What is the most practical and applicable martial art for modern day self-defense?

Question

I don't care about it being "fancy", I don't care about meditation, or character development, I just want to be better able to defend myself.

Right now I was thinking of looking into Defendo(Bill Underwood's martial art that spun off of Combato, not the newer, unrelated one) or Emerson Combat Systems. If anyone more familiar with martial arts has any suggestions, they would be greatly appreciated.

I am looking for something with emphasis on unarmed self-defense with the goal of knocking an aggressor(or aggressors) unconscious, gun and knife disarms, and improvised weapons.

Answer 1

Look, I'm just going to say it like it really is. If you are looking for the most practical art, then you are going to be looking for the rest of your life. There is no most practical art. Martial arts in themselves are lifeless. It's all dependant on the martial artists and how they apply their techniques.

The answer is inside YOU already. Look there to find what you are looking for. Include all ranges of combat into your own unique martial art and make sure the techniques are done practically, and then you will have nothing to worry about.

You can take different arts and learn the techniques as you go along. If you come across any that are useless, then just digard them or modify them. You do this until you have enough strategies to build a foundation. Then from this foundation, you can build upon it by trying different techniqes at random, because combat is always changing, so you have to keep adapting to it.

By going this route, you will more than likely be able to find what you are looking for rather than following a fixed set of patterns that were originally tailored for the founder of the art.

Answer 2

RDF is right- Practicality is so subjective. It is simply doing/learning what works for you. Without knowing factors such as your experience, height, favorite type of attacks in situations, et cetera: People can only suggest styles on the level of the styles themselve.

Cnote brought some good suggestions, in that the styles he listed cover all fighting ranges. All you really need to do is find a good school(s), that teach you fighting on all ranges. After you've become proficient in all ranges: Keep practicing, and experiment with people that do other styles and more.

Those combat systems are great (Systema, Krav Maga, Haganna, the ones you listed, MCMAP, Combatives, and San Shou for example), but they are great because they prepare you so many situations.

If you are looking for strict self-defense basis: Take a style like the ones listed, or take self-defense classes. If you don't: Try some traditional/non-traditonal arts, and make sure you cover all fighting ranges in the process. That's all you'll really need.

Good luck.

Answer 3

That's good that you're not looking for anything "fancy". Sounds like you want a good, solid, and realistic self defense system. If the website says that the instructor will cover phsycological effects during a confrontation, use of force (legal self defense stuff), prevention/diffusing a bad situation, then go for it. As for the physical side of it, avoid systems that teach roundhouse kicks to the head, or kicks that go further up than the waist.

Many have already mentioned some good self defense systems. You can't beat boxing. As long as you incorporate realistic training scenarios to it, boxing will do you good. Krav Maga (Israeli self defense system) is also good. Krav Maga will teach you a good combination of punching/kicking.

I will personally tell you that if the instructor has some street experience, he/she will go over the phsycological part of self defense. This is very important. When you have someone screaming/threatening you, you have to stand your ground, AND confidently, You'll need to stay calm. You'll experience anxiety at the beginning, and shaking (your adrenaline starting to pump). Your mind/heart will be racing at 300mph, coupled with fear. You won't be able to think as clearly as you would when not under stress. I know this because I've experienced it myself during my early year as a security guard. I have done armed security work at various events/concerts, four years straight, full-time. Most people understood that I was simply doing my job, but there were always a few that didn't want to "back down" (Either that, or they wanted to pick a fight for the heck of it).

If things don't go too well, and you're forced to use force on the attacker, all these early symptoms that I just explained will go away. Once you're physically defending yourself, you will be fighting at your hardest, full-speed. Your training won't take long to kick in after the first few seconds. Your fear will all of a sudden go away, and you will loose focus of others around you. This is what the inexperienced will experience on their very first confrontation. For those who deal with difficult people for a living (security guards, cops, bouncers) will obviously handle bad situations with more skill. Lazy, out-of-shape security guards don't count.

I don't do armed security work anymore, people started to really get to me after a while. Also, I've been confronted on the street, twice while off-work (wrong place at the wrong time, without incident at the end). Just about a few weeks ago, I got surrounded by three gang members because I scared their pitbull away from my yard. They were giving me a lot of BS, but at the end, I kinda talked my way out of it. Learn how to properly punch/kick, learn a few escapes from bear hugs, headlocks, etc., one or two takedowns, and a bit of ground-fighting. A good self defense system will teach all of this. It's true what some said here, if you're serious about training, you'll be training for the rest of your life. Defending yourself is 90% mental, and 10% physical. You can email me, if you'd like.

Answer 4

The art that has impressed me the most as being purely for self-defense is Aikido (or the Korean equivalent, Hapkido). It is the only martial art I know whose intent is to allow a smaller, lighter opponent to overcome a larger, heavier, and often stronger one. It is not particularly practical as a defensive art when used against opponents who are skilled in grappling martial arts, but its defenses against armed or unarmed people in a real-life attack situation are terrific.

Answer 5

I recommend going with a combat based system.My background is in Kung Fu,Kenpo Karate,Marine Corp H2H(8yr Marine Veteran) and Systema.What I've seen of Krav Mag is impressive.Systema gets alot of bad hype that the history is fictitcious and it's designed to get your money.I get comments every time I mention it.I practice it.It's unique in many aspects and it works.The founders are highly skilled combat veterans.It teaches every thing you ask for plus knife fighting and handgun skills.I know many people are opposed to handguns but if youv'e ever faced one as I have and are out of range for disarming,you'll reconsider.I was allowed to walk,but many in my city aren't given that opportunity. Good luck in finding what works for you.

Answer 6

Whatever you think it is, you have to choose one, and you have to make it happen.
You can try out one, a few, or many, and in each and everyone you'll find somehting you like and dislike.
There is no such thing as the perfect system, and they are only as good as the individual 'user' of it.
How good do you think is a gun in a monkeys hand?
How deadly is close quarter combat in the hands of a trained SAS soldier?

Answer 7

any art that focuses on self defence rather than sport. dont get me wrong sport focus martial arts can give you a good handle on self defense. for instance i take muay thai but if needed to defend myself hand 2 hand standing up im sure i'll do ok.

but hybrid self defense systems/martial arts are designed one to be more complete(using striking, grappling, ground fighting and weapons) and two to attack without rules just being able to survive and three techniques specifically tailored to real life situations such as a surprise attack, choke hold, strikes, multiple attackers, weapons etc...

systems that comes to mind are jeetkunedo, san soo, and krav maga

my preference is krav maga since i've taken it
http://www.history.com/minisite.do?content_type=Minisite_Generic&content_type_id=55005&display_order=5&sub_display_order=9&mini_id=54986

Answer 8

Boxing is not good for disarming gunman, unless you're a pro with your hands.

Learn MCMAP (Marine Corps Martial Arts Program)
In this program, you can do anything. They combine the world best moves.

How to disarm, How to paralysis, How to Kill, How to defence, How to knock out, How to counter.

Answer 9

Krav Maga is what your looking for. your question almost describes it to a tee!

easy to learn and brutally effective.

Answer 10

Isreali hand to hand combat, took it for a month, the best in hand to hand combat. they teach you how to counter strike and tosses like ju-juitsu.