scors77

Hi. Thank you for these boards I think this is going to be the place to get the best help. I don't know where to start... I am very weak minded like I said. I have this phobia of getting hit in the face. Especially my nose, I have a phobia of getting hit there. I feel as if my face is made of glass or something. I just feel scared of getting into a fight because I think I'm going to get my ass beat every time. I've never been in a fight before in my life. I'm 20. My friends and family tell me I'm very strong. I do weight lift. So I feel there's no use in having these muscles if I'm not going to use them when I need them. Anyone got any advice on what I should do to train myself not to be so weak? I'd appreciate it. Thanks.

Tom Yum

I have. It sucks and isn't worth exploring - however, if you enjoy doing the martial arts/combat sports its bound to happen.

I was play sparring with a friend of mine a few months ago, whom does karate. We were both drunk (ooohh that's a no-no...but it never got out of hand). He nailed me in the face twice because he's quick and my timing was off! One of the shots opened a little cut on my lip...I earned his respect with a thai kick to the legs when he tried to come back in and a hook upstairs that rocked him.

That's where it stopped. I just got lucky he didn't beat my ass.

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scors77

Thanks. Just writing this helped also. I feel a little better now .

dogzilla

in street fight u should only fear of losing your teeth everything else, heals.

if your in MA, then well like Tom said, it sooner or later will hapen, getting a punch in the face, but if you aint in a ma, join a martial art it will start slowly and not hard punches, so maybe that could convicne you for this fear to stop? well what ever you do, good luck.

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R.I.P my dear MOTHER (1965-2004)

Martial arts history:

Past: 8 years of Judo
Present: Taekwondo

scors77

Thanks I'll try doing that.. joining a ma. I hope that will stop my fears.

And about the teeth thing.. can I just put a mouth guard on every time I walk out the door just to be safe

aku aku

I had a similar fear of being punched in the face. What I found helped is putting my hand against my forehead with palm facing forward and having a friend with bag gloves on lightly tap my hand. I found it wasn't so bad and had him go a little harder and then tried it without my hand up to catch it.

I think some kind of gradual progression like that might help.

PlasmaShock

Wearing a mouthguard everytime you walk out will lead to a case of paranoia. Sometimes, it could get really sever. So no mouthguards except when sparring. But you could get a friend to gently tap you in the face with something soft and gradually increase the pressure and strengh untill you get comfortable and move on to harder things. Just be careful.

shaolin-warrior

The best way to loose your fear of being hit, is to get hit.

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Tom Yum

That's like wearing a raincoat during a sunny day in case it rains...don't worry about it.

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Slaya

Multiple things!!! Grawr, anyway the glass face phobia thing, I thought it was associated with the chin but whatever! You got big muscles and if you don't want to fight go for intimidation, if you look like zangief from street fighter the odds are people are not going to want to mess with you ! On another note, the sparring thing, if you decide to take up a martial art be warned you will be hit! REPEDATIVELY! I was sparring with this chick, she was like ungoddly fast and a hell of alot smaller than me, she kneed my gut and caught a mean jap to my chin, then a right hook (My ear is hurtin still ) None the less! Bewarned it will happen, after that the instructer hooked me too because he saw a gap in my block, if you decide to take up a martial art be sure to tell the instructor about that little phobia of yours.

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You will get no sympathy from me. If you want sympathy, look in the dictionary between shit and syphilis.

Garland

eh...I spit the fucking things out anyway...
I have a deviated septum, so they make it hard to breathe (don't you dare make a fucking mouth breather joke....!)

Might want to pull a Tyson on some fool, all kino mutai...chomp that shit up style...
who needs teeth anyway? Old ladies do well without them...

I could just have a grill put in after the fact anyway...look all like Quinton Jackson, Old Dirty Bastard, or the creepy fucker in the trunk in that Lenny Kravitz music video.

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I kick you in da neck!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBHLrpn07G4
http://www.break.com/movies/englishf.html

homo homini lupus

Komm Susser Todd.

No, no...no no no...whatever you are drinking, you need much, much more...and then to sleep. - jubaji

Garland

amen.
for me it was easier to get hit than to hit someone else as hard as I could. I still pull my punches a bit. But that's just because I'm a sensitive and empathetic, delicate little flower. And a pillar of virtue and fellowship for my fellow beings.

__________________
I kick you in da neck!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBHLrpn07G4
http://www.break.com/movies/englishf.html

homo homini lupus

Komm Susser Todd.

No, no...no no no...whatever you are drinking, you need much, much more...and then to sleep. - jubaji

Tom Yum

There's gotta be a time and experience for you to say f**k this p@$$! mindset.

Best way?

Round Robbin sparring with fresh partners.

That is you spar one dude for a round. He leaves. Second dude comes in for round 2. He leaves. Third dude comes in for round 3...repeat.

You will get thoroughly nailed towards the last few rounds there...

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slayer31

if you have never been hit, you cant knock it till you try it. $10 says getting socked and you realizing that you will be able to take will make you feel alive... in a premature enlightenment fight club sort of way

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Almost everything -- all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.

Jace

Being afraid of being hit doesn't make you weak minded. It makes you normal. If you have never been hit, and know that it is supposed to be (and obviously due to testimonials found above is) a bad thing, I would consider you not very intelligent if you went around WANTING to get hit in the face.

Working up to it is a good method, but sometimes jumping right it will do you better. Learning how to control the adrenaline-stress-response is a very important part of being able to take a hit, and there isn't a real good way to get used to that other than taking it.

The good news is that as long as you are with an expeirenced partner, they are going to know how far they can push with without actually harming you. This will give you the training that you need, without the worry of being physically harmed.