re: What is the best fighting age...

Less to do with age and more to do with temperament of the individual. Gotta have enough arse to back you up and not be scared to throw first. But it’s gotta be quick and mean and you can’t be scared to take a hit from his buddies.

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Mid 20s

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If you’re fighting after college, and with a professional career…likely live in girlfriend or fiancée…you’re insane.

30 year old me was pretty good. I don’t think 30 year old me would want to fight me now. Today, I’d have to protect the knees and ankles, so a ground game is out to the question. I would resort to more drastic measures earlier in the conflict, which would not bode well for 30 year old me, even if he won the skirmish. He’d know he fought me, even if he was the one to walk/crawl away.

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19

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The 19-yr old me was all offense, very little defense. I was front loaded like Pacquiao and too bouncey, telegraphing my overhand and being a little too predictable. The 30-yr old me would win a nice scrap because I understand distance and range now, more of a back foot fighter that can parry and roll.

Any manual labor blue collar type guy from late thirties to early 50s (possibly longer) would deescalated the situation quickly I would think. Might take a few hits but once they connect and/or slam (possibly throw) the younger guy down I think it'd be over. But in the world we live in, alot of people are so quick to pick up a weapon in fear of embarrassment that its hard to say.

ETA: the better, or at least more interesting, question is do you think 25 year old you could take your grandpa at 25.

I’m reminded of something I heard a high school football coach say one time. This was years ago. He was about 50 years old with beer gut but still stout looking in his arms, chest and shoulders. Chewed tobacco and ran an old school Power I offense.

A player asked him at practice, “Coach, you think you could still play?” The coach answered, “Son, for about three plays I would be the worst hell this field has ever seen, but by the fourth snap I would be on a ventilator in the ICU.”

I’m 50, so I think I have a good perspective on this.

First, I’m not afraid of anything under thirty years of age. So anything under that is out.

I think 30 is just right. An army of 30-35 year olds would be hard to beat.

When you hit 40, you still have the stuff, but it declines pretty rapidly until you hit 50.

That being said… a 50 year old mind is waaay more frightening than a 20 year old body. Old age and treachery beats youth and enthusiasm every time.

Sports are a pretty useful measure for this. You can look at things like the NFL. Drew Brees was an elite athlete in much better shape than most of us and his physical decline became pretty noticeable in his late 30s.

I don't really follow basketball but I think that's the age most of them start petering out too.

Fighting is certainly more than just about strength but reflexes and things like that probably start declining around that age some too. It doesn't mean that a 55 yr old that knows how to handle himself couldn't whip some 26 year old’s arse. Just talking about the average man here.

Physiological prime of an adult male is 27-28, so I’d go somewhere in there to early 30’s