I'm currently taking a form of Kung-Fu, but it's really a mixed martial art that focuses on kung-fu. Although I didn't really feel like I would be able to Handel my self if attacked on the street for the first 4 years, I now feel very confident, and like I'm becoming even better than street punk level. But if your looking for a quick-to-learn self defence kara-mavgra is not a bad Idea. If you really want to know about it look for the 'Human Weapon' episode that covered it. And before you start asking if that show is accurate, yes it is. Human Weapon only gives an overview of the martial art, but it's a good overview.
Learn to fight on the ground, no matter what you do
Although you do need to learn how to fight on the ground, you really don't want to go on the ground, unless your attacked in the country side where the ground is nice and grassy. See, for someone like me, who lives in New York City, if you go on the ground, your likely to roll into a needle with aids, or something (maybe not quite as bad, but you get my point).
As for weapons, most of it would just be for fun being as you can't take a sword with you everywhere you go, unless you WANT people to attack you. My suggestion is carrying a pen. Yes, a pen. Just watch Born Identity and you'll see how a pen actually is useful. Now take that ability of a pen to stab someone in the arm and (this is assuming you aren't too squeamish) stab the person in the eye, and then just run. That's all you really need to do if someone attacks you in the street.
It's not like anyone will come charging at you with a spork from the front in a place where there's lots of space.
Forgive me if I sound dumb when I say this but: Why are people so afraid of box cutters? I've dealt with and heard of many assaults involving box cutters, and I hardly ever hear of any real harm being done by the box cutter wielder. However, people freak out when they're threatened by box cutters.
I honestly think I would have a hard time not laughing if someone threatened me with a box cutter. Unless there's some sort of box cutter-fu, I just don't think that a box cutter would be very effective.
It's a psychological thing. First of all, if you're unarmed and your opponent has something, it means you have a disadvantage. Also, as soon as someone brings a weapon to a fight, it tells people that he means business. People are not used to being attacked, and in an unknown situation, many people will lose their head instead of thinking things like "His stance indicates that he doesn't know what he's doing" or "Wait a minute... I'm being attacked by a midget with a boxcutter. That doesn't really scare me."
Krav Maga is the martial arts of the Isreali military. All their soldiers learn it.
That stuff is lethal. Do you want to take someone down, or take their life?
I want to be able to instantly take the fight out of an opponent. There was a movie called Judgment Night a while back in which a character was confronted by a belligerent redneck. He immediately twisted the redneck's arm around and locked the redneck's thumb in a position that would break the thumb if he out pressure on it. I want to be able to do that.
Why not just split the attacker's balls? That move requires zero training, is pretty easy to execute, and is highly effective.
Also, I've never seen any scientific studies on the matter, but in almost all of the videos of street fights I've seen on YouTube, people tend to go for the head. The head is relatively small and mobile, so it's easier to miss. Even if you hit, you risk breaking any number of small bones in your hand. I'm thinking the best bet is a quick shot to the gut. Even if the person is ready for it, there's a good chance you'll knock the wind out of them, and there is close to zero percent chance of breaking any bones in your hand.
p.s. -Even better: go with the double-whammy. Kick the attacker in the balls, and while he's stunned, punch him in the stomach. Now he's stunned, he has pain radiating from his sexual organs, and he can't breathe.
As for weapons, most of it would just be for fun being as you can't take a sword with you everywhere you go, unless you WANT people to attack you. My suggestion is carrying a pen. Yes, a pen. Just watch Born Identity and you'll see how a pen actually is useful. Now take that ability of a pen to stab someone in the arm and (this is assuming you aren't too squeamish) stab the person in the eye, and then just run. That's all you really need to do if someone attacks you in the street.
That's "Bourne Identity"
The martial arts depicted in this movie is a mix of Krav Maga for hand to hand and any time you see the protagonist use a non gun / machine related weapon it is most likely to be Eskrima / Kali.
The pen reference -
Why not just split the attacker's balls? That move requires zero training, is pretty easy to execute, and is highly effective.
Also, I've never seen any scientific studies on the matter, but in almost all of the videos of street fights I've seen on YouTube, people tend to go for the head. The head is relatively small and mobile, so it's easier to miss. Even if you hit, you risk breaking any number of small bones in your hand. I'm thinking the best bet is a quick shot to the gut. Even if the person is ready for it, there's a good chance you'll knock the wind out of them, and there is close to zero percent chance of breaking any bones in your hand.
When you aim for the head your supposed to aim for the nose, or the side of the head, like around the temple, which can send pain throughout the face if done properly. Yes this makes the target even smaller, but your hand has less of a chance of breaking, and the gut doesn't do nearly as much damage. Also, if someone is at all prepared for the hit, the gut will barely knock the wind out of them, meaning you'd have to act fast, and that's really only if he's not used to being hit, which any real fighter is. The solar plexus is where it will take the wind out of the attacker no matter what, but it's a slightly more protected area. Really, the balls are the best place to aim for, but I still suggest training in how to hit the balls and other basic defences just in case your attacker knows how to protect his balls, or is a girl.
The problem with going for the nose or temple is that it can be lethal if you strike in certain ways, so it is less dangerous to go for the gut or solar plexus. I would recommend going for the ball, solar plexus, or kidneys, or just put the attacker into an armlock and hold him there until the authorities arrive.
The problem with going for the nose or temple is that it can be lethal if you strike in certain ways, so it is less dangerous to go for the gut or solar plexus.
That was my thinking. I would hate to permanently damage someone else.
Judo, Jiu-jitsu, and Aikido/Hapkido all seem to have grappling and joint locking as their main concentrations.
Judo, Jiu-jitsu, and Aikido/Hapkido all seem to have grappling and joint locking as their main concentrations.
IIRC Jiu-Jitsu differs from the other two in that it doesn't just involve throwing people to the ground. It also involved completely fucking them up once you are on the ground with them.
When you aim for the head your supposed to aim for the nose, or the side of the head, like around the temple, which can send pain throughout the face if done properly.
I would aim for the chin, the area directly below the nose, the temple, and to the front and back of the ear. The best shot for a knockout is the side of the neck though. Most fighters who train for self-defense(and many who train only for sport), protect their balls, and almost everybody protects the solar plexus.
The problem with going for the nose or temple is that it can be lethal if you strike in certain ways, so it is less dangerous to go for the gut or solar plexus. I would recommend going for the ball, solar plexus, or kidneys, or just put the attacker into an armlock and hold him there until the authorities arrive.
All of these blows can be fatal. Running away or using joint locks are the best choices.
I was in goju ryu karate and am training in systema now. I would say maybe look into goju ryu if you are looking for confidence and fun. Kata are great for exercise and its a crazy good workout. For actually hurting someone i prefer systema. Krav maga is an extremely attack oriented art and has the same emphasis on survival and efficiency as systema, but instead of being based on movement and improvising it relies on sets of movements to deal with situations (see the human weapon episode as mentioned before if you haven't already). Jiu Jitsu is a great workout and tons of fun from what most of the friends i have in it tell me, but i haven't tried it myself.
Oh, and if you want to stop someone quick, kick their knee in, or heel kick them in the stomach. Both of these are very effective for a straight on attack and are quite painful from my experiences. Its actually surprisingly difficult to get a good nut shot in with a kick, the space between your legs isnt all that big and if they see it coming they can stop it.
I would highly recommend American Kenpo. I've done loads of martial arts and enjoyed this one the most, it's a street fighting style with extremely fast successive moves.
Judo is also great, more so for fitness over self-defence.
I'd argue that in today's environment, cultivating tact, politeness, and a long temper are about as useful as a martial art. Most fights start as a result of hurt pride on the part of one of the participants.
It's also important to remember that physical ability goes into decline past a certain age. A martial art designed for military use is usually a martial art designed for those of a military age. The martial art that served you well at 40 and before might not be as effective at 50, and certainly not by the time retirement age rolls around. Any martial art that tends to rely more on the power of a strike than its timing or location, for instance, would probably not be a good choice when thinking in the long-run.
Learn to fight on the ground, no matter what you do
Although you do need to learn how to fight on the ground, you really don't want to go on the ground, unless your attacked in the country side where the ground is nice and grassy. See, for someone like me, who lives in New York City, if you go on the ground, your likely to roll into a needle with aids, or something (maybe not quite as bad, but you get my point).
I believe I saw a statistic once that 90% or so of fights end up going to the ground, but most people don't know what to do on the ground, so if you do know, especially a guillotine choke or something, you have a gigantic advantage
If you want to actually know how to fight: train MMA. Peroid. Full stop. End of thread.
MMA skill doesn't translate into fighting skill though. Unlike a real fight, MMA has rules, no weapons, and an environment with no obstacles or potential weapons in it.
They do it in Kenpo. The thing with knife fighting is, you have to accept you're gonna get cut. After that it's about making sure those cuts aren't landed in critical areas, and you can take him down fast.
MMA skill doesn't translate into fighting skill though.
Nothing can. However, MMA will give you the best and most well-rounded skillset to worth with. Also the emphasing on live sparring/rolling will give you some measure of practical experience.
I've studied martial arts for quite a while, I have a black belt in Hapkido (about 7 years worth of study), an orange belt in Ju-jitsu and I've taken about 6 months worth of Aikido. I can't take Hapkido anymore which breaks my heart, I love that art. I plan on going back to Aikido next spring.
...primarily concerned with feeling confident in one's ability to put an opponent down fast.
Not many of them teach you to lallygag during an altercation. First you need to decide if you want to learn a striking or grappling art or a hybrid like Hapkido, Ju-Jitsu, or Krav Maga. Another art no one has mentioned is silat, it teaches mainly weapons combat, I've only taken a seminar on basics but it seems fun.
Every dojo, dojang, hombo, or school you walk into should let you take a few classes gratis. You need to see how the instructor works with the students. You need to try a few things and see if you like the workout. You need to watch how the senior students interact the junior students. Also many schools will make you sign a year contract to join, you don't want that either. That's a fitness center trick, they hook into paying for a year and when you loose interest 2 months down the road you are stuck paying. Check local universities many have clubs for various arts. Often they are inexpensive, and in the case of my Aikido class have very skilled instructors. Try a few you think you might like, and choose one. Don't worry about flexibility or fitness level, those things should come with practice. Every school I've been to typically started the class with 15 minutes stretching and calisthenics.
I wanted to learn about joint locks and throws, that's why I went with Hapkido, and now Aikido. It will take a long time to learn to fight. Learning the basics is easy, learning to use them in a tense situation is difficult. You want an art you enjoy practicing, so you will spend that time, and gain those instincts.
Rym is right if you want to put someone down get a gun, a big gun and learn how to use it. It's faster, cheaper and you are a lot less likely to get one upped.
Rym is right if you want to put someone down get a gun, a big gun and learn how to use it. It's faster, cheaper and you are a lot less likely to get one upped.
Have you ever tried shooting accurately with the kind of handgun you can carry on you? It does not work. Also, you're more likely to injure someone and get sued or arrested, and if it gets confiscated (say if you're in a museum, airport, or the like) then you have no weapons.
Have you ever tried shooting accurately with the kind of handgun you can carry on you? It does not work. Also, you're more likely to injure someone and get sued or arrested, and if it gets confiscated (say if you're in a museum, airport, or the like) then you have no weapons.
You don't need to be super accurate, you just need to hit. If someone is so far away from you that they can't hurt you without a projectile, even a shitty gun means you win. What are they going to do? Come closer making it easier for themselves to get shot? If they are so close that they can hurt you without a projectile, then even an idiot would have a hard time missing them with any handgun what wasn't broken. You just have to dodge them long enough to draw and pull the trigger, which doesn't depend on the gun at all.
Also, a gun is great because running away actually puts you in a better offensive position, assuming the other person doesn't also have a gun. In that case, you should both just agree to go home, and never speak of it again.
There is no such thing as "the best martial art". What you need to be able to do is judging your own abilities, judging your opponents abilities and leading the fight into a direction where your abilities matter more than those of your opponent. "Oh mans I know MMA thus I am well-prepared for anything" is *not* the way it works. "Hurhur I has a gun" is also not the way it works. If I wanted to rob someone, I'd sneak up behind them and either put a knife to their throat or hit them over the head with a heavy, blunt item of some sort. That way, it doesn't matter what you know or what you carried, because by the time you noticed me, you already lost. Real fights don't work like in D&D, it is far more complex then "I got strength and technique, therefore I am superior and will win." Also, why are people so obsessed about self-defence? We all live in industrialized countries, has anyone here ever been robbed? If someone wants to kill you and is able and willing to use his head, he will succeed. Get over it.
I would agree there is no best martial art. If you take a martial art do so for the enjoyment of learning the art. Chances are you will never need to use what you learn unless you choose to compete.
I've used my martial art one time in the ten years since I started taking classes. It was totally unexpected and did not happen anything like I imagined. What I did came naturally, I was kind of surprised that it worked so well. Of the things I learned or perhaps worked on while studying martial arts, I use courtesy, integrity, perseverance, and self control far more, in fact on a daily basis. I think martial arts also foster a sense of community, and responsibility that encourage students think about those things, and ultimately make them better people if they truly earn their rank.
Comments
As for weapons, most of it would just be for fun being as you can't take a sword with you everywhere you go, unless you WANT people to attack you. My suggestion is carrying a pen. Yes, a pen. Just watch Born Identity and you'll see how a pen actually is useful. Now take that ability of a pen to stab someone in the arm and (this is assuming you aren't too squeamish) stab the person in the eye, and then just run. That's all you really need to do if someone attacks you in the street.
Also, I've never seen any scientific studies on the matter, but in almost all of the videos of street fights I've seen on YouTube, people tend to go for the head. The head is relatively small and mobile, so it's easier to miss. Even if you hit, you risk breaking any number of small bones in your hand. I'm thinking the best bet is a quick shot to the gut. Even if the person is ready for it, there's a good chance you'll knock the wind out of them, and there is close to zero percent chance of breaking any bones in your hand.
p.s. -Even better: go with the double-whammy. Kick the attacker in the balls, and while he's stunned, punch him in the stomach. Now he's stunned, he has pain radiating from his sexual organs, and he can't breathe.
That's "Bourne Identity"
The martial arts depicted in this movie is a mix of Krav Maga for hand to hand and any time you see the protagonist use a non gun / machine related weapon it is most likely to be Eskrima / Kali.
The pen reference -
That was my thinking. I would hate to permanently damage someone else.
Judo, Jiu-jitsu, and Aikido/Hapkido all seem to have grappling and joint locking as their main concentrations.
Oh, and if you want to stop someone quick, kick their knee in, or heel kick them in the stomach. Both of these are very effective for a straight on attack and are quite painful from my experiences. Its actually surprisingly difficult to get a good nut shot in with a kick, the space between your legs isnt all that big and if they see it coming they can stop it.
Judo is also great, more so for fitness over self-defence.
It's also important to remember that physical ability goes into decline past a certain age. A martial art designed for military use is usually a martial art designed for those of a military age. The martial art that served you well at 40 and before might not be as effective at 50, and certainly not by the time retirement age rolls around. Any martial art that tends to rely more on the power of a strike than its timing or location, for instance, would probably not be a good choice when thinking in the long-run.
Every dojo, dojang, hombo, or school you walk into should let you take a few classes gratis. You need to see how the instructor works with the students. You need to try a few things and see if you like the workout. You need to watch how the senior students interact the junior students. Also many schools will make you sign a year contract to join, you don't want that either. That's a fitness center trick, they hook into paying for a year and when you loose interest 2 months down the road you are stuck paying. Check local universities many have clubs for various arts. Often they are inexpensive, and in the case of my Aikido class have very skilled instructors. Try a few you think you might like, and choose one. Don't worry about flexibility or fitness level, those things should come with practice. Every school I've been to typically started the class with 15 minutes stretching and calisthenics.
I wanted to learn about joint locks and throws, that's why I went with Hapkido, and now Aikido. It will take a long time to learn to fight. Learning the basics is easy, learning to use them in a tense situation is difficult. You want an art you enjoy practicing, so you will spend that time, and gain those instincts.
Rym is right if you want to put someone down get a gun, a big gun and learn how to use it. It's faster, cheaper and you are a lot less likely to get one upped.
Also, a gun is great because running away actually puts you in a better offensive position, assuming the other person doesn't also have a gun. In that case, you should both just agree to go home, and never speak of it again.
Also, why are people so obsessed about self-defence? We all live in industrialized countries, has anyone here ever been robbed? If someone wants to kill you and is able and willing to use his head, he will succeed. Get over it.
I've used my martial art one time in the ten years since I started taking classes. It was totally unexpected and did not happen anything like I imagined. What I did came naturally, I was kind of surprised that it worked so well. Of the things I learned or perhaps worked on while studying martial arts, I use courtesy, integrity, perseverance, and self control far more, in fact on a daily basis. I think martial arts also foster a sense of community, and responsibility that encourage students think about those things, and ultimately make them better people if they truly earn their rank.