History Main / TeachMeHowToFight

This is a point in a story where one of the protagonists, usually an ActionSurvivor, feels a need to take action against the BigBad.

Cue the protagonist going to a trusted friend [[{{Badass}} who can]], and asking to be taught. They agree, but although the two are on friendly terms, the training is anything but easy. It's sometimes even TrainingFromHell. But the protagonist [[TookALevelInBadass takes a level in badass]] by the end of it.

* ''ShakuganNoShana.'' Yuji is sort of a NonActionGuy, but his insistence on keeping up with Shana's demon-hunting lifestyle led him to receive TrainingFromHell from several different sources, eventually taking [[TookALevelInBadass several levels in Badass]]. Most striking is when he's being pushed around by a minor demon, who intends to use him as bait to draw out Shana. He suddenly realizes that this guy is well below his current power-level, and proceeds to kick his ass. Yep, Yuji's all grown up now...

* In the comic ''{{Superman}} vs. Muhammad Ali'', Ali teaches Superman to box.
** This is, of course, to create a non-superpowered "fair fight" between the two.

* ''{{Babylon 5}}'': Sheridan asks Kosh to teach him how to fight "those things" ([[BigBad the Shadows]]) after first learning about them, and that they were connected to the fate of his wife on the doomed voyage of the ''Icarus'' ("In the Shadow of Z'ha'dum").

* Luke's arc as a Jedi in training (''{{Star Wars}}'' episodes IV and V) begins with the death of his guardian family on Tatooine, starting with Han Solo as his mentor, but this trope is particularly invoked when he goes to Dagoba and trains with [[RetiredBadass Yoda]], where Yoda at first [[AdventureRebuff rebuffs his request for training]], the training is particularly challenging, and he clearly does [[TookALevelInBadass Take a Level in Badass]] when that training is finished.

* Luke's arc as a Jedi in training (''{{Star Wars}}'' episodes IV and V) begins with the death of his guardian family on Tatooine, starting with Han Solo as his mentor, but this trope is particularly invoked when he goes to Dagoba and trains with [[RetiredBadass Yoda]], where Yoda at first rebuffs his request for training, the training is particularly challenging, and he clearly does [[TookALevelInBadass Take a Level in Badass]] when that training is finished.

* Luke's arc as a Jedi in training (''{{Star Wars}}'' episodes IV and V) begins with the death of his guardian family on Tatooine, starting with Han Solo as his mentor, but this trope is particularly invoked when he goes to Dagoba and trains with [[RetiredBadass Yoda]], where Yoda at first rebuffs his request for training, the training is particularly challenging, and he clearly does [[TakesALevelInBadass Take a Level in Badass]] when that training is finished.

* In ''Leon'', known in some areas as ''TheProfessional,'' a young girl asks to be taught a hitman's skills in order avenge her brother's death.

* Shirou from ''FateStayNight''. Saber starts training him just to shut him up and convince him that he's out of his league fighting Servants.

* Done in ''{{Community}}'' episode "[[Recap/CommunityS1E12ComparativeReligion Comparative Religion]]" when Troy and Pierce have to teach Jeff how to fight a bully.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* ''DungeonsAndDragons'' adventure [=OA5=] ''Mad Monkey vs. The Dragon Claw''. During the sea journey {{NPC}} Ko La Ko approaches one of the {{PC}}s and asks the PC to teach him kung fu so he won't be so useless in a fight.

* Any military training obviously enough. But mentioned for historical interest is the Great Louisiana Maneuvers of 1941. These were a TeachMeHowToFight on a national scale, meant to change an army meant for small border actions into one capable of fighting WorldWarII. The commanders of the "blue army" and the "red army" included many famous American generals.

* Oh god poor Shirahama Kenichi in ''KenichiTheMightiestDisciple'' . As the show goes on, one starts to wonder if he would´ve been better if he just lost the match to Daimonji.

* ''{{Change 123}}'' uses this trope ''twice'', both times a ''boy'' asks a ''girl'' to teach him... well, not actually how to ''fight'', since both boys do indeed have some confidence and experience in fighting (one of them is a black belt in judo and another one a fearless street brawler), but rather how to take their fighting skills to a higher level.

* In ''Leon'', known in some areas as ''TheProfessional,'' a young girl asks to be taught a hitman's skills in order avenge her brother's death.

* Also happens in ''TheForbiddenKingdom'' with the protagonist and Jackie Chan's character.

* ''{{Harry Potter}}'': Ron and Hermione ask Harry to do this, and Dumbledore's Army is born.

* Jason Marshall, in ''Rogue of {{Gor}}'', devises a plan to defeat the pirates who are terrorising the peaceful river-ports along the Vosk. But first he must learn to fight with a sword. He wins the gratitude of the broken-down alcoholic Callimachus, who when sober is an excellent swordsman, levels up as per the plan and does indeed defeat the mean old pirates over the course of the remainder of the book and the next one.
* Richard Cypher of the ''SwordOfTruth'' spends a good portion of the first book doing this, until he takes up the mantle of the Seeker and starts calling the shots. He's a woodsman who doesn't even let himself be ''angry'' because his mother was killed by a fire caused by an angry outburst. He knows questing, and killing, from nothing.

* ''{{Series/Heroes}}'': Claire asks Noah to teach her to fight. She is reluctant to actually do this until he tells her to "Just hit me!" with a plank of wood.
* ''XenaWarriorPrincess'' gets asked this by Gabrielle.

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<<|SkillsAndTrainingTropes|>>

* With a name like ''KarateKid'', you can probably guess that this happens without seeing the movie.

* Also happens in ''Film/TheForbiddenKingdom'' with the protagonist and Jackie Chan's character.

* Also happens in 'The Forbidden Kingdom' with the protagonist and Jackie Chan's character.

* Richard Cypher of the SwordOfTruth spends a good portion of the first book doing this, until he takes up the mantle of the Seeker and starts calling the shots. He's a woodsman who doesn't even let himself be ''angry'' because his mother was killed by a fire caused by an angry outburst. He knows questing, and killing, from nothing.

* Done in ''{{Community}}'' episode [[Recap/CommunityS1E12ComparativeReligion Comparative Religion]] when Troy and Pierce have to teach Jeff how to fight a bully.

[[folder:Other]]

** In fact, this is pretty much [[UniversalTrope universal]] in kung fu movies not starring Jet Li, Bruce Lee, or Chuck Norris. Taken to WallBanger extremes when the "teacher" is so completely non-badass that the suspension of disbelief is completely broken, e.g. Billy Blanks, Pat Morita, Mako, etc.

* ''{{Series/Xena}}'' gets asked this by Gabrielle.

* Also happens in 'The Forbidden Kingdom' with the protagonist and Jackie Chan's character.