the most effective martial art to use in street fights and bar brawls etc. basically against street thugs?

Question

like against a knife and a gun if close by

Answer 1

I'd say Muay Thai or Kick boxing with some JuiJitsu.
Oh, and whatever you do don't take karate or kung fu, they are worthless martial arts, just watch MMA tournies, you'll see the guys get pounded by everyone. Krav maga is good as is Sambo.

Answer 2

You don't need a martial art for street thugs, street fights, bar brawls. You need to stay out of fights. Fights are a physical clash between two egos. You should avoid them entirely.

Are you really fighting people with barehands when they have a knife or gun? If you are alive and truly doing this you should just establish your own system.

More than likely you fear something like this happening, avoid areas where things like this are likely to occur.


Also, do not look for a good martial art, instead look for a good school instead.

Answer 3

I think the first thing you should do--to start off--would be to take a self-defense course that focuses on dealing with the "fight or flight" response . That way, there'll be less chance of you freezing up when attacked. Then I'd go ahead and learn one of these martial arts: Krav Maga (if you can find a place that doesn't teach the watered-down version) Kajukenbo Kenpo Kali/Arnis/Escrima All of those are pretty good--I don't know if Kali/Arnis/Escrima focuses on multiple attackers, but it could be useful for learning some weapons stuff. Muay Thai, BJJ and MMA are good, too -- although it'd probably be better to learn a martial art that focuses on dealing with multiple attackers.

Answer 4

Damn... I wonder how many people have actually gotten in real street fights by these answers.

First off, empty hand vs. knife or gun is a bad situation, no matter how good you are you are getting hurt. Krav maga teaches you to react to these things, but mostly like in the case with the knife, to minimize the damage done to you, and not take more than one stabbing. In Krav Maga they basically have you react as you have already been stabbed once, and the key is to prevent repeated stabbing.

It's rare that anyone gets in a bar brawl situation, and really rare that someone randomly pulls a gun or a knife. These situations are easily avoided and there is no true to life training to prepare you for any of them.

Unless you are getting robbed or mugged, chances are you will not have to deal with that, and when you do they have the element of surprise on you.

Your only real defense in a situation is to prevent a guy from reaching for a weapon in a self defense situation. Once that gun or knife is out, if that person actually has the balls to use them, you have to damn lucky.

So most effective MA in those situations? None honestly, some of the most highly trained people in the world get shot and stabbed, professional fighters have gotten stabbed in bar fights. Only way to win a bar fight is to be the one that is sober. Sober person over drunk person anytime, any place.

I knew Special Forces guys that have gotten shot and or stabbed in bar fights. Especially ones they started.

Avoid street fights, (very easy to do) and bar fights, it takes a bigger man to walk away, there is no garuntee MA that will equal victory, you could be a complete and skilled fighter, and still have a more athletic guy tool you.

Honestly, as you study any martial art you will get tools to win a street fight: awareness, ability to remain calm under adrenaline, focused striking (it isn't how hard you can hit, but how accurate you can hit), humility and confidence.

Study whatever you want, it will all help you in one way or another. Then become well rounded, know stand up and ground work.

Btw, there are elements of BJJ that is good for the street, the ability to escape and get mount, or rear mount. However going to your back in a street fight or just trying to take it down without a solid take down could get you in serious trouble. You want to avoid going to the ground as much as possible in a streetfight, you never know if his buddies are going to come up and start soccer kicking you.

I like Krav Maga, Muay Thai, and Judo/Wrestling. Knowing strikes, how to control a guy once he clinches up with you, and a good choke is all you need.

Answer 5

I would hope most would refuse to answer your question, its is not the purpose of using martial arts to deal with a situation like that, in fact avoiding, or defusing a situation before it gets to such a point is a much better option...

While Martial Arts is good for your health, theres no way, at least without being in reach, that you could compete with a bullet once its fired anyhow... and even when close, you may still get injured from weapons...

So my answer is don't go there...

Answer 6

I don't think you should get into martial arts for fighting purposes. It should be used to train your mind, to stay healthy and to discipline yourself. As for the situations involving weapons, some of the best martial arts masters have said it is best to try to cooperate with the person and try to get out of the situation peacefully. It's important to see that there's a difference between reality and martial arts movies. But if you would like to get into martial arts for the right reasons, I would personally suggest Kung-Fu. (There are different styles)

Answer 7

Aikido, Karate and Brazilian Ju-Jitsu are all three good for real life fights, but if the opponent has a gun or knife then I would want to take him out fast and without mercy. I would have to say Krav-Maga. It was designed for the Israeli solider to be able to kill an opponent with bare hands quickly.
It is very violent and very effective.

Answer 8

Don't look at the style. Look at how they train. If they have you stand in row and throw a punch/kick on command, multi attacker scene, roleplay where the person do perfectly as they're told to without try to avoid or resist you, then RUN AWAY!!!

If they make you gasp for air, spar hard, do lot of pads and bag works, roll/grappling almost every night, have you do real live sparring and stuff then this is the school you want.

Those that usually do realistic teaching are following but not limited to:

Muay Thai, boxing, jiu jitsu, judo, sambo, wrestling, and few more.

It's better if you cross train in two diferent arts.

Think about this, if you want to learn drive, would you trust someone who say they don't teach you how to drive on street because it's dangerous but they will teach you how to drive in a car that don't run. Would you really trust this person to teach you how to drive?

Answer 9

The only defense a gun is not having it drawn. There is no martial art that can effective counter against a gun.

Answer 10

Better than a martial art that requires a lot of training to get basic techniques, the REACT system will give you tools immediately applicable in combat situation.