Your own martial art......

[absolute hardgainer]

Superfoot: That makes about as much sense as wanting to swim in the ocean in order to study marine life or wanting to hit a wall at 100 miles an hour to study the effects of crashes.

To actually think that you could study or analyze fighting techniques or self-defense techniques by deliberately getting involved in fights is immature and wishful thinking.

hardgainer (been there, done that)

 

[Superfoot]

Well, let me put it this way...

I know a lot of people with great theories on fighting. Every other person you talk to will go on and on about what works, what doesn't and what they would do in a fight. If you weed out all of those that have never gotten hit, you'll end up with a hell of a lot less people.

I'm not saying people today, should go get into fights to find out what works, I'm saying (in the context of the question) that if there were no martial arts and your task was to develop a fighting system, I would want to make sure mine worked in reality (not just theory). If you don't want to get hit, you should find another job. How would it feel to be the only person on the planet with their own fighting system and getting a beat down from some drunk dad at a football game...degrading.

Let me also say that to start with, you'd probably be better off watching a lot of fights. Essentially, if you want to write a paper, you've got to do the research.

I've never gotten into a fight for the sake of fighting, in fact I've never started a fight. When I was a bouncer though, I was involved in quite a few and (even though I was already a black belt) I picked up a few more tricks.

 

[absolute hardgainer]

This makes a lot more sense than what you originally said.

hardgainer (pump)

 

[Superfoot]

Well I don't think I contradicted myself in any way, just expanded...

My point is that you can't expect to develop a fighting system if you've never been in a fight.