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bowlie
bowlie's picture
Best art for self protection.

Im aware that self protection is 90% non-physical, and that the goal is to never let a fight develop, but Im wondering which art/sport you feel teaches the most applicable style to self defense. BJJ obviously is a highly effective art, but is not good for self protection because it relies on taking it to the ground. Judo is possibly right up there, but as an olympic sport isnt a whole art any more in my eyes, and very few places taech the art as it was before IOC rule changes. I guess any striking sport would be good, muay thai is my personal favorite. But I think it comes down to the philosophy of the art more than the techniques it contains when dealing with self protection, but if you were teaching a self defense course and had experience in one art to base if off of, what would you choose? if you could take the techniques of a single art and change the philosophy, what would you teach?

I ask becasue I want to start training in MMA, but with the focus on Self protection rather than sport, so that means approaching it with a differnet mindset. I already play games with sparring in TKD now where for example I use a fence as a guard. Yes, its not very effective for the sport, but it acheives my aim. Instilling good self defense tactics through sparring and I can see that its working because I find myself using the fence naturally instead of conciously.

Watching people like, say, ronda rousey fight is intriuging to me becasue the way she strikes is so completely different to the way a pure striker strikes. I was going to learn muay thai because I think its a brilliant art, but thinking about the ronda example made me realize that my whole personal style is going to be dictated by how I approach gappling, as well as striking, so I need to think about both, and come up with a self defense applicable style that works for me. I think my main aim will be to punch from the outside using evasive footwork, and if an opponent closes the distance use the thai clinch to land a few powerful knees allowing me to disengage. Anyway, im going off at a tangent, but which arts do you feel teach the techniques that can best be applied to a self defense philosophy?

Katz
Katz's picture

I personally believe it's not the art that matters as much as the teacher. I was reading "The way of kata" recently, and Kane and Wilder say it perfectly : There are different paths up the mountain, but they all lead to the summit.

You could get into Krav Maga and learn just enough about self-defense to get yourself killed just as much as you could get into a really good Tai Chi class and learn to defend yourself. It all depends how the classes are taught, what the focus is on.

Now, I'm sure some arts are easier to teach self-defense from, and therefore you'd have more chance getting a self-defense-oriented class with, but I don't know enough arts to get you anymore than that.

Black Tiger
Black Tiger's picture

l have to agree with this, as long as its not Dojo self defence, which wouldn't work in a month of the Sundays you'd be fine. the way to find out how effective it is, is to test it inside the club, safely, rather than getting to a live situation and finding out it doesn't work

Katz wrote:

I personally believe it's not the art that matters as much as the teacher. I was reading "The way of kata" recently, and Kane and Wilder say it perfectly : There are different paths up the mountain, but they all lead to the summit.

You could get into Krav Maga and learn just enough about self-defense to get yourself killed just as much as you could get into a really good Tai Chi class and learn to defend yourself. It all depends how the classes are taught, what the focus is on.

Now, I'm sure some arts are easier to teach self-defense from, and therefore you'd have more chance getting a self-defense-oriented class with, but I don't know enough arts to get you anymore than that.

Zach Zinn
Zach Zinn's picture

The art doesn't mean that much in the long run.

The teacher, your own motivation, ability to be honest with yourself, and clear-mindedness about your goals will go much, much, farther towards that goal.

bowlie
bowlie's picture

Ok then, forget style. What do you find more effective for self defense? Grappling, close range striking or long distance striking?

ky0han
ky0han's picture

Hi,

bowie wrote:
What do you find more effective for self defense? Grappling, close range striking or long distance striking?

Punching and striking (from a not to far distance) is most important. You want to get out of there as quick as possible and you can drop someone rather quick with a punch or strike. Trapping and moving limbs out of the way are important tools in the arsenal too to make the punching and striking more effective or possible in the first place. Kicks, locks, throws and grappling are out of the secondary tool box to position the opponent so you can apply your strikes and punches again. And they serve as a kind of backup plan e.g. if you miss a punch ending up clinching the other one or if you find yourself on the floor.

Regards Holger

Zach Zinn
Zach Zinn's picture

I agree on the punching/striking thing...beyond that my personal priorities are: knowing how to control someone elses balance once we are touching, being good at controlling my own, and understanding enough "grappling"  to avoid and extricate myself from bad situations. I agee on the limb thing as well, knowing how to nullify someone elses hands as you seek your shots is useful for sure given the chaotic nature of physical "self defense"  encounters.

As a rule, the more simple and direct something is, the more worthy it is of inclusion..and vice versa, complex strategies related to complex outcomes are out the door.

Black Tiger
Black Tiger's picture

Striking arts are more beneficial than grappling.according to many experts in self defense in a matter of life and death not a street brawl.

They always advise to avoid grappling and going to the ground at all costs.

This why I trust my style so much as it ticks most of the boxes above