Street fighting is very different from fighting somebody in a ring. As much as possible, you want to try and to avoid a street fight at all costs. Lots of people get easily injured because they think they can fight fancy.

1. Are You Making These Common
Street Fighting Mistakes?
www.fightingtips.org
FIGHTING TIPS
2012
Authored by: Jason

2. Are You Making These Common Street
Fighting Mistakes?
www.fightingtips.org
Street fighting is very different from fighting somebody in a ring. As much as possible, you
want to try and to avoid a street fight at all costs. Lots of people get easily injured because
they think they can fight fancy. It’s one of the most common street fighting mistakes that
are made by people who’ve never been in a real street fight before. A street fight has no
rules, so you need to be ruthless. A lot of people make many elementary mistakes when
they fight someone because they think it’s just like what they see on TV.
Are You Making These Common Street Fighting Mistakes? | 1/1/2012
(Photo credit: Anamorphic Mike)
Not Putting Your Hands Up
Don’t be fancy about it. Put your hands up to cover and protect your face and not to pull off
a Bruce Lee stance. Clench your fists firmly but not tightly, and put them up in such a way
that your face is protected from a frontal assault. A blow to the face can really stagger
anybody in a street fight, so don’t expose yourself easily to that possibility. If you put your
hands up well, then it also allows you to have some room to strike. You can easily land a
good strike on a person’s face with your fists. If your face is exposed and your hands are not
protecting it, you instantly create an easy target for your opponent.
1

3. Hesitating to Deliver The First Hit
Most fights are decided by the first hit. Remember that you’re not looking for a fight but if it
comes to you then you can’t be afraid to strike first. Striking first could mean the difference
between walking away, or your life. There are a lot of areas that you can easily exploit when
going in for that first hit:
Anywhere on the face – The face is always a good target in any kind of fight. You can hit
the nose, the eyes, the lips or even the chin. There are a lot of ways to hit too. A punch or
an open palm is always effective and delivers a lot of power. Slaps work too if you hit them
hard.
Low kicks – Forget the idea of a fancy high kick unless you are really good at throwing
them, but virtually anyone can pull off a fast low kick to the shin or the thigh. This can be
very effective and can quickly turn the tides for you in a fight.
Groin and stomach – A good hit to a man’s groin will deliver a lot of pain. Don’t hit the
Are You Making These Common Street Fighting Mistakes? | 1/1/2012
stomach unless you can get a powerful hit in. The stomach is central to our body in many
ways, and a good strike here could also swing things your way.
Holding Back or Not Fully Committing Yourself
Commit yourself to the fight if there is no way for you to avoid it. If you hesitate for even a
single moment then you may be in trouble despite taking the early advantage. Don’t stop if
you do get a few good hits in. If you know for sure that your opponent is disabled, then you
can stop; but, until then, keep going to make sure the job is done properly. If you get hit,
don’t be afraid to counterattack. One of the most common street fighting mistakes is that
people don’t hit back after getting hit a few times. Taking it can be much worse than
actually putting up a fight.
The best way to avoid common mistakes during a street fight is to be well prepared and
knowledgeable about the topic. Check out Jeff Anderson’s “Street Fighting Uncaged” for
2

4. more information on how to dominate in a real street, regardless of your body size or past
experience.
This article was originally posted on www.fightingtips.org
Are You Making These Common Street Fighting Mistakes? | 1/1/2012
3