We are two exits from home. Thanks for indulging my road trip ramblings.

I'm happy to be almost home but didn't need to say it twice.

Wow, Suzi, that's awesome.

Typo Boy, I have no answer for you but hopefully someone will.

Back from the beach, spending the night at my parents' house. I feel weirdly untethered and not sure I can handle my life back in NOLA. Hrmph.

Typo, most fighting is based on knowing how to block and counterpunch, so if a guy comes wading in flailing haymakers you're trained to take advantage of that.

balls, throat, eyes, stomach, kidney, other?

In my training, yes. Whichever target presents itself. We train on blocking and moving in to take advantage of these spots. Most attackers don't expect you to get inside what they consider punching distance. Takes away their reach and puts you in place to hit soft targets and/or use knees and elbows.

Anne, that is impressive indeed.

I'll go with Suzi's answer, however my training was pretty basic and was about restraining people, not defending myself (so I know more about pressure points, less about "kick there". Personally, I go with the "run as the wind and call for help" approach).

If someone came at me fists flying I'd drop to the ground, get on my side and aim a kick at his crotch or knees, whichever was closer. And when he dropped to the ground start aiming kicks at his head. (Model Mugging self defense trained.)

I was about to buy a netbook today (old laptop is still working but is 7 years old, and more importantly, tends to break my back when I carry it to school). I called the store to make sure the info in their site matches their inventory. Nope. So I will not have new laptop today, and I'm not so happy about it - I need it for Thursday, and planned to install OS and whatnot on it tomorrow.

What does your trained fighter want to happen? Capture? Evade? Knock untrained guy out? Kill the guy?

Different responses to each sitch, and each mode of fight-training. I'm not a trained fighter, but I suppose if I was in a sitch where I was fighting someone, it would be a serious situation for me, so I would try to do damage, as I would be in fear of my life. I'd try to stay out of range, assess area for weapons (like a gardening tool, say, or heavy/hot/toxic things to throw at him, just thinking about a home attack.)

This assumes I can't get the fuck outta there, because running is (most often) an untrained person's best option. After getting mugged in my apartment, and pulling a knife on the guy (instead of just quietly holding onto it and stabbing him when he dragged me through the kitchen to the bedroom, which is what I should have done), I decided that I will never threaten anyone with a weapon I am not an expert in. I should have thrown a piece of furniture or two through the windows to attract attention. That is Plan #1 for me if I ever am attacked at a home again. I have lots of back-up plans, too.

Can't get out, if you can get a weapon, don't advertise it. Hide it, and wait.

If you can't get a weapon, Suzi and lisah are right. I'd try to get him in the knees, fuck up his balance, cause some pain. I'd go for the throat or eyes; I'm short and most people telegraph a kick to the balls, most guys expect it, and most protect against it more diligently. Plus, the danger of him grabbing my leg if I'm not fast enough. Rape subjects are advised to try not to get on the floor, but I have some crazy lower strength, so I could do some damage (face, kidneys, maybe ball, throat, face) there, and get him off of me. I'd take some punishment though.

And then try to use speed, and stay mostly out of his way. Try to get some knee damage, ankles; trip him up (cause I'm short)and wait for him to falter to use a weapon on him and run, or punch or kick him in the trachea and run.

I'd get kinda beat up; I am pretty totally untrained. But I'd also be pissed and I wouldn't give up.

You're probably thinking of a different kind of fight than untrained chubby 5'4" girl vs. dude, but I think my reactions would be similar were I trained, although I obviously have less -- well, almost no -- expertise and technique. And strength.

But I think I'd have a chance. If I'm smart. And I know from experience (one mugging, okay, not that bad, BUT) that I DON'T freeze up, that I still think and plan. My plan wasn't PERFECT, but I'd never been attacked before. It worked, that's all that counts. I got a few bruises, my face beat up, but I realize my brain is my best weapon -- I bluffed him out of raping me -- he didn't kill me or beat me anymore and he left.

And I know that I act if anything happens. And I kinda actually strategize under stress. I wish I hadn't been mugged, but in a way, it's one of the most valuable lessons I've ever had, and I kinda don't regret it, given the circumstances.

Wow, I got distracted. I gotta fight someone now (seriously) using words this time.

Morning!

How is the better guy better? Is his attack better, so if he gets through my defence I'm done for? Or is his defence better so I'll never land anything? Is he faster than me? Stronger?

If I'm the better one, I'm going for open targets--whatever he leaves. be it jaw, liver, groin, nose, throat. Defence is what you do with your other limbs at the time, and also your footwork. Defence is what I'm using to compensate in case I'm not stronger or faster. Or what I use to hit him twice for his one.

But I'm only betting on the less good fighter if their difference is that they're balls to the wall all or nothing not getting out of this alive, and I'm just fighting to dissuade or perhaps to momentarily disable. If you're holding back like that, your defence might take a lot of damage while you're inflicting relatively little. And no defence is perfect--at best you're so fast he doesn't touch you, but your stamina better be epic too. Most tiring 30 seconds of your life, unless you're Carl Lewis.