Headspace

Student: "How do you fight such an opponent?"
Teacher: "With heart, faith, and skill.'


There is a mental shift that occurs where focus on the small things, like individual fights, is replaced by a broader more over-all view of the sport.  Defeating an opponent comes from an ability to adapt your techniques and skills to any situation within a fight.  At practice you train and learn how different strikes feel, and what situations to use them in.  These actions need to become first nature so you can be engaged physically and disengaged mentally, allowing you to feel and adapt during an exchange of blows.

Attitude when approaching a fight will also contribute to its outcome.  When fighting opponents of a greater skill level, fight them.  Don't assume they will beat you 10 times out of 10 solely based on reputation.  If you go into the fight thinking you will loose, you're putting yourself at a disadvantage.  It doesn't matter if you loose, it matters that you make an impression.  Their overall experience may overwhelm your skills, but the fact they had to work for the win will give them something to remember you for.

A little update to this post.  A good informative video, focusing on female fighting, that is well worth the time to watch from The Modern Medieval .