Dirty Ground: The Tricky Space Between Sport and Combat

Goals―what you are fighting for changes every element of how you fight

If you fight, you fight for a goal and you fight in an environment.

In a sport environment you want to win quickly and decisively, with solid assurances that your opponent will be able to get up and compete again tomorrow.

In a combat environment you also want to win quickly and decisively, but with solid assurances that your adversary cannot get up and re-engage.

In the tricky space between sport and combat, termed "drunkle" (a commingling of the words drunk and uncle), you may be wrangling an out-of-control friend or relative, someone you need to restrain but do not want to injure. This puts the responsibility of their safety entirely on you.

Understanding these environments is vital! Appropriate use of force is codified in law and any actions that do not accommodate these rules can have severe repercussions. Your martial art techniques must be adapted to best fit the situation at hand.

The authors analyze 30 fundamental strikes, kicks and locks, and present 12 well-known sport competition forms modified for each of the three vital environments: Sport, Drunkle, and Combat.

Be Smart. Know how to adapt.