What is the best martial art/self-defense?

[cainam_nazier]

So many to choose from......You are mostly going to want some thing that re-active and not pro-active.

Thinking......

Kenpo is good.  More of a street fighting style.  Also commonly referred to as karate.  Most karate schools use kenpo as the base style.

Then there is...I forget the name but the style Steven Segual uses....Despite most of what is seen it is primarily a flowing style.  Redirection of force with a sudden stopper.

Given the nature of most street fights Ju-Jitsu might be a good place to go also as it is an "in fighting" style.  It is also good because it involves a lot of grappling and take downs.  Good because almost all extended street fights end up on the ground.

Of course if you want a "leg'em and leave'em" kind, Nin-Jitsu would be good.  A touch more leathal but with lots of room for disgresion.  Lots of quick, crippling strikes.

If nothing else a basic self defense class would do the trick too.

As far as the energy aspects of any martial arts...You get what you put into it.  

[Anonymous]

Well, if you are going to take a martial art, I suggest trying a couple different styles before you make up your mind. There is no one best style, so to speak. It's how the martial art is used that makes it effective. I personally find kung fu to be the best style. There are at least three different schools that I know of- Wushu, Shaolin, and Wing Chun. All three of these schools are good. I am studying under the Shaolin school. I have to say, I like it. The style of kung fu is so versatile, which is good. It goes from grappling to fighting. It is designed to take on multiple opponents simultaneously. A lot of our forms will have strikes in one direction, maybe a quick strike behind, etc. Ju jitsu is also a good style to take. It's relatively easy to learn, and doesn't require a whole lot of effort. The take-downs are very effective. Ju jitsu is a grappling/wrestling type of martial art. It is good for common self-defense. The shorter you are, the better.

Also, Tai Chi, which is practiced slow, is a good style (when it's done at full speed you can't see it). There's also jeet kune do (Bruce Lee's style), and Aikido (I think this is what Cainam Nazier was referring to when he mentioned Steven Segal). Qi gong is also nice, but fighting styles of qigong are rare and hard to come by, but if you can find a good teacher, learn Empty Force (because you don't even have to touch your enemies because you would be able to push and pull them from great distances using qi energy. But it takes many years of practice to accumulate that much qi).

[Brian Hacking]

I was going to post a lenghty response,  but EnderWiggan covered everything I was going to say,  and did it well also.  

I would have to agree wth everything that he said.  If your getting into the martial arts for purely self defence/street fighting reasons,  I do think that you may get the most bang for your buck with Ju jitsu.  

I personally was lucky enough to find a teacher that teaches Golden Praying Mantis and Emperial Chi Kung (Qi Gong).

With Love,
Brian Hacking

[Anonymous]

Brian-

Lucky you! I'm studying Eagle Claw under a very skilled instructor. I wouldn't be surprised if he knew Golden Praying Mantis. He knows many styles. He's shown me some monkey before and also some drunken. I would like to learn drunken-style someday because it is so deceptive.

[PeacefulWarrior]

Thanks for all the info.  I am suprised by how few online sites there are that offer free info regarding basic self-defense.

I should clarify some more.  I am an able bodied young man, I am 6 feet tall and I weigh 245 (I am trying to get back down to about 220).  Despite that fact that I am heavier than I want to be, I am still athletic and can move quickly.  I carry most of my weight in my upper body (chest, shoulders and arms).  I played football and was in great shape at about 190.  ANYWAY- my point is that as a football player and an active person, and after quite a few scuffles and fist fights, I am not in anyway way unable to defend myself.  

The thing I want to learn is how to grapple and hold, because as cainam mentioned, mos street confrontations end on the ground.  I want to learn to subdue someone without pouding them to pieces...and I want to learn to defend myself on the ground because (and if you have watched any ultimate fighting) if you can't handle your own on the ground then you WILL LOSE A FIGHT.

I have studied Nin-Jitsu a little bit (formally for one month) and learned some basic blocks.  

Where do you guys think is the best place/best kind of art, to learn grappling and holds?  Couldn't I just pick up a book (I don't really have the time or money to join a class these days)
[][!][B)][][xx(]

[Anonymous]

There are a lot of good books out there, for many different styles. Just go to Barnes and Nobles or Borders, or whatever book store you want, and pick up a few books on different styles. It is helpful to have an instructor, and if you have a friend that knows martial arts, you can ask them for help with interpreting the applications for different techniques. A picture is worth a thousand words. A demonstration is priceless.

[kakkarot]

daito ryu and jeet kune do are my suggestions.

~kakkarot

[Rob]

I find a place doing jeet kune do the other day, and it really rocks! Was brought into being by Bruce Lee to get away from any set discipline or style, to break away from the rigidity of most martial arts. I nearly died the first week lol....

[cainam_nazier]

I would highly reccomend Bruce Lee's book as well.  Although the currently produced one is a cut down version it still has tons of great phillosophies in it.

"Be like the nature of water."

[ame]

Much has been covered but I guess I just give you my 2 cents.

There are no best style in the strictest sense but there are best style for you. And as you probably known everybody is different.
IMO JKD is great.It's fast, direct no nonsense fighting arts purely for combative and self defense purpose. It takes less time comparatively to learn from other martial arts such as taichi. Also not forget it also incorporates Wing Chun sticky hands which is very useful for any martial arts. Usually you can learn many type of martial arts by taking JKD. One can say it's a conglomerate of martial arts.

Jiu-jutsu is great ground fighting technique.

Silat is a not very well known fighting arts originating from Indonesia which is not very well known. It is a very intelligent and crafty arts incorporating many thing punch, lock, hold, escaping from locks etc. Good luck finding it though. Also ythere are many style in silat and believe me they are different from each other.

You might also want to find out about savate/boxe Frances.

Learning from books is good but only if you have some prior experince in martial arts. It is always a very great eye opener for most people in any martial arts.

Learning martial arts is one thing but when the moment come you will be very much reduced to intuitive response. Much martial artist (hints pop culture martial arts)are not very martially aware and it is a great shame to be beaten to pulp by a well experienced streetfighter. [B)]

[PeacefulWarrior]

I think there are a few people in here who practice one form or another of martial arts, so this question is for them.

Ok, while I am sure there isn't a single "best" martial art, I guess my questions is really which form is easiest to learn and is the most practical for a situation that might arise in the street or in a restraunt.

I live in the LA area and have been jummped (and subsequently beaten/stabbed), I have broken up fights on numerous occasions (once right outside a restraunt in front of my own family), and have had a knife stuck to my throat and my wallet demanded (I didn't give it to the guy, just for the record).

I own several firearms, but normally keep them at home.  I have decided that I need learn to act/react quickly using my physical body just in case.  So my needs are practical and real, and I am also fascinated by the energy development that some martial arts include.

-Dan