224. Training

When training, deliberately place yourself in weak positions from time to time, e.g. on the ground and learn to fight from them (Tiger) so that if you find yourself in one in real combat you may still win

57. A poem about not fighting

Let dogs delight to bark and bite
For God hath made them so.
Let bears and lions growl and fight
For 'tis their nature too.

But children, you should never let
Such angry passions rise.
Your little hands were never made
To tear each others' eyes.

Isaac Watts (1715)

31. On Fighting Battles

A favourite expression of your Grandfather's, Dominic Timothy Mulvey, was "Never fight a battle you can't win." This implies finding out first whether you can win or not. Unfortunately that is not always possible and some battles have to be fought regardless.It is wise however to avoid battles that can't be won or those that give you a Pyrrhic victory. Fighting for justice or for your own corner is terrific but useless fighting - where you end up as the victim - is a waste of time and usually injurs you and sets you back. How do you know when you have lost a fight ? You have lost when you have been injured more than the other guy or when you have lost something precious to the other guy either as a prize or as something destroyed forever by the enemy.