Elbos(and knees) are great, the only thing is that they are close range weapons, which are in grappling and trapping range. If you are significantly smaller then your opponents this is not a viable option. Better is to stay away and chip away. At first at least.
Mouths can work as well, but your mouth is much more convincing when you are confident that you have the tools necessary to defend yourself. There is a time when a person may be forced to put their money where their mouth is. This is kinda why people may see the martial arts as a contradiction; as it teaches how to fight but preaches non-violence(at least most of them do
) The reasoning is that after a few years of practice you don't have to prove anything anymore, but, you know deep down inside that if push comes to shove you can handle yourself. If everyone took up the martial arts we would have much less (malicious) fighting I suspect.