Best Beginner Fighting Style?

Question

I'm 6'1" and weigh about 190 lbs and have an average build. I am not particulary in shape but at the same time I'm not horribly out of shape. Anyway my question is I am currently 20 years old and I have never been in a serious physical fight. I am starting to run across situations where I am needing to at times resort to preparing for a fight to keep me from looking like a coward but since I have no fighting experience I have very little confidence in myself. I was wondering if someone could would suggest a fighting style to look into training in. I am not looking at becoming a billy badass or anything just that if I were to get in a fight with someone not only would I be able to defend myself but I would be able to cause enough injury to end the fight. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks

Answer 1

The best method, even for a trained martial artist, is to avoid fighting at all cost. Fighting begets more fighting. Start with any martial art you want, but always use your brain to avoid dangerous situations.

And don't worry about looking like a coward. Honor isn't something someone can take away from you by insults or threats. Honor is how you act in the face of shame. Swallowing shame to prevent a dangerous situation from escalating is the ultimate act of honor. I've done it. It wasn't easy, but it was worth it because no one got hurt. (I did give the guy a piece of my mind later that week after he sobered up, though...)

Answer 2

I have said many times, it is not the style that you train under, it is the intent that you train with. If you train like it is a game, you will play a game when you need defense. If you train to effective defend yourself in a realistic manor that is what will manifest when you need it. I don't believe that it matter what style you start in. They all use the same laws of physics, the same principles of body mechanics. The biggest differences in any of the arts is in philosophy, when to throw, when to punch, etc. Good martial arts is good martial arts, it doesn't matter what you call it. I have not studied Aikido in any depth, but the principals I do understand. I have "heard" the comments on here time and time again, "that karate technique looks just like such and such technique from Aikido, or we do the same thing in "style X". I believe that it is a natural progression even in the so called hard styles, to get softer as we progress. The way I move and counter threats now, looks nothing like it did even when I received my first black belt. After all of that, to answer your question, No I don't believe that it is necessary, it however doesn't hurt either. The more perspective you have the better off you will be.

Answer 3

Krav Maga or MMA (mixed martial arts) or even Jeet Kune Do.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu or Judo, but no striking in those. I think it's good to have a balance between striking and grappling.
Thai Boxing or kick-boxing are good for the striking.

Tai Chi takes about 20 years to be able to use effectively and even then is a waste of time as a fighting art.

Most other arts also take a long time to be able to fight effectively, they are "arts". The ones I mentioned are for fighting.

Answer 4

Wing Chun. There's many different variations but they all have their foundations in just three "open-hand" forms. You'll learn the first form fairly quickly, often becoming competent in about three months. It'll give you a good foundation in stance, punching, and deflecting attacks. It's the best bang for you buck early on. But things get considerably more difficult from that point and students can get way off track. (The problem with only having three forms is that you have to do a lot of personal interpretation to figure out how to apply so few apparent techniques to so many possible situations!) After learning the basics of Wing Chun (or any martial art), you have to decide if it's still right for you. If you decide it is, then decide if the instructor is the right instructor for you also. Then you have to commit to stick with it for a while, even when things may get confusing or difficult. With most martial arts, especially with Wing Chun, it seems like you develop quickly and then hit a plateau where nothing seems like it's improving. If you keep with it, eventually, the light bulb will flash in your head and everything falls into place.

You may find yourself liking something softer like Akido or something harder like Karate or Kick-Boxing or something more street-like such as Boxing or "Mixed Martial Arts" or Krav Maga. I'd start with Wing Chun to develop a way of thinking about martial arts.

I'm 5'11, 185 pounds, in my 30s and I've practiced Wing Chun for 10 years, Hsing-I for three, Bagua for one, Yang style Tai-Chi for three, Jeet Kune Do for one, and Eagle Claw (focusing on their joint-locks) for a bunch of years. Quite honestly, after enough years, all martial arts "feel" the same - there are a finite number of ways a body can move or react. As long as the martial art gets you in a frame of mind to react efficiently, it's good. I recommended Wing Chun because you'll see results fast and keep you motivated.

Answer 5

Sounds like foofoo19472 lives the black belt way or known by true practitioners of the martial arts as the Code of the Bushido. Sounds like Hollywood bullcrap but it does exist. The body will grow into the bushido-ka ... and so will the mind.

"Honor is how you act in the face of shame. Swallowing shame to prevent a dangerous situation from escalating is the ultimate act of honor."

How true. How true. Still train but always remember, it's called self-defense. Always use what you learn defensively and constructively. I always believed that if given a situation where I had to protect my loved ones, namely my two small kids, I'd want to get out unscathed. But if I was cornered and cannot get out and fighting my way to safety is going to be the key ... THEN I WILL DESTROY THE ATTACKER!!!

Good luck to you. Eat clean. Train clean. Fight clean.

Answer 6

Martial Arts or Street Fighting.

Answer 7

Try them all out, everyone is different. Learn as much as you can about all the martial arts (mixed martial arts). You never know what the next guy knows. He might know the same as you. What then? Martial arts is like book writing. The larger your vocabulary the more articulate you can be in your description of your message.

Answer 8

In my opinion, you should first focus on the throwing and dropping arts, and then focus on hard striking.I think Tai Chi, Judo, then Kung Fu would be very good for you. Like Bruce Lee said:"Be Water My Friend".....

Answer 9

Free style kickboxing is what I was trained in to defend myself.
It is easier than the more restricted styles of tae kwon do and other forms.

Answer 10

Boxing easy to learn, Helps bild your muscle