Fighting drunk?

[Kaenzig]

Hi!
I was just wondering if anyone has experiences of self-defence situations while being drunk. I ask because it happened to me yesterday at a party (me being the drunk person) and I couldn't react at all, I couldn't use any technique or skill and I lost the fight.
(I can describe the situation in more detail if requested).

Now I'm not sure if it was largely due to being drunk or because of lacking fighting skills so I'm wondering if anyone has some information on the relation of drunkenness and self-defence. I know there are some very knowledgeable people on this board so I'm looking forward to hearing your opinions.

Sorry for bad English.

[lucky1899]

If you want to fight well drunk, then drink and train while intoxicated. The obvious effect is that your reaction will be slower with alcohol (classified as a 'depressant'). Luckily, I've been the sober one in self-defense situations were alcohol was involved.

I look forward to reading other member's stories though.

Regards,

Andrew De Luna

[Jitsumania]

Man-"Doctor, Doctor, its hurts when I do this.
Doctor- "Then don't do that!"

If you choose to become intoxicated then train as Andrew suggested. Of course you will have to do this frequently to become proficient. I Don't drink anymore (stopped 21 yrs ago) but I got into a few scuffles back then. Used elbows and knees with a high level of success. The less fine motor movement, the better. Elbows and knees are great equalizers, require less accuracy and provide a great deal of force on impact. You could also drink in moderation and not have to worry about it.
Good luck with that.

[pizzamancer]

Like driving and operating heavy machinery, fighting while drunk is a good way to hurt yourself, hurt someone else, and end up in jail. Training while drunk is just foolish, I hope you guys were sarcastic there.

You might want to train while sober so you avoid fighting in the first place, drunk or not.

[hoshizawa]

Depending on your social environment, you might not have too much of a choice with drinking and knowing how to handle yourself.

I know my Taijutsu sucks when drunk, but my survival skills have kicked in on a few occaisions. If you do an art that relies on speed and power, your motorskills are the first to go with judgement skills when drunk. Taijutsu is really bad for me in those situations becasue use of the lower body is primary, hard to do when your legs feel like jelly. Most of all no balance!

Here is a bad example, LOL.

Once I was with friends in front of a bar. One of them started play fighting like he knew martial arts. A bystander stepped in and moved his moouth like he was being dubbed like Kung Fu movies. We all laughed and thought it was hilarious! Then out of nowhere he hit me above the eye, cut me open and I was in a daze. Everyone else stood back while this guy tried to work me over. I was able to evade the remaining strikes but becuase I was soooo drunk I couldn't land one on him. It dawned on me real quick the guy was sober and I might need to step away. That didn't work, this guy had a serious issue with me and I had no idea why, no talking or whatever would let this guy go away. I had just embarrassed him because everyone was sure he was going to do me in, which didn't happen. Anyhow, he got tired and the crowd started to move away because I wasn't fighting him back but moving away. Finally the guy gave up and walked towards me to shake my hand.

Like a true gentleman I kicked him as hard as I could in the groin wearing a pari of steel toed Dr. Martin boots. I was pissed beacause it appeared to me the guy was preying on others with a chip on his shoulder and two I was almost his victim. The night was my going away party from a military unit I had been with for three years. We had been through a lot together so drinks were part of the lifestyle. Ofcourse I didn't have to drink so much, but I liked to drink at the time so I almost got a good beatin' for it.

I have lived in Europe for several years now and I know drinking is very normal for everyone. I will honestly say on the occaisions I had to fight while intoxicated I either got extremely lucky I made it away fine or extremely lucky I didn't hurt someone too bad. Best advice is to train hard, be able to see issues when they arise while drinking, and avoid them at all costs if possible.

Take care!

[Jitsumania]

Like driving and operating heavy machinery, fighting while drunk is a good way to hurt yourself, hurt someone else, and end up in jail. Training while drunk is just foolish, I hope you guys were sarcastic there.

You might want to train while sober so you avoid fighting in the first place, drunk or not.

Duh!!!! I don't allow any of my students onto the mat in any type of intoxicated state. This is extremely dangerous because their judgement and motor skills are impaired. They are strongly warned to never present to the Dojo in that state either. We are role models for children and they must see the virtue of Martial training. Drunkardness only reflects a lack of self control and discipline. Don't mean to come off as a prude, but drinking to excess does nothing but set the stage for negative things to happen.

[Kaenzig]

The obvious effect is that your reaction will be slower with alcohol (classified as a 'depressant').

Another effect I've noticed is that I tend to panic much more easily when drunk. Normally I'm not getting afraid in fights but all it takes when I'm drunk is a few hits on the ground and I feel like I'm going to die, very odd.
Then when I wake up next morning I realise that none of the hits were serious, no cuts, nothing broken, just a bit of pain and a crushed ego

Btw, I should have clarified: I had two fights that evening, first against a guy who was drunk too, but not nearly as much as I was. That fight was like a draw both took some hits and went away. Second was against this guys cousin, who I think was sober. I lost that fight.
I should add that I wasn't the one looking for trouble and that I tried to calm them down.

Used elbows and knees with a high level of success. The less fine motor movement, the better. Elbows and knees are great equalizers, require less accuracy and provide a great deal of force on impact.

I guess that works as long as you're not too drunk. I couldn't even think about using specific strikes anymore.

You could also drink in moderation and not have to worry about it.

Best advice is to train hard, be able to see issues when they arise while drinking, and avoid them at all costs if possible.

Take care!

Now that's some good advice!

Don't mean to come off as a prude, but drinking to excess does nothing but set the stage for negative things to happen.

Hmm... I agree, when you're in public and there are a lot of people around. But when I'm at home with some friends it can be very enjoyable and nothing negative happens.

[hoshizawa]

Kein problem und viel Spaß!

[Bod]

Kaenzig you broke the first rule of fighting.

If you win a fight, or even an argument, then get out of there. Or you'll have to win another, harder fight pretty soon after.

[Kaenzig]

Kaenzig you broke the first rule of fighting.

If you win a fight, or even an argument, then get out of there. Or you'll have to win another, harder fight pretty soon after.

Bod I'm not sure what you're saying, I didn't win a fight and if I had I sure would have gone away. Could you please clarify?

[Joseph Svinth]

He is saying that if you win the fight, the other fellow is likely to come back soon with reinforcements that he thinks should be able to clean your clock. Alternatively, he will bring his knife (if in UK) or handgun (if in the USA).

Either way, it is probably healthiest for you to be somewhere else when he returns.