Ask Dethroner: How to Stop Pulling Punches?
14 Comments Published by Joel October 9th, 2006 in Ask Dethroner, Fighting. Share ThisJoel J. writes:
Every time I’ve ever been in a fight, even in the throes of rage, I’ve pulled my punches. I don’t know if it’s because I fear hurting the other person or hurting my hand, but it’s got to stop. How do I quit pulling my punches?
Get blindingly drunk. That’s the only time when I’ve ever been able to throw a punch with all my strength myself, the force of which was mitigated by my inability to aim.
Here are my ideas, but please take these as untested suggestions, not law:
• Find a punching bag – With practice, you’d at least know what an un-pulled punch feels like, which might help on the day when the bag is replaced with a douchebag.
• Imagine your target exploding – The power of your punch will be so strong that your opponent’s head will burst like a half-melted Cherry Mash. The power of visualization might short-circuit your need to pull a punch.
• Get training in the martial arts – Obviously, this would work. What it wouldn’t do is work quickly.
I did a fair amount of research about pulling punches—I could have sworn I’d read a scientific report about why we, by instinct, pull punches—but I can’t find any good information about why we pull punches. If I had that, perhaps I could do a better job figuring out how to avoid doing so.
14 Responses to “Ask Dethroner: How to Stop Pulling Punches?”
- 1 Pingback on Feb 21st, 2007 at 12:38 am
You knocka-he down, now try knocka-me down now. LOL…that’s got to be the greatest Rocky line ever. One of the best fight scenes is Rocky Balboa vs. Tommy Gunn.
Why do you want to fight? Fights are for when you are young and inexperienced. As time goes by, every time you find yourself in a situation where you have to fight it’s because you have not been smart enough. Now, even if I win the fight, I know I have lost anyway because I got myself into it. Be aware and you won’t need to fight. It’s always about knowing yourself not your opponent. If you fall into rage and drinking you have lost, not won. I have seen, suffered and inflicted violence enough to know it’s the product of fear and doesn’t take anywhere. Fear breeds hate, respect brings peace.
Punch 2-3 inches into the target. That’s where the punch should ’snap’ and where your fist should be fully clenched.
I’m with 7colors on this one. If you’re old enough to drink, you’re too old to be getting into fights.
C’mon. Visulize the bully you wanted to stomp in school.
Channel it.
Simple, really, and I’m a femme…113lbs.
(P.S. The bullies were from jr high school. They threw me down 2 flights of stairs. I have NO problem with revisiting that before a righteous beat down…)
However, in retrospect (all of 60 seconds of retrospect) the posters are right.
What are you doin’ fightin’? I mean, is this normal or a live-or-die “might happen to me some day” sitch?
My old friends have told me repeatedly…”if you gotta fight, you don’t need to be there…”
Course, my friends where idiots. I’ve been in many a sitch where a fight or a threat of one was the only reason I got out alive.
You just…never know…
Okay…hee hee..I’m sorry…I gotta add this:
My “throes of rage” involve a BIC pen and a stabbing motion…
And I’m sick for giggling, aren’t I?
Go to your local maintenance office and find the small, quiet Asian guy.
Then do some chores around his house for him for the summer. You might also consider trying to hook up with a chick who’s say out of your league while you’re at it.
Then, just as your opponent’s buddy yells “Put him in a body pag, Johnny!”, pull off some wicked-ass seagull or crane or whatever move and then get a trophy.
Or, you could walk away.
If a fight should break out, shoving people in the back on your way to the exit should suffice. Everyone I know who’s ever really punched someone (including me) have screwed up their hand in significant fashion. Unless you have specific training, just get the hell out of there.
1. Find you another guy 2. drink about 4 shots apiece 3. take turns hitting each other in the center of the chest as hard as you can, first one to keel over loses. This will cure pulling punches insantly you might pull the first one but after you get hit youll figure it out quick!
ummm… boxing. take some lessons. it’s cheap. it’s basic.
It’s known as “killer instinct” and other monikers. And all of the Kung-Fu or boxing training won’t help you attain it. Some guys are born with it, some develop it with horrible lives, lost teeth and broken dreams everyone else just wonders who to achieve the mere manifestations of it like fighting, picking up women and making a lot of money. IMHO, it’s definitely an “alpha” trait that’s powerful when harnessed but self-destructive more often than not. Also, I think liquor is a good way to soothe it or awaken it . . . Depending on how much of a prick you are.
forget punching. sweep the leg