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Qman
Lv 4
Qman asked in SportsMartial Arts · 9 years ago

Would you kick your attacker when he is down?

Martial arts is supposed to be honourable. Is there anything you wouldn't do if you were attacked just because it is dishonourable, like biting or kicking someone in the head when they are on the ground? Or is it a case of if getting attacked, anything goes?

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  • 9 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    If he was on the ground I would assume he's had enough and use the time to regain some breath and create some space between us so if he attacked again I'd have more time to react. That said if he did attack again I'd make sure to break something to end his attack for good. Don't forget the objective is to end the threat not kill your attacker, that would get you in to trouble and I haven't met any attacker yet who would carry on a fight with a broken arm or dislocated shoulder.

  • 9 years ago

    "Honor" doesn't play into what I do. Most of the notions of martial arts being "honorable" come from pop culture: films and books. Martial arts were developed to give one person the best chance of survival possible in combat, honor be damned.

    It's not my intention to kick a "downed" person, but for legal reasons more than anything else. In the US at least, but I think in many Western nations, if your opponent has been knocked down, he's no longer considered a "clear and present danger", so continuing to attack him is, legally speaking, assault. You've just gone from defending yourself to committing a crime.

    Most other things, if they're necessary for survival, are on the table: biting, head butting, groin shots, etc.

  • 9 years ago

    I have no limits with exception of the law and what is called for. If an attacker is down but still a threat I have no problem with kicking them. The question begs to ask what you feel is honorable? As I see it fighting is not honorable in any way. What I do is only done if I have no way to avoid the fight in the first place. If attacked suddenly by someone that intends to injure or kill me, why would I care about honor. I find that many people are very conflicted as to the topic of honor and self-defense. Along with this the concept of what is defensive and what is not. By that I mean to say that many people have the false belief that they are not allowed to attack first in any situation. That is just wrong. If you can avoid a fight and you attack anyway then you are abusing that belief. However, if you are in a situation where you know for sure that the fight is about to happen and you can't possibly avoid it then it is morally and legally OK to attack first. Waiting may make you feel you were being honorable, but it may also be what gets you in bigger trouble.

    If I'm faced with an imminent attack that I can't avoid, if the attacker gives me a good opening, I'll nail him in heartbeat.

    ...

    Source(s): Martial arts training and research over 45 years, since 1967 Teaching martial arts since 1973
  • 9 years ago

    Is it dishonorable to kick someone when they are down if that saves the life a child? Or any life for that matter? When someone attacks you they are establishing an intent to do harm, possibly mame or kill you. I have been in many fights and some of the worst were after I let the guy go because he said he was going to stop. When someone attacks they are unleashing the animal in a martial artist and animals are not good or evil they are just defend themselves until they are safe. You do what you must until you are safe and that maybe just a word or a bullet but you are still alive to ponder if it was honorable.

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  • 9 years ago

    Well if you truly want to be honorably you shouldn't kick while they are down. As for me,if someone attacked me I would kick them while they were down,and I would do anything to get them "down" ie: groin shots,biting,eye poking,shin kicking.teach them a lesson.ive made the mistake of letting a guy go and he just tried to fight me again a week later.people these days are not honorable.so don't handicap your self with pride

  • possum
    Lv 7
    9 years ago

    Yes, I would - and I wouldn't hesitate. The formula is simple: if he no longer poses a threat, I'll leave him be and tend to myself/my family. But just being on the ground does not mean he's no longer a threat. Adn that is why I would kick him, even though he's down. If I can see that he's not a danger to me, I'll stop.

    And yes, anything goes.

  • Jay
    Lv 7
    9 years ago

    Personally, I wouldn't. That's just me, though. If he's on the ground then obviously I wouldn't have to do anymore because I know I can put him there again if he gets back up to attack me.

  • Todd
    Lv 7
    9 years ago

    Martial arts is not martial combat. They're different things. Martial combat (street fight) has no rules if you are defending yourself. According to the law, however, unless you were in imminent danger, you can not retaliate with deadly or excessive force.

  • Anonymous
    9 years ago

    No, I will do whatever it takes to win and destroy the opponent. I use martial arts, to kill and destroy my opponent.

    If my opponent is in the ground, I will kick him to death. I will judge if I should kick or not. I would bite/kick when they are on the ground. Martial arts are not suppose to be honorable, but weapons/tools that allow you to achieve what you desire. It was created to defeat your opponent.

    I have no rules when it comes to a fight. You fight me, and I will do whatever it takes to win and survive at the end.

  • Anonymous
    9 years ago

    If it was an arranged fight I would use purely Martial Arts rules so no.

    If I was attacked then I would to the minimum knock the fu*ker out, don't get me started on the armbar ready for him

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