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I just got back from my shift as a bouncer at a local club last night/this morning (2000-0330 GMT. This shift caused a significant disruption to this month's challenge but I'll post about that in my challenge thread for people to shame my weakness after I've slept) and I got into a bit of an altercation without any backup due to circumstances and it looked pretty dire. Luckily things were resolved relatively easily. But this got me musing about fighting multiple attackers. When I say fight I mean specifically street fighting, which will generally be in self-defense unless you're either a sexy Brad Pitt who makes explosive soap. The following are my thoughts; I can't speak for their originality but I think I make some sound conclusions and I'd like to hear the thoughts of people with a wide range of different disciplines and experiences. Just a note I'll be using two dichotomous shorthand terms: being "hot" (which is where you're in a high stress/adrenaline situation where your training becomes of limited use due to either panic, freezing up, uncertainty or just the sheer pumping of the adrenal gland) and being "cold" (the total opposite. In a controlled environment which you will have certainly had time to prepare for. This is where your training is useful in a conflict situation.). So fighting two people is like fighting anyone on the street: you should think about the worst thing that could reasonably happen and you should act based on that. This logic works well for me because it reminds me to remember that people get their heads stamped on and get paralysed in street fights or even just hit their head too hard crashing to the ground and get disabled. In street fighting, as people interested in the sociology of violence might be interested in, adding an informal group element to violence tends to lead to an equally informal "cumulative radicalisation" element where people act more violently than they would have done in the same situation independently. This is how we get people getting attacked and kicked to death by gangs of "hooligans" like you see in the papers (this might be a very British joke, sorry). The basic point I'm trying to here is one we should all know about street fighting and especially attempting to fighting multiple people: don't do it you numpty. No matter how good you are it's something you can only do with luck and it's better to not be in that situation. That said there are occasions where you might not be able to escape a violent attack from a group of two or more, in which case you should think about whether you want to risk getting kicked to death and fight as if your life depends on it (because it realistically might). There is therefore some relevance in thinking about the plausibility and method involved with fighting two or more attackers. Also on a website called NerdFitness I can't be the only person who fantasised about being a badass secret agent or ancient warrior capable of dispatching many opponents. So it seems to me that the old adage of "the best defense is a good offense" applies here, because if you rely on counters you run the risk of two attackers attacking at once in a combination of ways you're both not prepared for and wouldn't be able to even if you were because you were "hot". By this logic the aim is to stop your attackers attacking you in the quickest way possible and avoid being attacked at the same time. For that reason I think the best approach is to use strikes rather than grappling and locks because these latter two things require too much focus on a single opponent while you run the risk of getting walloped in the back of the head. I also think throwing would take slightly longer and even only being fractionally is not insignificant in such a fast paced event. However, even with this, if you want to win a fight against multiple people with strikes you have to put them down hard and fast. This is because you can only fight them one at a time whereas they can gang up on you. This leaves you with time for one, or two strikes on them if you're fast, to put the first person down to engage with the second. So you're basically relying on perfect power, speed and precision. Not only do you need to be able to land a better hit than Led Zeppelin IV (one for the oldies) but you also need to be able to do this while you're "hot". If you can do this you're Bruce Lee meets Hannibal Lectern or just a real life super hero. But we can make the situation a little less impossible through two ways. The first is by controlling your distance between yourself and the two attackers; by being significantly closer to one than the other you have more time to engage with the first opponent and put him down. The second is through the use of positioning, where you will place attacker B inbetween yourself and attacker B, preventing an immediate attack. Both of these things can be accomplished by controlling footwork and moving yourself around the attackers with clever and fast footwork. This, however relies on you having the time to make those crucial spatial alterations as well as the clearheadedness while "hot" to manouvre in that way. It doesn't seem theoretically impossible but it does seem extremely difficult and down to chance again. In terms of changing the distance between yourself and your opponents this can also be done by pushing one attacker further away from yourself, giving you time to close in on the other opponent and engage. I would personally use a teep for this, which is a fast and effective Thai variation of a pushkick, although most martial arts have a push kick or at least attack in some form. Another Thai move I could use is a clinch, in order to maneuver one attacker between myself and another attacker; again this is only what I would use as a Thai boxer, most martial arts will have a way to gain leverage over an opponent and move them in a desired way. There's no real point to any of this. I was just thinking about the plausibility of making the odds more favourable in a fight against more than one people. If none of this makes sense I'm sorry I've had a smoke of a "funny cigarette" since work to help me sleep. If it does make sense I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts. Nak out

* I just saw that my status is "Innovator". It is so fitting with the Tinkerer theme * I love these books! The girl is of mixed heritage and grew up with the Tinkerer. He taught her all kinds of things from carpentry and metal work, to building a flying machine and how to make things go "BOOM!", as well as respect for nature (she has an affinity to nature) and cooking, cleaning, basic math, science, etc. My boys probably think they are The Tinkerer's Sons because I'm usually busy building or making something, whether a cage, bookshelf, or just painting the house, drawing pictures, working in the garden, busy with the animals, or even cooking. My cooking can be quite "adventurous" at times, because I tend to "tinker" with the recipes. It's a normal day for Tink and her boys. In the morning they do their chores and then school work. Then they basically each go their different way for the day. Oldest has started a dinosaur business, teaching people about dinosaurs you find in the wild. He has his two miniature ankylosaurusses to thank for that. They are the size of Great Danes of old, are very clever, and herbivorous. He has taught them to pull in a harness and they help him to plow the lands. He has obviously inherited her affinity to animals and nature in general. She has seen him sway the most verocious troop of Compies to calm down and not attack! Youngest on the other hand is almost always busy in the workshop. If he isn't busy creating something new, he is tinkering with swords and fire craft. Why just the other day he gave her a huge fright by creating what he called a "boom stick"! It shot a hole the size of her palm in the wooden plank. He definitely has his father's knack with weapons! Tink can't help the sigh that escapes as she thinks of the not so distant past, and how they ended up on the outskirts of Maritzborough. With her husband being in the employ of the King, she and the boys had learned over time to always be on the lookout for strangers. Just before leaving on that last secret mission her husband had again impressed on her heart their plans if danger came too close. And this time it did. They came in just before the low swoops of the pteranodon flocks. That already drew a lot of attention, for only strangers didn't know, not to be in the street at that time of day. Those flying creatures were as regular as clock work, flying low over the city, stealing all kinds of food like freshly baked bread cooling off on window sills or fruit or vegetables out of the garden! The curious birds would peck at anything with their long, sharp beaks, whether edible, or clean laundry hanging on a line. The men had rushed to the old Dragon's Inn in another part of town, but word reached her ears soon enough that two strangers were asking after the Captain's family. Luckily their friends sent them on a merry chase around the country side the following couple of days, which gave them a chance to reach the Gryffin Caves. They had grabbed their emergency backpacks and set off. She had extra clothes and food in there, along with jackets, other things too precious to leave behind, and of course she had packed her tinkering tools. She won't go anywhere without them! She remembers that day as if it was yesterday, and truth be told, it wasn't that long ago. A month? Maybe two months? ... The Griffin Sire is the alpha of the pack, with the strong muscled body of an African Lion, and the head and wings of a Bald Eagle. She showed him the appropriate respect by bowing slightly in front of him, then held out her hand, palm up, for him to inspect. There was a time that she flew regularly with him, but the last while it would have drawn the wrong attention. Now she had to ask the gryffins to fly them as far as the border of their province. The gryffins weren't allowed outside that area, as they were in service to the King. The alpha pushed her hand away, and came closer to nudge her head softly with his beak. She made the crooning sound her father had taught her, while tickling his feathers softly with her fingers. He enjoyed this attention for a little while, and probably sensed the anxiety climbing in her, as he suddenly lifted up his head and screeched for other gryffins to come closer. Saddles and bridles weren't necessary, so they climbed up on the soft backs. The alpha walked to the edge of the ledge and with a strong bound leaped in the air! His front legs immediately folded back a bit to cover and hold her legs in place. His wings were stretched out to either side of her, brown feathers ruffling in the breeze caused by his flight. She lightly held on to the tuft of hair where the eagle neck became a lion's body. On the gryffin behind her, Oldest was laughing out loud. He loved every minute of it. Youngest wasn't too keen on flying, but a small smile curved his lips. From the air the trees looked like soft green cotton balls, the rivers like thick blue wool, unrolled across the land. The land itself sped past underneath them. What would take a person a day to cross on horseback, takes the gryffin a mere hour or so. Soon they could see ragged, scarred rocks and a deep canyon beyond in the distance. The border. The gryffins will land on the other side of the military post guarding the bridge. The soldiers will only know that someone came, not who, and not why. Their on gryffins, the King's transport, so they were exempt from being questioned. With a strong thrust of leg muscles and flap of wings the gryffins jumped back into the air, lifting up, circling once then heading back the way they came. Tink and her boys hefted their packs, making sure everything is tightened. They filled their water bottles at the fountain, had a quick snack then set off for the forest. They still have a long way ahead of them.

I'm getting back up on my feet with His strength, to fight another day. You raise me up... to live / fight on...

Here I am hiking after Gyddyn, a ranger from Middle Earth. Why? I don't really know except yesterday after my grandmother's funeral I found out that my mother was a distant relation of King Legolas of Mirkwood, or as it is now known, the Great Greenwood Forest. Guess I now also know where my almost pointy ears and my affinity to animals and plants, come from. My father was a human from "New Earth", in a different dimension to their Middle Earth, who accidentally stumbled upon the portal. He was gone for a long time, and when he returned to his own dimension, my grandmother couldn't make head or tails of his story about elves, ogres, orcs, dwarves and fighting. So much fighting. My grandmother raised me from baby till her death, now 27yrs later as my father passed from some infection soon after reaching home. “Keep up, Calithil. We have a long way to the portal still.” The flicker of his star brooch caught my eye as he quickly turned away from me. His faded green long coat fitted loosely over his leather vest, and looked a bit worse for wear. If it wasn't for the fact that my grandmother's last letter spelled out that it was essential I go “home” with this ranger, I wouldn't have set off with this scruffy looking stranger, with his reddish hair and beard, armed to the teeth with bow, arrows, long sword and various daggers, no doubt. “You mind explaining again the urgency behind this trek, please?” I huffed out breathlessly. “And why do you call me Calithil, when my name is Sarah Elizabeth?” “Huh, your human name may be Sarah Elizabeth, but your elven name is Calithil, meaning Moon Light. I wish to reach the portal before nightfall when the mountain trolls come out. They roam that area at night.” “But why am I rushing to Middle Earth now. Why not before?” “That is for King Ellavorn to discuss. I was asked to fetch you, as soon as possible, after your grandmother's passing.” We reached the portal in another hour. It was inside a dark cave which grew colder and colder as we penetrated its depths. Then suddenly all was pitch black and between one footstep and the next there was a shimmering, and suddenly I stood among rocks, with the sun sitting low behind us. As I looked up I walked from under a rock arch so magnificent it boggles the mind. Pointing at the engraving on the arch Gyddyn said: “It says Middle Earth in Elvish. We should reach Bilbo's house within another hour as I've arranged for horses to be waiting for us. Another reason why I would prefer to leave before those mountain trolls wake up. They love horse flesh.” On the other side of another huge boulder we reached a grassy knoll with two magnificent horses waiting for us. “Firefoot and Lightfoot. Horses of Rohan, and descendants of Felarof, first of the Mearas.” His quiet voice held the awe he felt for these animals. We quickly mounted and set off for Bilbo in The Shire, a descendant of The Great Bilbo, The Adventurer, who helped the dwarf king defeat the dragon Smaug. Upon reacing Bilbo's house a while later, I found we were not the only ones to stay over there that evening. As tired and weary as I was, I found the company of these dwarves and one wizard quite enlightening.

I had everything worked out on another theme when Oldest made a comment to his riding teacher: What I'm aiming for... but maybe without the lasso This cowgirl-to-be needs to be STRONG, and obviously has to be able to RIDE (again). She needs to be FIT and for various reasons must be able to defend herself and her loved ones. Most importantly, she needs to take CARE of herself. STRONG: Self Defence (1x/wk), Strength training (1x/wk), Flexibility (2x/wk) [16x for the challenge] RIDING: Get back in the saddle, literally (1x/wk) [4x for the challenge - except if lesson was cancelled for some or other reason] FIT: Walking, day hikes, outings with the boys (to museums and nature reserves, etc. count as well), or mowing (2x/wk) [8x for the challenge - weather permitting, and no unforeseen circumstances, because life happens here] SELF CARE: Bible study (just tick off - not keeping track), Water (bottle/day - at least 25 days), Sleep (at least 7hrs/night - 25 nights) MEASURES: Slowly but surely come down in measurements (cm and kg) (did something come down that week) [overall did cm or kg come down?] Now what about the cat and dogs part, you ask? Well, we got a cat. A young thing pitched at our door two nights ago. Hubby was sure he would return to his home, so I gave him a blanket and left him on our (relatively wind protected) stoep (verandah/porch). The dogs were very upset. Next morning (this morning) the kitty was still there, so we brought him into the house, fed him, warmed him up, and kept him in the bathroom with a blanket, window open. He promptly jumped out the window and went on a merry inspection of the property. Dogs shortly on his tail. Long story short, he came back to the house later the morning. I moved stuff around in our back room to accommodate him, and be able to close the door properly against investigating dogs. Opened a window, and he stayed. We checked in on him quite often. And he stayed, and purred, and meowed, and rubbed his small little head against our shoulders, and hands and anywhere he could touch. So the boys named him Stampy, and they hope that the messages we have sent out about a lost kitty will not be answered. (Me too on the hoping). A blanket and sheep's wool "nest". If he stays, I'll buy him one or two proper sleeping "nests" (basket with a roof/dome), one for the room and one for in front with us. In the meantime it is my job to get him and the dogs acquainted to such a level that they can at least tolerate one another. Our Jack Russell will be the biggest problem. She is very upset just smelling him on me, so I/we will have to give lots of love to all the parties in the coming weeks. And after all this, I hope to be on my way to ride like this:

Theatrical Trailer inside spoiler A couple years ago, Tris and Four caused major ructions in The Community. The known factions are still there: Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless and Erudite, but the new leaders of Community made a pact with other communities outside the Wall. Since then, if you fall outside the … normal parameters, and you choose to, you are sent to Divergent. They have become the defenders of the civilized world, the defenders of all the communities. They are known as The Rangers, home of Divergent. http://divergentthemovie.com/aptitudetest Elize's Test was yesterday. “Your results were inconclusive, because you don't fit into only one category. You are able to control and conquer your fears. It is extremely rare. You are Divergent, but you have the option to choose the faction you want to belong to.” Elize chose Divergent. Elize walked hesitantly into The Great Hall. She let out the breath she didn't realise she was holding. Not all of the new initiates were unfamiliar, a couple were friends or Ambassadors from her Community; Willes, Lightning, Elastigirl, and Chris-Tien, to name a few. There were more scattered throughout the big building, giving a quick wave when they saw her: Jakkals, Maegs, Sloth, Wolf, Shadowlion... Elize nodded a hallo, lifted a hand in greeting, then turned to the front of the room. The leaders of Divergent have just called for attention. In front were three guys all have heard of by now: Dark Raider, Tanktimus the Paladin, and Rurik The Barbarian. Their names alone should give you pause for thought. Slightly to their right stood others - Ambassadors whose names were also whispered on the grapevine. All were strong, courageous, honourable, so much different, better, than Elize thought she could be. They are the Team Leaders, supporting and helping all new initiates. Elize was pushed and jostled to the front in the others' excitement when seeing the group of leaders walk onto the platform. “I am Tank. You are here because The Test threw you out as Divergent! You do not belong to one faction. You are not just one thing – you are all things.” A hush fell over the crowd. He caught the eye of some of the initiates, looked deep. Some shuffled uncomfortably, others listened on in awe. “Here you will learn to be brave yes, but also intelligent, honest, kind, and selfless. You have to be ready for anything! Rangers stand with each other. We do not give up, do not quit, but endure. You will learn to adapt, to heal, to overcome. We close ranks and defend our brothers and sisters. We will push you beyond the limits you have set for yourself. We will be watching, Initiates, to push you to become who you really are meant to be.” A loud cheer almost deafened Elize. Excitement ran down her spine. Even she thought that she just might become brave, face herself, face life! Names were called out, groups formed. Elize, Elastigirl, and Chris-Tien were put in the Rangers group. Lightning and others were in the Assassins group, while Willes fell under Rurik in the Vikings group. She lost track of all her friends, but new they will no doubt end up working together, at some point in time. Later that morning Elize sat in front of Tanktimus the Paladin. Heart beating frantically in her mouth, she was more than a little daunted. Stories were told of him carrying his friend on his shoulders out of a fight with The Enemy! They beat The Enemy back that day. There were fearsome, but great stories about all the leaders. They weren't called Rangers for nothing! “The Test showed that you score in all categories. Your schedule for now will focus on maintaining strength, while learning self defence. You will also work on some of the other problem areas. You are one of only a handful who will report to all five groups every week, but we will only rate you on physical training, and how you look after yourself. You think you can only reach certain levels, but we know you can reach higher. You need to aim higher … I know you can, your friends know you can.” She wanted to shout out “No!”, but that little flame that had started burning at some point, licked into a burning flame. “Ok, I'll try.” -------------------------------------------------------------------- BRAVE: Strength | Stamina | Stretching | Self Defence [16/20 days – 80%] SELFLESS: Water | Sleep [20/25 days each – 80%] HONEST: Measurements [must come down] INTELLIGENT: NF | Finances | Orders | eMails KIND: Bible | Drawing

Hi all! If anyone interested in starting a group for Monks let me know (I don't know how to start the group so help please!) Just a group to talk about what martial arts or self defence we do and to give each other encouragement throughout the next 6 weeks! Maybe say why you got into it and why you continue with it? A little about myself. My name is Adam but everyone calls me AJ. I am 22 (23 on June 30th) I weigh 13.5 Stone (189 Pounds) but I have a beer belly so that is my main focus to tone up and loose fat and gain muscle. I currently train in Krav Maga http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krav_Maga and have been doing it for around 14 months and enjoy it thoroughly (This Wednesday just gone I successfully choked someone into unconsciousness with a new sleeper hold we learnt so was very happy with myself! not so much for the other guy) I have also trained in Karate 2 years before that. So lets just have some fun! AJ