Originally Posted by Little Apple

I've said it before: Self defense is more smarts than anything. It's true, (and I think accepted) that fighting in the ring and fighting on the street are two different things: But remember that that doesn't mean non-competition gyms are entirely practical either.

Though from what I've heard, if you fight back at all, using anything, you've got a better chance on the street because a surprising number of people just freeze or something; the attacker doesn't expect any resistance.