Basically any style can be, the big thing is as far as "practical" is how they train.
Do they spar? Is their sparring full resistance, full speed? Do they work their attacks and defenses at high intensity? When a person is punching at the other, are they both actively trying to hit each other or is it just prechoreographed? When they work a technique is it then incorporated into hard sparring? When they work weapon defenses is the "attacker" actually trying to stab/shoot? How do they simulate real world scenarios as close to possible?
Training methods are way more important than style name.
Unnarmed techniques are a miniscule portion of actual self defense, but for that portion Martial Arts is a niche. But keep in mind, in order to have practical application of technique, you have to have done it hundreds of times against people who were actively trying to stop you from doing it and are attacking at the same time.
Meaning they don’t let you put them in a lock, or let you counter an attack, they are trying to win. That is how you build practical training.
There are two schools of thought on this. One, a martial art that is founded on practicing your techniques at full or near full strength, and two, one that actually teaches techniques and I’ll say ‘a frame of mind’ in a fight/self defense situation.
The former I would say includes Judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, boxing, tae kwan do. The advantage of these is that you are not pulling punches, you actually perform the techniques the same way in practice that you would if you had to in a self defense situation, you are spending time in a fight (competition) learning how people really move and how you can move in a real situation. You experience the adrenaline rush and the gassing out that comes with it. I would say the disadvantages are that you really don’t focus on self defense situations per se. It isn’t necessarily part of the training…now you could adapt the techniques to these situations and I know that the above disciplines do that to various degrees, but many times the focus is more on competition. Also, remember that competitions have rules, street fights do not.
On the other hand you have the more traditional martial arts like Aikido, maybe traditional jiujitsu, various chinese styles we could call Kung Fu, etc. Here the focus in on a whole mind body connection, movements that are associated with self defense are taught, but many argue that the movements are so complex that it takes years of training and a very high skill level to use these practically. But the advantages here are that you are taught self defense situations, your mind is also trained to avoid fights, a real traditional martial art is a way of life, not just learning how to fight. I would say you don’t get the "false" sense if invincibility that you may get if you dominate your dojo, and then somebody pulls a knife on you…
So, that is my two cents. I think a good mixture of both is the way to go. You need to be able to practice your techniques at full strength to know what really works and to be able recognize dangerous situations and act accordingly.
You train for limited offence (rules and mats and supervision)
Self defense usually entails Unlimited offense (possible life or death situation).
Most of the "self defense" you learn are just limited mini kata’s (man comes at you overhead swing with club, you respond with dragging eagle): that kind of nonsense.
Don’t get stuck on style; everybody in a cult thinks their style is the true way.
And now; all you keyboard ninja’s, time to hit the thumbs down button.
I agree with – zaphodsc. Very few martial arts do "real" self defense.
But to be honest, how could they? Always training for real self defense means there would be broken bodies all over the place. There has to be some sacrifices made so one can continue training in a some what safe and enduring manner. Unfortunately realism and intensity are the first two victims in most martial arts but what else can you do? Safety and fighting are two words that just don’t go together.
its not the style that is geared towards self defense, it all depends on your instructor and how you train.
you need to find a good instructor that understands the reality of what he teaches, every style has its pros and cons, but the instructor and the training are the 2 most important facts the style is secondary
I Agree with Shihan J.; but if you are looking for specific training, reality based styles are where it’s at. Check out Krav Maga, Haganah, Senshido, or look up Tony Blauer (S.P.E.A.R) or Damien Ross( The Self Defense Company) also attend any self defense classes put on by law enforcement personnel
95% of them.
Basically any style can be, the big thing is as far as "practical" is how they train.
Do they spar? Is their sparring full resistance, full speed? Do they work their attacks and defenses at high intensity? When a person is punching at the other, are they both actively trying to hit each other or is it just prechoreographed? When they work a technique is it then incorporated into hard sparring? When they work weapon defenses is the "attacker" actually trying to stab/shoot? How do they simulate real world scenarios as close to possible?
Training methods are way more important than style name.
Unnarmed techniques are a miniscule portion of actual self defense, but for that portion Martial Arts is a niche. But keep in mind, in order to have practical application of technique, you have to have done it hundreds of times against people who were actively trying to stop you from doing it and are attacking at the same time.
Meaning they don’t let you put them in a lock, or let you counter an attack, they are trying to win. That is how you build practical training.
http://www.straightblastgym.com/aliveness101.html
There are two schools of thought on this. One, a martial art that is founded on practicing your techniques at full or near full strength, and two, one that actually teaches techniques and I’ll say ‘a frame of mind’ in a fight/self defense situation.
The former I would say includes Judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, boxing, tae kwan do. The advantage of these is that you are not pulling punches, you actually perform the techniques the same way in practice that you would if you had to in a self defense situation, you are spending time in a fight (competition) learning how people really move and how you can move in a real situation. You experience the adrenaline rush and the gassing out that comes with it. I would say the disadvantages are that you really don’t focus on self defense situations per se. It isn’t necessarily part of the training…now you could adapt the techniques to these situations and I know that the above disciplines do that to various degrees, but many times the focus is more on competition. Also, remember that competitions have rules, street fights do not.
On the other hand you have the more traditional martial arts like Aikido, maybe traditional jiujitsu, various chinese styles we could call Kung Fu, etc. Here the focus in on a whole mind body connection, movements that are associated with self defense are taught, but many argue that the movements are so complex that it takes years of training and a very high skill level to use these practically. But the advantages here are that you are taught self defense situations, your mind is also trained to avoid fights, a real traditional martial art is a way of life, not just learning how to fight. I would say you don’t get the "false" sense if invincibility that you may get if you dominate your dojo, and then somebody pulls a knife on you…
So, that is my two cents. I think a good mixture of both is the way to go. You need to be able to practice your techniques at full strength to know what really works and to be able recognize dangerous situations and act accordingly.
i think there s a practical aspect in every martial art. As someone once put it, "in the end we all have 2 legs and 2 hands."
Almost none of them.
Many are geared to the sport aspect of MA.
You train for limited offence (rules and mats and supervision)
Self defense usually entails Unlimited offense (possible life or death situation).
Most of the "self defense" you learn are just limited mini kata’s (man comes at you overhead swing with club, you respond with dragging eagle): that kind of nonsense.
Don’t get stuck on style; everybody in a cult thinks their style is the true way.
And now; all you keyboard ninja’s, time to hit the thumbs down button.
I agree with – zaphodsc. Very few martial arts do "real" self defense.
But to be honest, how could they? Always training for real self defense means there would be broken bodies all over the place. There has to be some sacrifices made so one can continue training in a some what safe and enduring manner. Unfortunately realism and intensity are the first two victims in most martial arts but what else can you do? Safety and fighting are two words that just don’t go together.
Krav Maga
its not the style that is geared towards self defense, it all depends on your instructor and how you train.
you need to find a good instructor that understands the reality of what he teaches, every style has its pros and cons, but the instructor and the training are the 2 most important facts the style is secondary
I Agree with Shihan J.; but if you are looking for specific training, reality based styles are where it’s at. Check out Krav Maga, Haganah, Senshido, or look up Tony Blauer (S.P.E.A.R) or Damien Ross( The Self Defense Company) also attend any self defense classes put on by law enforcement personnel