I received permission to share this here. Fellow student was visiting someone in the hospital. Things you should know about her. She is an advanced student. She (like me) isn't someone you would consider an athlete or martial artist if you saw her. Super chill mellow sweet person. Anyways, she pulled into a parking lot and got out of her car. Three women got out of a car. And approached her cursing at her that she cut them off and took their parking space. She didn't realize she had. She didn't do it on purpose. Now this student, if given the chance, would have apologized and moved her car and given up the space. But she wasn't given a chance to do this. because they attacked her. One woman punched at her from the front, another grabbed her hair from behind. She wasn't sure about the third woman exactly, but she said they all came in on her at once. She said it was all extremely fast, just like our Sifu says. Writing this, I am not sure how she got surrounded with a woman behind her. Except that maybe it just happened so fast? She then said she just started reacting. She said it felt just like sparring in class. She did a front snap kick to the groin. And turned into a Gwa Choi- Overhand back knuckle- to the woman grabbing her hair, turned back front and grabbed an opponent by the throat in a dragon claw. She said she was yellling "Are you kidding me? Over a parking space?????" The perpetrators stopped attacking, apologized and ran off. She wan't unscathed. She is a bit bruised up in her face, particularly one under one eye. But she is fine. Things that stood out to me learning the story. A reiteration of how fast a situation can turn into an attack. A reiteration that multiple attackers don't take turns like in the movies. They all come in at once. How she said it felt just like sparring class to her. How, despite the very bad scenario of being attacked by three people, it shows that one CAN still successfully defend oneself. And she used some traditional CLF moves! I thought it was great to hear that traditional Chinese Martial arts moves worked. A dragon claw to the throat? Just pretty awesome! I always tell people that I don't know what would happen if I was attacked, because it hasn't happened to me. Studying martial arts is no guarantee. But, it is encouraging to hear of someone I know having had success. It gives me a little confidence to hear of a fellow student using what we were taught so well.. I hope I am never tested like her, but if I am, I hope I can react like she did. Anyways, thought I would share this here.
People are ridiculous. Glad that CLF training gave her the empowerment to navigate the sudden and unwarranted violence imposed upon her.
But, just because it worked in a car-park, doesn't mean it would work on the street.... Seriously though; glad to hear your friend isn't seriously hurt, and that her CLF training paid off.
And also how you can be in a situation and not even know it. I bet there were a good few minutes where your friend had (as they perceived it) slighted these idiots where she was oblivious that there was even an issue. Minutes where these thugs worked themselves up for the attack whereas your friend had to go from 0-100mph very quickly.
It is also interesting that people stop fighting for any reason too. A solid practical defence and attackers can and often do reconsider. It might also show the importance of verbal assertiveness. It is difficult to think and to act. so a practical defence followed by a verbal assertion that they should stop can defuse a situation.
Glad to hear she is ok, sounds like a horrible situation. Spot on, and it's something that is often misunderstood. You don't have to defeat an attacker in a duel to the death, you have to defeat their desire to carry on the attack.
Glad shes ok. I was in a similar situation, I was attacked by three girls. Everything happens so fast its a blur.
Glad to hear that your friend escaped with only a few minor scrapes aaradia. This is true where social violence is concerned, but considerably harder to achieve when asocial violence is involved. Travess
