What is the main advantage a martial artist have over a nonmartial artist?

What is the main advantage or the most importan advantage a martial art practioner has over a person that never trained in any combat art? I'm refering to self-defense situation.

Is it better fitness?Is a great physical condition very important? Or the many techniques the martial artist can perform with great ability? Or some tactic principles?

What is the main advantage a martial artist have over a nonmartial artist?opera mobile

Repeditive practice.

What is the main advantage a martial artist have over a nonmartial artist?imax theatre opera theater

Different color belts.
having martial arts training gives you discipline, confidence, and improves your physical condition. having self defense training can be sometimes helpful as long as you maintain yourself off the floor, but as we all know all good fights end up in the ground, which can make martial arts sometimes venerable, unless you know ground grapling, or jiu-jitsu.
The main advantage of a martial artist over a non martial artist would be his "mindset" if he is being properly trained, his mental attitude...in some instances perhaps his or her physical conditioning, but of course there is always the probability of a stronger or faster opponent, with or without training. So the way a martial artist perceives the circumstances is of upmost importance, all technique and training is secondary to learning proper mindset, but eventually should be one and the same.
Hi there

If you are good martial artist with many years of experience the advantage is that when in a real fight situation you can see the openings much more quicker. The techniques will just come on their own. Of course you still need to have the killer instinct and intent to be able to win otherwise all those years of training are wasted. It should also give you awareness so that you can judge a person by their behavior. This is more important that being able to fight. People say it gives you confidence maybe it does but i have always found that confident people are confident people. Most importantly it removes the shock factor when you get hit so you don't tend to panic as much as an untrained person. My instructor once said a black belt gives a person a ten percent chance of winning. Sounds like a small percentage but realistically its probably about right!

Regards

idai
If properly trained a martial artist will have advantages in most (if not all) of the categories listed. However, if improperly trained (as many martial artists are), these same students will BELIEVE they have these advantages when all they really have is a false sense of security.
the way they think.

ps.to the numbnut that said all good fights go to the ground,did you just make that up or are you stupid?of course you have lots of real life experience to back that staement up?yeah right numbnut.
A wise man once told me this,

"What you do when you don't have to do it decides who you are when it is too late to do anything about it."

This applies to martial arts and everything else in life.

For me the advantage of training is three fold, in this order:

1) Perfection of character.

2) Physical fitness.

3) Self-defense
It takes many years to learn any budo to a level that imparts a large advantage to the budoka.

Physically:

A properly trained budoka will understand the limits of his/her body and be able to use that body to its fullest. That is, beable to deliver blows with more devistating results. Focus of the attacks will also be such the energy of attack will be focused into a smaller area and thus increase the damage.

Mentally:

A budoka will have gained increased mental focus that allows the budoka to not only concentrate on a singel foe but keep awarness of other foes. Proper training also teaches the concepts of yoi no kashin (mental readiness) and zanshin (continual mind or continual awarness). Proper budo training also teaches straties. Pitting a master of these stratigies againest an untrained person would be like pitting General Patton against General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna.

So to answer what the main advantage is. I would have to say it is the ability to have extreme mental and physical focus. Or just focus for the main advantage.
Accuracy with the intent.

Precision.

Correct technique, as opposed to hay makers.

Knowing the viable options

so even though fitness is good, tactics are gold.
A martial artist that trains against live resisting opponents (boxing, all forms of wrestling, Thai boxing) typically possess the physicality that the average tough guy probably won't. Aside from being in good shape, a trained person will have more precision of technique, and most importantly in my mind, the knowledge and awareness to keep going even if things don't go their way initially. I've boxed against some pretty tough brawlers off of the street and have actually had my bell rung many times by these guys. Early on anyway. But how quick confidence and will fades when you don't fall down, but instead keep coming like it was water off of a duck's back. Mental toughness and the "been there done that, and worse" mentality would be the key benefit in my opinion.
imho, there is only one answer: preparedness. a non-martial artist does not know what to do when being attacked, and is forced to react. a martial artist, on the other hand, can avoid, counteract, or absorb the blow.

imho, if you prepare for an attack in your head, without any special training, you will be better off than if you didn't.
Tactics and training.
Stillness of body and mind.

lr
The ability to adapt through well-practiced principles and through multiple repetitions of realistic techniques to neutralize an attacker with little thought of what to do. It just happens.