What weapon style do you think is the most real world applicable today?

Answer 1

Gun follow by knife.

Answer 2

People have already answered that Escrima (Phillipino stick fighting) Bo staff and the shorter Jo staff training and such do have applications today. A broom handle, mop handle, piece of 2x4....handle from a toilet plunger....all of these can be use LIKE one of those weapons. Think of what all is around you everyday in your home that you COULD use if you had to defend yourself against an intruder.
Also, knife fighting is very applicable. You can carry a small (usually folding blade) knife on your person in most cities in America (you'd better check local laws though) and even a "penknife" is better than nothing. However, the main benefit of knife training is learning defense AGAINST a knife.
Unless you are allowed to by law and can get a concealed carry permit, a gun is NOT applicable. Even if you are allowed to carry a gun, are you REALLY willing to take a chance on KILLING someone? If you pull a gun, you will probably be seen as the criminal in most cases even if the guy attacked you. It's a thing called "improper use of force" and in many cases just pulling a gun is a felony. For example, you are walking down the street minding your own business and a guy comes at you with a hand in a pocket demanding your wallet. You pull your gun...the guy runs away and you feel SO much better. Until later, when the cops surround you, force you to lie down, frisk you and find your (hopefully) legal gun. You go to jail for "assault with a deadly weapon" (assault is even threatening someone) because the would-be attacker said HE was minding his own business and YOU pulled it on him. You are the one with the gun...he could ditch his anywhere...
Bottom line- ANY weapon can be seen badly in a court of law. This is especially true if you are highly trained in its use. However, if it becomes a matter of life and death, ANY weapon is better than nothing. Look around you and find out what things are in your normal life. If you typically carry a knife then learn how to use it. If you are more worried about home defense, learn a stick art like Bokken (Kendo, Aikido), bo staff (various arts) jo staff (Aikido, various others) or stick fighting (Escrima, Kali).
Hope this helps...
Sensei Cox

Answer 3

The various European dagger styles used from the tail end of hte 14th century to the end of the second third of the 15th.

Those styles make use of the rondel dagger, which was pretty much razor-sharp in the few inches closest to the tip and quite dull for the rest of the blade. It was a thrusting weapon that, when properly used, could allow an adequately trained, unarmoured man with one of those to take down an armoured knight.

Anyhow, the use of the rondel, when properly sharpened, allows for very strong locks and binds that can very easily force an opponent to the ground in a highly vulnerable position, as well as disarming or binding one with a larger weapon before delivering the killing thrust. But the use of these daggers relied a lot on knowledge of unarmed close combat (European medieval, of course) in order to get one in the right position to strike, and most of what few blows are taught in traditional medieval martial arts can all be duplicated with a dagger.

But, considering today's world in which killing is a lot more frowned upon, a properly made hardwood training dagger or even an 18-inch hardwood dowel, would make more than acceptable self-defense weapons that can be used in such a style and inflict injuries that would be debilitating and very painful but not necessarily deadly.

Answer 4

the nuke.

countries that don't have it are bitches of the countries that do. And even then england is still our colony, go figure.

Individually would be your mind, secondly a firearm if you can get a ccw permit. thirdly a knife or stick (small baton like jutte or maybe cane, etc. something you can carry w/o notice).

It is true that there are many situations that if you don't have your weapon out or avaiable you would be in trouble, that is why hand to hand is a good supplement, but no substitute for a weapon.

you need to realistically understand what is going on and when to pull it out and when you can be stopped. If someone gets you by surprise, you got trouble and are at a disadvantage already, but it is far better to be at a disadvantage and all you have to do is regain the advantage (if possible) to use your weapon. If you are at a disadvantage because they get the "drop" on you, and still don't have a weapon, you are screwed even if you do manage to distract or are able to take away thier advantage.

Even if you start a struggle, it is much easier to pull out your knife/gun and shoot/cut at an opening rather than in desperation try to "disarm" them which is unreliable.

training in unarmed MAs teachers often give you a false sense of security about yourself and unrealistic notions about weapons. If you fight someone with a knife unarmed you WILL get cut. Also the best defence to a weapon, is to understand how it can be used and what makes it deadly, and to just see the power and finality of it.

Answer 5

Jo Staff or Escrima.

If you're looking for a "traditional" weapon form that you can use in the real and modern world, I'd recommend stick fighting.

The "fighting stick" actually has several modern world substitutes that can be found laying around a room or in a car like a walking cane, and full length umbrella for a jo or broken pool stick, chair leg or tire iron for an escrima stick.

But that's "traditional" to modern, and as Japanese pointed out - a gun can turn an untrained peasant into a killing machine without needing years of training (one of the reasons Guns were outlawed in Japan). So with that in mind, no traditional training will ever match a crack head with a .38 - sad but true. The best martial art school is really the one that teaches you how to avoid the fight before it happens in the first place... but if you have to get into one, and it happened to be raining that day - you've always got a makeshift jo staff.

Answer 6

A style that teaches the use of weapons that are easily adaptable. People who answer jo, bo, escrima are on the right track in my opinion, as those weapons are fairly accessibly every where you go. I often carry a hunting or throwing knife with me if I go out after dark (this is a dangerous city in places), and knowledge of knife techniques if valuable since at higher levels you don't have to resort to the types of attacks that kill people and get you put in jail. Also, many attackers will use a knife, so knowing what they are likely to do with it is again valuable.

Anything can be a weapon. Car keys are easily adaptable for piercing or slashing. If it's chilly out, wear a scarf. Use it to blind your opponent and conceal your movement if someone comes at you. You could also use it to trap attacks, or wrap it around your fist or arm if your opponent has a knife.

People who answer "use your mind" rais the point that intelligent fighting can overcome an armed opponent, but that doesn't answer the question raised here.

I highly disagree that a gun is the ultimate neutralizer. At close quarters, a knife is more dangerous, and most street fights or robberies start at a distance of maybe a foot or two. If you really had to fight for your life between a guy with a knife and a guy with a gun, you'd be better off fighting the guy with the gun.

Answer 7

I'd probably have to say staff or escrima stick (yes of course you MORONS, a gun would be a good weapon, but THAT'S NOT WHAT WAS ASKED!) You would be able to find staff/stick like materials all over the place. It's funny, but most people completely overlook the practical applications for studying nunchaku. Yes, you won't be walking down the street with a pair, but it's the principle of momentum that's important. If you have used nunchuks, the same principles would apply with a rope, chain, your belt, or even a sock with a freakin rock inside.

Answer 8

There is no weapon style that can be held in this time and age due to the OVER use of guns,but i would say that maybe the Bo staff would be most useful due to the fact you could find something that is like it to use.(stick,pipe,etc.) I would even go as far as saying the kendo stick. Like I said before you could pick up something like it and use it. How often will you have a sword or a pair of sai's near by or even a nunchucku. So i would say Bo staff or Kendo stick.

Answer 9

The Filipino stick fighting arts like escrima is very applicable to real world. Even someone going after you with a heavy (and relatively slower-moving) bat can be neutralized if you get used to the ultra fast stick fight/defense moves of escrima. One of the easiest objects you can readily find is a stick and knowing what to do with it makes knowledge of escima valuable.

Kung fu weapons training is also very useful in getting you an even deeper understanding of weapons mechanics and principles. The various weapons training taken as a whole allow a practitioner to practically turn ordinary objects into weapons since you get exposure to rigid sticks, articulated weapons, throwing weapons, knives/swords, etc. The weapons of kung fu aren't found in ordinary life but the techniques are transferable for use with ordinary objects.

Answer 10

I believe the Bo is the most applicable weapon today. If you can handle a 6foot piece of wood then you can use anything you may come across in a world encounter.

But, in today's world one must focus on empty hand as you are not allowed to carry weapons ( only the "bad guys" seem to carry them)

Answer 11

Uh... The real answer is....the folding chair.
Believe it or not, it's used in all cultures old and new. From the Kung Fu movie to the WWE as well as daily street fights. The chairs themselves might come in different shapes and sizes but the essence of weaponary is the same.

P.S. Guns and knives, sticks and stones are just too obvious to be mentioned.