What martial art do you think is the best? (Survey, need lots of answers)?

Question

Yes, I know, I am committing a humongous taboo in the martial arts world. A lot of martial artists will say that there is no best style, and that it is a matter of experience and technique that will decide the winner in a martial arts fight. I agree with this idea, however I want to know what martial art that you guys think is best. Although I am just a boxer, I have read about and studied various techniques of other martial arts, mostly karate, Tae Kwon Do, a little Kung Fu, and other styles. Personally, I think Sanda (Chinese Kick boxing/ modern Kung Fu) is the best martial art to learn. I reason this because it has the stand-up game with standard boxing and kick boxing kicks and punches, but it also incorporates throwing/grappling techniques. The only flaw with the style is probably the lack of ground submissions, locks, and chokes you see in Brazilian Ju-Jitsu. But tell me what style you like best.

Answer 1

Chu Zhen Dao

Jui Jitsu

Mauy Thai

Answer 2

Gracie Jiu-Jitsu/Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the best martial arts system there is.

Watch these videos:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=WlYD-j9GSvo

http://youtube.com/watch?v=UVCKEbiEJNc&f...

Answer 3

That's too easy.  Your personal efforts is what is going to pay off, and a term known as 'specificity' is what will help your martial art choice to be of most benefit to you.  We tend to fight how we train, so for the people that want to compete in MMA they better know some grappling.  Intercollegiate wrestling and Greco Roman mix is what Randy Couture used to dominate the mat.  If you want to snap bones the Catch -As -Catch -Can can do that and that is the faoundation that Intercollegiate Wrestling comes from.  Martial Arts in the trapping range include Wing Chun, and some Escrima and Silat Systems.  Striking arts such as Haislet and Dempsey style boxing when used against vulnerable spots of the body is very effective in the street.  Muay Thai has very powerful kicks, so powerful in fact that I witnessed someone once kicking a baseball bat in two using his shin bone to do so, and the same kick will actually destroy a femur bone.  Every martial art is like a language, and blending a bunch of words from other languages you end up with something that sounds like 'speghetti.'  Just as it's best not to mix different languages together it is a good idea not to blend martial arts together, and also to learn each one in its own sequence.  By the time you train at all of this stuff you may be too old to use it unless you continue training into your mid life and beyond 60 to 120?  So what do you do if you don't have time to dedicate your life to four or five martial arts to be the best you can be?  Make time if you can, but Cabales Serrada Escrima and Kung Fu San Soo either one have everything you'll really need for the street, and BJJ grappling and Muay Thai strikes and kicks will probably give most people most of what they need for MMA contests.  The street isn't a sport.  You learn that best from a TRADITIONAL style and human experience, and practice, practice, practice specificity.  I think Bruce Lee, said it quite well, "If you want to train to swim, you get into the water and swim."

Answer 4

Brazilian J J is ok but it is far from the best it does nothing for multiple attackers and not enough for weapons.  The most well rounded or complete system of Combat is Ninjutsu it advocates the use of the mind and body as a total weapon from all ranges kicking, boxing, trapping, mauling, and grappleing it also teaches bone breaking and nerve attacks and all weapons including firearms.

I have studied dozens of arts and I have found that Ninjutsu has all the techniques and then some

Answer 5

the one that saves you life or limb in a real situation.

now i have a question.

Where do some of these brain dead morons get these answers from?they must live in a fantasy world in their own head and be legends in there own mind.

Answer 6

Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu is number one and Mauy Thai as a close second

Answer 7

There is no such thing as a best martial art. Nor better or worst. They all have ups and downs. Martial arts was invented as a way to defend yourself, so any martial art will help you in a street fight. Even more, it will help you to talk your way out of one. There are only better fighters, schools, & teachers. We utilize the art, we defend ourselves, we fight. Arts don't fight for us.

It all boils down to YOU, and what YOU like, and what strengths and weaknesses YOU have.

Most people who actually say, "oh this martial art is the best that one sux..der..der..der" are only Biased opinions.

Lets say there a was a best martial art. Why on earth would their be other arts? Theres already a best, right?

Good Luck!

Answer 8

Catch wrestling. Meanest form around.

Answer 9

I like the gun in my hand martial arts style,,,,

Answer 10

Gracie Jiu Jitsu all the way!

Answer 11

I think it depends on your body type and personality.  If you can strike really hard and are  athletic then I  would go with some kind of striking martial art.  If you have brute strength then maybe some kind of grappling is what you can do.  I think modern MMA is the best out there right now because you are learning everything,  but my favorites are Jui Jitsu and Muay Thai.

Answer 12

Okay You've admitted that there is no ultimate style, well done you that's a great attitude to take,now consider what styles/tools will suit you.

I'd suggest,

Japanese Jiu-jitsu

Aikido

Wing Chun.

Boxing.

As a starting point !!!

I'd suggest that training in the above styles would cover most situations ,but that's just me.

Best wishes and only my humble opinion :)***

Answer 13

Chi Lin Chaun

An internal and external martial arts that explores explosive, twisting, vacant, climbing and expanding power. It invokes all ranges of combat from closing distance, boxing range, clinch, ground, throws, locks, submissions, and territorial dominace (a concept I haven't heard from anyone here).

To sum it up, Chi Lin Chaun is an Chinese-American Kung Fu

(the history gets lengthly) and it is fun and arguous to learn.

Answer 14

HERE IS THE ONLY ANSWER

Let me state it bluntly: This is a BS question.I am not saying you are full of BS but maybe you have been fed BS  about best styles and ultimate styles BS..That c**p is usually put forth by the never will be's and you tube video watching wannabes

How can that be? It seems like such a simple, straightforward question. Well, the problem isn't with the question per se, the problem is with the thinking that framed it. Specifically, the problem is twofold.

    1) What is behind the question and

    2) What the question is asking about.

What is behind the question are too many false premises, flawed assumptions, misunderstandings, fantasies and -- most importantly -- a way of thinking that has unwittingly replaced actual knowledge with advertising claims. The very assumption that there is a "best" shows the influence of marketing on your thinking ('best' applies to laundry detergent, not martial arts).

What the question is asking about is a hugely complex and ever changing topic. A topic that not only defies simple answers, but that is so big that an answer that is right in one context is wrong in another.  And to really muck things up, it works both ways.  The right answer for the second context would be wrong in the first one.

How complicated is this subject? Try this:

Self-defense is about on-the-spot assessment of many variables, in mutable, unpredictable and rapidly changing circumstances, under immediate threat -- AND, not only coming up with an appropriate answer, but being able to effectively implement it in time. And being able later to explain why you felt that was the right response.

Complicated isn't it? Now the bad news: That IS a simplified summation of the entire subject(1).

That 'simple' question is BS because it assumes there's some kind of Wal-mart Supercenter of martial arts. A magical training system/martial art that addresses all of those elements of self-defense. One that not only will allow you to defeat slavering hordes of Uzi carrying ninjas but automatically downloads critical thinking, threat assessment, a perfect understanding of use of force laws, human behavior and the nature of violence directly into your brain...

And all of this by studying one system.

If any of this were true, then yes, just knowing the 'right' system would give him everything he needs. Unfortunately, even though it may seem to make sense in your head, reality doesn't work that way.  Dangerous subjects -- and self-defense is a dangerous subject -- especially don't work that way.

That's why they're dangerous

Having said all of this, can self-defense be narrowed down to specific issues that you are most likely to encounter? Yes. By doing this it becomes a far more manageable and understandable idea.

However, this too is a complicated process that entails a lot of introspection, analysis, critical thinking and threat assessment.  It is not something that you walk into a strip-mall dojo and buy a prepackaged wonder system.

Self-Defense vs. Personal Safety

To explain why "which martial art is best for self-defense" is an erroneous question, look at the subject of personal safety as a pie. A pie that is sliced into distinct and different sections.

At best, physical technique is only one slice of that pie. Other slices of personal safety include legal issues, social skills, deterrents, psychology, knowledge of how crimes occur, mental preparation and awareness of what you are facing.  In short, self-defense is only one small part of the much bigger issue (The analogy we use is a pyramid of personal safety). And even though it is a subset of personal safety, each of these components must be included in effective self-defense training. The hard part isn't snapping someone's neck. That's actually rather simple. The hard part is knowing when and why it is time to do it OR -- more importantly-- when it isn't.

And the number of people who end up in jail for violence tells us that isn't as cut and dried as they thought it was.

In a similar vein, violence can be looked upon in pie fashion. There are all kinds of violence. The different ways that it occurs are almost countless. "Fighting" is only one of the many ways violence can manifest.

Many people, upon reading this, will immediately think to themselves, "That's why you have to cross train in different fighting styles. So you will be able to fight under different conditions."

NO, this misses the point of what I am saying.

What I am saying is that there are different types of violence. What you think of as a 'fight' is such a minute number of these incidents that it hardly qualifies as a slice ... it's more like a sliver. Two equally matched opponents slugging it out or rolling around on the ground is the exception, not the rule of violence.  Within those different types of violence are many different levels and participants can range from an upset person to a quarrelsome drunk, to a dangerous criminal to an insane person(2). While most incidents of violence are not intent on death and destruction, any number of them are ... and that intent affects how they happen.

There is no way you can train for all of these contingencies. For example, I know of no martial art style that will teach you an effective technique against someone, who is waiting with a shotgun in the shadows, near where you park your car. And yet, that is a reality of how violence happens.  As such the possibility of it happening must be factored into 'self-defense' strategies. And no, not even training in firearms is going to save you in such a situation. What can possibly save you is knowledge, awareness and appropriate habits.

However, fantasy ideals about "real fighting" abound in martial arts schools and reality-based self-defense circles. While we are on the subject, a vast array of misconceptions about violence also exists in many women's self-defense programs. Instead of taking a huge subject (personal safety/self defense) and narrowing it down to

   a) what is germane to the person's needs

   b) what this kind of training is best suited to handle,

they take the opposite approach. They take an extremely narrow focus (often sport based) and try to conceptually expand it to cover ALL the different manifestations of violence, self-defense and personal safety.

Why Is This Bad?

So you might ask yourself, "Why is this bad?" After all isn't a little bit of knowledge better than no knowledge at all?

Not necessarily...

In fact, it is not uncommon for a little bit of training to be worse than no training at all. Ever heard the old saw about: A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing? Well, in this business it is true. Quite often people with no training do not have the overconfidence common among those with a little training (or a lot of training in a bad system). As such, realizing that they have no hope of 'winning' a physical conflict they do a lot more to avoid one -- including running away before the situation can become physically violent.

Due to the instructor's lack of either experience, research or both into the complexities of violence, students are given a false sense of security and an overblown belief in their ability to handle themselves in a violent situation. It's easy to believe you're "tough" in the training hall, but that isn't enough to save you when it comes to actual violence. This is why many programs are in fact more dangerous to the student than no training at all. Students, believing that they can handle themselves, will attempt to fight instead of run.  One of the saddest examples we know of is when a young 'star' of a commercialized dojo encountered a mentally ill chemically addicted person with a knife. But before he was ever wounded the young black belt had violated every awareness and avoidance principle in the book. His training actually interfered with his threat assessment ... because "he knew karate."

The bottom line is that physical self-defense is a last-ditch option when other -- more effective -- strategies have failed. It isn't something you do because you're afraid of being thought a wimp. These other options having been tried first, however, give you points and standards you can articulate to any responding law enforcement officers to show you were engaged in legitimate self-defense. Because you need to know officers hear the self-defense plea all the time. And what it turns out to be is what is legally considered a "fight" and both parties claiming it was self-defense.

If you have participated in the escalation of the situation, you are not defending yourself, you are fighting, and you will be held legally accountable for it.

All of this is why we consider "personal safety" to be a much more useful concept than "self-defense." Personal safety includes self-defense issues and training, but by being broader in scope it addresses issues that are not in the purview of either martial arts OR self-defense training.

Return to top of page

So Which Martial Art Style Is Best for Self-Defense?

All of them and none of them. Simply stated: ANY martial art system can be used for self-defense.

Provided you know what self-defense is...

Most commercialized systems tend to fall apart, however, when you attempt to fight using them.

The problem is that most people do not differentiate between self-defense and fighting. And this is a critical distinction. Our definition of self-defense is simple. Any physical/mechanical means you use to get away from immediate danger and escape to safety.

Self-defense does not mean standing there and attempting to engage an attacker. It especially doesn't mean atte

Answer 15

the ONLY answer thats true is that it doesn't matter.

find YOUR art. one that YOU LIKE. and ENJOY. and WILL KEEP TRAINING in. not something you're going to quit a month or two later.

do what you want, just keep training, and don't worry about what everyone else says. its more important HOW you train, than what art you train in.

bjj to me is simply not the best because you take the person down intentionally. in a one on one fight with rules, and no weapons...maybe. but remember you won't be on a mat, but on pavement, rocks, or broken glass. taking someone down and grappling with him isn't usually too smart from my experience. great fun, and you need to know it. but don't grapple unless you have to (in a real life and death fight)

and any sporting art is just that..even muay thai...sure it's very effective and powerful. it is also sometimes very slow and telegraphing. and there are alot of things it (and every other sporting art) don't address. like self defense scenarios..not just two fighters squaring off with each other. what about grab defense? rape defense for women? weapon defenses? multiple attackers? what happens when you're out of your convenient weight class? ...despite all of this you still have to survive.

there are pluses and negatives to all of them. do what you want, it doesnt much matter. how often are you REALLY going to have to fight for your life anyway?..just have fun and keep learning.

the best style is yours. or mine, or his, or hers.

Answer 16

Tae Kwon do is sooo awsome. I love it! I have so much fun doing it and im totally wicked awsome at it!

Answer 17

capoeria is my personal favorite because it also teaches you how to dodge

Answer 18

I would choose Tae Kwon Do. There's a good article about it in the source link. Good luck with whatever martial art you choose!

Answer 19

hapkido--BJJ is limited in multiple attack situations--besides you may not want to get your clothes dirty.

Answer 20

i am assuming we are not including styles that focus on weapons or modern combat against weapons, more traditional or sport forms of martial arts.

Under that assumption I will say

BJJ

with Muay Thai a close second

Answer 21

bjj. one of the gracies help who start the ufc(i mean the old ufc. barenuckle and all that) would fight any other martial artist to prove that bjj is the best and  i dont know if he ever lost.