Last week, we discussed weapon choices for your protagonist/antagonist. But what if your main character or evil villain are unarmed or weapons-averse? If your characters handle neither gun, nor knife they shall have to punch it out. Or talk really fast.
As mature, thoughtful beings, we’ll presume violence. But what form? Kung Fu? Savate? Brazilian Jiu Jitsu? Brazilian waxing? So many choices, how do you pick? As with my take on weapons, I believe that hand-to-hand styles mostly goes to personality.
Boxing, the Sweet Science
The basics: punches (clenched fist strikes) to the body and head. Nothing below the belt, no kicks, no holds or pins, and no throws. Keep your feet moving and do NOT get caught standing still, (where the term “caught flatfooted” comes from) or you will be carried out on a stretcher. Boxing is one of the oldest martial arts in the western world and was included in the ancient Greek games.
The Personality Most Likely To…
Spenser, Robert B. Parker’s private investigator, couldn’t be anything but a boxer. Big, self-assured, (bordering arrogant) and snappy, Spenser is quick with his fists but equally fast on his feet—physically and conversationally. Over the course of 40 novels Spenser relies on his fists FAR more often than his pistol. He enjoys a much better record as a street fighter than he did as a fledgling prize fighter when past-his-prime Jersey Joe Walcott had to “carry” the much younger man to cover the spread (gambling numbers) and avoid disappointing the crowd by putting the kid (and the fight) away too soon.
Real Life Benefits
Boxers tend to be the healthiest martial artists. The cardio-intensive training makes for considerable endurance in a fight. But boxers also know where to hit, mostly, from experience. Unlike most martial arts training, (and all YouTube videos) in boxing, you actually mix it up in the ring. By sparing, a boxer quickly figures out what will slow another fighter down (punch to the solar plexus or nose) versus what turns out the lights, (a solid punch to the jaw) and what will kill another fighter (shots the temple are deadly). Also, boxers know the dirty tricks—forearms and elbows are WAY more devastating than punches—and how to get them in quick before the ref can see.
Real Life Limitations
As Spenser relates, punching some dude in the head without a boxing glove usually results in a broken hand. A broken hand can lead to even more pain as there is no referee to stop a fight on the street. So, while boxing is one of the two forms closest to a real-world fight, boxing is NOT fighting and more than one boxer has gotten his anatomy handed to him in a bar/street fight where your adversary is trying to put you down, not score points. Spenser trains every day to stay in fighting form. A boxer may have a chance against a novice with a knife (still likely to get cut) but a gun in the hands of someone scared/prepared to us it will end the best boxer.
Judo, (aka jiu jitsu) the Gentle Way
Judo basics: throws, pins, and holds but no punches, kicks. Again, keep your feet moving or get used to laying down, forcefully. Accounts of jiu jitsu, the root form of judo, was first recorded in the 8th century. Modern judo was developed as a sport in the late 19th century.
The Person Most Likely to…
Quiet, observant Sherlock Holmes, (in the books) relies on his intellect and people skills heavily. If boxing teaches you what hurts, judo teaches you what hurts and what humiliates. With no head space to be cocky, the judoka knows that their judo is a house to build on daily, often just to watch it tumble down. To grow, the smart judoka is always challenging the best opponent they can find. More a gentleman dabbler than a committed judoka, Holmes relies on his judo only when all else fails.
“If you are not comfortable to deal with an opponent 50 pounds heavier than you, there is something wrong with your jiu jitsu. If you are not comfortable to fight with no time limit, there is something wrong with your jiu jitsu.” Relson Grace, 9th degree black belt, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Real Life Benefits
Fast as boxing, judo is multi-faceted with a variety of tactics to subdue or disable an adversary, ideally, without seriously hurting the adversary. Hence the term, “gentle way.” But make no mistake serious injuries still occur. Chuck Norris only began studying tae kwon do, (Korean karate) while recovering from a dislocated shoulder from judo sparing. While breaking bones and pronating/supinating joints is banned in most competition the moves are still taught and few things demobilizes an opponent like a dislocated wrist or a broken arm. There is also a lethal component to judo. Those moves are seldom taught and only to those with tremendous self-discipline.
Real Life Limitations
Like boxing, judo comes close to what your MC/big bad may face in the wild—but judo is still NOT fighting. Just as there are no punches or kicks in judo, there are few defenses against any of the same. As previously mentioned, you’re either building your judo or your judo is withering. And, like boxing, there is no throw, hold, or pin that works against a gun, no matter what the YouTube “fighters” tell you.
Karate, (also included: tae kwon do and muay thai )
The basics: primarily kicking forms, the three styles cited also incorporate fist, straight hand, elbow, and knee strikes. Karate dates back to 19th century Okinawa but is derived from Chinese Kung Fu forms, as does tae kwon do and muay thai.
The Person Most Likely to…
Sara Paretsky’s private investigator, V. I. Warshawski uses her karate to devastating effect against dudes who underestimate a woman in a “man’s” arena. Karate focuses the largest muscle group on the human body (legs) on vital targets: testicles, gut, and solar plexus, (sternum). Tae kwon do also employs high/flying kicks with the head included as a target. Muay Thai is similar yet wildly different with everything but the kitchen sink thrown in for good measure. Warshawski relies heavily on her karate and trains daily to stay fight-ready.
Real Life Benefits
Fast, focused, and devastating, the kicking forms are meant to put an adversary down, quick, with the least amount of fuss. Like boxing, karate has a limited number of hand strikes in addition to a limited number of foot strikes. The essence is to drill for speed and power.
Real Life Limitations
The overwhelming majority of karate, (et al), instruction fails to address foot work. The overwhelming majority of karate schools follow the same instruction method: katas, katas, and more katas. Katas, (forms or combinations of guards and strikes) are like dance practice and mastery is how the student makes rank from white belt to yellow belt, etc.
“Dojo masters love katas, katas eat up the hours that the student pays for but katas don’t prepare you for a fight.” -Master Jon Bluming, first non-asian to achieve a 10th dan blackbelt in karate, hapkido, and judo
While most dojos practice no-contact or limited contact sparring, it’s all more like a comedy routine than combat training. One student mounts a predetermined attack, (like a straight man) strictly for the other student to defend and counter, (punchline). It looks fun but it’s all next to worthless in an actual combat situation.
The late Jon Bluming trained Dutch commandos and American special forces operators. A combat veteran who staked his life on his karate, Bluming stressed the importance of practical sparing to find what works for the student. A casual martial arts devotee will recognize Bluming’s philosophy as identical to Bruce Lee’s Tao of Jeet Kun Do and I paraphrase, “I cannot teach you kung fu. I can only help you discover your kung fu.”
This is what you have to do for your protagonist/antagonist. Boil their personality, their physical attributes/limitations, and their self-idealizations down to base and help them find their kung fu or judo or boxing—or mangy-barfly street fighting, (a la the late-great Charles Bukowski). You are the guide for the character as well as for the reader.
The photo at the top, “Beverly Hills Ninja Promotional Poster,” is the property of Tristar and/or Sony Pictures. Its use here, for educational/illustrative purposes, is covered under the Fair Use Doctrine.
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