Editor’s Note:  This piece of expert content was contributed by longtime mixed martial arts competitor and coach certified by the International MMA Federation, Miguel Antonio Ordoñez. – GDM

 

We previously did a piece on the ineffectiveness of martial arts techniques in a street fight. The article pointed out some harsh realities of such a scenario, including the external factors that can quickly turn the situation from bad to worse. 

We continue to advocate against violence and stand by our initial stance against engaging in any form of combat outside of a controlled environment like a gym. But that doesn’t mean that these techniques won’t work AT ALL. 

Close-up hand with a bandage on a muscular man training kickboxing.

As a martial arts practitioner, you’re learning the most effective methods to score a knockout, break a nose, and put someone to sleep with a chokehold. It would be disingenuous to say that none of these techniques would work outside your training facility’s sacred walls. 

This article is the other side of the story. Your martial arts techniques CAN hold up in a street fight, and allow us to explain why. 

Martial Arts Techniques Work, But…

Imagine yourself holding a knife. You have it with you as a tool to ward off potential attackers. In case things go south, you have something to turn to. 

A knife can protect you, but it won’t serve its purpose if you can’t wield it the right way. The same concept applies to martial arts techniques. It’s about using them correctly at the right time.