Intimidation ( The oh S**T Factor)

umm i'd just like to say something here... i've been inactive for about 8 months and the first thing i see when i get back to MAP is that this thread is still alive and kicking... kinda unbelievable ain't it?=)

 

oh s**t? we've all been there

Well, it's definitely a cool thread... =)

I'm 4'11, 100 pounds, 15 years old, in general I'm not that intimidating at all. I'm also very comfortable with most of the guys I work with, some of them I've been sparring with for a year or so, so I doubt any of them are really intimidated by me, even if they do respect me. Some of them intimidate me because they're so much bigger and I know that if they get frustrated with me (a common comment is, "you never think she can reach you, and suddenly a hand goes across your face") they can just put both hands on my elbow joint and push me backwards, while others are particularly good with takedowns and leg sweeps. If I get too intimidated, I don't fight well because I'm nervously trying to keep tabs on all of their limbs and I'm trying to defend myself rather than keeping a good offense.

Rarely, in an odd way, someone is intimidated by me after I do well while sparring - nearly always someone I don't work with much - and resort to hitting and kicking hard and fast, or simply pushing me away when they can. It might be the "I can't lose to a girl this small" factor, another woman (in her thirties/forties) in my kwoon at about the same level agreed that she found when sparring men if they began to lose testosterone would kick in and they'd start fighting harder and faster.

At school, because I go to a small private high school, it's common to hear girls threatening to beat each other up (very rarely to the other girl's face of course). I have a bit of a reputation as a martial artist there, and if asked I'll show the girls some self defense techniques. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a tomboy or anything - I wear miniskirts, tanktops, makeup, and everything - but no one's ever bothered or threatened to bother me. It might be my personality or it might just be the reputation that they find intimidating.

 

I might regret saying this to you lot on here but it's got nothing to do with size as well you know.
The fear is only a feeling, an emotion which can't hurt you and do any damage as your the one who gives the power the the other person by giving into an emotion which is the result they want in the long run.
love lisa xxx

 

I seem to be a scary person and I don't know why. People have told me on countless occasions that I scare them or I freak them out. I'm not particularly tall or heavyset or anything...will someone call the X-Files?

I seem to get stared at a lot, and my response is always to stare back intensely until they look away.

 

I know what you mean....even some of my best mates have told me they cross the street to avoid me sometimes cos they say I have 'that look' on my face....most times im just out for a shopping trip or something.....recently my wife started uni and the ones in her calss are petrified of me.....she sais one day they were sitting talking about me and they all said they didnt want to mess with me, and she asked why...their response was "cos he'd probably kick our ass".....now bear in mind these people have never even seen me, let alone met me!! why are they petrified? one of the guys is 6.3 170lbs and plays rugby professionally.!!!!!!

anyhoo, on the intimidation in class thing, about a 2 months after i started, there was a guy in my class thoguth he could take me, and everytime we had to pair off, he'd b-line for me to try kick my ass, dont know why, i never insulted him or anything, but when we trained i put everything i had into it, as i do with everyone, and he didnt like it, cos i regularly knocked him down....then one day we were doing class sparring....one against the whole class, and i volunteered for the one.....so took on a few of the higher guys, who beat me, but i always got up, and along he comes trying to humiliate me, and by this stage id picked up a couple new moves from the higher lads, and as soon as he stepped forward i nailed him in the chest with both feet.....sent him fling, everyone was stunned, then clapped me for a perfect move....but he got up raging and charged me full pelt.....and i side-stepped him and side kicked him in the back, sending him fling again.....more stunned and clapping......and he kept coming and i kept putting him down, eventually the guru had to step in as he was really trying to hurt me, but i wouldnt submit......he never returned to the class, and i cant say im sorry either.....tho i did learn a lot that day.

 

intimidation is not nothing. fear is a very real weapon and power that affects us in all we do. psy war is very real in the military and invests millions to make it more effective.

illusion can cause fear but so can reality. then a good dose of urban legend making helps build a good hype and fear base.

being austere is also intimidating. when people have nothng on you the normal fear of the unknown is a good intimidation factor too.

look cool in a staredown while the other flares, that oughta say something

 

I never got to do first aid for the local (UK) Hell's Angels events, but from the stories that went around the first aiders afterwards, they were a good community. The first aiders were recognised for their service, and helped wherever possible. It seems to be more an associated intimidation rather than a real intimidation - maybe people imagine that these people are scary.

I did do a few first aid duties at hippy events. These people that were meant to love love, and be all bright colours and flowers (and interesting drugs) were a big danger to us once the day had moved on and the local crowds had dispersed.

Our uniform was changed from the normal black and white shirt and tie to green boiler suits, in order not to look like the police and provoke attack. Even as obvious first aiders, and there to help, we had to leave them to deal with their own injured well before the end of the event. By the time they started trying to bounce the ambulances into fires it was time to go, though most of our members were stood down before then. There were areas of the event that were just no-go areas.

 

Seen it. Not pretty.

Open air day concert. Mean looking guy takes off his shirt to intimidate smaller opponent. Has two nipple rings. As quick as can be smaller guy rips them out.

Fight over

 

Intimidation

I guess there are two school of thoughts on this one

Would you prefer to "scare off" most of your opponents

or

would you prefer to have to continually "prove yourself"?

 

What IS there to prove???

 

I'm not intimidated because I fear no man. But, that get's dangerous sometimes.

People that dress to look 'tough' couldn't possibly intimidate me. That shows me that they're trying to look tough and trying to, the big word, intimidate me. It also shows me that they most likely have no martial arts experience.

No matter how people dress or look, the chances of them intimidating me are low. And it really bothers me how other people are intimidated by those kind of people, that don't dress like that to be unique but do it to be intimidating.

Quiet... head... tilt?

I just stare at them quietly, but with my sharp intimidating gaze, until they're done. If I think they're going to try to beat me up, I ask "Are you done."(when they're done) and they reply yes. I then deliver a round-house kick to the one who did the most talking. They tend to back off after that. If their leaders taken down, they get scared.
note: I'm not the kind of person that would insult bad breath; I'm the kind of person that would take out out their teeth if they get in my face.

But, no one here would prove a worthy opponent, except my friends. And in places I travel to people tend to not want to fight because I wear all black most of the time, not to look tough, I just like black! People will try to intimidate you because they think you're trying to look tough. I also wear a pentagram necklace and ring (not inverted, my pentacles represent God over matter) and the ignorant thugs think I'm a satanist (hey, ignorance really is bliss! if they'd attacked me because they knew I won't harm anyone for the sake my my karma, they'd be dead! )

 

Hmmm. . . you're kinda like me, but I have a Star of Chaos instead of a pentagram.

 

I have a pokemon keychain... does that count? :Angel:

 

funniest thing i've read in awhile. thanks for making my day!

i don't intentionally dress to intimidate people, i just like to dress in black. i think the color alone intimidates other people, so that's not really my fault.

i wear swords for my pendants-

http://photobucket.com/albums/v173/glenchuy/Nice Pics/?action=view&current=swords1.jpg

they're not intentionally meant to intimidate people too. i just like swords and chains.

 

REFERENCE Combative Based. HTM

Darren,

I'm really sorry to write this, but, (to use a figure of speech which you yourself used).
In my opinion you are a quack. I have never in my 53 years on this planet read such a
load of arrant, bloody nonsense. It reminds me of the 1960's fad of 'meditation' as
popularised my that band 'The Beatles' with the Maharishi Yogi, crap.

For pitty sake grow up and stop trying to play God with adult human being's minds.
They are minds which belong to the respective owners, and are not yours with which
to play. If you have some desire to sod about with the mental perceptions of other
persons, have the decency to qualify as a registered doctor, and then go about your
mind games with those who are in a mental institution, rather than bugger up, normal
individuals.

Pastyti.

 

I also used to find that people at school were afraid of me, even though I'm quite thin. I never used to take crap or stand down if someone was messing with me which is probably the main factor.

Also it got round that every fight I had ended with one punch (me the puncher) but I never used to attack first unless I had too.

I really didn't want to hurt people, :Angel: once a guy grabbed me by my windpipe and was attempting to stop my breathing, I waited for a few secs, he wouldn't let go. so I gave him a good right hook to the side of his head, his glasses flew through the air (broken to pieces) and he just burst out crying. :cry: He didn't go down but he didn't ever try and attack me again. It all started because he said I was in his seat.

I was totally calm even though my air was being restricted, this I have learned from martial arts, self control which in itself could be seen as intimidation (i.e. no visible emotion)

 

whoa horsey..

blimey. this is screaming out "issues" to me.

do your deep breathing and chill son..

and stay away from automatic weapons and schools.

 

Agreed.

 

I have to say that being calm cool and collected when someone is trying to intimidate you will turn the tables.
I worked in a nightclub as a bouncer for about two years and I am 5'7'' 170 lbs., furthermore at the age of 37 I still get asked to show ID when buying alcohol. My wife made me grow a beard so I didn’t look so much younger than her! This club held 2000 people at a time. Now I would not describe myself as intimidating at all, but I almost never had to use force. When the posturing would start I would stand well within their striking range but keep my hands down and smile. We had bouncers that would get smacked on a nightly basis, but people just never wanted to take a swing at me. I was by far the smallest guy on the staff but at the end of the night when the manager walked to each bar and emptied the cash registers he would always come get me first. People feel your level of confidence (even when it is fake) and they respect it. I think that being relatively small is a bit of an advantage because they think "Why is this guy smiling at me as I scream at him that I am going to kill him?, he must be hiding something!" And they would be right.

Yup, he is right. Africans can intimidate most white people just with the REALLY WIDE EYED STARE thing. It cracks me up every time I see it happen cuz it works so damn well. I wish I could do that! Unfortunatly it cracks me up when they do it to me too, this has proven to occasionally escalate the situation.

 

I very much agree with you MAsnob, I have had several people back down while trying to intimidate me, simply because I stayed calm and in a natural stance, just smiled and waited for them to get it out of their system or what not. And the one time it did come to blows i was easily able to counter (without dealing a serious blow, just showing him that he was outclassed), he then backed down. Definately an advisable course of action in most cases, except if there is a weapon involved but that would be a whole nother level of intimidation wouldn't it? well, just my two cents. later