What type of martial art is the best? Stand up for yourself: which martial art to choose? GRU special forces combat equipment

Many people wonder which martial art is best to take up in order to feel confident in a conflict situation on the street. It was this question that prompted me to write this short article to help beginner martial artists.

In this article I will not say anything about street hand-to-hand combat or about applied martial arts in general. We will talk exclusively about those martial arts that I consider the most effective for street fighting today and of which I am a fan.

I would like to immediately make a small disclaimer: martial arts, which have applied value, are inevitably associated with hardships and hardships training process. When you come to class, you will definitely get hit on the head, it will most likely be painful and hard for you, but the knowledge and experience that you will gain will be one hundred percent real. Once you start practicing one of the martial arts listed in this article, you are guaranteed to learn at least something; all that remains is to choose the optimal direction just for you.

I’ll start by announcing a truth that absolutely all people who are interested in martial arts know: if you have never done anything before and are starting from scratch, then BOXING is an ideal option for street self-defense. The thing is that boxing is a super-universal sport. Once you have a good foundation in boxing, further growth in the world of martial arts will not present any problems for you.

One of the main advantages of boxing, compared to other types of martial arts, is the relative simplicity and incredible effectiveness of the technical arsenal practiced. That is why, if you do not have a lot of time and you are faced with the task of learning to fight as quickly as possible, boxing, due to its hyperspecialization, provides the best ratio of the time spent and the knowledge and technical skills acquired during this time. Among other things, the methodology for training boxers in our country has been worked out quite well, so when you come to almost any gym you will receive high-quality training services.

However, this direction also has disadvantages, which are the reverse side and continuation of its advantages: due to a rather narrow technical arsenal, the boxer remains vulnerable to a huge range of techniques used in hand-to-hand combat, such as throws, kicks, elbows, knees, wrestling technique, close combat technique, etc…. However, this is not a reason to worry: in my experience, about eighty percent of the techniques used in street fights are hand-to-hand techniques. middle distance. It’s rare that the average fight’s arsenal exceeds a few crooked punches and a couple of simple kicks. By learning to defend yourself from basic kicks and counterattack with a standard boxing combination, you will protect yourself for the rest of your life.

In order to confidently master the boxing technique, you only need to spend about 3 years studying it, after which you will not have problems communicating with people with a reduced level of culture.

Second in order, but not in importance, in my personal ranking of the most effective martial arts for a street fight is Thai boxing, or as it is also called, Muay Thai. The advantages of this martial art are that the technical arsenal used is as close as possible to that in a street fight. Strikes are delivered with all parts of the body (except the head), work is carried out both at medium and long distances, and in the clinch.

The Thai clinch is a strong thing. It is a set of simple twists, cuts and throws, which, in organic combination with percussion technique Muay Thai, become incredible effective weapon and a way to create a lot of problems even for experienced craftsmen mixed martial arts! In my deepest conviction, this is the closest to real, applied hand-to-hand combat technical arsenal, and this is exactly what the application of wrestling elements should look like in practice, in real life. Popular in wrestling circles are amplitude throws and ground terres, in my opinion, for street fight no good.

Despite the significant role of the ground in mixed martial arts competitions, it is extremely undesirable to take the fight to the ground in a street fight. And if you do find yourself on the ground, which is quite likely, your main task is to get back to your feet as quickly as possible. Don’t try to mess with anyone, otherwise you may not be able to get out of an extreme situation alive and well, since the rules regulating your safe stay on the ground at sporting competitions do not apply on the street.

However, in order to sufficiently master the technical arsenal of Muay Thai, you need to spend significantly more time than if you took up English boxing. The combination of striking techniques of the arms and legs requires greater coordination and motor aptitude, which is why the required frequency of visits gym to obtain reliable self-defense skills will be higher than that of boxing.

For those who don't want to bother and spend money on martial arts a lot of time, this option is not ideal. However, if you feel enthusiastic, have a craving for martial arts and have enough time to attend training regularly, then Thai boxing is your choice.

And finally, if you want to take martial arts seriously and get the maximum practical value from your training, then I would strongly recommend that you go for combat sambo. Combat Sambo is the most comprehensive combat system of all the ones I know. It has absorbed all the best and has shown itself to be extremely effective not only within our country, but also in the international arena. This is an open, flexible hand-to-hand combat system that is continuously evolving and improving, cultivating everything possible techniques martial arts and conducting competitions according to the most free rules.

The technical arsenal of Sambo is inexhaustible. It is impossible to master it fully. It includes both fighting techniques and percussion technique arms and legs, techniques of painful and choking techniques, a special section for special services, a section for working with weapons, techniques for total combat, detention, escort, etc.…. In general, if we briefly summarize all of the above, sambo is an encyclopedia of the best knowledge available to a person in the field of sports and applied martial arts today. If you decide to take up combat sambo, then be patient, because you simply will not conquer this peak.

By practicing sambo, you will not gain highly specialized skills, as you would in boxing, but a fairly wide range of knowledge, which you will be able to apply in a wide range of situations.

However, if we are talking about the self-defense option and you are interested in solving applied problems on the street, winning fights, then the combat sambo arsenal will be redundant and not optimal for you, since it contains many techniques specialized for the conditions of conducting a competitive fight that are not Desirable for use in a real fight. What you can do painlessly on the carpet, in good lighting, after warming up and stretching, is guaranteed to cause you a lot of trouble when trying to do the same thing on the street, where the surface is most often uneven and hard, and there is not much space to perform the technique. , the enemy may not be alone or armed, and temperature changes and “cold” muscles are guaranteed to lead to injury when trying to show off a “beautiful” technique. Well, this is not the fault of Sambo as a system: the point is, as I have already said, that the selection of the most effective and efficient technical actions in any combat sport is based on the conditions and rules of the fight. With the same success, a sambo fighter will experience difficulties entering the cage at a mixed martial arts competition, where he does not have his usual wrestling jacket, which makes it difficult to perform many techniques. But it’s worth making a reservation: eighty percent of the technical arsenal practiced in combat sambo, suitable for universal use in any street situation.

In addition, if you do not have sufficient time resources to deeply immerse yourself in this martial art and thoroughly master it, it is better to take a closer look at one of the options listed above.

Therefore, to summarize, it is necessary to outline the main features of the above styles of hand-to-hand combat: take up boxing if you are short on time and want to learn how to fight..., if you have more time (about 3 free evenings a week), choose Muay Thai, but if you are a fan martial arts and are going to get carried away with it seriously and for a long time, then combat sambo is your choice!

The truth, in my opinion, always lies somewhere in the middle. Speaking of solving applied issues (winning on the street), I personally would lean towards training in Thai boxing (Muay Thai). In my opinion, training in hand-to-hand combat is a rather labor-intensive and complex activity that requires regularity and consistency. By practicing Muay Thai a little more often, you will gain incomparably more experience and master a much more diverse technical arsenal than in English boxing, and at the same time not redundant, as in combat sambo. That is why in my personal ranking of the most effective martial arts for a street fight, Thai boxing takes first place!

Are you looking for a martial art that will be most effective in real combat? Below are the deadliest martial arts and fighting techniques. What began as a fight using sticks and stones has evolved into an extremely complex and deadly form of self-defense martial arts. Ready to learn about the 25 deadliest martial arts ever created?

25. Bokator

An ancient Cambodian martial art with its origins on the battlefield, its name literally translates to “lion beating.” Since all sorts of combinations of strikes and weapons are used for combat, it is not surprising that the bokator has caused numerous deaths.

24. Combato


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Although no longer practiced today, kombato was an extremely lethal form of martial art used by the Canadian Forces during World War II. It was created in 1910 by Bill Underwood, and after the war several law enforcement organizations asked him to train their officers. However, Bill refused on the grounds that the kombato was too cruel look martial art, and instead developed defendo - a softer option for citizens.

23. Jeet Kune Do


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Developed by Bruce Lee, this hybrid martial art style was his response to the "flower" methods used in other systems. Bruce believed that such forms of combat were aesthetically attractive, but their practical benefits were almost zero.

22. Shippalgi


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Practiced for hundreds of years by the Korean military, this martial art is divided into three categories - throwing, striking, and cutting. However, unlike many of its Korean “brothers”, it is more focused on practical fighting techniques than on artistic philosophy.

21. Capoeira


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Although today it seems more like a display of sophistication and skill, this martial art originated hundreds of years ago in the ghettos of Brazil where slaves were held. It was originally a technique with which slaves could free themselves or defend themselves from attackers. Powerful legs and deft movements were disguised as dance, giving slaves the opportunity to practice discreetly. Due to the dangerous nature and history of capoeira, it has been outlawed several times in Brazil, and today is not welcomed in some social groups.

20. Kajukenbo



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Originating on the streets of the criminal settlement of Palama in Hawaii, this highly effective and precise style of martial art combines numerous borrowings and was developed specifically to enable locals to protect themselves not only from gangs, but also from drunken sailors who had habit of starting fights.

19. Casey's fighting method


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Developed by Justo Deigues Serrano as a result of his combat experience on the streets of Spain, the Cayce Method is intended for self-defense during violent street confrontations. IN last years he gained wide popularity and even appeared in films about Batman.

18. Sambo


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Sambo is a lethal combination of grappling and freestyle wrestling that was developed specifically for the Red Army in the early 1920s. It was initially created to improve the combat effectiveness of Soviet special forces, but after a surge in crime, the government began training security guards and law enforcement officers. Obviously, robbing banks in Russia is a bad idea.

17. Dim Mak


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Also known as Kyushu-jutsu or pressure fighting, this ancient martial art style involves attacking a person's body with certain pain points. Such an attack can result in knockout or death. Perhaps the most dangerous thing about this fighting style is that many people underestimate it and don't realize how dangerous it can be.

16. Kyokushin


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This full contact martial art is a vertical style of karate. It has deep philosophical roots regarding self-improvement, discipline and respect. Kyokushinkai is known as one of the "most difficult" forms of martial arts because it uses very little protective equipment and the combat involves full contact. In the words of one of their spiritual teachers: “The heart of our karate is real combat. There can be no proof without a real fight. Without evidence there is no trust. Without trust there is no respect. That's the definition in the martial arts world."

15. Bojuka


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Like other non-sporting martial arts, this hybrid Combat vehicles, developed by Tom Schrenk in the 90s, does not focus on scoring or correct execution elements. Its sole purpose is to allow those left in the minority to take chances and turn them in their favor during a surprise street attack. Unlike other similar martial arts on our list, this one attempts to use strength intelligently.

14. Silat


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This wrestling style originates from Malaysia. If you notice, many of the martial arts forms on this list maintain philosophy and morals. However, silat is simply about violence. While there is debate as to its origins, the main purpose of this fight is to exploit your opponents' weaknesses and incapacitate as many of them as possible.

13. Kung Fu


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Kung Fu has become almost a general term for all Chinese martial arts. While there are many different ones, the main feature is striking the enemy very quickly and with great force.

12. System


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A lethal form of martial art used by Russian special forces, the system is similar to Krav Maga wrestling in that its sole purpose is to inflict as much damage as possible on an opponent in the shortest possible time.

11. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu



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Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gained great popularity around the world when Royce Gracie won the first, second and fourth Ultimate Fighting Championships. The effectiveness of BJJ stems from a focus on ground combat and gives the less experienced the advantage of using body leverage.

10. Muay Thai


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Also known as the “art of eight limbs” for its use of elbows and knees, it should come as no surprise that this martial art originated in Thailand. This country is well acquainted with violence and war.

9. Kapu Kalua


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Also known simply as lua, this unconventional Hawaiian martial art focuses on bone breaking, group participation, and even open warfare in the ocean. The name itself actually means "2 strikes" and, omitting the long history of this fight on the battlefield, we can say that its practitioners seek to turn the enemy's disadvantage to their advantage and even use some strange methods, for example, covering themselves with coconut oil so that they cannot be grab

8. Tank


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Also known as vacon, this Peruvian martial art was born on the streets of Lima. It combines different martial arts and is designed to quickly inflict maximum damage on the enemy. Since hidden weapons and deception are often used during combat, it is not surprising that fights end in death.

7. Arnis


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Originating in the Philippines, this martial art is also called kali and eskrima. As with other martial arts on this list, it great importance have discipline and moral values. One of the notable features of this martial art is the use of the cane, as bladed weapons have historically been used longer than the knife.

6. Pugilism


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Also known as boxing, this combat sport is found in many variations throughout the world. It is very dangerous because the main target for blows is the head, and in the 19th century this sport was banned in a number of countries around the world.

5. Vale-tudo


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In Portuguese it means “anything goes.” Vale tudo is a contact combat sport popular in Brazil. It has a very limited number of rules and techniques are borrowed from numerous martial arts. The only problem is that the fight is so dangerous and bloody that it often creates a real stir in the media. For this reason, most events take place underground.

4. Ninjutsu


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Practiced by shinobi, or shinobi, in feudal Japan, this martial art focuses on unconventional warfare tactics, espionage and assassination. Practitioners of this martial art are sometimes even called quinine, or non-humans.

3. Hard contact wrestling


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This fight is considered one of the few to originate from the United States, and was very popular during the American Revolution. The main emphasis was on maximum disfigurement, so any techniques were used: men could aim at the enemy’s eyes, or bite off the tongue. Very few of the other martial arts on this list match this level of violence.

2. Line


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It is a lethal form of martial art that was widely used by the US Marines in the 90s and is still used by numerous special forces. In recent years, it has been replaced by the MCMAP martial arts program because the line has proven inflexible. Since this martial art was aimed at the death of the enemy, it could not be used in other types of operations, for example, peacekeeping.
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The idea that with the help of a secret and deadly martial art you can kill a person with your bare hands or has always warmed the hearts of nerds around the world. And, of course, the idea of ​​fighting like Jackie Chan, breaking boards with his bare hands. The debate about how realistic or unrealistic it is to kill everyone with your bare hands runs like a red thread through all holivars in many forums. We are writing this only to tell you something interesting.

1. Sambo. Country of origin: Russia

An interesting observation: the more often a country has to defend itself and attack various neighbors, the more often it all results in an interesting martial art. Russia is just such a country. After the revolution, all the numerous experiences of fighting with bare hands were combined into “Self-defense without weapons” or sambo. Both government agents and ordinary soldiers were trained in this type of fighting.

And here is sambo in action.

2. Muay Thai. Country of origin: Thailand

Thailand's borders were also often violated, so it is not surprising that they developed their own martial art. Another name for Muay Thai is eight-limb fighting, or Thai boxing. What are these extra limbs? Elbows and knees, of course! Wrestlers use them like clubs, expertly beating their opponents with them. The power of the blow in this type of martial arts is simply amazing. One smart person once said that Muay Thai is “Kill the bull with one blow.” And he was damn right.

As is always the case with good things, there are many legends associated with Muay Thai. the most famous and partially true one dates back to 1774, when the Kingdom of Burma captured Thailand, which was then Siam. Against the great Muay Thai master Nai Khanom Tom, who was captured, the king of Burma, for the sake of general jubilation, put up a great master of the Burmese martial art, called lethwei. They say that dude lasted 10 seconds against Tom and was brutally killed. But the judge decided that Tom was cheating by distracting his opponent. Being a true gentleman, the Muay Thai master agreed to nine(!) battles that he won with amazing ease and cruelty. The King of Burma was amazed at Tom's skill and offered him, along with the freedom to choose, two rewards: two very beautiful girls and a bag of money. Tom refused the money (happiness is not in it), but he took the women. And he rode off into the sunset with them on a horse.

3. MCMAP - Marine Corps Martial Arts Program. Country of Origin: USA

Martial art for Marine Corps USA was invented in the eighties. Its special feature was the ability to use a pistol, a bayonet-knife, or a rifle with a bayonet as an improvised weapon for close combat. Most often, the program is used to neutralize an enemy by breaking a couple of bones, immobilize him with hellish pain, but you can also kill him with it.

4. Silat. Country of Origin: Malaysia

Malaysia also suffered a lot at one time. Pirates, Portuguese, British, and even the Japanese - all these dudes tried to screw over the Malays. But they didn’t whine and invented silat.

Many martial arts were invented to improve the body and spirit, to find oneself and to complete one's spiritual quest. So, silat does not apply to them. The first masters of this martial art used it to beat the enemy to the point of inability to stand with lightning attacks in 10 seconds, and then finish the half-dead man with something heavy. Silat masters encourage various sneaky attacks and tricks.

The most brutal and vile methods of fighting are still taught in the jungles of Malaysia. Rumor has it that such masters, aged 7-10 years, once beat an adult half to death. Dudes who were taught silat spent years in dark caves in which they could not see anything beyond their noses. If the Shaolin monks learn restraint, the madmen of Silat learn from a young age to tear flesh like animals.

By the way, silat masters actively use a kris - a wavy dagger that rips pieces of meat out of the victim. Often a deadly poison is literally melted into the kris, which is very easy to kill a person - just a scratch is enough.

5. Excrima. Country of Origin: Philippines

Excrima is an ancient Philippine art that involves beating opponents with wooden sticks at stunning speeds. Until 1521, Filipinos practiced extreme martial arts on each other, but then Magellan arrived, and foreigners experienced the hard way of what Filipino martial art means.

Excrima became the main protection of the peasants who grew rice. The most famous victim of this art was Ferdinand Magellan, who was beaten to death with sticks. For 450 years, excrima was banned and survived only because it was disguised as a dance.

Someone, talking about the qualities of martial arts, thinks that it could be used both in competitions and on the street. Someone is thinking about using it against other martial arts. We will try to reason in both of these directions.

Impact martial arts

Impact sports include martial arts that do not involve wrestling, but only strikes. These sports include boxing, Muay Thai, kickboxing, taekwondo, some types of karate, etc. For each of them, competitions are held where athletes can test their skill level.

IN this moment Modern martial arts do not use the formal sequences of movements that are used in traditional martial arts. A prominent representative is karate with its kata. Many experts in the field of martial arts consider kata to be a relic of the past and that now more attention needs to be paid to practice (working in pairs and sparring). But representatives traditional types martial arts believe that such formal training of techniques and combinations is necessary.

My opinion on this matter is that formal training of combinations in the air is of course necessary, but they must take place without interruption from practice, so that each student understands how this or that movement is used in a real situation.

Even in boxing, athletes pay a lot of attention to working in front of the mirror, training the precision of movements when striking. This is very valuable, because they understand that a correctly executed blow is more dangerous than a poorly executed one.

Wrestling styles of martial arts

In wrestling there is much less aerial training than in traditional striking styles. But nevertheless, to some extent this is also present. In addition, different styles of wrestling have their own significant differences. Many of them prefer a certain level of struggle. For example, judo gradually began to specialize more in stand-up fighting than on the ground. On the contrary, jiu-jitsu moved mainly to the ground. This is due to the rating system sports competitions, in preparation for which, athletes more intensively practice those technical actions for which they can receive more points at the tournament.

At the moment, only sambo is more or less able to balance between the upper and lower levels of struggle.

Traditional martial arts

There are many martial arts that, according to some experts, are only suitable for competitions and that they are useless on the street. On this occasion, there are many attacks towards Taekwondo, Karate, Aikido, Wing Chun and other authentic martial arts.


In my opinion, such claims are partly justified because such martial arts are stuck in their development.

The fact is that from time immemorial, schools of such martial arts tried to isolate themselves from each other and did not exchange experiences. Naturally, there were no competitions either. This was due to the fact that each school tried to preserve its individuality. But on the other hand, this could be due to the egoism of the founder of a certain fighting direction and, as a result, due to the fear of comparing his style with others, which would inevitably lead to the identification of many shortcomings and would undermine the authority of the creator this direction martial arts All this made martial arts areas more and more closed from the outside world. The exceptions are those combat directions, which were developed for use in combat operations, that is, in wars. But these are again more applied areas in which bladed weapons were most often used. But the fighters of such areas had a lot of practice and the level of skill could be assessed by whether a representative of this or that martial art was still alive or dead.

On the other hand, maybe it was the fear of death that kept martial arts schools closed. No one wanted to give away the secrets of deadly techniques that could be used to eliminate the enemy.

But nevertheless, in our time, the success of mastery directly depends on the ability to enrich one’s own experience, identify one’s own shortcomings and work through them.

Wrestlers VS. Drummers

Competitions test the athletes' skills in their sport. They compete on equal terms and there are no contradictions here. Who is better at competitive discipline, he wins. But who will win if representatives of different martial arts meet on the street?

If the fight is one on one. Then the chances of winning will be approximately equal for representatives different types martial arts For example, two absolutely abstract athletes met in a fight: a judoka and a boxer. Which of them will win if their skill level is approximately the same?

It is impossible to answer this question objectively. If the judoka manages to make a grab and makes an amplitude throw, for which the boxer is clearly not ready, since he has not studied either throws or correct falls, then the fight will come to an end. But if it happens that when trying to make a grab he runs into a counter blow, then the fight will also end ahead of schedule, but in favor of the striker in the person of the boxer.

And this applies to almost any striking or wrestling type of martial arts. Much will depend on your ability to avoid what you are not ready for and start doing what you are ready for. But if something happens that you would like to avoid, then there is a high chance of losing.

Street

So which martial art is more effective for a street fight against an ordinary, random opponent? Again, if the fight takes place one on one, then any martial art will be effective: both wrestling and striking. But if the fight takes place against two or more opponents, then efficiency is on the side of the strikers. It's obvious that you can fight
with only one opponent at a time, while his partners can strike the wrestler whose hands are occupied, which eliminates the possibility of defending himself.

The striker, in turn, can strike several opponents in turn, the main thing is to choose the right combat tactics and have the required skill.

But by and large, no matter how skillful an athlete may be, a fight against several opponents is something that should be avoided at all costs, as it is too dangerous. After all, no one knows what a street scumbag can get out of his bosom. But nevertheless, the striker always has an advantage over the wrestler in any street fight. This advantage lies in the ability to escape. Thanks to fighting with punches rather than throws, a striking style fighter always has the opportunity to break the distance with opponents up to several kilometers.

But it may also be that hooligans have experience in street fights and know that if help is approaching, the victim cannot be released, and will try to make a seizure in order to stall for time until their hooligan comrades arrive. To be able to avoid such problems, a fighter must be able to get rid of a hold, and this is partly a wrestler’s skill.

This means, therefore, for street fighting it is advisable to have striking skills and some basic principles struggle, at least to avoid ending up on the ground and being kicked.

Mixed martial arts styles

Now let's find out which martial art gives practitioners the skills of both striking and wrestling techniques at the same time. These, as many have already guessed, are martial arts of mixed styles. Mixed martial arts include:

  • Hand-to-hand combat
  • Army hand-to-hand combat,
  • Pankration,
  • Combat Sambo,
  • Kudo,
  • Wushu Sanda,
  • MMA (Mix Fight).

Despite the obvious advantages that were justified above, mixed styles also have one drawback. Due to the large volume of material in the form of striking and wrestling techniques, fighters of mixed styles, in order to perfectly master the discipline they are studying, need much more time than it takes to master homogeneous styles. That is why people often come to mixed martial arts who already master some kind of martial art and want to expand their combat arsenal, as well as learn how to connect it with each other.

The problem of choosing any type of martial arts to study is very relevant. It's sad to see people spend 20 years on martial arts only to be beaten by someone who hasn't spent a single day in the training room. Unfortunately, this happens often. However, there are many types of martial arts, by practicing which you can gain the necessary adequate skills.

The question of which martial art is most effective and best for self-defense has been debated for many years. This aspect is the most important when choosing one type or another. Unfortunately, not all martial arts are functional and effective enough from the point of view of self-defense. Also, keep in mind that everyone's needs are different, so what works for one may not benefit another. However, of all the existing ones, we can highlight the most effective types martial arts Choosing any of them will be useful for improving your self-defense skills.

Aikido

This type of martial arts is considered by many to have one of the worst reputations in terms of self-defense. This point of view has its grounds. On the one hand, Aikido is almost useless against anyone with decent martial arts skills. However, it can be very effective for people who must constantly control aggressive and unskilled people in terms of combat training.

Police officers, security personnel are the people most likely to benefit from Aikido as it focuses on controlling the opponent and redirecting the energy of the attack. There are many arts that will teach you how to knock out your opponent, but this cannot be done in every situation.

Aikido was created by Morihei Ueshiba, who combined his experience in several martial arts to create a system of self-defense that is largely spiritual. Most of the techniques are based on the art of fencing. On the one hand, this system has good techniques of grabs and throws that allow you to resist a not very prepared opponent without causing him much harm, but it will be impossible to resist an experienced fighter with such a technique.

Silat

It is a martial art that has influenced many martial arts or self-defense systems. He is one of the most effective styles martial arts This fighting style includes very fast strikes, balance manipulation and hard submissions.

Silat is a martial art from Southeast Asia that is practiced in Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines. There are many origin stories surrounding it.

What are its advantages? Silat is a system of self-defense that covers a wide range of combat aspects. Weapons, striking and grappling techniques - all this makes him incredibly dangerous. Anyone who attacks a silat expert will eventually be defeated. For those who are trying to figure out which martial art is the most effective on the street, silat is one of the most suitable options.

Muay Thai

Also known as Muay Thai, it deserves a place on any list of martial arts that are suitable for self-defense. This is a combat system that includes powerful kicks, punches, elbows and knees.

It has become the source of training for MMA fighters, although Muay Thai is equally excellent for street self-defense.

Muay Thai is a complex martial art, but it utilizes all the skills needed on the street. This is what makes it one of the most effective martial arts for self-defense.

This type of fighting originated several hundred years ago, and many believe that it originated from the migration of tribes from China. In the difficult conditions of almost constant war throughout the history of Thailand and neighboring countries, this art was used during battles. Needless to say, Muay Thai has proven itself both on the battlefield and sports arena.

Karate

Many experts consider karate to be one of the most effective martial arts. The reason for this is the nature of the system. Kicks, punches, blocks - all these are part of the karate training program.

This style has fairly low requirements for beginners. Students work to improve their powerful punches and kicks. This style of martial arts is respected, however, compared to other martial arts, it lacks defensive techniques.

The exact origins of karate are unknown, however it is generally believed that it was created on the island of Okinawa, and due to various bans on the use of weapons in the history of the islands, it was originally a style that used the "empty hand" technique, although some were subsequently made improvements.

Why is karate good for self-defense? One of the clear advantages of this style is strong blows. Some disadvantages include the excessive use of rigid blocks. However, harsh karate is not always a bad thing. Just remember some MMA fighters, for example Lot Machida, who does a very good job using karate as a base.

Overall, excellent physical fitness, powerful punches and kicks make karate one of the most effective martial arts suitable for self-defense. However, it should be borne in mind that there are different styles of it, which are suitable to varying degrees for self-defense purposes.

wing chun

This is a Chinese style of martial arts that has gained enormous popularity in recent years, thanks in large part to the success of the Ip Man films. leading role. Many people, answering the question of which type of martial arts is the most effective, name it.

The actual origin of Wing Chun remains a controversial issue, but there is one most popular theory about its origin. This is the story of a Buddhist nun, Ng Mui. It is said that she was one of the five elders of the Shaolin Temple who managed to escape before its destruction. Thanks to high level Shaolin martial arts, she created a form of self-defense that would allow her to resist an opponent superior in size and weight, which was especially important for a fragile woman. She drew inspiration for Wing Chun from the movements of animals, most notably the crane. When applied to the human form, these delicate but natural movements required little force but allowed for effective blocking and striking.

Ng Mui's first disciple, in an as yet unnamed form, was a beautiful young girl named Im Wing Chun, whom the local gang leader tried to force into marriage. Having mastered the art, she was still able to protect herself and stop the onslaught of the bandit. It was in honor of her, as the first student of Nung Ng Mui, that the the new kind martial art. With zero sports skills, Wing Chun is able to provide the necessary self-defense skills. Yes, as in any art, there are good and bad instructors, but this is a very reliable and practical self-defense system for close combat.

The strength of Wing Chun lies in its direct approach. In this martial art, the practitioner becomes very strong and delivers very targeted lashing blows. Thus, it is truly one of the most effective martial arts that was created specifically for self-defense.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

This art is quite effective as a self-defense system. However he has weak sides, when it comes to protecting against weapons and group attacks. The basis for jiu-jitsu was judo. Accordingly, most of the attention is paid to wrestling techniques, painful and choking techniques, and to a lesser extent to strikes. This style has been used by many MMA fighters.

Nowadays, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has become more of a sport than a self-defense system. However, there are enough techniques here that can be used effectively for self-defense.

MMA

This sport has already become a global phenomenon. His arsenal consists of knockout blows, strangulations, and holds. The disadvantage of MMA from a self-defense point of view is that it requires serious physical training.

The big advantage of these trainings is the rapid growth of skills in all areas. Thus, over time, one can become a very skilled opponent for any attacker. The downside to this is that the practitioner is more focused on the sport with all its limitations rather than self-defense. For example, there is no knife protection at all. But despite this, its parts are included in the list of the most effective martial arts.

Krav Maga

This is perhaps one of the most famous and effective self-defense systems in the world. The word Krav Maga in Hebrew means " contact fights", and this is the official system of the Israeli Defense Forces.

The origins of Krav Maga can be traced back to Czechoslovakia (modern Slovakia) before the outbreak of World War II. Its founder was a young Jewish athlete named Imi Lichtenfeld. Imi was a nationally and internationally renowned boxer, wrestler and gymnast. Beginning in the mid-1930s, fascist and anti-Semitic groups came to power in Czechoslovakia, which led to oppression and violence against Jewish communities. Lichtenfeld organized a group of young men to patrol and protect against potential attackers. However, he quickly realized that his training in combat sports could not be compared with gangster methods. Fighting for points in a match and fighting for your life in a street fight require a different mindset and different techniques. Imi began to synthesize his knowledge in the field of martial arts and began to devote Special attention attacks that quickly disabled and neutralized the threat.

Thus, this type of martial arts was originally created as the most effective martial art.

When Lichtenfeld moved to Palestine in 1942, he joined the Haganah, a pre-Israeli Jewish paramilitary organization with a mission to protect Jewish settlers from locals who were not welcoming to the new arrivals. Israeli military leaders quickly noticed Imi's fighting skills and his ability to teach them to others.

After Israel gained statehood in 1948, Lichtenfeld was appointed chief instructor in physical training at the IDF Combat Training School. It was in this role that he developed what is today known as Krav Maga.

This type of martial art, the most effective, according to many experts, is a tactical system of mixed martial arts and self-defense that combines boxing, judo, jujutsu and aikido. In recent years, Krav Maga has incorporated elements of other martial arts such as Muay Thai and Wing Chun.

Principles of Krav Maga

In fact, they form the basis of this martial art.

  1. Neutralize the threat. The main goal of Krav Maga is to neutralize your opponent as quickly as possible. It governs all other principles of Krav Maga. It's about being dominant and taking out your attacker as quickly as possible.
  2. Be more simple. Krav Maga has simple punches, holds and blocks. This system has been designed to be used as quickly as possible.
  3. Simultaneous defense and attack. Many martial arts treat defensive and offensive movements as separate and discrete actions, such as blocking first (defensive action), then striking (attacking action). The downside to this approach is that it is reactive and the fighter will end up getting caught in a cycle of endless defensive movements. Krav Maga combines offensive and defensive movements: the fighter simultaneously strives to disrupt an attack and counterattack. It should be noted that Wing Chun has a similar principle of simultaneous defense and attack.
  4. Continuous movement. Associated with the principles of simultaneous defense and attack is “retzev,” the Hebrew word for “continuous movement.” Its goal is to neutralize the attacker with continuous, consistent aggressive defense and offensive movements. Retzev requires the fighter to work instinctively rather than relying on a pre-established routine technique.
  5. Using the capabilities of weapons. Can be used in Krav Maga firearms and knives. In addition to these traditional weapons, Krav Maga also teaches practitioners to improvise and use any object at their disposal as a weapon. Keys, pens, belts and chairs can be incorporated into Krav Maga techniques to neutralize an opponent as quickly as possible.
  6. Weapon protection. In addition to teaching weapons skills, Krav Maga also teaches how to defend yourself from armed attack.
  7. Focusing on vulnerable soft tissues and pressure points. A well-known principle of Krav Maga is its emphasis on attacking vulnerable soft tissues and points. Many counterattacks include attacks on the eyes, groin and throat.

Thus, Krav Maga is tough, but at the same time the most effective martial art in the world.