Is thier a martial art that looks gracefull but is also very good for self defence

Question

im trying to find a martial art that looks nice and could also be applied very well in a real confrontation

any ideas?

Answer 1

Aikido is graceful and effective.

You should not demonstrate any martial art except with another practitioner.  Demonstrating on the uninitiated can lead to injury and embarassment.

Answer 2

To Shin Do is a great self-defense art that includes many components to show friends.  I wouldn't call it graceful, but it includes joint manipulation, chokes, holds, throws, and pressure point attacks instead of only using punches and kicks.  Check it out.  I've been in it for seven years and still love it.  There are several locations around the US.  I like Chapel Hill, NC the best, but it was also closest to me.

Answer 3

define "grace".

"gracefull" is a subjective term, what I find gracefull (landing a nice hook or uppercut) is not what the average person thinks is.

odds are if you are looking for "ballet grace" you will not find the two meshing well.

generally what "looks pretty" doesn't work because it is designed to "look pretty".

ask yourself?

do you want to be a dancer or a fighter?

I guess you could always take up "sport fencing" and that looks gracefull, but even if you could legally walk around the streets with a rapier (which by itself cuts off the practical applicability because you can't), sport fencing does not immediately translate to rapier as the real weapon, while not heavy, is much heavier than an epee.

I think your best bet would be to study a "gracefull" style and then employ the tactic of "curl up in a ball and beg for my life" if you are ever attacked....

Answer 4

Jeet Kune Do

Japanese Jiu-Jitsu

Filipino martial arts: Kali, Escrima, Arnis

Anything looks good in a demonstration if you choreograph it well enough, but looking good will get you killed in a fight.

To make a martial art look good: Practice in slow motion in form of a mirror.

To make it combative: Practice it against punching bags and opponents.

If you asked for one that looks good because of intimidation value, then you'd be better off asking for one that looks brutal, instead.

Answer 5

Quite honestly if you are doing the techniques into the air any style can look graceful, just some are less flashy then others. in an actual fight non will look graceful. Watch the UFC or any other fighting competition, and none of them look graceful, maybe once in a great while.

I would strongly advise against learning martial arts to impress people or show off at parties. Unfortunatly at most parties they have something called drinking, which leads to drunks, which leads to somebody deciding to try out how good you really are when you are showing off. Bad things happen at this stage of the game.

Martial arts is something no one should ever know you do, even if they attack you, there first clue you are trained should be when they wake up.

Hammy- I am not saying that some arts are not graceful, but whne put into application many turn ugly. i am just cautioning him about showing off with it, because eventually you will get called out. I know from personel experience. you might also try reading answers closer.

Answer 6

My honest answer would have to be aikido.

Why?  Aikido offers fluidity of movement and re-directs your oppenents actions against them.

Alot of circle actions are used and is appealing to the person who enjoys watching martial arts.  It is also very effective in real-life situations when used properly.

If you don't believe me, consider why they used Steven Segal and Aikido for so many movies.

Answer 7

Taekwondo, I suppose. But I would say it looks 'cool' rather than 'graceful'. Also wushu but only if they teach at least some self defense skills.

Hey Katana and Bluto! Just chill. People have different reasons for doing martial arts. There's nothing wrong with what he's saying. Atleast not that I can see.

[EDIT] Oh I suppose Wing Chun is cool because it has the one inch punch.

Also being able to demonstrate joint locks is something you could show at parties.

Answer 8

Tai chi is a GREAT martial art. It is one of the most powerful martial arts due to its counterattacking nature. It greatly impresses people as well, when you increase the speed.

The martial art began to defeat the 'hard and strong' arts by making the fighter 'soft and adaptable'. For example, instead of blocking a hard punch with your own arms, you grab a hold of the wrist and use the power of your opponent's punch and inertia to pull him off balance, exposing his vulnerable points like his throat or eyes. Strike these parts, and he's down.

As shown in this picture: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en...

Also, it doesn't require very much strength or power to do, and is great for your breathing and posture. It is often taught to the elderly to improve their health (they do the slow version).

Speed up tai chi, and you have one of the deadliest martial arts there is. And the great thing about it is, unlike other martial arts, you don't have to be young and full of vigour to be great at it as most tai chi masters are old and you can hardly tell they're in their 80s.