Does technique matter during a street fight?
When you are in a street fight, it will probably be one of these types:
- A violent assault where you are attacked by a criminal
- A knock-down/drag-out fight between two angry rivals: a grudge match, in other words
- A mostly verbal battle between un-committed adversaries, perhaps with some shoving thrown in
- A play fight that is a contest more than a battle
Lots of people think technique doesn’t really matter during a steet fight. They claim that the guy who hits fastest, hardest, and first is the favorite to win, and any move you make, no matter how ugly-appearing it is to a trained fighter, should be judged only on how effective it is.
But this is sloppy thinking.
Unless you’re in the sort of Karate class where they only punch air and never go up against live, resisting opponents, good technique isn’t just supposed to look right. It is considered good because it works.
After all, the people who refined these moves generation after generation didn’t work on this stuff in their spare time. It wasn’t a hobby or a way to get a little exercise after a boring day in the office.
The people who define good technique down to the smallest detail are all professional fighters. They are boxers, full-contact martial artists, bare-knuckle fighting champs (yes, they still exist), and hand-to-hand combat specialists responsible for training security personnel.
These people are no joke. If they slip up, it means their careers, their health, and maybe their lives. To them, good technique means the difference between being a pro and being a chump who will never last in the long run.
So yes, good technique does matter in a street fight. If it wasn’t effective, it wouldn’t be any good.
No matter what sort of street fight you participate in, good technique can only help you. Evasive footwork, blazing-fast handspeed, and effective defense all spring from sound fundamentals.
If you don’t use good technique, you’ll never reach your full potential.
