The only problem is doing that in summer, the time of the year with most violence.

Now, for self-defense, you still need to recognize that you always have your own body, so you can always fall back on unarmed skills — which traditionally focused on getting the other guy’s weapon away from him. Next, you almost always have your sidearm — pistol for a cop or CCW permit-holder, folding knife for most blue-collar guys, sword for aristocrats in a feudal society. Rarely would you carry a long arm without planning on heading into trouble. The best weapon is the one you have with you.

The only times in my life I’ve ever felt like I was truly alive were either fights, school tests or closely contested games.

Same kind of neurology involved, no doubt.

Also, I don’t get the primitive martial arts obsession. Hand to hand fighting is nice, and good for pub brawls, but if it ever truly breaks down one is undoubtedly going to fervently wish he had spent all that time trying to become a decent competitive shooter. A light machinegun can repel or seriously hurt a mob, whereas empty hands, not so much.

This post rings true for footy, too. As you get older, you know the game better than ever, but your body doesn’t recover the same way, even on field, during a game. Over the years you learn how to make and take big hits, but getting through the grinding work of scrum time, ruck, and maul just takes a heavier toll, to the point you have to give it up. Sure, you can lay a guy out with a crash tackle, but 30 or 40 tackles, with all your niggling knocks and injuries, for 80 minutes?

All my footy injuries — minus two particularly bad concussions — happened at the bottom of a ruck or in a collapsed maul or scrum, never in devastating tackles. One of those concussions happened whilst I was making a tackle! Cost me nine stitches under my left eye, too. Scar looks good but…

Having trained in both MMA and Rugby Union (karate, muay thai, boxing; no. 8, openside flanker, respectively), I’d say the sports carry many similarities in terms of physicality and mentality. Sure the martial arts are nominally individual pursuits, to a degree, but you won’t learn much doing it solo. Both teach masculine wisdom and discipline, plus the self-respect gained from testing yourself against other men. It’s a beautiful thing.

A common piece of wisdom where I grew up: if you’re still playing footy when your son starts — about age 5, making you early 30′s, generally — you deserve everything you get. Applies to sparing too, really.