Do you fight angry or calm?

Jimmy Jazz

Jimmy Jazz

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I've allways wondered about this. I tend to think fighting calm is the best because thats what they tell you in boxing but I've noticed alot of guys really seem to feed off the adrenaline in kickboxing and mma.
 
Calm > Angry. Angry people are in a rush, are tense, and will lack mental clarity. In what world is that better than being calm?
 
Calm like a bomb.

Fighting with rage opens you up to poor decision making.
 
I disagree. There's nothing wrong with fighting angry, there's something wrong with fighting excited/nervous/pumped up.

You can be angry AND calm.

Calm is definitely the key but IMO has little to do with the emotions you might be feeling.
 
When I spar I'm usually calm. When I got into a street fight though I was scared out of my pants. Put the guy away really fast and put everything into my punches. I feel like some times I'm too relaxed because I'm afraid about my cardio.
 
I'm a bit strange, but if anything I'm more classified as calm when I fight. Its a bit weird, but I'm not angry with my opponent and I'm not too chill, but most of the time when I spar and compete I have a to do list

eg. land 4 combos, land 2 headkicks, etc.

I'm doing my best to hit the quota I've made in my head for the fight.
I've tried to psyche myself to be "angry" or to "hate" my opponent, but as soon as I step in the ring, it goes out the window (despite spending all week doing it) and I default to my to do list segment.
 
I like Kickzilla's way of thinking. Some of that adrenaline is useful. During my first smoker I was too calm and got knocked around. The only time I went after him was when I got angry. Angry to me means aggressive. Out of control is a different story.
 
I need to be "angry" when i spar. I'm naturally pretty calm. Almsot lazy and lackadaisical so I need to push my mind into the opposite direction or I am lazy and don't throw often or hard enough and sometimes spar to scared or at least careful.
Because I'm naturally calm (at least when boxing) I don't really get wild or anything it just puts me or into a fighting and less into a playing mode. Obviously I'm a beginner so that's maybe to do with it and if I get more experience then I don't need to think that way to fight properly
 
When I get tagged, I tend to lose my temper. One of two things follow: Either my opponent gets intimidated and I gain the upper hand, or my opponent keeps his cool and I tend to get tagged repeatedly.

In my first fight, I had a massive adrenaline dump and gassed out in the first round. In my next fight, I am going to try to stay calm. Relaxed but ready is the mindset I am going to go in with. Lets see how that works out.
 
I try to be as calm focused and elegant as possible so i can perform my techniques accurately and smoothly , but i also tend to become extremly aggressive so i can be faster.
 
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Used to be an angry fighter when I was young, I'd really brawl. Now in older (36) I'm much more calm and relaxed and able to smoke lots of younger guys.
 
Kickzilla said:
I disagree. There's nothing wrong with fighting angry, there's something wrong with fighting excited/nervous/pumped up.

You can be angry AND calm.

Calm is definitely the key but IMO has little to do with the emotions you might be feeling.
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True. But the question was angry "OR" calm. The connotations of the words suggest different things. Obviously being calm and but focused with intensity is the perfect blend.
 
wilddeuces said:
True. But the question was angry "OR" calm. The connotations of the words suggest different things. Obviously being calm and but focused with intensity is the perfect blend.
Click to expand...
Yeah. It's dangerous being too calm.

It's all about arousel level. If it's too low, you don't react as fast, are not as aware and focused, and so forth. You get caught "sleeping". If you are too anxious, too angry or even enraged, you lose your cool, you tense up, gas out and make mistakes.

It's all about reaching a good state. Most people are very anxious before fights and they need to calm themselves down. They will still have plenty of adrenaline. A few might need to psych themselves up. Fighting is a little different than others sports.

Whichever you chose, focus is number one.
 
I fight much better angry. Not only the adrenalin rush but also because fear also is not a factor then.
 
I've never had amateur fights (I feel like it'd interfere with my studies), but I spar 2 to 3 hours a week, so I don't have as much experience as other posters.

I like to be focused, which might be what you mean by calm. Try to read his movements, reactions, etc. I also get a bit emotionally involved, but it's not anger, it's competitiveness. I feel like being angry alters my judgement; I make poor decisions and do not adjust after getting caught.

I'm pretty much in the same state of mind as when I play a Real Time Strategy video-game or when I play Chess.
 
I wouldnt say angry as its definitely not good to be emotional. Maybe more aggressive is what you guys are looking for? In kickboxing and MMA raw aggression and scrappyness pays off way more than a technical boxing match
 
Ask any elite fighter and they will tell you to fight calm, not with emotions
 
Sano said:
You've never fought.
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I've fough at my boarding school, for real. Grabbed a hold of street fighter who really smacked me in the process ( I didn't give a shit since I proceeded to slam him to the ground.

I've sparred as well against a heavy weight who refused to pull his punches. Was diqualifed from competition last time around. And I sparred him much better when I was pissed than neutral.
 
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