Those of you who are/have been in the military...

[MikeH]

I was having a conversation with a colleague about self defence.

Given your basic military training do you think you could take a man who is coming at you from behind?

[Patroklos]

That would all depend. He could have a weapon, so could I.

But assuming it was a "fair" fight besides him coming from behind, and assuming he didn't get a finishing blow in or a lucky hit, 50/50. I did't learn too much on hand to hand as I am in Navy, and as far as I know from my freinds in the three other branches their training is cursory as well. Marines do a little more. So I would have to say it depends mostly on whether you could fight well regardless of you training.

[Patroklos]

Alot of military people do gravitate to things like boxing (me) and other such ativities, that will help.

[Pekka]

No if he knows what he is doing. I'm pretty confident I could take most people out if I come from the back. I don't have credentials as killing people, but I have training of what some people call free fighting, or some mixed martial arts, or no holds barred. That naturally doesn't say much about me, but anyway.

Depends on the situation a lot. If he has a weapon, then what kind of weapon, and what do I have. Does he surprise me or not. If he has knife and I have nothing and he surprises me, I lose. If he has bare hands and I have knife, he loses. If he is bare hands and so am I, depends on his skills, most likely he wins if he's there to kill me and doesn't hesitate. If he doesn't surprise me, it's 50/50. If he is not experienced, surprises me bare handed, I give myself 95 agaisnt his 5. If he really knows how to choke someone, professionally and not some sissie ass choke he was taught by his friends but real killing stuff, I lose. Otherwise I'll roll and turn and kill him.

In the street or in the ring with vale tudo rules, I give myself the edge over most military guys for sure. I don't mean to be cocky. In real armed combat with fight to death, I don't give edge to anyone, and I wouldn't bet on myself either. If someone has the upper hand, and it's fight to kill, I bet on that guy who has the upper hand.

[Hueij]

Being able to kill someone because I've been in the army??

Mwuhahahaha!

Take a look of this pic of me during my time in the Dutch army in 1975/76 and then ask me again... (and no, I'm NOT wearing a helmet )

[Pekka]

Also I have to agree with Huej, doing the army doesn't say much about your actual fighting skills, unless you've been in some badass special forces. Every man in here goes to the army with few exceptions. You'd think fights would be pretty hardcore here then, like a warzone, but it's not like that. I think army doesn't give edge to other person. Only real fighting training and experience in mixed martial arts will do that for you

[MichaeltheGreat]

Re: Those of you who are/have been in the military...

Originally posted by MikeH
I was having a conversation with a colleague about self defence.

Given your basic military training do you think you could take a man who is coming at you from behind?

With automatic weapons, special purpose weapons, etc. and the orientation on fighting as a unit, even most "elite" forces advanced training focuses very little on unarmed combat techniques, because that is not fundamental to the soldier's mission. It's usually something you pick up on the side, but really rarely expect to use.

[Grandpa Troll]

..No..because although we in the Military teach aggressive behavior "EN MASSE" on Battlefield...as MtG stated not much self defense or such awareness of your surroundings.

A good old Mule kick will help but would probabl;y take some training and then depending upon angle of attack, armed-unarmed, Bigger-smaller..taller-shorter quicker slower

I would say however that a person in Military is :Taught" to at the very least be aware of his or her surroundings, what level a person comprehends that or even implements what he has been taught is entirely upon the individual.

Peace

Grandpa "25 years out on 5 feb-04" Troll

[monkspider]

I played Combat on the Atari, does that count?

[FrustratedPoet]

If there was a man coming hard at me from behind I would beat him off as energetically as I could.

[KrazyHorse]

[KrazyHorse]

I'm actually LOL, by the way.

[Sprayber]

Oh **** , im glad im not the only one that laughed at that

[KrazyHorse]

I love it when you open a thread not expecting to see anything funny and then you get blindsided...

[Chemical Ollie]

Re: Those of you who are/have been in the military...

Originally posted by MikeH
I was having a conversation with a colleague about self defence.

Given your basic military training do you think you could take a man who is coming at you from behind?

You have seen too many action movies.

According to my military training, I would turn and smash his face with my rifle butt and then stab him with my bayonnette. But that assumes I have a rifle, which assumes I am still in uniform. The combat skills you learn in the army have no civilian application. As many others pointed out, the military does not teach wrestling and fist fighting, except perhaps in some special forces units.

Bayonnette fighting and rifle butting is probably still teached, at least I had some training in it, but no one expects to ever use it. Most war casualties don't even see the enemy before they get shot. The last time I heard bayonnettes was used in combat was the Falkland war. But perhaps they still used them in WW1-style wars like Iran/Iraq and Eritrea/Ethiopia?