And it should be mandatory in schools. It's a great antidote to wuss nation suburbanites who only deal with conflict in theory and video games.

A great one for people with free floating hostility looking for an outlet: Krav Maga.

Kudos to Yoffe for stepping outside her comfort zone and taking this on.

When I first began fencing I found that starting out very aggressively worked, particularly against men (who weren't expecting it). Unfortunately it only works the first time. After that it's brains and footwork. I still have my mask and foil in the basement somewhere. For the sheer joy of whomping people, however, I prefer hockey.

It works against women too. I found that if I fence "too close" and violate a woman's personal space she tends to react poorly. But yeah, that also only works at first.

Martial arts also exercise just about every muscle in your body, so they're great for...well, exercise. You ever noticed how all those 70-year-old martial artists are still strong and in great health? That should serve as a recommendation.

I've been taking kendo (Japanese swordfighting) myself. It's very satisfying to smack things with a wooden sword, although I'm not too good at it yet.

Boxing class used to be de rigueur at the better British schools. Might still be, for all I know.

Krav Maga is a bit brutal for sport usage, though.