Survivalist Forum banner

Most practical martial art.

235K views 1K replies 377 participants last post by  ancient christian 
#1 ·
I don't want to get into a heated debate. I was just wondering what some of you thought was the most "practical" martial art for selfdefense as well as offense (if needed). Not most dangerous, as a lot are just not really practical in real life situations IMO.
 
#594 ·
I've been in a number of street fights, bar room brawls, and a couple of jail house fights over the years. Won a few and lost a few - by no means am I a "Bad Ass" but I am a survivor! Based on my experience I can say two things: 1. Things happen very quickly and most of the time the winner is the one who threw the first punch 2. Fights usually end as quickly as they start. There are usually too many intangibles involved in a normal fight that standard martial arts disciplines are usually not applicable. Are/will weapons be used? Will others jump in? I'm not saying that your martial arts training will not help, just that it's impossible to say which one will work better since every fight situation is different. Keep training but your best weapon will be your senses and street smarts, then your feet!
 
#597 ·
My son and I went to a school that taught Tai-jitsu , although the teacher taught all the traditional moves he also taught us to always think "Street Fighting" , you will probably only use two punches and two kicks in a real fight and if you can , never let a fight go to the ground , your opponent may have buddies near and that won't end well !

In any Martial Arts program it comes down to the teacher !
 
#598 ·
All I can say is I practiced Karate for about eight years and I wish I could go back and pick something more practical. Although Karate is better than nothing at all, something orientated around grappling would be much better. I guess for hundreds of years it was all speculation as to what martial arts were superior and the coming of the UFC showed us to an extent what was useful and what wasn't so useful. I think a combo of Kick-Boxing and Ju-Jitsu is a great addition to anyone's arsenal.
 
#599 ·
I'll just list what some of the different martial arts did for me specifically. TKD gave me great balance and agility and hard, fast striking techniques that really benefit me when in a standing fight. Judo gave me the skills to avoid being dominated and pounded on in a ground fight. BJJ gave me the ability to turn a fight around from any position and end it quickly. The little bit of Krav Maga training I've received from my uncle (a former Krav Maga instructor in the Navy and with the company formerly known as Blackwater) has given me some techniques to quickly turn the tables against an attacker if I am ever taken by surprise.

So, I think a balanced mixture of a standing game (TKD, Muay Thai) and a ground/grappling game (Judo, BJJ, wrestling) is best. That might sound obvious, but that's my own experience and it's all I have.
 
#600 ·
props for Krav also for Jiu Jitsu or Hapkido as far as "unarmed" or lightly armed self defense. I also consider marksmanship a martial art and when you get into your fifties that becomes the most practical for most.

No martial art is worth a darn if you don't practice physically and maintain the proper mind set.
 
#603 ·
Im my last school I fought many college age football players, they used TKD. I would rely mainly on quick lunges, reverse punches and heavy blocks against their wildly flailing techniques. I can say that, at 50+ years old and many lbs lighter, I more than held my own. The instructor, however, was an absolute genius. 5th dan with a vibrant business teaching self defense to bodyguards and contractors. I learned a lot of good hapkido from him. beware your prejudices.
 
#604 ·
that would be after a few moths or so of say 3x per week kumite I ended up with a few serious shin and forearm bruises while some of the younger kids packed it in. In my earlier full contact experience I was on international fighting teams and I have inflicted and witnessed horrific injuries (not on purpose).
 
#609 ·
of the real-life fights I have had, several were taken out by a modified Tomoe Nage (with a choke hold added) and one by blunt force trauma to the opponents head (his eyes rolled back as I hit him). A couple were by backfist but they were mostly by accident (colleagues sneaking up on me and challenging me).
 
#607 ·
I will say that from what I've learned so far; when self-defense is the primary goal, Krav Maga should be your primary place to research and go from there.

I have never had any in-class instruction in any fighting form. My uncle Jack once taught me to throw a punch as if you're trying to make your fist come out the other side of the body.

When a group of guys tried to bully me at school; my dad said to grab the first one by the throat with one hand; his balls with the other, and twist until he went down. He said the point was to make damn sure that guy wouldn't be a threat while you dealt with the others.

I've read books on Karate, Kung Fu, Jeet Kune Do; and am right now reading up on Krav Maga, Boxing and Fencing. I do this only to understand basic concepts since I am what you would call a budget survivalist right now.

I have been in a few fights in my life; though none really since I've hit maturity. My feeling is that there is no right style/form; because everyone's different.

I'm 5'10 and 203 lbs.; my body type is suited more for boxing. Someone who is 5'5 and 160 would be probably be better suited training in Muay Thai, Tae Kwan Do, Etc,...

I'm very much looking forward to increasing my knowledge if and when I enter the armed forces.
 
#610 ·
You need actual training mate. Reading books and watching wont teach you anything. Violence is physical and requires physical training to get the instinctive muscle memory happening. During an actual confrontation your bodys natural fear response will dump adrenaline and that effects your ability to think. Being punched hard repeatedly in the face makes it pretty hard to think too!

Muay Thai is an excellent choice (forget TKD) so is boxing, judo, MMA, BJJ. Pretty much all the sport arts have it all over the 'traditional' martial arts for many reasons. The physical conditioning, fitness and focus on real contact sparring.

Krav Maga is good if you are already in excellent physical condition or have a background in another fighting art.

Good luck and start training... start this week.
 
#616 ·
Arts



I also like the look of Systema ...even though it gets a bad rap on some M\a forums...i can see similarities to other things i've done.

I started with Judo when i was 11 ,Karate , Ju Jutsu for 20 yrs until i was 50.
I still keep fit and swim regularly....no serious m\a training for 2 yrs, a bit of a break to do other things
Now i am looking to something a bit less physical as i have too many old injuries.
 
#613 ·
I have trained to 7 years in TKD and I am right now training in Krav maga with two years of off and on grainy and can say that it is probably far superior to alot of the MA out there for its simple concept.

In my life I have had training in TKD, AIKIDO, karate and Krav maga and is still would use krav as my go to Martial Art.CJ

But I have always heard this saying throughout my years that the best martial art is the one you never have to use.
 
#615 ·
The most practical martial art is the one that best suits your needs. I've been a martial artist for 32 of the 42 years I've been alive. And in my opinion, the following is a great formula to start with in establishing a foundation for self defense, and in turn will put the odds in your favor:
1) 6 months of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu (you're going to end up on the ground. Become comfortable at defending yourself from there).
2) 6 months of Wrestling (learn how to take someone down and control them from the top position).
3) Krav Maga / Muay Thai - Either one of these systems will give you great techniques using elbows and knees, which I prefer to punches and kicks. Used against multiple attackers.
4) Use your brain - don't put yourself in a position to use any of the above.

Good luck.
 
#618 ·
Generally, if you want self defense in a matter of weeks, take Krav Maga or Boxing. If its tomorrow or something, start doing pushups. Simple = Good.

If you have a matter of months or years and are in no hurry, then you ought to expand your horizons and explore anything you want to.
 
#620 ·
Wrestling/grappling would be my first choice. You must prevent being taken down. BJJ is ok if you are in a BJJ tournament or MMA match, but in real life it's hard to defend getting headbutted in the face time after time or the person pounding the back of your head into the cement a few times while you're trying to set up a submission. You will be unconscious and bleeding badly before BJJ moves will work. Next would be any striking martial art to combine with grappling. You can be BJJ master but being on your back in a true street fight is to be one second away from death.
 
#625 ·
Krav maga all the way

As a practitioner of Krav Maga for the last two and a half years I am a strong advocate of this. For those martial artists out there and in fact everyone that reads this post I would recommend reading Rory Miller's Mediations on Violence: A comparison of martial arts training and real life violence.

The age of adage of what is the best martial art will never go away. In fact some people say that no training can be better as our bodies untrained survival instincts of fight, flight or freeze can be superseded by muscle memory and constant training. But when the shtf and we are required to use the learnt skills, we forget them. One thing I would say about martial arts and violence/self-defense is that its a question of capability vs capacity. Everyone has the capability to hurt people and defend themselves, many don't have the capacity. And worringly as Mr Miller points out, many of us create a fantasy of what we 'think' we will do in a violent situation and when it doesn't happen this way (and the vast majority of the time it doesn't) it is a shock to our self-identity and can lead to post traumatic stress syndrome. Anyways I would say Krav Maga, easily learned, brutally effective (see capacity above) and it tailors for a multitude of different situations :)
 
#626 ·
I like the philosophy of Krav Maga and many of the techniques, but have found the training poor and actual application in a dynamic situation difficult. Sure you learn the techniques, but many are based on reactionary moves in a static situation. Like someone grabs your lapel from direction A then apply technique B. In my experience violence just doesn't go down like that most of the time. At least not the kind of violence where a Krav Maga response is required. For example the only times someones grabbed my lapel is during a drunken argument at a party (not a 'palm strike,head butt, groin strike' moment really). Real assault type violence is so unexpected & overwhelming that 'applying techniques' goes out the window. You just tend to cover up for the first couple of seconds, then the situation has become dynamic and KM moves are no longer appropriate. Its just a punching contest.

I say the training was poor not because of a lack of knowledge of the instructors, but the physical fitness and conditioning required to properly apply the techniques was completely glossed over. KM was designed to be taught to fit strong soldiers so theres an assumption of a certain degree of physicality. In my class there were office workers, taxi drivers etc who while not unfit, were nowhere near 'Israeli Commando' fit. Sports based MA incorporate fitness, strength, conditioning, heavy bag work so they make the techniques powerful.

I love the gun defense elements of KM they are unique and well thought out, but as a self defense art in the real world i think it comes up short.
 
#627 ·
Mma sadly is what krav should have been.

You could do all the gun stuff and the deadly stuff but at the base if you wanted to spar hard mma is the best module for it at the moment.

But for those who want to mash out a whole bunch of high percentage basics over a range of striking grappling and ground work. Mma or the martial arts that perform well in mma are the choice.
 
#631 ·
I did KM for around 2 years, maybe less. I liked it a lot and continued practising myself for years after. Even when doing jujitsu i'd use KM moves while closing for throws etc and still do while doing BJJ/MMA training as i train for SD not the cage. Dont get me wrong i like many elements of it, but as a complete system i find it wanting.

It really wasn't until i started BJJ/MMA that i realised how much fundamental training KM skips. The real basics of slipping punches, combinations, proper guard, proper clinch technique, developing REAL power to strikes by hitting heavy bags and hardcore exercising.
All the stuff you need after the initial engagement has begun.

If KM also focused on the fight as well as the initial engagement and had a greater focus on strength and conditioning it would be richer for it.
 
#635 ·
Krav is not for competition. It is for destroying your enemy. It is not suitable for recreational/sport fighting. There are no rules, and if someone trained in krav finds himself in an exhibition situation, he must hold back so as not to injure or kill his opponent. And two months of instruction do not give someone the level of skill to either defend himself, or to refrain from injuring his opponent accidentally. It is neither a ****ing match or a weenie-measuring contest.
 
#636 ·
Rubbish

I can load up or load down my level of contact at will. I can either box, kickbox grapple or do all three at once at will. I can move from restraining people on the deadly street to punching their heads off and hitting them with chairs.

I am in no way some sort of savant.

I have seen guys enter the ring in three months of training.


So if you cannot do all of these things you are doing something fundimentaly wrong.

Stop making excuses.
 
#645 ·
that depends on a persons body type and style. it is good to study as many forms as you can and incorporate the things that work well for you and discard the things that are less effective. you will also modify and create new moves. ideally you will have your own form of Martial art once you get more proficient. a hybrid form. work on strength and flexibility as well as situational mindfulness. good luck.
 
#652 ·
dontbuypotteryfromme;Miners mostly. They are on a hundred thousand dollars a year and can look like whatever the hell they want.


I wonder how many of the younger ones will regret it later in life.
Hard to get full chest,back and arm jobs burnt off.

Not so much LA gangbanger and more tribal metrosexual.
Yes. It's all about tribes isn't it. As advanced (cough) as the species is the majority of the population still cling to the tribal ideal in one form or another.

I work with a girl who just got "princess my ass" on her knuckles.
I bet your Mum can't wait to meet her. :rofl:

How do you fit that statement on knuckles?
 
#656 ·
[/I]

I wonder how many of the younger ones will regret it later in life.
Hard to get full chest,back and arm jobs burnt off.



Yes. It's all about tribes isn't it. As advanced (cough) as the species is the majority of the population still cling to the tribal ideal in one form or another.



I bet your Mum can't wait to meet her. :rofl:

How do you fit that statement on knuckles?
I am quite simply afraid to see what metrosexual links too.

Princess on the top knuckles
My ass on the second ones
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top