History Main / BoxingLesson

Eastern martial arts (karate or kung fu) are generally considered to be an acceptable way of dealing with bullying. [[CombatPragmatist School shootings]], [[CurbStompBattle not so much]]. Related to TeachMeHowToFight.

* ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'' put an interesting twist on the BoxingLesson, by having Bobby take a ''women's'' self defense course and then dealing a [[GroinAttack savage groin kick]] to his tormentors. The trope is subverted nicely when Hank attempts to teach his son how to box, and receives a nasty kick to the testicles when Bobby gets frustrated with the lesson. Then double-subverted when he learns groin kicks do nothing to keep his mother from punishing him [[note]]a break from reality[[/note]].

** First, an early episode had ExtravertedNerd Steve Urkel dealing with a bully. He actually ends up challenging the bully to a boxing match, but having no experience and muscles like wet string, he knows he's in trouble. He convinces Carl to teach him to box. It's pretty much for nothing, though, and he's beaten down. Before the bully can finish him off, though, a spectator protests -- and then the whole crowd. The bully backs down in the face of pretty much the entire student body apparently being willing to fight on Steve's behalf.

Eastern martial arts (karate or kung fu) are generally considered to be an acceptable way of dealing with bullying. [[CombatPragmatist School shootings]], [[CurbStompBattle not so much]].

A victim of [[TheBully bullying]] is cajoled into taking boxing lessons, usually from a cartoonishly macho alpha-male character. The victim usually ends up finding an alternate, non-violent but always interesting means of dealing with the bully. Oddly, Eastern martial arts (karate or kung fu) are generally considered to be an acceptable way of dealing with bullying. [[CombatPragmatist Krav-maga]], [[CurbStompBattle not so much]].

* Subverted in ''WesternAnimation/TheRaccoons'' episode, "Black Belt Bentley," where Bentley is eager to learn martial arts from Schaeffer when he is bullied so he can smash their heads in. However, when Schaeffer learns of the young raccoon's intentions, he promptly kicks him out of the class. However, Bentley does not get the message until he gets so psyched up improvising learning from a martial arts film that he inadvertently attacks Bert and breaks his arm. While Bentley is kicking himself for being so stupid, he meets the bullies again. However, chastened by his experience, Bentley uses his martial arts training with appropriate restraint to defend himself while reasoning with the bullies about the original misunderstanding that caused the conflict. The combination of Bentley's explanation and his fighting moves are enough to make peace with the impressed bullies. As a result, Schaeffer not only lets Bentley back into the class, but promotes him to the yellow belt training rank in appreciation of his solid learning and good attitude.

* In ''Disney/TheJungleBook'', when Baloo first meets Mowgli, the man cub tries to fight him off, but of course his blows are too puny. Taking pity on him, Baloo decides to teach him how to fight like a bear.

* DoubleSubversion in ''Series/{{Sliders}}'', when Quinn runs across a universe that takes place years before his own. Despite the constant urgings of his team about the [[AlienNonInterferenceClause Prime Directive]], despite no time travel being involved, Quinn teaches his younger self to box bullies, but [[spoiler:the end of the episode reveals that he wants him to do that because non-alternate young Quinn hit them with a baseball bat in his own past, giving one bully a permanent limp. His alternate self [[LetsFightLikeGentlemen just gives them a few bruises]] by [[CurbStompBattle mowing them all down with a powerful barrage]] of [[GoodOldFisticuffs punches]]. This is an incredibly creepy, violent, and scary CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming, if that even makes sense.]]

A victim of [[TheBully bullying]] is cajoled into taking boxing lessons, usually from a cartoonishly macho alpha-male character. The victim usually ends up finding an alternate, non-violent but always interesting means of dealing with the bully. Oddly, Eastern martial arts (karate or kung fu) are generally considered to be an acceptable way of dealing with bullying. [[TryingToCatchMeFightingDirty Krav-maga]], [[CurbStompBattle not so much]].