How to Fight Like a Movie Spy

There are certain things that movie spies do in a fight that the rest of us normal folks just never consider. Okay, so we all know that you can’t really fight like Jason Bourne – he has choreographers. We’ve all wanted to though and that’s what this article is all about. I can’t promise to turn you into James Bond, but I can promise you that incorporating these beliefs and ideas into your self defense routine can put you head and shoulders above the competition in any fight.

1. Fear of the Fight - The number one mistake people make when they get into a fight is to take the weakest position they can find. They act like they’re afraid of fighting. They act like they’re about to get their asses kicked. Of course if you walk into a fight with that belief, you will get your ass kicked.Learning to fight like a movie spy means walking into a confrontation with your eyes wide open. This means taking in every possible detail you can and keeping a cool head. The minute you show your attacker that you’re weak he’s going to beat the crap out of you.

   Acting crazy, or erratic is never a good idea, but let your attacker see that you’re confident and ready to see this fight through. Calf self assurance can be a really scary thing to face.

2. Know When to Run Away – Michael Weston on USA Network’s “Burn Notice” is a hell of a fighter, but I like him because he knows when to run like a school girl. He doesn’t stay and keep fighting if he doesn’t think he can win. You need to be thinking like that too.If you don’t think this is a fight you have a chance of winning – run!Act afraid even if you aren’t. Beg, plead, do whatever you have to do to keep from getting killed. A hurt ego is better than years of psychical therapy and I have a friend who can testify to that fact. He thought he could take five big, black guys who pissed him off in a bar. After all the reconstructive surgery he went through, he wishes he only had a bruised ego.

   Run when you need to. There’s no shame in fighting smart and staying alive.

3. Use Your Brains More Than Your Brawn – If you think the key to winning any fight is about who knows how to fight, you’re wrong. The key to winning a fight is to keep your cool and be patient. Most of the people who are quick to start a fight are the same bullies you encountered during your school days. They want to feel superior and powerful. They want to show their dominance over you. Use this to your advantage. Remember that psychological warfare is far more powerful than physical warfare.The secret here is to let your opponent get the wrong idea. Let him get the wrong impression of you. Let him underestimate you and feel like he has the upper hand, then wait for the right moment to prove him wrong. Suddenly realizing that you’ve drastically underestimated the person you’re dealing with is a frightening moment.

   Now you’re suddenly unpredictable and you’ve shaken his confidence in the situation. He may still keep coming after you, but you’ll certainly make him think twice and you’ll definitely get into his head, making it harder for him to fight you.

So, with all this said, do I think you can fight with the likes of Jason Bourne or James Bond?

Nope. But hopefully you’re now going to be thinking like them; using your brain and keeping your wits about you when it counts the most.

Lastly, I leave you with one more tip: never be the guy who starts the fight. When you’re attacking a complete stranger, you put yourself at a disadvantage. You don’t know how many friends he has or just how dangerous he might be. Until the very last second, you need to be sizing up an attacker, not picking a fight. Movie spies fight to protect themselves, not for the fun of hurting people.