Top 10 Self Defense Martial Arts

[btroadman]

After reading 10 pages of posts on this thread I have to add my few cents in. I take BJJ, Krav Maga, and TaeKwonDo. I LOVE TKD, but am the first person to admit that in a fight it is for the most part ineffective. I can't put together a complete top 10 list, but would have to say that Brazilian JiuJitsu, Krav Maga, and Muay Thai are definitely on the tops of a list for self defense.

[Goju1]

After reading 10 pages of posts, I think I will have to weigh in that it may be more dependent upon the fighter than the style. There are certainly dozens or more good fighting styles but who's fighting? I've seen people from many styles I wouldn't want to meet in any alley

[btroadman]

But if all things are equal, there are definitely MA's that dominate others. Don't you think?

[Goju1]

But if all things are equal, there are definitely MA's that dominate others. Don't you think?

 

I suppose so, but think that crosstraining is probably the best way to go,

 

as you do. Its too hard to pick a single style. If you look at the UFC's they all eventually end up on the ground, so that may be the 'ultimate' style, but if we;re talking simple self defense, any could work just fine.

[Drunken Monkey]

the style is only as effective as you make it.

[sano]

ultimate style!?! there is no such thing.

[btroadman]

Of course Cross Training is the way to go. And of course there is no such thing as an "ultimate style". With the "Phases of Combat" theory there are 3 principal phases in any fight, whether it is MMA or on the Street. 1. Free-Movement Phase, 2. Standing Clinch, and 3. Ground Combat.

 

Some fights start in the Free-movement phase, most in the standing clinch, and almost all end up in ground combat. If you have a skilled grappler no matter how good your clinch or free-movement phase are, it will end up on the ground. If you don't have ground combat skills then you are toast.

 

If you don't believe that you need to reckognize where the UFC and Pride has come from, almost all the heavy hitters have ground combat experience now. Because it is needed.

[Lazy Scholar]

can't believe that this thread has gone on for this long but that's way cool.. shows people are passionate about this stuff.. I think and hope .. .ultimate style? nope.. none that i know of.. JKD isn't a "theory" btw.. (that's another post i got on here) it's up to the individual .. only the individual can make it work . I personally haven't seen JKD or krava maga duke it out (although it would be quite interesting ).. but i can see PRACTITIONERS of these respective arts duke it out.. they're the ones expressing themselves out there not the arts.. the art isonly means of advancing the study of the way. .it's all about training, attitude, and want to, and that is not exclusive to any one style..

[szorn]

Someone made a similar thread a while back, but it was for some reason closed. Which 10 arts do you think are the best for self defense? Based on my knowledge (in no particular order):

 

1) Krav Maga

 

2) Silat

 

3) Wing Chun

 

4) Muay Thai

 

5) Kyokushin Karate

 

6) Shotokan Karate

 

7) SCARS

 

8 ) Hung Fut

 

9) Pankration

 

10) Kali/Escrima/Arnis

 

This has pretty much already been stated but if talking about "real" self-defense why be contricted or confined by just one art, style, system, or methodology? Why not learn the best tactics from all of the above and learn to use them realistically?

 

This is what "self-defense" is all about.

 

Steve

[Drunken Monkey]

look,

 

if there was ONE superior style

 

we'd all be doing it already...

 

fact is there are hundreds of thousands of us and we have each found things that work for us.

 

we have studied hard and we know what we an do and what we can't do.

 

i think that counts for every martial artist from every style.

 

i really doubt that any one of us can really say that we have had a 100% win record for all situations.