HOW FAR ARE YOU WILLING TO GO? WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO DO?

Well as far as training went I made a lot of sacrifices in order to always try and acquire the best training that I could and sometimes that meant traveling and an outlay of money along with the time, energy, effort, and sweat that the training also required. Oftentimes early in my career in martial arts I did that instead of buying a new car, going on vacation, or having some of those things that some of my friends would have or acquire with their money, effort, and time. I even turned down promotions in the military so that I could remain in a position where I could devote the time to training and martial arts that I wanted to. A fair amount of that training was good quality training but it also was generally conducted with safety in mind to a certain extent so that everyone could avoid training injuries and layoffs.

Most training of a high caliber will include an element of safety for that reason unless its a place where they just operate and fly by the seat of their pants. Those places do exist but the training in them is generally not as good for most is what I have found usually.

As for how far I am willing to take things in real life. That's really a relatively easy answer for me given the fact that I served in the military in a combat zone, was at one time charged with the responsibility of protecting others and at times had to. My earlier background as a civilian also included at times employment in places that sometimes would draw a serious negative influence or crowd and also sometimes in high crime areas. Safety was always a factor to be considered and exercised in any of those places along with being and staying aware of your surroundings and what was happening and then dealing with it at the appropriate level if the situation required it.

So I have a lot of background and experience in dealing with those situations as well as formal training from law enforcement and the military and that is critical for a lot of what you are asking I think. People without that training and experience might freeze, or make mistakes, or fail to see and recognize things and in doing that mishandle those situations or fumble while trying to handle and deal with them at the appropriate level. I know that I can handle and react appropriately to those situations and have demonstrated that in the past and if needed, taken them to the fullest extent necessary.

To me that is always one of the things that is needed and required is to handle each situation appropriately. I would agree with some that there are those that are incapable of doing that or not capable at all of dealing with some situations at the level needed and some of this not always taught or included in training in martial or fighting arts but instead in other areas. Firearms training and conceal carry classes for instance I highly recommend for some beyond just martial arts training. Some people are lucky or unlucky enough to work in an occupation where their duties and the training for this is included, required and needed. For those that don't work in such occupations firearms training and conceal carry classes is a good place to start then and there are classes beyond those which one can take to help enhance their skills and ability beyond that of just martial or fighting arts.

I wonder if you really know what it means by "whatever it takes".

Whatever it takes mean to take actions necessary for the safety and well being of yourself and loved ones. And that occurs long before having to throw a punch or give up your life because if you had to be in that situation then you have NOT DONE whatever it takes.

Whatever it takes is not just training hard for that life or death situation - it means learning to foresee the potential for danger and avoid it or to simply not place yourself or your family in that situation. It means studying hard to get into a good college and graduate at the top of your class so you can get that good paying job so your family does not have to live in a crime infested neighborhood.

It means spending the money and taking the time to secure your home and be an active member of your community even if it is just being a good neighbor who watches the next door neighborhoods home while they are away. It means taking part even in inconvenient mundane duties such as showing up for jury duty and see to it that justice is served. It means doing what you can to make your community a little better a little safer.

There seem to be a pervasive romantic idea that being a martial artist means you are some sort of superhero who can throw caution to the wind and place yourself in any and all situations. There are no superhero and a bullet or a knife can easily prove it. Dying is easy - staying alive is not. Whatever it takes means if the only way to ensure your safety or that of your family means handing over your wallet and the keys to your car that took you 5 years of saving to buy over to a robber, then you do that.

Helping someone in need is a decent thing to do, but throwing your life away for a stranger means you failed your family. And if it is a choice between you the stranger and my family, you lose.

As a martial artist, you train diligently and hope you will never have to be place in the situation where you must kill or be killed. What you don't do is look forward to a confrontation with adolescent dreams about saving a hot girl who will than worships you and wants to have your children.

For me it all depends on what is going on... Not always does one need to use physical violence to harm another.. When you say "how far are you willing to go" I think this depends on the person them selves.. me I always look for the way out of a violence.. I think the first object is to feel out the other person seeing if they will take it to the point of having to protect myself or others around me.. Second is making sure deadly weapons are not involved like a Gun.. I don't think any ones life should be lost over being rubbed, to live another day is always good.. but say maybe there is a older person or woman I would stand in front of them for protection or at least deflect them from them to me.

"What are you willing to do" I have never been put to the test to see how much I would do to someone.. I don't think most people really know in less they get in this kind of violence.. For everyone it is different .. I all always tell myself to try to use the least amount of violence..

I can say I always look for the non violence way. Since to me martial art is for protection but also it is away to develop your self to be a better person In all aspects of life.. its not the martial arts that cause harm but the action the person uses that causes harm..

I too have thought of this and it's somewhat haunting. There have been a few times I took a fight too far.

An example would be the time I defended one of my girlfriends against a guy. I snapped. I really did, just went bonkers. I broke is arm, 2 fingers, his nose, cracked the orbital around his eye, possibly broke two ribs.

I don't think I had an intention to stop either. In fact I probably wouldn't and I would have continued unless Carissa didn't pull me off.

And she had this look of terror, near disgust, that I could be so purposely violent.

I almost got arrested and faced criminal charges but: He attacked first and they found a large pocket knife in his back pocket so I pretended I knew it was there and I was scared he might use it.

I'm just glad he didn't use it. Chances are I would have died or been seriously injured. If he used it on her, I would have fought to the death probably. It's just the type of mindset I have. Rash. Not smart sometimes.

I will it give it all and fight for all for protection against loved ones, and yes, a total stranger. It's just how I am.

If someone broke into my house, with full intent to harm my family. Chances are that person would not leave the house alive. Chances are I will confront them with a gun. Not my fists.

I love my family. AS far as I would go? I would kill to protect them. Simple and to the point. Who wouldn't?

As far as training? I want to go all the way. I have no plans on stopping anytime soon.

"Warriors are not always the fastest or strongest men. Strength and speed can be developed through training.

Warriors are those who choose to stand between their enemy and all that he loves or hold sacred".

"whatever it takes" is a broad, but accurate answer for me. I'm willing to negotiate my way out of a situation, flee, fight, or kill. I only hope that my training allows me to choose the safest option for me if I need those skills. Most of my confrontations were resolved through negotiation, but I train in case that doesn't work. And I also train to kill, if need be. But I also train to use as little force as possible; first, to preserve stamina while I assess; second, to preserve human life if it seems feasible; and third, to avoid risking my family's welfare by getting my a$$ tossed in jail or sued for unreasonable force.

People seem to have this idea that if they train to kill and hit hard, that will get them out of nearly all situations. No, that is not always true. It can make a situation worse, and it can create new situations - not just legal ones, but ones involving friends and family of the one I maimed or killed. I train to remain as calm as possible to assess what is needed, and includes dialog, running, and killing.

Now, you asked what I would do in my training to accomplish those goals. Unfortunately, my MA training lacks in the negotiations and fleeing department, so, I shore them up by reading and keeping myself physically fit. I engage my own students, my instructors, and my student peers in "what-if" scenarios, compare notes on books we read, and spend time looking for the right words. But in the end, I get little practice here, only theory.

Finding the right teacher is of utmost importance, as is knowing which ones to stay away from.

I agree completely with Aon, in that training should not be like western medicine: treat the injury by treating the injury. Eastern medicine would have you treat the whole body in order to treat the injury.

And that is important in self-defense, using another analogy, that of the difference between tact and diplomacy. (Diplomacy gets you out of situations that tact would have kept you out). Too many martial artists are wrapped up in the narrow-minded ideal of getting out of the situation, and not enough on staying out of that situation to begin with.

EDIT:

In my opinion, the trucker here went too far. (The man he beat up later died of his injuries; the truck driver hasn't yet been charged. He will likely be sued by the man's family.)

http://youtu.be/e4zJdu8LK2Y

I would go as far as I can take it. You have to end it quick, after 45 seconds your adrenaline starts pumping and it'd probably get out of hand.

As far as man can

Practice all the time.

I train thinking that the other side is training like I do or more severe so avoid any fights when possible

To protect myself, if someone who attacks me has to die so I don't get even a minor injury so be it

Family/friends: same as above but if they started the fight I would let them get minor injuries but if they have a serious injury or the other person dies well my friends and family mean more to me than anyone else

Stranger (adult) Chances are I would call the cops and yell but without a real reason to do anything else you are on if I don't know you I will not chance an injury

Stranger (child) if two children are fighting as children do I do nothing, if one is going to get seriously hurt then step in, if child agains adult then it depends on the situation

I would kill to protect my family,they're all I have.

A person getting attacked? I'm not so sure.. It all depends,for example if it was a guy getting beat up I'd probably try to step in and break up the fight but say the guy doing the beating turned in me and started on me I'd probably just RUN. I know,cowardice, I'm just being genuinely honest. My instinct for self preservation is pretty darn strong. However if a woman or child was being attacked by someone I'd probably do everything in my power to stop it, I'd go for a knockout but if the attacker is determined to get away with their victim I probably would resort to murder.

If your wondering why I'd totally commit to the second situation and not the first it's because I have a very personal grudge against child kidnappers and rapists.

How far am I willing to go to protect myself? Well between kill and be killed.. I'd kill, it would haunt me for the rest of my life but as mentioned earlier;my instinct for self preservation is a strong one.