It is still not clear which martial art is best suited for self-defense? Fencing? Well, walking with a blunt sword through the gateways is not the best idea. Some outlandish martial art that the whole world is talking about? Street fighting skills are also not always enough, because the hooligans who decide to pick your pockets most likely know them just as well as you. So it’s very difficult to say right away, probably everyone has their own opinion, and boxing is enough for someone. Therefore, it makes no sense to exalt one martial art over others, instead, we will offer 7 highly effective types of martial arts, ideal for self-defense. Very short review and the right to choose at your own discretion.

Jujutsu

Country of origin: Japan
Also known as: juju
Nickname:"The Art of Softness"
Famous fighters: Ice-T

History of Jiu-Jitsu

Many of the modern and popular styles of martial arts, including judo, aikido, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, have their origins in classic Japanese jiu-jitsu.
By and large, without jiu-jitsu, the fair of modern massacre would not be what we know it in its current form. Maybe it will seem to someone that the jiu-jitsu federation paid us extra, but in fact, many martial arts would lose their effectiveness.

So, jiu-jitsu, or as they say in Japan, juju was one of the fundamental methods of samurai combat training. Well, of course, when it comes to Japan, it's somehow about samurai, or technology, or geisha, or really bad porn.

As you know, the samurai's equipment made him a killing machine, but anything can happen in battle, and in frequent cases, when a warrior was left without a sword, dagger and bow, he had to fight with the last weapon that he had left - with his hands and feet, and more often everything against an armed enemy.
The literal translation of "jujutsu" can be confusing. "The Art of Softness"... are you serious!? Powerful and effective techniques devised to, if not kill, then simply lay down the enemy with bare hands give the least softness.

Why is Jiu-Jitsu one of the best martial arts?

Jiu-jitsu is one of the most effective martial arts in the world because it uses the aggressiveness and momentum of the attacker against him. In fact, this is the art of counterattack, self-defense in its purest form. It made no sense for a chained and tired samurai to rush to the tip of a spear or sword, it was easier for him to kill the enemy with his own energy. In addition, hitting the armor with your hands and feet is not entirely effective, but dodging, intercepting the blow and planting the enemy on his own weapon is quite useful.

The basic principle of jiu-jitsu is “not to go into direct confrontation in order to win”, not to resist, but to yield to the onslaught of the enemy, only directing his actions in the right direction until he is trapped, and then reverse the strength and actions of the enemy against himself.

Jiu-Jitsu combat techniques are based on the knowledge of human anatomy, physiology and psychophysiology, as well as on filigree technique, brought to automatism and the nuances of the strategy and tactics of the fight. There is no place for all sorts of dance "pas" and techniques in the style of "cinema". There is only one task: to destroy your enemy or enemies as quickly as possible, using any methods that are in your arsenal.

taekwondo

Country of origin: Korea
Also known as: Taekwondo, Taekwon
Nickname:"The Path of the Brush and the Fist"
Famous fighters: Barack Obama, Steven Seagal, Jessica Alba, Willie Nelson

History of taekwondo

Taekwondo is very closely intertwined with the history of Korea itself, which is probably why in recent years it has been developing as successfully as Kim Jong-un's southern neighbor.
Originally there were nine taekwondo kwans (schools) that were recognized by the Government South Korea. Each school had its own unique style of taekwondo. In 1955, the nine kwans were merged into the one commonly studied today. In order to describe the history of this art in more detail, a separate article is needed, it is enough to say that all political events, including the notorious Korean War, strongly affected the appearance of martial arts.

Why is taekwondo one of the best martial arts?

When in films with high-intensity martial arts for one frame, a fighter kicks quickly and briskly, then most likely he uses taekwondo. Actually, powerful high kicks make taekwondo such an effective martial art.
The main charm of taekwondo is not only that one good hit legs can incapacitate an opponent, but the fact that this martial art is extremely effective against several opponents. Unless, of course, they know taekwondo.
The word "taekwondo" is made up of three words: "tae" - leg, "kwon" - fist (hand), "do" - art, the path of taekwondo, the path to improvement (the path of the arm and leg).
Taekwondo is the only martial art on this list that is olympic view sports. But Olympic restraint and fear of death did not make it less effective.

Krav Maga

Country of origin: Israel
Also known as:"Contact Fight"
Famous fighters: Eyal Yanilov

History

Krav Maga has long been recognized as one of the best martial arts for self-defense in the world. This type of martial arts owes its birth to the outstanding fighter Imi Lichtenfeld. Initially, he taught his fighting system in Bratislava to help protect the Jewish community from Nazi armed groups. He created a group of trained thugs with characteristic surnames and noses, who did their best to protect the Jewish population from the growing, and at the same time very radical, manifestations of anti-Semitism.

After arriving in Palestine, Lichtenfeld began teaching hand-to-hand combat in the Haganah. After the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, he became chief instructor in physical training and hand-to-hand combat at the IDF Combat Training School. Lichtenfeld served in the IDF until 1964, constantly developing and improving his system. After his retirement, Krav Maga was adapted by him to civilian realities. In fact, Krav Maga is his brainchild.

Why is Krav Maga one of the best martial arts?

Krav Maga is designed to quickly neutralize the threat. The tricks are simple and often very dirty. However, the Jews did not have to choose. There is even a saying: "If the reception looks good and beautiful, then this is not Krav Maga."

There are three main principles of Krav Maga:

The most important thing is to neutralize the threat.
- Simultaneous defense and attack. Unlike many styles of martial arts, attacks and defenses in Krav Maga are intertwined during combat.
- All blocks are built on opening the fighter the opportunity for a counterattack.
All Krav Maga attacks target vulnerabilities human body such as eyes, face, throat, neck, groin and fingers. There is no place for ceremonies, philosophy and other nuances inherent in martial arts. This art was created in order to quickly and painfully eliminate an opponent. Therefore, it was adopted by the Israel Defense Forces. There is no need to bow to the military, the military needs to kill, or at least cut down.

This is a deadly fighting style that recognizes no etiquette. It was born on the basis of fighting techniques of other martial arts, in street fights with Jewish pogromists with exactly one goal - to help the Jews survive. So if you want a simple and effective method to survive in real conditions, and not a beautiful solemn martial arts with your internal culture - then all the attention is on Krav Maga.

Aikido - the martial art of Steven Seagal

Country of origin: Japan
Nickname:"Way of Spiritual Harmony"
Famous fighters: Steven Seagal, Matt Larsen

History of aikido

Aikido is not exclusively a combat system. The founder of aikido, the legendary Morihei Ueshiba, studied several areas of traditional jujutsu, kenjutsu, and the art of calligraphy. On the basis of the acquired knowledge, he formed his own system - Aikido - as opposed to the traditional bu-jutsu (the art of killing). Aikido - budo (the way to stop killing), teaches deadly bu-jutsu techniques, not only with the aim of killing, but with the aim of stopping them, making a person strong, helping others, uniting all people on the basis of love. As they say, kindness must be with fists.
Ueshiba once said, "Controlling aggression without causing harm is the art of peace."
Aikido is also a highly spiritual martial art. The word aikido means "the way of the harmony of the spirit" ("Ai" means harmony, "ki" means spirit or energy, "do" means a way, road or way).

Why is Aikido one of the best martial arts?

As a preface, aikido is one of the most difficult of all Japanese martial arts. If you want to quickly, in a short time, learn self-defense, then aikido is not your assistant here.

Aikido is a derivative of jujutsu, and similarly focuses on merging with the opponent's attack, redirecting the attacker's energy, and ending with a painful hold or throw. Aikido fighters use the opponent's aggression and momentum to incapacitate him or render his attacks useless.
However, one should not think that since the development of aikido takes a long time, and the style itself promotes peace and tranquility, then there is little sense from it. This is one of the best martial arts suitable for self defense.

Wing Chun is the martial art of Bruce Lee.

Country of origin: China
Also known as: Wing Tsun
Nickname:"Singing Spring"
Famous fighters: Bruce Lee, Robert Downey Jr., Christian Bale

History of Wing Chun

The history of Wing Chun is a mixture of fact and legend. Most boil down to the fact that it was developed in the 17th century, as an offshoot of one of the most difficult styles of martial arts studied by the stern and die-hard Buddhist monks. There is talk of the nun Umei, who created a martial art capable of being effective regardless of size, weight, or gender.

Why is wing chun one of the best martial arts?

As in other wushu techniques, it is based on the “chi-sao” technique - “sticky hands”, thanks to which the fighter learns to constantly be in contact with the enemy with his hands, feel all his movements and prevent him from conducting his techniques. But Wing Chun fighters are fighting on short distance, where you can reach the enemy with your hand, and even better - with your elbow. In order to break through to a sufficiently close distance, special types of movements are used. Kicks are used in combination with punches. Usually kicks hit the opponent's knees at the same time as an upper level attack with hands.

What wing chun masters are really proud of is their balance between attack and defense, they can attack and defend at the same time. And real masters are famous for their ability to correctly choose a position, so competently that it is literally impossible to take them by surprise.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu - the martial art of Chuck Norris

Country of origin: Japan/Brazil
Also known as: Jiu-jitsu, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
Nickname:"Human Chess"
Famous fighters: Carlos Gracie, Helio Gracie, BJ Penn, Joe Rogan, Paul Walker, Michael Clarke Duncan

History of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Like aikido, Brazilian jiu-jitsu is an adapted version of jiu-jitsu. Martial arts are very fond of Brazil, and therefore they gladly developed the technique shown by the outstanding jiu-jitsu master Mitsuyo Maeda during his visit to the sunny country.
The founders and creators of Brazilian jiu-jitsu (bjj) are the brothers Carlos and Helio Gracie. Carlos showed the knowledge received from Maeda to his numerous brothers, trying to teach the wisdom of the East to everyone except the frail and too young Helio. The frustrated boy, who already had a complex from the fact that he was much younger and frailer than his brothers, took and developed the basics of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. This new style of martial arts allowed him to use leverage and choke rather than brute force to control the fight.
But the real popularizer of martial art was the son of Helio - Royce Gracie. Speaking in the UFC, with the help of BJJ techniques, he easily laid down opponents many times higher and heavier than himself. After the success of Royce, the popularity of BJJ increased significantly.

Why is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu one of the best martial arts?

BJJ is undoubtedly one of the most effective styles martial arts in the world. Almost all MMA and UFC fighters intensively studied BDD. The style teaches fighters how to use leverage and proper weight distribution to defeat stronger opponents.

Leverage is the isolation of an opponent's limb to a specific body position that will force the joint to move in a straight line (rotate on its own axis) outside of its normal range of motion. With increasing pressure on the limb, the opponent, unable to avoid this position, surrenders. He can verbally surrender or slap the opponent several times (slapping yourself is dangerous because the opponent may not hear). Choking is used to cut off the oxygen supply to the opponent's brain, which can cause them to become unconscious if they don't give up soon enough. It's clear how dangerous, deadly dangerous view sports, therefore, in some countries sections and tournaments in traffic safety are not approved by law.

Muay Thai

Country of origin: Thailand
Also Known As: Thai boxing
Nickname:"The Art of Eight Limbs"
Famous Fighters: Tony Jaa

History of muay thai

Muay Thai is a Thai style of martial arts with very deep roots. National Thai fighting style, which is not only sports, but also the cultural heritage of the country. The secrets of Muay Thai have been passed down from elder warriors and fathers to children, from generation to generation, and it is perhaps thanks to this traditional struggle that Thailand, surrounded by sworn enemies, has managed to survive through the ages.
A cruel spectacle from which one could emerge either a winner or a loser. They fought not for life, but for death, in the truest sense of the word. It was impossible to give up - shame and contempt for life, so the defeated left the battle either badly beaten or dead.
Over the years, only one thing has changed in Muay Thai - thanks to the introduction of points, it has become unnecessary to die, but the martial art itself has not become softer, deaths it's not uncommon either.

Why is Muay Thai one of the best martial arts?

Muay Thai is not only one of the most effective martial arts in the world, it is also one of the best self defense martial arts. In modern Muay Thai, it is possible to strike with fists, feet, shins, elbows and knees - because of this it is called "fight of eight limbs". In fact, every part of the body becomes a weapon, a deadly weapon. The hands became daggers and sabers; elbows with maces and hammers; knees like axes, and shins and forearms protect the body like armor. There are many devastating lethal strikes that have helped Muay Thai achieve some impressive victories over other martial arts in their time. And until now, this severe martial art causes sacred fear and admiration in everyone.

The problem of choosing any type of martial arts for study is very relevant. It's sad to see people spend 20 years in martial arts only to be beaten up 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, doing which, you can get the necessary adequate skills.

The question of which martial art is the most effective and best suited for self-defense has been discussed for many years. It is this aspect that is most important when choosing one or another type. Unfortunately, not all martial arts are sufficiently functional and effective in terms of self-defense. In addition, it must be borne in mind that the needs of all people are different, so what works for one will not bring any benefit to another. However, of all the existing ones, one can single out the most effective types martial arts. Choosing any of them will be useful for improving self-defense skills.

Aikido

This type of martial art is considered by many to have one of the worst reputations in terms of self-defense. This point of view has its reasons. 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 monitor 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 enemy and redirecting the energy of the attack. There are many arts that will teach you how to knock out an opponent, but not every situation can be done.

Aikido was created by Morihei Ueshiba, who combined his experience in several martial arts to create a self-defense system that is largely spiritual. Most of the techniques are based on the art of swordsmanship. On the one hand, this system has good tricks captures and throws, allowing you to resist a not too 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 systems of martial arts or self-defense. It is one of the most effective styles of martial arts. This fighting style is very quick strikes, balance manipulation and hard submission techniques.

Silat is a Southeast Asian martial art practiced in Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines. There are many origin stories around him.

What are its advantages? Silat is a self-defense system that covers a wide range of combat aspects. The weapons, punching and grappling techniques all make 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

Known just like Thai boxing, it deserves a place on any list of martial arts that are suitable for self-defense. This combat system, in the arsenal of which are powerful kicks, fists, elbows and knees.

It was he who became the source of training for MMA fighters, although Muay Thai is equally excellent for street self-defense.

Muay Thai is a difficult martial art, but it uses 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 appeared several hundred years ago, and many believe that it arose as a result of the migration of tribes from China. IN difficult conditions almost constant wars throughout the history of Thailand and neighboring states, this art was used during battles. Needless to say, Muay Thai has proven itself both on the battlefield and in the sports arena.

Karate

Karate is considered by many experts to be one of the most effective martial arts. The reason for this is the nature of the system. Kicks, punches, blocks are all part of the karate training program.

This style has fairly low requirements for beginners. Students work on perfecting strong punches and kicks. This style of martial arts commands respect, however, compared to other martial arts, it lacks defensive techniques.

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

Why is karate good for self defense? One of the clear advantages of this style is strong blows. Some of the disadvantages include the excessive use of rigid blocks. However, the rigidity of karate is not always a bad thing. Suffice it to recall some MMA fighters, such as Lota Machida, who does a very good job using karate as a base.

In general, 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 to varying degrees suitable for self-defense purposes.

wing chun

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

The actual origin of Wing Chun remains a controversial issue, but there is one most popular theory of 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 withstand an opponent who was superior in size and weight, which was especially true for a fragile woman. She drew inspiration for Wing Chun from the movements of animals, most notably the crane. Applied to the human form, these delicate yet natural movements required little force, but allowed effective blocking and striking.

Ng Mui's first student in an as yet unnamed form was a beautiful young girl named Im Wing Chun, whom the head of the local gang 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 Nun 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 system of self-defense 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 whipping blows. Thus, it is indeed 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 defense against weapons and group attacks. Judo is the basis for Jiu-Jitsu. Accordingly, most of the attention is paid to the fighting technique, painful and suffocating techniques and, to a lesser extent, to blows. 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 that can be used effectively for self-defense.

MMA

The sport has already become a global phenomenon. His arsenal is made up of knockout punches, chokes, grabs. The disadvantage of MMA in terms of self-defense is the need for serious physical training.

A big plus with 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 of 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 fighting" and is the official system of the Israel Defense Forces.

The origin of Krav Maga can be traced back to Czechoslovakia (modern-day Slovakia) even 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 defend against potential attackers. However, he quickly realized that his training in martial arts was no match for 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 of martial arts and began to focus on 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 the mission of protecting Jewish settlers from local residents who did not welcome 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 physical instructor at the IDF Combat Training School. It was in this role that he developed what is known today as Krav Maga.

This kind of martial art, the most effective, according to many experts, is a tactical system of mixed martial arts and self-defense, which combines boxing, judo, jiu-jitsu and aikido. In recent years, elements of other martial arts such as Muay Thai and Wing Chun have been incorporated into Krav Maga.

Principles of Krav Maga

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

1. Neutralize the threat. The main goal in Krav Maga is to neutralize the enemy as quickly as possible. It governs all other principles of Krav Maga. It consists in dominating and incapacitating the attacker as quickly as possible.
2. Be more simple. Krav Maga has simple punches, holds and blocks. This system has been designed in such a way that it can 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 first blocking (defensive mode), then hitting (attacking action). The downside to this approach is that it is reactive and ends up being sucked into a loop of endless defensive moves. Krav Maga combines offensive and defensive movement: the fighter simultaneously seeks to thwart the attack and counterattack. It should be noted that Wing Chun has a similar principle of simultaneous defense and attack.
4. Continuous movement. Related to the principles of simultaneous defense and attack is "retsev", the Hebrew word for " continuous movement". Its purpose is to neutralize the attacker by continuous consecutive 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. In Krav Maga, firearms and knives can be used. Apart from these traditional weapons, Krav Maga also teaches practitioners to improvise and use any object at their disposal as a weapon. Keys, handles, straps and chairs can be incorporated into the Krav Maga technique to neutralize the opponent as quickly as possible.
6. Weapon protection. In addition to teaching weapon skills, Krav Maga also shows you how to defend yourself against armed attack.
7. Focus on the Vulnerable soft tissues and pressure points. A well-known tenet of Krav Maga is its emphasis on attacking vulnerable soft tissues and points. Many counterattacks involve impacts on the eyes, groin, and throat.

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

The list below consists of the top ten martial arts for self defense. If you are interested in choosing martial arts for the most effective defense, then you should definitely read this rating to the end.

Kickboxing is a combat sport that originated in the United States in the 1960s. Based on punches and kicks along with tricks martial arts(cuts, throws, etc.). It has quite a few branches, the most famous of which is Muay Thai - roughly translated as "the art of eight limbs."

Karate is a Japanese martial art that uses precisely targeted, powerful punches and kicks to the vital points of the body to crush the opponent. This sport was invented in 1929 by Gichin Funakoshi under the influence of Zen Buddhism. In Karate, special emphasis is placed on evasions.

In eighth place in the ranking of the best martial arts for self-defense is Aikido, a Japanese martial art, the peculiarity of which is the use of throws and grabs. It was founded by Morihei Ueshiba between the 30s and 60s of the 20th century. Aikido focuses on using the opponent's strength against himself. It is considered one of the most difficult Japanese martial arts to master.

Wing Chun is a Chinese martial art that uses a variety of fighting techniques. It is for this reason that it is considered an applied direction of wushu. It is characterized by effective escapes from the line of attack, complemented by instant, straight-line strikes at very close range. Often the fight ends with knee and elbow strikes. An experienced Wing Chun fighter is capable of inflicting up to eight blows per second on an opponent.

Jiu-Jitsu is the most versatile style on this list. This is a real hybrid, which includes elements of wrestling, hard punches, chokes, locks, etc. Jiu-jitsu is one of the oldest types Japanese wrestling. Main principle jiu-jitsu - not to go into direct confrontation, but to yield to the onslaught of the opponent, directing his actions in the right direction until he is trapped, and then turn the strength and actions of the enemy against him.

Jeet Kune Do was created by Bruce Lee and in Chinese means "the way of the leading fist." Today, this style of martial arts is considered one of the most popular in the world. It is taught in many countries. However, Bruce Lee himself did not call Jeet Kune Do a "style", but preferred to call it a "method". According to his philosophy, the Jeet Kune Do method can be used in any kind of martial arts. Here the emphasis is on the speed of impact and combinations.

The fourth place in the list of the best martial arts for self-defense is boxing. I think that almost everyone knows that a boxer has the fastest, strongest and most accurate blow, compared to a trained fighter proficient in any other martial art.

Brazilian jiu-jitsu is an international martial art combat sports, the basis of which is wrestling in the stalls, as well as painful and suffocating techniques. This art is based on the principle that a person with an underdeveloped physique can successfully defend himself and defeat a more powerful opponent using the appropriate technique (painful holds and chokes).

Keysi Fighting Method (KFM) is a self-defense system based on the development of natural human instincts and a number of techniques taken from the arsenal of boxing and street fight. KFM is based on a small arsenal of techniques adapted to the specific situation. The system was created in 1957 by Spaniard Justo Dieguez and Englishman Andy Norman, both of whom are Jeet Kune Do instructors.

The best martial art for self defense is Krav Maga, an Israeli martial art developed by Imi Lichtenfeld for self defense purposes. In Krav Maga there are no exact rules and there is no difference between workouts for men and women. The system is not considered a sport and lacks a specific dress code and competition, although some organizations award different levels and emblems as they learn. All techniques focus on maximum real-world performance as well as natural reflexes, simple movements and aggressive defensive techniques. The main principles of Krav Maga are: do not take damage, quickly neutralize the attacker, quickly switch from defensive to offensive technique, use body reflexes, as well as vulnerabilities of the enemy, use any available object.

Let's start with the most best school- the one that suits you personally, your physical form and seeing myself in the martial arts. You can succeed in any of them, if you wish - but for mastering the peaks of sumo, asthenics, for example, will have to spend more time. In the end, martial arts are the same training, only with shock or throwing techniques.

Different areas of martial arts develop different qualities and even muscle groups. Some of them teach you how to use the energy of an opponent, others are aimed at practicing powerful punches, others with legs, and others will build endurance or develop jumping ability.

In some ways, martial arts are reminiscent of yoga: in them you can find your own spiritual path, but you can only take the technique and learn to stand up for yourself. Below is a description of the most popular types of martial arts, which will help you decide on the choice of school.

Jujutsu

This martial art is suitable for those who want to learn self-defense techniques. Jiu-jitsu emphasizes the skills of a fighter on the ability to defend himself, to free himself from captures, to use tactics not to attack, but to use the opponent's strength to his advantage.

Kicks and punches are present, but the technique does not roll into hand-to-hand combat. The main thing here is the efficient use of energy (one's own and someone else's), which allows you to defeat a larger and stronger opponent. Jiu-jitsu does not belong to the aggressive types, this martial art pumps dexterity and dexterity.

taekwondo

This Korean martial art is so popular that in 1988 it was included in the program. Olympic Games. The translation of the name into Russian: “the path of the hand and foot”, which unequivocally hints at the upcoming mastery of the art of strikes with all limbs. Taekwondo combines both attack and self-defense techniques, besides, these are exercises, an official sport, meditative techniques and a whole oriental philosophy.

In the current state of taekwondo, the emphasis is on defense and control. The emphasis is on standing kicks, as the legs can reach farther and deal more damage than the hands. In the technique of martial arts - various sweeps, painful holds, strikes with an open palm and grabs.

Aikido

One of the youngest martial arts in Japan. Just like many martial arts of the Land of the Rising Sun, aikido includes physical and spiritual practices. It is also effective as a development of strength, dexterity, the ability to stand up for oneself - regardless of physical data. Aikido is the art of protection for everyone, because there are no restrictions on age and physical development.

Aikido techniques for the most part consist in using the opponent's attack, controlling his energy, strength and movement, which ends with throws or grabs. The name itself reflects this: “aiki” means “connection with power”, “do” means the way.

wushu

Very spectacular view sports with full contact. This Chinese martial art has a lot of strength, acrobatics, jumps, balancing, beautiful poses and strikes (like in a movie). Another name is kung fu, since the term "wushu" itself refers to all traditional Chinese martial arts.

There are hundreds of wushu subspecies, somewhere more than acrobatics and "stage skills", somewhere - powerful blows and tricks, sweeps and "turntables". The main thing you need to know before making a choice in favor of this martial art is that wushu develops strength well, and the fighting styles that are taught in Russian schools kung fu, reminiscent of Thai boxing.

Judo

Translated from Japanese - "soft (flexible) way." Judo is based on throws, painful holds, strangulations. Movements should be economical in terms of physical strength, there is less waste of energy, but more improvement of the spirit, more self-defense, more sports training. More than 20 million people practice judo all over the world, because it has a good educational character and teaches the harmony of soul and body.

Unlike boxing, karate and other striking styles, judo explores technique hand-to-hand combat only for throws and grabs. This martial art formed the basis of other modern martial arts: the creators of aikido, sambo, Brazilian jiu-jitsu were engaged in it.

In spite of sports orientation and following the rules of the competition, no one would want to face a judoka in an extreme situation. These are always prepared people who will repulse any villain in a dark alley.

Sambo

Sambo is a system of self-defense without weapons, which was developed in the USSR. Judo, Armenian koch, Tatar kuresh and many other martial arts formed the basis of martial arts.

At the heart of practical sambo is a complex effective techniques defenses and attacks that have already been worked out by centuries of donor martial arts. It is noteworthy that SAMBO is constantly developing, including new techniques and techniques in its arsenal. The philosophy of martial arts resembles the principles of the GTO: physical development, readiness for self-defense, detention of the enemy, education of moral stamina.

Karate

Or karate-do, translated from Japanese - "empty sleeve". From 2020, martial arts will become an Olympic sport, although it was originally hand-to-hand style for self defense.

Now karate is incredibly popular, in part, thanks to spectacular demonstrations. Masters on demonstration performances show the strength and power of practiced blows, breaking thick boards with a blow of the palm or splitting blocks of ice.

Unlike many Japanese martial arts, karateka does not use grips, painful and suffocating techniques. But they can be accurate and powerful blows hit the opponent in the vital points of the body. Crushing and biting urakens, spectacular and swift ura-mawashi-geri... Perhaps, you won't find a more Japanese style.

Boxing

Boxing is a classic that it makes no sense to talk about in detail. It's worth mentioning that this sport produces fighters who REALLY know how to use their hands, and in a street fight they are difficult to compete with. By the way, does everyone remember the fight between UFC star Conor McGregor and professional boxer Mayweather? That's the same.

If you want to enroll in a boxing section, you should be aware of some of the nuances. Firstly, it is difficult for a boxer to cope with an armed opponent, and secondly, with kicks. The third point - in an extreme situation, you will not have gloves, a referee, ropes and a girl with a sign. On the other hand, dodge punches and knock out boxers in the blood, so attack and defense are balanced here.

Thai boxing

Muay Thai is the martial art of Thailand, it is very popular all over the world and competes with karate, judo and sambo. Perhaps this is the art of combat that is closest to a real duel. There are strict rules here, but the blows are the same. Here - full contact, striking technique with arms and legs, and targets - the most vulnerable places on the body.

Grabs and throws are also important, especially chokes. If you master this martial art, you will be able to confidently walk through the most dangerous areas of the city (but it’s better not to do it anyway), because the training will be harsh. Thais are preparing real fighters without rules who can resist any opponent.

It may be difficult for you to combine training and public speaking at work, as sometimes you will have bruises on your face and marks from grips on your neck.

Kickboxing

Another type of martial arts that prepares for real fights. Kickboxing was formed by karate masters who did not want to obey sports rules martial arts. A new style incorporated kicking techniques from several Eastern directions and boxing fist techniques.

Kickboxing is popular in culture, because it is spectacular, dynamic and somewhat “bloody” - full contact leaves cuts and bruises, so athletes usually use a cap, a helmet (to protect their heads from kicks) and also an inguinal shell (for girls - a cuirass).

Kickboxers are similar to CrossFitters in that they build strength, endurance, coordination, speed, and flexibility.

Professional boxers, Muay Thai, judoists, sambists are always dangerous opponents. Choose martial arts to your liking, but do not forget: best fight- the one that didn't work. In this sense, running can also be called martial arts for real pacifists.

Well? Which of these areas did you like? Maybe it's time to go for a trial workout? Book a lesson with our free mobile application Sport Priority near your home or work in your city, plan your training schedule and get useful facts and stories from the world of sports in your spare time.

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 these directions.

Percussion types of martial arts

Percussion types include martial arts in which wrestling is not used, but only blows are used. 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 level of skill.

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 own kata. Many martial arts experts consider kata to be a relic of the past and that now more attention should be paid to practice (working in pairs and sparring). But representatives of traditional types of martial arts believe that such formal practices of techniques and combinations are necessary.

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

Even in the same boxing, athletes pay a lot of attention to working at the mirror, training the clarity of movements during strikes. This is very valuable, because they understand that a correctly delivered blow is more dangerous than a poorly practiced one.

Wrestling martial arts styles

In wrestling, there is much less practice in the air than in traditional percussion styles. But nevertheless, to some extent it is also present. In addition, there are significant differences in different areas of wrestling styles. Many of them prefer a certain level of wrestling. For example, judo gradually began to specialize more in stand-up fighting than in the ground. And jiu-jitsu, on the contrary, moved mainly to the ground. It has to do with the rating system. sports competitions, preparing for which, athletes work out more intensively those technical actions for which they can get more points in the tournament.

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

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 on 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 have tried to stand apart from each other and did not exchange experience. Competition, of course, was also not held. This was due to the fact that each school tried to preserve its individuality. But on the other hand, it could be due to the selfishness of the founder of a certain martial arts and, as a result, because of the fear of comparing his style with others, which would inevitably lead to the identification of many shortcomings and undermine the authority of the creator of this martial arts. All this made the direction of martial arts more and more closed from the outside world. The exceptions are those combat directions, which were developed for use in hostilities, that is, in wars. But again, these are more applied areas in which bladed weapons were most often used. But on the other hand, fighters of such directions had a lot of practice and the level of skill could be assessed by whether a representative of one or another martial art is still alive or dead.

On the other hand, maybe it was the fear of death that made martial arts schools closed. Nobody wanted to give out secrets deadly tricks, which can 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 on them.

Wrestlers VS. Drummers

At the competition, the skill of athletes in their sport is tested. They compete on equal terms and there are no contradictions. Who owns better competitive discipline, he wins. But who will win if representatives of different martial arts meet on the street?

If the fight is going to be 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 battle: a judoka and a boxer. Which of them will win if their skill level is about the same?

It is impossible to answer this question objectively. If the judoist has time to grab and make an amplitude throw, for which the boxer will obviously not be 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 grip, he runs into an oncoming blow, then the fight will also be ended ahead of schedule, but in favor of the striker in the face of the boxer.

And this applies to almost any shock or wrestling type of martial arts. Much will depend on the 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 the chance of losing is great.

The outside

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

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

But by and large, no matter how skillful an athlete would 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. Nevertheless, a striker always has an advantage over a wrestler in any street fight. This advantage lies in the ability to flee. Thanks to fighting with strikes, not throws, a strike-style fighter always has the opportunity to break the distance with opponents up to several kilometers.

But it may also be that the hooligans are experienced in street fights and know that if help approaches, the victim cannot be released, and will try to capture in order to play for time before the arrival of their hooligan associates. To be able to avoid such problems, a fighter must be able to get rid of the hold, and this is already part of the skill of the fighter.

So, in this way, for a street fight it is desirable to have striking skills and some basic foundations struggle, at least not to be on the ground and not be kicked.

Mixed styles of martial arts

And now let's find out what kind of martial art gives those involved in the skills of both shock and wrestling techniques at the same time. This is, as many have already guessed, 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 clear advantages that were justified above, mixed styles have one drawback. Due to the large amount of material in the form of striking and wrestling techniques, fighters of mixed styles need much more time to master the discipline being studied than it takes to master homogeneous styles. That is why in mixed martial arts often people come who already know some kind of martial art and want to expand their combat arsenal, as well as learn how to connect it with each other.