not seeing any of the attacks at all (and thus not being able to defend myself against them).

Punching up close isn't easy, MT has knees and elbows (it hurts like hell). However, grappling might also be of some serious use in situations you described (ground and pound as they told me). So, if you really want to fight back go for wresling, judo, sambo, BJJ, MT, Kyokushinkan karate, mma, etc. Forget TKW, Tang So Do, semi contact karate (and other semi contact), self defence courses, aikido, ninjitsu, etc. If you want to learn how to fight, go for full contact and with loads of sparring.

Even if this means giving up kendo, feeling save is way more important. It would be a shame to give up kendo, but safety (and feeling save) comes first.