The Easiest Martial Art to Learn for Self-Defense

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the question of which martial art is the easiest to learn for self-defense purposes. Participants explore various styles, their effectiveness, and the time commitment required for training. The conversation includes personal experiences, recommendations, and considerations for different goals in martial arts training.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that self-defense classes with qualified instructors may be more practical than traditional martial arts training, which requires years of dedication.
  • One participant advocates for jujitsu, citing its effectiveness in ground fighting and its practical applications in real-life situations.
  • Another participant mentions the importance of ground fighting techniques and recommends styles that incorporate them, such as jujitsu and judo.
  • There are mixed opinions on the practicality of various martial arts, with some arguing that styles like Tae Kwon Do focus more on forms than real-life application.
  • Participants discuss the time investment required for martial arts training, suggesting a minimum of four hours per week for meaningful progress.
  • One participant emphasizes the need to clarify personal goals when choosing a martial art, as different styles cater to different objectives, such as competition, fitness, or self-defense.
  • Concerns are raised about the effectiveness of certain techniques, with some arguing that high kicks and complex moves may be less practical for self-defense.
  • Several participants highlight the importance of adaptability in martial arts, referencing Bruce Lee's philosophy of being flexible in one's approach.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of opinions on the effectiveness and practicality of different martial arts styles for self-defense. There is no consensus on which style is the easiest or most effective, and multiple competing views remain throughout the discussion.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention various factors influencing their opinions, such as personal experiences, the availability of schools, and the specific goals of training. Limitations in knowledge about certain styles and the variability of instruction across schools are also noted.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for individuals considering martial arts for self-defense, those interested in the practical applications of different styles, and anyone exploring the time and commitment required for martial arts training.

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I want to learn martial art, which is the easiest of them to have some ability to defend myself?
 
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If you're looking for some quick lessons so you can defend yourself, then just take a self-defence class taught by a qualified instructor. Martial arts aren't easy and take years of dedication and hard work to get good at.
 
Thank you Check for suggestion,you are propably right.
 
I've been in karate (go ju ryu) for 7 years now and by no means has it been easy. After watching many karate movies, UFC, PrideFC fights I am pretty sure the top self defence style is jujitsu- it involves throws, and downfighting. I was told time after time in my karate classes that 90% of fights end up on the ground. So from my experience, i would try to find a syle of martial arts that involves at least some ground fighting.
 
You might take a look at Shorinji Kempo or Shaolin Kempo. Styles will very from school to school.

Taking a self-defence class taught by a qualified instructor, as was mentioned, would probably be worthwhile if you do not want to commit to several years of training.

On the other hand, a few years of training in martial arts is good in terms of exercise and some level of skill.

Time investment is something like 4 hours per week minimum, not including practice outside the classroom.
 
Foot sweeps and knee kicks [breaking a person's knee] are relatively easily learned and highly effective. The fancy stuff, high kicks especially, are more harmful than helpful unless you are truly an expert. Basic Judo is also good for simple throws for situations that are not life threatening. I once used a hip throw effectively to end a confrontation.
 
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IMO, Ju-jitsu is the most practical for self-defence. My 1st instructor even took 20 minutes before each class to talk to us about protecting our luggage while travelling, facing dogs, talking to a gang, and dealing with drunk people. It's also what samourais used once they lost their swords on the battlefield. What cops learn can also be called ju-jitsu. One of the few where you learn hits, locks and grappling. It does well on UFC too. And it's heck of a lot of fun! I started not very long ago and some of the stuff we learn is almost saddistic! Oh, the instructor did talk to us about use of techniques as viewed by law too.

Tae-Kwondo and Karate don't include locks and grappling. Judo lacks hits, it is a developpment of the safest techniques of Ju-jitsu, allowing practitioners to have real combats. Aikido takes a very long time to be used effectively (if ever). Don't know much about the others, though I here Kempo is also quite effective.
 
Ju-jitso sounds cool to me,but how about just judo.
I know all of the above mentioned techniques have some judo in it, however they are hard to learn(I'm not that quickest on the brain :redface: you know ).
 
  • #10
I'm a black belt in Tae Kwan Do and there is no way i'll be able to defend myself with the techniques I've learned. It is more of a show with memorized routines and nothing really practically. In terms of a workout, it is great, but for real life encounters I would encourage you to pursue some other form of karate. If you ever had a chance to watch Bruce Lee's biography he talks a lot about being flexible in your style and not just master one type of technique since the real world can be unpredictible. You have to constanting be changing style in order to react properly. Bruce created his own form of karate known as Gung Fu in order to address the practical karate. People like Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Chuck Norris were personally taught Gung Fu by Bruce Lee.

If all else fails you can carry around one of those high powered rifles. I'm sure no one will mess try to mess with you
 
  • #11
The nice thing about a basic self defense class is that the best and most easily learned moves from any of these disciplines can be used to create a practical approach for amateurs who don't train daily, or even weekly. I played with this stuff and practiced for years, but even when I was at my best I would have only tried a few of the things that I had learned in any real situation.
 
  • #12
If I were to learn some style, how many hours a week should I train? and most important,how much does it costs?
 
  • #13
Not sure whether you're going to like reading this or not, but you don't seem to be asking good questions, so let's try it this way:

You seem to be considering studying a martial art. What is your primary goal for studying this martial art?

If you're looking to be a competitive no-holds-barred fighter, then you're probably looking at Thai Kickboxing, Brazillian Jiu Jitsu, and greco-roman wrestling as primary choices with a smattering of other stuff.

For hardcore fitness boxing and kickboxing are probably the best choices because they are generally more condiditoning oriented in training.

For spiritual stuff, you're going to have to shop around and find someone or some school that appeals to you, and you might as well forget any purely modern or competitive arts such as judo, boxing, or brazillian jiu-jitsu, while varius brands of Kung fu have strong religeous associations.

If you want trophies or black belts you should probably be looking for your favorite neighborhood belt factory. I saw a school (no idea what art it was) that had a big sign on the wall with belt colors and the legend "Our goal is the black belt" which would be a good sign if you're looking to get belts quickly. Similarly, if you're looking for fast 'advancement' you should avoid places where students tend to have ratty worn-out belts. In some schools, belts are awarded on a performance basis, so you essentially have to win fights in order to darken your belt regardless of how much you practice. Obviously martial arts that do not award belts or ranks are right out.

If you like to do lots of sparring, especially full-force sparring, stay away from boxing and kickboxing and go towards grapping-oriented arts.

You're asking about how much time you should spend practicing which is also not the best question to be asking. Perhaps you should be asking, how much should I practice if I want to achieve a particular goal in a particular amount of time. I was told by a teacher in an asian health and herbalism class that Kung Fu roughly translates to "achievement through work" obviously, the loftier your aspirations are, the more and longer you can expect to train in order to achieve them. Alternatively, you might ask, if I spend n hours per week, what kinds of results can I expect to achive.

You might have a preferred approach to fighting. Are you aggressive or defensive? Do you want to hurt the other guy, do you want to win the fight, or do you just want to get away unhurt?

Are you looking to train for realistic fighting situations?

Do you want to practice with weapons?

Do you want something that looks or sounds neat?
 
  • #14
I think karate would be good and its pretty practical. I learned Judo till I was an orange belt (3rd rank) and I think judo is a great sport but quite impractical in a real combat situation. Even though a single throw can really damage a person. But I guess there should be martial arts schools who teach general self-defence and would go into all possible styles of fighting, including grappling, chokes etc.
 
  • #15
What do you want to get from the art? That is the question you should ask yourself in order to determine which art you want to learn.

The second thing is what's available in your area and how far you're willing to drive. Have you done a search to see what's available yet?
 
  • #16
I've tried several martial arts and I actually found Ju-Jitsu is the only one which I have ever and think I ever will use in any real-life situation which requires violence. but for basic fighting skills take a self defence class.
 
  • #17
Chrono said:
What do you want to get from the art? That is the question you should ask yourself in order to determine which art you want to learn.
I just want to get out of any serious confrontation alive, and maybe kick some ass a little bit.
 
  • #18
If you are facing mediocre opponents and just want to look cool while doing it, just look up the basic ways of getting out of the most common holds and the most common mismatches. For example, being able to escape a headlock.
 
  • #19
tumor said:
I just want to get out of any serious confrontation alive, and maybe kick some ass a little bit.

Then you want to find the nearest self-defense instructor. A quick Google search will tell you what's nearby.

Choose a martial art only if you want spiritual conditioning and mental discipline as well. But be warned that the process with any of these would be long and demanding and it may not satisfy your primary requirement.
 
  • #20
KingNothing said:
If you are facing mediocre opponents and just want to look cool while doing it, just look up the basic ways of getting out of the most common holds and the most common mismatches. For example, being able to escape a headlock.
Just play some WWE game or watch some . :biggrin:
 
  • #21
Gokul43201 said:
But be warned that the process with any of these would be long and demanding and it may not satisfy your primary requirement.


So... you are saying that I have to quit smoking and drinking ? :frown:
 
  • #22
It's easier to just get a license to carry mace. :biggrin:
 
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  • #23
Tumor, this http://soyouwanna.com/site/syws/martialarts/martialarts.html might help (the site is also pretty funny).

I'm a black belt in Tae Kwan Do and there is no way i'll be able to defend myself with the techniques I've learned.

I too have a black belt in Tae Kwan Do. I'll admit that it isn't the most effective defensively, but it can still work.

At least now you've added some fast, powerful kicks as your skills in fights if ever needed. And a hard kick will definitely be effective if good contact is made. It certainly beats running at the guy and throwing hay makers.

Most Tae Kwon Do schools also teach stuff like one-step or quick defense, or join in with another Korean art like Hap Ki Do.

Edit: I have a question for anyone that's studying Judo or Ju Jit Su. How effective is it in a real life situation? Isn't it tough to grabble with someone and throw them when they are throwing punches at you? I saw it during the Olympics and it looks tough.
 
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  • #24
my boss is a black belt in ju-jitsu, I'm curious about what a black belt is able to do.
This is not a good combination.
My Boss: "Try to grab me"
Me: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaa
My Boss: "Get up. See how I did that and how painful it was? try grabbing me a different way"
Me: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaa
My boss: "get up. that's why you never want to try to grab someone like that. It's not broken. Oh watch this."
Me: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaa
my boss: "all it takes is a little bit of pressure..."
Me: aaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAa
my boss: "to cause excruciating pain. get up."
 
  • #25
Ivan Seeking said:
It's easier to just get a license to carry mace. :biggrin:


Yeah ! I guess so :frown:
 
  • #26
Dagenais said:
Edit: I have a question for anyone that's studying Judo or Ju Jit Su. How effective is it in a real life situation? Isn't it tough to grabble with someone and throw them when they are throwing punches at you? I saw it during the Olympics and it looks tough.
It depends on a few things but provided you get a good sensai, ect. like I did I think you will find it quite usefull as it does teach blocks against punches, kicks, and occasionally against knives and such.
 
  • #27
Ivan Seeking said:
It's easier to just get a license to carry mace. :biggrin:

You actually need a license for that? Are you serious? They sell it at the martial arts stores. Of course a nice kick in the groin is cheaper. :biggrin:
 
  • #28
Chrono said:
You actually need a license for that? Are you serious? They sell it at the martial arts stores. Of course a nice kick in the groin is cheaper. :biggrin:
nice kick in the groin? NICE kick in the groin? the only nice kick in the groin is NO kick in the groin.
 
  • #29
tribdog said:
nice kick in the groin? NICE kick in the groin? the only nice kick in the groin is NO kick in the groin.

Well, you won't get one if you don't harass anyone.
 
  • #30
unless ur delivering rather than receiving :/
 

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