most versatile and affective martial art?

Question

I need a martial art that will get me into shape but also give me superior demand over my body and defense

Answer 1

Do your self a favor. Find a good school, not a good style.
The quality and frequency of your training is more important than the style you train in.

Tips for a good school:
Never sign a contract
Never pay for rank testing
Take lots of free classes
Ask to observe there contact and kumite drills
Ask to see the teachers lineage
Only consider clean schools with respectful people.

Good Luck!

Answer 2

If you live near Boston, might i suggest Brazilian Impacto?

It's a copyrighted form of mma that includes Judo, Muay Thai, Brazilian Jujitsu, wrestling, boxing, and a hint of capoeria. So you will get a good work out (I went from 177 to 137 when i started training in 6 months) as well as give you superior demand over body and defense.
The school that teaches it is part of the top 3 schools in Brazil (up there with Gracie).

Answer 3

I agree 100% w/ RDF above. Jeet Kune Do is the style I personally reccomend only because it's based on the same principles RDF mentioned. Bruce Lee initially studied Wing Chung Kung Fu, he then developed JKD, which he actually didn't want to name since naming the style "boxed it in" by giving it a "label" Every person is different, so the style best suited to each individual will vary, not to mention the fact that when your FIGHTING somone, each OPPONENT is different. If you fight and win w/ one guy, the same thing won't necesarilly bring you out on top the next day against a different opponent. Find what's right for you.As far as getting in shape and better "demand" over yourself phisically, that's actually something you can do outside of martial arts. Go to the gym! Whether it's size,endurance,power/strength,speed,or definition your after, any one or all of those things can be developed working out. Good Luck.

Answer 4

The most versatile and effective art is the one that YOU apply for yourself. If you know and can perform all ranges of combat practically, then your OWN art is versatile and effective.

You can take any practical technique and make your own art. Your own expression. Don't listen to people that will tell you that Muay Thai is the best or Brazilian Jujitsu, or such and such, because those people are all stuck in set styles. The only art that is best for you is your own art and that is up for YOU to determine.

Answer 5

Hapkido is the largest of all martial arts with over 9 thousand techniques including variants. Included within this self defense system are long and short range kicks, knee strikes, elbow strikes, hand strikes and punches, pressure points, Judo style throws and pins, thousands of joint locks and pins (including every technique in Aikido though modified for more conventional use,) and weapon usage ranging from sticks, staffs, and swords, to improvised weaponry such as belts and canes. Furthermore it's mixture of hard and soft style techniques enable you to incapacitate an attacker without harm if necessary, or damage them in ways most MMA rules don't even allow (head butts, elbows to the spine, facial pressure points, small digit manipulations and even killing techniques.) Hapkido even involves breathing exercises and meditative techniques that help sharpen one's mind and and spirit, as well as body.
Also unlike other all-encompassing forms of self defense like Krav Maga or Jeet Kun Do, Hapkido is a formalized style all to it's own and doesn't require prior martial arts knowledge.

I've been involved with Hapkido for a couple years now and can honestly say it's the best martial art I've experienced. From stints with BJJ, Karate, Boxing, Wrestling, Tae Kwon Do, Judo, nothing really covers all areas of self defense like Hapkido.

However I do stress the importance of a good teacher. A crappy Hapkido teacher with fake credentials, is going to be no more effective a self defense teacher as a 1 hour community center free seminar.

Answer 6

Tae Kwon Do is the most versatile and effective martial art

Answer 7

Hundred meter dash. Great cardio work out, keeps you in shape and helps keeps you from getting your head bashed in by jerks looking for a fight as well : P

Answer 8

muay thai is the best striking art in my opinion because unlike boxing, karate, tkd, ect...you use elbows and knees and they teach you the clinch game. bjj in my opinion is the best on the ground. if your looking to get in shape and know how to defend yourself I'd do muay thai

Answer 9

9mm Uzi works well...for the shape issue..eat well and go to the gym

Answer 10

Try kajukenbo or CHA 3 kenpo.