In your opinion, what is the superior form of self-defense?

Question

It could even be a mix of martial arts.

Also, which combination of techniques (i.e, Parkour) is most versatile and practical?

Answer 1

IMHO, most people who answered this have shown that they have no concept of self defense or the art they profess to know.  Kudos to the few who got it right (Dennis, David, and Big Foot).

The most superior form of self-defense is to not be anywhere you need to use your martial art in self-defense.  Any idiot can pull out a gun, use a knife, throw a rock, have a few buddies gang up on you, or even get in a lucky punch and any one of those will put you in a world of hurt.  

If you are across the street or, better yet, in a different part of town entirely then you are in a far better position to survive.  I always tell my self-defense students that to avoid getting punched in the head in a dark alley, be at home having a cup of tea instead.

Answer 2

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Ninjutsu are the best to have in a street fight. BJJ will help you on the ground where most fights end up anyway. And Ninjutsu is just all around great for self-defence.

Answer 3

I am Tae Kwon Do green belt and a MMA fighter. I honestly have to say the best form of self defense is not even martial arts its good running shoe's and a cell phone. Two nights ago me and a gal pal of mine were watching a movie. her kids were with us. when her ex started yelling from outside. she picked up one of her daughters and went out to talk to him. I heard the daughter start crying so I stepped out to see what was going on. He was trying to rip their child out of her hands and slap my friend at the same time. I told him I was calling the cops. I called. he said some choice words and left. the cops came and now he can't step on my property. he now has to talk to his ex with some sort of respect and he did not pull a knife or gun on me or my friend. Their daughter is safe now and nobody got hurt. can a martial art really do all that. no. now what are the effective martial arts. all of them will do most anything you need them to if you train right with sparring against some one who is actually trying to attack you

Answer 4

Japanese Jiu-jitsu.

Best wishes :)***

Answer 5

there are many hybrids of m.a. i prefer a traditional martial art that's stood the test of time. parkour is a physical discipline not a martial art, parkour has it's roots in gymnastics and is great for getting in shape but you couldn't defend yourself by jumping from platform to platfrom. a mix of striking,grappling,joint-locking,and weapons is the absolute best for self defense. if you know an art for each of those skills you should try and combine them to one system, that's what me and my father did/are doing.

Answer 6

There is no doubt in my mind that wrestling is the superior form of self-defense. What's the first thing you do when your little? You wrestle, you wrestle your brother, father, whatever. The first thing people do when they fight is wrestle with each other. A decent wrestler can neutralize almost any opponent, enough said.

Answer 7

Colt 45.

Answer 8

the one that saves you life or limb in a real situation.i would suggest freestyle karate and crosstrain in jujitsu.

Answer 9

I think the most realistic self defense is a fighting style called 'Jailhouse Rock'. Jailhouse Rock is the fighting style that most inmates learn in many American prisons.  It has other names like '52 Hands', depending on where a person happens to be incarcerated, but Jailhouse Rock has an interesting history. One of Chuck Liddell's fighting instructors developed his own system of Jailhouse Rock when he was incarcerated in a Hawaiian prison and he had to learn to defend himself using the baddest tactics around.

Answer 10

Boxing and Judo is the best combo for self defense in my opinion, or wrestling and boxing.  Judo / Wrestling teach wicked take downs to end a fight quickly, along with body control / ground grappling, and boxing prepares you for a fist fight better than any other.  Muay Thai is good, but I prefer boxing for self defense.  Definitely boxing / judo or boxing / wrestling.

oh i also add that these are great because they have live sparring.  You actually compete against other people in a competitive environment.  In hapkido, aikido, kung fu, etc, you don't really get to spar as often as you do in Judo, boxing or wrestling.  These get you in shape, build muscle, muscle memory, confidence, and are very good for defending yourself.

BJJ is not good for self defense.  Most of BJJ is fighting on your back in the guard position.  You do that in a street fight, and you're dead.  It is better than nothing, but BJJ is best for MMA because of the mat.  Judo / Wrestling ends a fight..and you can fight on your back in wrestling.  Instead of pulling guard and trying to submit while you get pounded from the top, you quickly use a bridge or escape technique to gain a better position.  BJJ great for MMA, not so great for self defense.

And of course I must add that you should always avoid a fight.  You may be prepared to fight an unarmed person, but by the time you are knifed, no MMA training will save you.

Answer 11

Hapkido

Hapkido is a Korean martial arts that focuses on individuals developing their internal Ki-Gong energy and teaches defensive and offensive techniques. Kapkido uses the punching, kicking and blocking skills of Tae Kwon Do and the Aikido-like skills of redirection, joint manipulation, pressure point attacks, throwing and chocking skills. The skills taught in Hapkido are designes so a person can overcome and subdue a single r multiple attackers minimal effort and maximum results. The name Hapkido derives from the parts Hap - coordination

Ki - energy

Do - art formHapkido is thus, The Art of Coordinating Energy. Hapkido combines a dynamic theory of movement with the application if knowledge of over 400 pressure points on the human body. These pressure points usually coincide with areas of dense nerves, blood essels, or internal organs. During the Japanese occupation of Korea between 1909 and 1945 the only Judo and Kendo practitioners were allowed to practice their art. The traditional Korean martial arts had gone underground, but these practitioners learned the new skills they were able to learn from Judo and kendo, and combined them with their native martial art. Post WW II many different styles of martial arts surfaced, and in order to promote unity all styles, except Hapkido, were classified as Tae Kwon Do, and a national governing body was formed by the Korean Government. Hapkido was allowed to be independant because of it's unqiue combination of throws, joint techniques, and Aikido-like skills. The man credited for founding Hapkido in modern times is Yong Sul Choi. He combined self-defense techniques with Tae Kyun, and weaponry to form Hapkido. Shortly after the Japanese occupied Korea Yong Sul Choi emigrated to Japan and learned Daitoryu Aikijutu. he combined a portion of what he learned into his art, Hapkido. He returned to Korea after WW II and opened the first Hapkido school in Taegu. Before his death in 1987 he appointed Ji Han Jae as head of Hapkido in the World

Answer 12

A combination of striking skills (punches and kicks), and wrestling/jui-jitsu/sambo when the fight goes to the ground is ideal for self-defense without weapons. Of course, being mentally alert before self-defense is necessary and physically prepared as well, is part of the total package.

Answer 13

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the best, and most practical when combined with a kickboxing style. Sure wrestling may be good to control a striker, but when you take down somebody who can hurt you off your back your done for.  

Answer 14

whatever works for the situation

Answer 15

The superior self defense has always been and will always be a weapon of some kind.

However weapons can be dropped taken away or you can't get your hands on one .Martial arts can't be taken away or lost or somewhere else when you need them most.The human body/brain is the ultimate weapon .If you master one art or become a half assed expert in many ultimately it is the brain it's sense of awareness and reading situations in order to avoid them that keeps you safe.

edit.........william p I read that page .very interesting  and the concept that martial arts has splintered off into a myriad of styles and methods is not really new or informative news.

The tendency since earliest times has been for men to grapple to keep the other guy from striking you with either hands or a weapon so you could say all fighting stems from primordial grappling.Sport and it's rather mundane goals have ignored the jujutsu aspects inherent in all martial arts even boxing at one time included tripping and rudimentary throws.Judo has ignored ground work for sport because a good throw will win it bad idea.

At the end of the page he offers a "learn by correspondence course" which in my point of view makes anything he said prior to that a hucksters come on.

Answer 16

Avoidance.

Strength in numbers -- other people (maybe even a cop) to help you out.

A weapon in hand is better than empty hand.

Any learned martial art at which you are proficient is better than nothing..

Answer 17

Hey joe check out http://www.alljujitsu.com/index.html for the truth man.... give this page a full read real quick because it's the truth.  

Edit: I don't care how Jujitsu is spelled neither its various meanings, I speak Japanese ( Nihongo ) rather fluently.  I've been studying martial arts since the age of 10 and have studied quite a few, but Jujitsu in any form beats all.  That's why it will always be known as "the Grandfather of all Martial Arts"  If you couple Jujitsu with Iaido then in all seriouisness you're studying a pretty close depiction of what the Samurai actually studied for hundreds of years through many eras and generations through out Japan's ( Nihon's ) history.  It sounds oh so cliche' I know, but, but all arts sprang from what the Samurai clans were studying........ "all arts"  One more thing ..... Check this out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_npycHNuh... it's Jujitsu coupled with Iaido and it's very similar to the way serious practitioners study jujitsu.  This video depicts how jujitsu should be actually practiced by all Jujitsu practitioners.

Good luck in your search man.

Answer 18

what ever works for you

Answer 19

There is nothing supirior, any set of skills can get you through certain self defence situations, the more skills you have tho the more self defence situations you will be able to face, probably the best for pure self defence would be an art that practices a little bit of everything in an alive manner and focuses only on the basics

Answer 20

Without a doubt, Krav Maga. Krav is an Israeli martial art taught to men, women, and children. It has different levels- military, law enforcement, and civilian. It is taught to many in military and LE because it is so easily learned, and so effective. Krav teaches you to be on your best defensive at your most vulnerable. It incorporates a lot of other martial arts (BJJ, karate, muay tai), and that's another reason i love it. One class and you will learn someway to defend yourself against an attacker that you can actually use. You train to defend against punches, kicks, chokes, guns, knives, you name it. Look into it, I would recommend it to anyone at any fitness level.

Answer 21

Very few gave you agood answer. the best answer is learn some simple awareness and prevention techniques. This will not garuntee that you will never have to defend yourself, however it will go a long way towards it.

Criminals are looking for easy victims. There was a study done where thye showed video's of people walking down the street to prisoners. Without fail they all chose the same victims, based simply on the way they carried themselves, many times passing over smaller females for larger males. The way you carry yourself can have a lot to do towards preventing attacks.

As for style, the best is the one that you can get the best instruction in, that you train realisticly, and that fits you. A styel or combination of styles cannot fight for you. They are just a tool and in the end it is up to you to decide whether you are going to be a handy man, or a professional.