What is the best martial art to study for self-defense?

Answer 1

Since when is there a best? Its not what type you study but how hard you commit yourself to the training they give you.

Answer 2

I feel the best martial art to study for self defense is Shoalin Kung Fu. I personally have not had the pleasure of studying it but from reading, observing & what I have learned so far leads me to my conclusion.

Answer 3

having traveled to the far east and seen martial arts in its many forms over the years i can only say .

hmm
i think to find out the answer to your question you need to understand what defence is, and what martial arts is.

Defense is the action of protecting something from potential injury, psycological or physical, defence is defence.

the guy who says WATCH OUT I KNOW KUNG FU, is still going to be attacked, if the argument has already gotten that far...so there really isnt any particular style of fighting that you can just mention to avoid confrontation.

the martial arts. ( the combat art )
martial arts is just that, an art. its something developed through years of practice..theres no such thing as a full proof 3 step course to fighting in 2 months or whatever some people try to sell you. those are peddlers..not artists.

the art of fighting employs two things in simple form..

the training to avoid being hit through redirection or blocking and holds

the training to prevent further attacks by nutralizing your opponent with your own attacks.

all combat in any form is branched into its many smaller descriptions from those two princables.

one thing i learned probably before you were born about martial arts is that the confrontation starts with intention.. then moves on to vocal and THEN physical attacks.
so the real martial artist who stands silently and takes the verbal abuse is the obvious stronger..he is letting his opponent get his aggression out through his mouth.
this ussualy ends in no physical combat. which is in essense the point of martial arts...no need to worry about a fight.

size, strength , even exepctional study in style such as karate are easily bypassed by someone who knows what their capable of and knows how to find the other persons strengths.because from their strengths their weakness shows.

That by the way is logistic thinking..everyone does that, lawyers, doctors, carpenters, the guy in the other car looking for an opening to slip into another lane a whole 2 carlengths ahead of you.

Martial arts is just a way to teach you how to think and argue and counter in the physical, when you get deeper you realize it also teaches you about how to argue and counter in the psycological., out-think your opponent and if you do it properly fitting the situation he will never get to the point of physical.

So in all, its really an issue of what you want out of martial arts. if it is to get props or instill fear in someone who rubs you the wrong way, i doubt you will learn much other than to be a bully. if it is more important than that and you find the need to learn self protection for all situations, i garantee that it will help.

as for which style, thats up to you, ive seen a tiger style kung fu fighter beaten within an inch of his life by an akido master.
and ive seen a shiori-kempo fighter beaten red by a thai boxer. so style isnt the issue..its what you want out of it as to how much you can learn from it.

Answer 4

Ninjitsu lol.

but seriously , if it's purely for defensive purpose , tai chi is also a good choice , it use the enemy strength and attacks on themselves

Answer 5

Only self-control

Answer 6

Kiukoshingai-Do

Answer 7

whatever you are capable of some take more time and expertise than others . there are some easy concepts to begin with though for beginners .

Answer 8

Something that can deflect a bullet. lol