Trading Blows: Why It’s a Game of Luck, Not Skill - By Sensei Liam Musiak

When people imagine fighting, they often picture two opponents standing toe-to-toe, swinging punches until one drops. It looks dramatic, it feels intense, and in movies it’s almost always the norm. But in reality — especially in self-defence — trading blows is one of the worst things you can do.

As a martial artist and criminologist, I’ve spent years analysing real violence and pressure-testing techniques in the dojo. The conclusion is simple: if you fall into a brawl, you’re gambling with your life. Here’s why.

Trading Blows Is Just Gambling 🎲

The moment you and your attacker start exchanging shots, the fight stops being about skill and becomes about luck. And in violence, luck is a terrible strategy.

One punch can be a knockout or even a kill shot — whether it’s yours or theirs. That means the entire fight can be decided by a single wild swing that happened to land clean. When fights are reduced to luck, the better fighter doesn’t always win. That’s why trading is dangerous: you’re no longer in control of the outcome.

The True Goal of Fighting ⚔️

Real fighting isn’t about proving who’s tougher. It’s about control.

• Hit without being hit.

• Angle, move, and position yourself so you reduce their chances of landing anything clean.

• Break their timing, overwhelm their balance, and don’t give them the opportunity to “trade.”

When you understand this, you realise that the flashy exchange of blows you see in films is actually one of the least realistic — and most dangerous — ways to fight.

Energy, Exposure, and Risk 🔋

Trading also empties your tank. Wild swings waste energy and leave openings. In a real altercation, once you’re exhausted, you’re done. On top of that, when you square off and “trade,” you’re exposing your chin, ribs, and arms — perfect targets for a knife, a bottle, or a punch you didn’t see coming.

Proof From the Pros 🥊

Even in controlled sports like boxing and MMA, coaches warn against “brawling.” The most successful fighters — think Floyd Mayweather — win by avoiding trades. They control distance, timing, and opportunities. If professionals with gloves, rules, referees, and doctors won’t risk blow-for-blow fighting, why would you in a car park, pub, or street where there are no safety nets?

Self-Defence Reality ✅

Self-defence is not about proving who’s the hardest. It’s about survival. Trading blows increases the odds you’ll end up cut, concussed, or unconscious. The smarter approach is to:

• Strike with precision, not volume.

• Control space and position.

• End the threat decisively, then escape.

  
  

Final Thought: Fighting smart is always better than fighting tough. Trading blows may look impressive, but in truth, it’s just a roll of the dice — and in real-world violence, gambling on luck can cost you your life.