Someone, talking about the qualities of martial arts, thinks about how it could be used both in competitions and on the street. Someone is thinking about using it against other martial arts. We will try to reason in both of these directions.

Shock types of single combats

The percussion types include martial arts, in which wrestling is not used, but only strikes are used. These sports include boxing, Muay Thai, kickboxing, taekwondo, some types of karate, etc. For each of them, competitions are held where athletes can test their level of skill.

At the moment, modern martial arts do not use the formal sequences of movements that are used in traditional martial arts. A striking representative is karate with its own kata. Many experts in the field of martial arts consider kata to be a relic of the past and now more attention needs to be paid to practice (working in pairs and sparring). But representatives of traditional types of martial arts believe that such formal training of techniques and combinations is necessary.

My opinion on this matter is that formal training of combinations in the air is of course necessary, but they should go on without interruption from practice, so that each student understands how this or that movement is applied in a real situation.

Even in the same boxing, athletes pay a lot of attention to working in front of the mirror, training the clarity of movements when hitting. This is very valuable, because they understand that a correctly delivered blow is more dangerous than a poorly executed one.

Wrestling styles of martial arts

In wrestling, practicing in the air is much less than in traditional percussion styles. But nevertheless, to some extent, this is also present. In addition, there are significant differences in different areas of wrestling styles. Many of them prefer a certain level of struggle. For example, judo gradually began to specialize more in standing than in parterre. And jiu-jitsu, on the contrary, moved mainly to the ground. This is due to the evaluation system of sports competitions, preparing for which, athletes more intensively work out those technical actions for which they can get more points in the tournament.

At the moment, only Sambo is more or less able to balance between the upper and lower levels of wrestling.

Traditional types of martial arts

There are many martial arts that, according to some experts, are suitable only for competitions and that they are useless on the street. On this occasion, there are many attacks in the direction of Taekwondo, Karate, Aikido, Wing Chun and other authentic martial arts.

In my opinion, such claims are partly justified, since such martial arts are stuck in their development.

The fact is that for centuries, schools of such martial arts tried to isolate themselves from each other and did not exchange experience. Competitions, of course, were not held either. This was due to the fact that each school tried to maintain its individuality. But on the other hand, this could be due to the selfishness of the founder of a certain fighting direction and, as a consequence, because of the fear of comparing his style with others, which would inevitably lead to the identification of many shortcomings and undermine the authority of the creator of this direction of martial arts. All this made the areas of martial arts more and more closed from the outside world. The exceptions are those combat directions that were developed for use in hostilities, that is, in wars. But these are again more applied areas, in which bladed weapons were most often used. But on the other hand, the fighters of such directions had great practice and the level of skill could be assessed by whether a representative of this or that martial art is still alive or dead.

On the other hand, maybe it was the fear of death that made martial arts schools closed. Nobody wanted to give out the secrets of deadly techniques that can be used to eliminate the enemy.

But nevertheless, in our time, the success of mastery directly depends on the ability to enrich your own experience, identify your own shortcomings and work them out.

Wrestlers VS. Drummers

At the competition, the skill of athletes in their sport is tested. They compete on equal terms and there are no contradictions. The one who has the best command of the competitive discipline wins. But who will win if representatives of different martial arts meet on the street?

If the battle is going to be one-on-one. Then the chances of winning will be approximately equal for the representatives different types martial arts. For example, two absolutely abstract athletes met in a battle: a judoka and a boxer. Which of them will win if their skill level is about the same?

It will not be possible to answer this question objectively. If the judoka manages to capture and makes an amplitude throw, for which the boxer is clearly not ready, since he has not studied any throws or correct falls, then the fight will come to an end. But if it happens that when trying to make a grip, he runs into a counter blow, then the fight will also be ended ahead of schedule, but in favor of the drummer in the person of the boxer.

And this applies to almost any shock or wrestling type of martial arts. Much will depend on the ability to avoid what you are not ready for and start doing what you are ready for. But if something happens that I would like to avoid, then there is a great chance of failure.

The street

So what martial arts is more effective for a street fight against a regular, random opponent? Again, if the fight takes place one on one, then any martial art will be effective: both wrestling and striking. But if the fight will take place against two or more opponents, then the efficiency is on the side of the strikers. Obviously you can fight
simultaneously with only one opponent, while his teammates can strike a wrestler whose hands are busy, which excludes the possibility of defending.

The striker, in turn, can strike several opponents in turn, the main thing is to choose the correct tactics of fighting and have the required skill.

But by and large, no matter how skill an athlete would have, a fight against several opponents is something that must be avoided with all his might, since it is too dangerous. After all, no one knows what a street scumbag can get from his bosom. But nevertheless, the drummer always has an advantage over the fighter in any street fight. This advantage lies in the ability to flee. Thanks to the conduct of the battle with the help of strikes, rather than throws, a striking style fighter always has the opportunity to break the distance with opponents up to several kilometers.

But it may also be that hooligans have experience in street fights and know that if help is approaching, the victim cannot be released, and they will try to seize in order to drag out the time until the arrival of their hooligan comrades-in-arms. To be able to avoid such problems, the fighter must be able to get rid of the grip, and this is partly the skill of the fighter.

This means, therefore, for street fighting, it is desirable to have punching skills and some basic principles of wrestling, at least in order not to be on the ground and not be hammered with feet.

Mixed martial arts styles

And now let's find out what kind of martial art gives practitioners the skills of both striking and wrestling techniques at the same time. This is, as many have guessed, martial arts mixed styles... Mixed martial arts include:

• Hand-to-hand combat,
• Army hand-to-hand combat,
• Pankration,
• Combat Sambo,
• Kudo,
• Wushu Sanda,
• MMA (Mix Fight).

Despite the obvious advantages that were justified above, mixed styles have one drawback. Due to the large amount of material in the form of striking and wrestling techniques, fighters of mixed styles in order to perfectly master the discipline studied, it takes much more time than it takes to master homogeneous styles. That is why people who already own some kind of martial art often come to mixed martial arts and want to expand their combat arsenal, as well as learn how to connect it with each other.

If you do not feel too confident seeing the girl off in the evenings, and the last fight ended for you in the eighth second, it’s time to change something in this life.

For example, stop pumping in gym calf muscles useless in close combat, and to do something more serious.

In just 6-18 months, everyone can learn how to fight well. Here are the five most effective self-defense systems:

# 5: Kyokushinkai Karate

The legendary Masutatsu Oyama invented this most spectacular kind of karate 60 years ago. They say that he just got tired of watching the ancient martial art degenerate and become less and less contact. As a result, already in the 1960s, Oyama's brainchild was called nothing more than "karate for millions."

If you choose kyokushinkai, then after one and half year you will be able to pass the exam for the 6th kyu - student "grade" with a yellow belt. And this means that you can deal with one or two amateurs to "light a cigarette" in the alley without a lighter.

# 4: kickboxing

Legend has it that the term kickboxing was coined by Chuck Norris in the early 1970s. Whether it’s true or not, this fusion of boxing and oriental martial arts has become very popular all over the world. No dans, kyu or other tameshiwari. Instead, a battle familiar to the Slavic soul, where blows are inflicted in full force - with feet and hands. In a word, everything you need to stand up for yourself if something happens.

Of course, it is much easier to advance in kickboxing if you have passed a technical educational program in boxing or taekwondo. But already after a year and a half classes "from scratch" you will feel that you are worth something in this world.

# 3: Jiu-Jitsu

This martial arts veteran is over 400 years old. But if earlier this samurai training complex taught how to not only break the enemy, but also quickly send him to the next world, today it is just self-defense for everyone.

Unlike karate, in jiu-jitsu, the emphasis is not on punches and blocks, but on creases, strangulation, painful holds and throws. It was not for nothing that even the city dwellers of Tsarist Russia at the beginning of the 20th century studied the techniques of this system. To master Jiu-Jitsu at a level sufficient for self-defense, you have enough 8-10 months.

# 2: Kadochnikov's system

The "youngest" self-defense system was born in the restless head of the head of the laboratory of the Krasnodar military school, Alexei Kadochnikov, in 1983. Despite the fact that it is used in the special forces, it is available to everyone - from a teenager to a housewife.

The only drawback: to find out how "it" works, you need not so much to have a good punch with both hands, but to know physics, psychology and anatomy. Kadochnikov himself did not show the techniques, but explained the physical laws or the principles underlying them. Therefore, if you manage to find a science-savvy instructor, after 7-8 months training you will tear black belts like napkins.

# 1: Krav Magá

A unique school of contact combat, which is "professed" in the Israeli army, police and special forces. Has nothing to do with competitions, sparring, medals or any philosophy. And therefore it is considered the most effective and useful martial art in real life.

The Krav Maga was developed in the 1930s by Imi Lichtenfeld, who in this way decided to teach skinny Slovak Jews to fend off the attacks of muscular stormtroopers.

In this Israeli "struggle" everything is logical and well thought out. The emphasis is on countering an armed attack. And even to the smallest detail, the defense is practiced with improvised means (from a pencil to a diplomat) and a group fight.

The main thing in Krav Maga is to understand the reflexes of both your own and the enemy. If you are mobilized, you can really complete the course and become invincible in just 6 months.

Martial arts - various systems of martial arts and self-defense of different, often East Asian origin; developed mainly as a means of hand-to-hand combat. Currently, they are practiced in many countries of the world mainly in the form sports exercise aiming at physical and conscious improvement.

Classification

Martial arts are subdivided into directions, types, styles and schools. There are both quite old martial arts and new ones.

1. Martial arts are divided into wrestling, drums and oriental martial arts(includes not only the study of techniques, but also the philosophy of combat and life).
2. With or without weapons. Martial arts with the use of weapons include: all types of shooting, throwing knives, darts, etc., knife and stick fighting, fencing (foil, saber), various oriental martial arts (for example, wushu, kung fu, kendo) using nunchaku, poles, sabers and swords. Unarmed martial arts include all others, in which only different parts of the arms, legs and head are used.
3. Types of wrestling by country(national). Each nation has its own types of martial arts.

Let's consider the most famous of them.

• Japanese karate, ju-jutsu (ju-jitsu), judo, aikido, sumo, kendo, kudo, iaido, kobujutsu, nunchaku-jutsu, ninjutsu (a comprehensive system of training medieval Japanese spies, including hand-to-hand combat, disguise, learning ninja, methods etc.).
• Chinese wushu and kung fu. In addition, in China there are also various styles that imitate the behavior of animals, birds, insects, as well as a style that imitates the behavior of a drunk person ("drunkard" style).
• Korean hapkido, taekwondo (taekwondo).
• Thailand muay thai or thai boxing.
• Russians sambo and combat sambo, hand-to-hand combat.
• European boxing, French boxing (savat), freestyle and Greco-Roman (classical) wrestling.
• Brazilian capoeira, jiu-jitsu.
• Israeli Krav Maga.
• Mixed kinds... MMA (mixfight), K-1, kickboxing, grappling are mixed types, techniques in which are taken from other martial arts and martial arts.
• Olympic types of single combats... Some of the types of wrestling, single combats and martial arts are included in the program Olympic Games... These include boxing, freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling, judo, taekwondo, various types of shooting.

The difference between martial arts and martial arts

All sports martial arts differ from real martial arts in that they are always aimed at fighting one person (therefore they are called martial arts), who is always honest and a good athlete, and always acts within the framework of certain predetermined clearly agreed rules.

Also, in combat sports, there is most often a division by weight category, weapons, dastardly techniques and the effect of surprise are not used there, as well as techniques that can very seriously injure a person.

But naturally, in a real battle on the street, such excellent combat conditions are rare. There can be attacked by three of them, they can put a knife to the throat, or even strike from behind without warning in advance, so let's try to further discuss more effective and applied types of martial arts.

Aikido

This self-defense system was created by the master Morihei Ueshiba (1883-1969) based on one of the directions of jiu-jitsu. Certain aikido techniques were borrowed from the so-called Chinese wushu. soft styles, where the vector of application of force to the enemy coincides with the direction of movement of the enemy himself. The fundamental difference between aikido and other martial arts is the lack of offensive techniques. The main sequence of the fighter's actions boils down to grabbing the opponent's hand or wrist, throwing him to the ground and already here, with the help of a painful hold, finally neutralize. Aikido movements usually follow a circular path.

There are no competitions or championships in aikido. Nevertheless, it is very popular as the art of self-defense and quickly incapacitating the enemy. Like karate and judo, aikido is widespread outside Japan, including in Russia.

American kick boxing

Another type of boxing is "American kickboxing" according to the legend, its name and even the development of the fighting style is prescribed to the famous actor and of course multiple champion in kickboxing Chuck Noris. Kickboxing is translated almost literally as "Kicking and punching."

Because kickboxing has become a mixture of martial arts wushu, English boxing, muay thai, karate and taekwondo. Ideally, fights should take place at full strength and at all levels, that is, kicks and punches are allowed at full strength throughout the body. This allows kickboxers to become quite dangerous opponents both in the ring and outside it, but nevertheless, this is a sports system and it was not initially sharpened for street fighting.

English boxing and French boxing

Although that modern English boxing, which we know, since about 1882, was recognized in its former form as hazardous to health and began to be conducted according to the rules known today, which finally reduced its combat effectiveness. But after this time, a bunch of similar combat "boxing" systems from different countries of the world have become known.

Of the most famous types of boxing, the French boxing "Savat" was once generally one of the best street fighting systems in Europe.

Savat is a European martial arts, also known as "French boxing", characterized by effective technique punches, dynamic kick technique, mobility and subtle strategy. Savat has long history: this kind of martial art originated as a synthesis of the French school of street hand-to-hand fighting and English boxing; in 1924 he was included in the Olympic Games in Paris as a demonstration sport.

Greco-Roman wrestling

Classic wrestling is a European type of martial arts in which two participants come together in a fight. The main task of each athlete is to put his opponent on his shoulder blades with the help of a number of different elements and techniques. The main difference Greco-Roman wrestling from other similar martial arts - this is a ban on the implementation of any techniques with feet (running boards, holds, sweeps, etc.). Also, you cannot do leg grabs.

Judo

Judo in translation from Japanese means "soft way". This is a modern combat sport originally from the Land of the Rising Sun. The main judo are throws, painful holds, holds and strangles. Judo is based on the principle of unity of mind and body and differs from other martial arts in less application physical strength when performing various technical actions.

Professor Jigoro Kano founded judo in 1882, in 1964 judo entered the program of the Summer Olympic Games. Judo is a codified sport in which the mind controls body movements, it has the most pronounced educational character in Olympic program... In addition to competitions, judo includes the study of technique, kata, self-defense, physical fitness and the development of the spirit. Judo as a sports discipline is a modern and progressive form of physical activity. International Federation Judo (IJF) includes 200 affiliated national federations on five continents. More than 20 million people practice judo, a sport that combines parenting and physical activity. IJF organizes over 35 events annually.

Jujutsu

Jiu-jitsu is a general name used for a combat system that is almost impossible to describe clearly. This is hand-to-hand combat, in most cases, without the use of weapons, and only in some cases - with weapons. Jiu-jitsu techniques include kicking, punching, throwing, holding, blocking, choking and tying, as well as using certain types of weapons. Jiu-jitsu relies not on brute strength, but on dexterity and dexterity. Using minimal effort to achieve maximum effect... This principle allows anyone, regardless of their physical shape or physique, to control and use their energy with the greatest efficiency.

Capoeira

(Capoeira) - Afro-Brazilian national martial art, a synthesis of dance, acrobatics and games, all accompanied by national Brazilian music. According to the generally accepted version, capoeira originated in South America in the 17-18 centuries.

But nevertheless, experts still argue about the homeland and the time of the emergence of such a unique art. No one knows exactly where it came from, who was the founder of the ancient skill and, like capoeira, has achieved rapid popularity from century to century.

There are several main hypotheses for its origin:

1. The African zebra dance, which was common among local tribes, became the prototype of the militant movements.
2. Capoeira is a fusion of ancient cultures - Latin American and African dances.
3. A slave dance that gradually developed into a martial art. It is associated with the landing of Europeans on the continent and the birth of the slave trade.

Karate

Karate ("the path of the empty hand") is a Japanese martial art that offers different ways of fighting with your hands and several techniques with the use of weapons, including edged weapons. In this single combat, grabs and throws are not used. The main principle is speed and speed, and the main task is to maintain the main stance for a long time. Therefore, first of all, balance plays a role in karate.

Kendo

During sports fights, fencers hold resilient bamboo swords, and special training armor covers their head, chest and arms. For purely executed strikes on certain parts of the opponent's body, the participants in the fight are awarded points.

Currently, kendo is not only a popular sport, but is also an integral part of physical education program Japanese schools.

Kobudo

The term "kobudo" in translation from Japanese means - "ancient military way". The original name is "kobujutsu" - "ancient martial arts (skills)". Under this term, the arts of possession of various types of eastern types of cold weapons are represented today.

Currently, there is a division of kobudo into two autonomous independent directions:

1. Nihon-kobudo is a direction combining systems common on the main islands of Japan and using in their arsenal cold weapons of samurai origin and weapons from the ninjutsu arsenal.
2. Kobudo (other names Ryukyu-kobudo and Okinawa-kobudo) is a direction that unites systems originating from the islands of the Ryukyu archipelago (modern Okinawa prefecture, Japan) using in the arsenal of tools (objects) of the peasant and fishing use of the inhabitants of these islands.

Sambo

Sambo belongs to the unique types of martial arts that have spread all over the world. It has become the only type of sports where international communication is held in Russian. There are two types of sambo, the first of which is combat, used to protect and disable the enemy. The second kind of this struggle is sports sambo, promotes the development of personal characteristics, temper the character and body, allows you to develop self-control and discipline.

Sumo

Sumo rules are very simple: to win, it is enough to either force the opponent to lose balance and touch the ring with any part of the body, except for the feet, or simply push him out of the ring. Usually the outcome of a fight is decided in a few seconds. The accompanying ceremonies can take much longer. The wrestlers are dressed only in a special loincloth.

In ancient times, sumo champions were venerated as saints; according to Japanese beliefs, the fighters, shaking the earth, not only make it more fertile, but also scare away evil spirits; Sumo wrestlers were sometimes hired to "drive disease" out of wealthy homes and even entire cities.

Therefore, such attention is paid to the weight of the wrestler (there are no weight categories in sumo). Since ancient times, a variety of diets and exercises have been preserved, which make it possible to most effectively gain Weight Limit... The age of professional wrestlers ranges between 18 and 35 years old. Most of the sumo champions become popular idols.

Thailand boxing

Muay Thai was developed as a military and army martial art, the fighters of which, with and without weapons, had to enter the personal guard of the king and actually confront entire armies of the outnumbered enemy on the battlefield.

But today, like previous sports martial arts, Muay Thai has undergone quite a lot of changes towards the sport, it has also changed a lot. modern rules which have become much more loyal and made this super-tough and even deadly martial art an order of magnitude less effective.

Although in more closed schools and even sects, even outside Thailand, which also teach Thai boxing, there are still people teaching more effective forms of it.

Taekwondo (taekwondo, taekwondo)

Taekwondo is a Korean martial art. His characteristic feature is that the legs are used more actively in the fight than the arms. In taekwondo, both straight kicks and kicks with a turn can be applied with equal speed and force. The martial art of taekwondo is over 2000 years old. Since 1955, this single combat has been considered a sport.

Wushu

Literally translated as martial art. This is the general name for traditional Chinese martial arts, more often called kung fu or Chinese boxing in the west. There are many different directions, wushu, which are conventionally divided into external (waijia) and internal (neijia). Outside or tough styles suggest good sports uniform fighter and high expenditure of physical energy during training. Indoor or soft styles require a lot of focus and flexibility.

As a rule, the philosophical basis of external styles is Ch'an Buddhism, and internal ones - Taoism. The so-called monastic styles are traditionally external and originate from Buddhist monasteries, one of which is the famous Shaolin Monastery (founded about 500 BC), where the Shaolin Quan style was formed, which influenced the development of many styles of Japanese karate.

Which martial art to choose?

The choice of activities depends primarily on your preferences and physical characteristics. Talitsa will help determine your body type and the appropriate type of struggle for this correspondence. Keep in mind, however, that only general guidelines are provided. Learning martial arts is a long process, during which your body will get used to, adapt to new conditions and gain experience in the martial arts that you choose.

Ectomorph

Tai Chi Chuan (Tai Chi Chuan)

This graceful non-offensive Chinese martial arts emphasizes stability, balance, balance and is ideal for thin people. A set of controlled, fluid movements will train all of your muscles to work together and in harmony. Do not confuse tai chi chuan and tai chi, which is offered in fitness clubs. Real schools are more challenging and allow their students to master many different weapons, including the double-edged sword.

This Chinese style is also called kung fu. There are over 300 varieties of wushu. Of these, Wing Chun (yunchun, "eternal spring") is suitable for people with a lack of weight and size. This style allows a small, lighter person to defeat a larger opponent by affecting sensitive areas of the body that are not protected by muscles (eyes, throat, groin, knees and specific nerve points). No particular flexibility is required as most of the shots are delivered low (kneecaps or shins).

Taekwondo (taekwondo, taekwondo)

It is desirable for this Korean martial arts to be lean, light and loose, as it is best known for its vast variety of high impact kicks. This fighting style relies more on feet than fists. Strikes to the head are common, so you should at least be able to raise your leg to the same height as your opponent's face. In class, you need to be prepared for the fact that you will receive a couple of painful blows, but in general, contacts are not very violent. In addition, taekwondo learners do not only train in battles with each other, as it is a type of martial arts where breaking boards and bricks with hands and feet is part of the training regimen.

Mesomorph

Aikido

Aikido does not focus on exhausting punches and kicks. The main focus is on using the opponent's own energy against himself, in order to incapacitate him (using locks on the wrist or grab his hands) or knock him back. This style is easier for people with an athletic build, as most offensive movements are more effective when the muscles are well developed. Also, unlike most martial arts, which requires you to complete 10 ranks before getting a black belt, this Japanese martial arts only has 6 levels.

Kendo

A Japanese martial art that allows you to wield a bamboo sword, dress like a samurai, and repeatedly stab your opponent in the neck and head. It sounds menacing, but in this combat, the body is protected by armor, similar to knightly armor, which minimizes damage. Speed, strong shoulders and arms are essential attributes of sword fighters, so a lean, muscular physique is ideal.

Muay Thai (Thai boxing)

Thai martial art with full contact with the opponent. Instead of just using fists and legs, the opponent is hit with a series of punches to the elbows and knees. Most suitable for people of athletic build with developed muscles around the joints. Those wishing to master this type of martial arts should be prepared for early retirement, since serious practitioners have a rather short career (4-5 years maximum).

Endomorph

Judo

A Japanese martial art that aims to upset an opponent's balance and throw them onto the carpet. Stocky people have an advantage in him when performing defensive maneuvers, as the extra weight helps to stand more stable in the ring. The onset of breathlessness will not be a problem in the initial stages of training, which are devoted to improving grips, maneuvers, and how to fall correctly. To reach a more advanced level, you will need to develop endurance.

Karate

Based on a combination of cultures (with roots in both Japan and Okinawa), karate is also a mixture of different martial techniques. Students learn how to fight with hands, several techniques with the use of weapons, including nunchucks. Although grabs and throws are not used in this combat, chunky people benefit from a more solid and stable position, which gives more power to their punches and blocks. Most varieties of karate are worth choosing, but if you are afraid of pain then be careful with styles that include kenpo, kempo, American freestyle, full contact in the name.

Shorinji-kempo

This boxing style of karate is more suitable for large people for several reasons. Firstly, he uses a series of punches, like in boxing, where stability in the ring due to a powerful physique is more important than strong fists. A strong physique will also be useful for mastering the techniques of dodging the opponent's punches. Punching will require flexibility, but punching is usually no higher than the waist.

Jiu-jitsu (jujutsu)

This Japanese technique combines many dangerous techniques of attack and defense. This type of single combat is merciless, since it was originally developed to train an unarmed person to neutralize an armed soldier. It will be easier to master jiu-jitsu for those who are accustomed to loads, have endurance and flexibility.

Many people wonder what kind of martial art is best to practice in order to feel confident in a conflict situation on the street. It was this question that prompted me to write this short article to help novice combatants.

In this article I will not say anything about street hand-to-hand combat or about applied martial arts in general. It will focus exclusively on those martial arts that I consider the most effective for street fighting today and of which I am a fan.

I would like to make a small reservation right away: martial arts, which have applied value, are inevitably associated with hardships and hardships of the training process. When you come to class, you will definitely get hit on the head, most likely it will be painful and hard for you, but the knowledge and experience that you gain will be one hundred percent real. Having started practicing one of the martial arts listed in this article, you are guaranteed at least something, but you will learn, it remains only to choose the optimal direction for you.

To begin with, I will announce the truth that absolutely all people who are fond of martial arts know: if you have never done anything before and start with a clean slate, then BOX is an ideal option for street self-defense. The thing is that boxing is a super-universal sport. With a solid foundation in boxing, your continued growth in the martial arts world will be no problem for you.

One of the main advantages of boxing over other martial arts is the relative simplicity and incredible efficiency of the technical arsenal practiced. That is why, if you do not have a lot of time and you are faced with the task of learning to fight as quickly as possible, boxing, due to its hyperspecialization, provides the best ratio of the time spent and the knowledge and technical skills acquired during this time. Among other things, the methodology for training boxers in our country has been worked out quite well, therefore, having come to almost any gym, you will receive high-quality training services.

However, this direction also has disadvantages, which are the reverse side and a continuation of its advantages: due to a rather narrow technical arsenal, a boxer remains vulnerable to a huge range of techniques used in hand-to-hand combat, such as throws, kicks, elbows, knees, wrestling technique, melee technique, etc…. However, this is not a cause for concern: in my experience, about eighty percent of the technique used in street fights is the technique of hands on middle distance... Rarely does the arsenal of an average fight exceed a few crooked punches and a couple simple strokes feet. By learning how to defend against basic kicks and counterattack with a standard boxing combination, you will protect yourself for the rest of your life.

In order to confidently master the technique of boxing, you just need to spend about 3 years studying it, after which you will not have problems communicating with people with a low level of culture.

The second in order, but not in importance, in my personal rating of the most effective martial arts for street fighting is Thai boxing, or as it is also called, Muay Thai. The advantages of this martial art are that the technical arsenal used is as close as possible to that in a street fight. The blows are applied with all parts of the body (except for the head), the work is carried out both at medium and long distances, and in the clinch.

The Thai clinch is powerful. It is a set of simple twists, carvings and throws, which, in an organic combination with the percussion technique of Muay Thai, become incredible effective weapon and a way to create a lot of problems even for experienced masters of mixed martial arts! In my deepest conviction, this is the closest thing to real, applied hand-to-hand combat a technical arsenal, and this is how the application of elements of struggle in practice, in real life, should look like. Amplitude throws and parterre, which are popular in wrestling circles, in my opinion, are not suitable for street fighting.

Despite the significant role of parterre in competitions in mixed martial arts, it is highly undesirable to transfer the battle to the ground in a street fight. And if you do find yourself on the ground, which is quite likely, your main task is to get back on your feet as quickly as possible. Do not try to mess with anyone, otherwise you may not be able to get out of an extreme situation alive and healthy, since the rules governing your safe stay on the ground at sports competitions do not apply on the street.

However, in order to sufficiently master the technical arsenal of Muay Thai, you need to spend significantly more time than if you were engaged in English boxing. The combination of striking techniques of arms and legs requires greater coordination and motor endowments, which is why the required frequency of visits to the gym to acquire reliable self-defense skills will be higher than that of boxing.

For those who do not want to bother and spend a lot of time on martial arts, this option is not ideal. However, if you feel enthusiastic, drawn to martial arts and have enough time to regularly attend training, then Muay Thai is your choice.

And, finally, if you want to take martial arts seriously and get the maximum applied value from training, then I would strongly recommend that you go to combat sambo. Combat Sambo is the most complex combat system I know of. She has absorbed all the best and proved to be extremely effective not only within our country, but also in the international arena. It is an open, flexible hand-to-hand combat system that is constantly evolving and improving, cultivating all possible martial arts techniques and conducting competitions according to the most free rules.

The technical arsenal of sambo is inexhaustible. It is impossible to master it fully. It includes both wrestling techniques and striking techniques of arms and legs, technique of painful and suffocating techniques, a special section for special services, a section for working with weapons, techniques of total combat, detention, escorting, etc.…. In general, to briefly summarize all of the above, SAMBO is an encyclopedia of the best knowledge available to a person in the field of sports and applied single combats today. If you have decided to do combat sambo, then please be patient, because you simply will not conquer this summit.

While practicing sambo, you will not receive highly specialized skills, as you would get in boxing, but a fairly wide range of knowledge that you can apply in a wide range of situations.

However, if we are talking about a variant of self-defense and it is interesting for you to solve applied problems on the street, to win fights, then the arsenal of combat sambo will be redundant and not optimal for you, since it contains many techniques specialized for the conditions of conducting a competitive duel that are not desirable for use in a real fight. What you can painlessly do on a carpet, in good light, after warming up and stretching out, is guaranteed to give you a lot of trouble when trying to implement the same thing on the street, where the surface is most often heterogeneous and hard, there is not much space for performing the technique , the enemy may not be alone or armed, and temperature drops and "cold" muscles are guaranteed to lead you to injury when you try to show a "beautiful" technique. Well, this is not the fault of SAMBO as a system: the point is, as I have already said, that the selection of the most effective and efficient technical actions in any combat sports takes place on the basis of the conditions and rules of the fight. With the same success, a sambo fighter will experience difficulties entering the cage at mixed martial arts competitions, where there is no wrestling jacket that is familiar to him, which makes it difficult to perform many techniques. But it is worth making a reservation: eighty percent of the technical arsenal practiced in combat sambo, suitable for universal use in any outdoor situation.

In addition, if you do not have sufficient time resources for a deep immersion in this martial art and for its thorough mastering, it is better to take a closer look at one of the options listed above.

Therefore, to summarize, it is necessary to outline the main features of the above styles of hand-to-hand fighting: take up boxing, if you are running out of time, but you want to learn how to fight ..., if there is more time (about 3 free evenings a week), choose Muay Thai, but if you are a fan martial arts and are going to get carried away with it seriously and for a long time, then combat sambo is your choice!

However, in my opinion, it always lies somewhere in the middle. Speaking about solving problems of an applied nature (winning on the street), I personally would lean towards training in Muay Thai. In my opinion, training in hand-to-hand combat is a rather time-consuming and complex activity that requires regularity and consistency. By practicing Muay Thai a little more often, you will get incomparable more experience and master a much more diverse technical arsenal than in English boxing, and at the same time not redundant, as in combat sambo. That is why, in my personal rating of the most effective martial arts for street fighting, Muay Thai takes first place!

It is still not clear which martial art is best for self-defense? Fencing? Well, walking around the doorways with a dull sword is not a good idea. Any outlandish martial art that is spoken about all over the world? Street fighting skills are also not always enough, because hooligans who decide to clean out your pockets most likely own them as well as you. So it is very difficult to say right away, probably everyone has their own opinion, for someone and boxing is enough. Therefore, it makes no sense to extol one martial art over others, instead we offer 7 highly effective martial arts, ideal for self-defense. Very short review and the right to choose at your own discretion.

Jujutsu

Country of origin: Japan
Also Known As: jujju
Nickname:"The art of softness"
Famous fighters: Ice-T

Jiu-jitsu history

Many of the modern and popular styles The martial arts, including Judo, Aikido and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, have their origins in classic Japanese Jiu-Jitsu.
By by and large, without jiu-jitsu, the fair of modern massacre would not be as we know it in its current form. It may seem to someone that the Jiu-Jitsu Federation paid us extra, but in fact, many martial arts would lose their effectiveness.

So, jiu-jitsu, or as they say in Japan, jujutsu was one of the fundamental methods of samurai combat training. Well, of course, if it comes to Japan, then the case, in one way or another, is connected with samurai, or with technology, or with geisha, or with very bad porn.

As you know, the equipment of a samurai made him a killing machine, but in battle anything can happen, and in frequent cases, when a warrior was left without a sword, dagger and bow, he had to fight with the last weapon that he had left - with his hands and feet, and more often everything, against an armed enemy.
The literal translation of "jujutsu" can be confusing. The Art of Softness ... are you serious !? Powerful and effective techniques, invented in order, if not to kill, then simply to lay down the enemy with bare hands, least of all give off softness.

Why is jiu-jitsu one of the best martial arts?

Jiu-jitsu is one of the most effective martial arts in the world because it harnesses the attacker's aggressiveness and impulse against himself. In fact, this is the art of counterattacking, self-defense in its purest form. For a shackled and orderly tired samurai, there was no point in throwing himself on the edge of a spear or sword, it was easier for him to kill the enemy with his own energy. In addition, punching and kicking armor is not entirely effective, but dodging, intercepting the blow and planting the enemy on his own weapon is quite useful.

The basic principle of jiu-jitsu is “not to go into direct confrontation in order to win”, not to resist, but to yield to the onslaught of the enemy, only directing his actions in the right direction until he is trapped, and then turn the strength and actions of the enemy against himself.

Jiu-jitsu fighting techniques are based on knowledge of human anatomy, physiology and psychophysiology, as well as on filigree technique, brought to automatism and nuances of strategy and tactics of conducting a duel. There is no place for all kinds of dance "pas" and techniques in the style of "cinema". The task is one: to destroy your enemy or enemies as quickly as possible, using any methods in your arsenal.

Taekwondo

Country of origin: Korea
Also Known As: Taekwondo, Taekwon
Nickname:"The path of the hand and fist"
Famous fighters: Barack Obama, Steven Seagal, Jessica Alba, Willie Nelson

Taekwondo history

Taekwondo is very closely intertwined with the history of Korea itself, and this is probably why in recent years it has been developing as successfully as Kim Jong-un's southern neighbor.
There were originally nine kwan (schools) in taekwondo that were recognized by the South Korean government. Each school had its own unique style taekwondo. In 1955, nine kwan were combined into one that is commonly studied today. In order to describe the history of this art in more detail, a separate article will be needed, suffice it to say that all political events, including the notorious Korean War, had a strong impact on the appearance of martial arts.

Why is taekwondo one of the best martial arts?

When a fighter kicks quickly and briskly for one frame in films with high intensity martial arts, he is most likely using taekwondo. Actually, powerful high kicks, and make taekwondo so effective view martial arts.
The main charm of taekwondo is not only that one good kick can knock an opponent out of action, but that this martial art is extremely effective against several opponents. Unless, of course, they do not know taekwondo.
The word "taekwondo" is made up of three words: "te" - a leg, "kwon" - a fist (hand), "do" - art, the path of taekwondo, the path to improvement (the path of the hand and foot).
Taekwondo is the only martial arts on this list that is Olympic view sports. But Olympic restraint and fear of death did not make him less effective.

Krav Maga

Country of origin: Israel
Also Known As:"Contact battle"
Famous fighters: Eyal Yanilov

Story

Krav Maga has long been recognized as one of the best self-defense martial arts in the world. This type of martial arts owes its birth to the outstanding fighter Imi Lichtenfeld. He originally trained his fighting system in Bratislava to help defend the Jewish community from Nazi militias. He created a group of trained thugs with characteristic surnames and noses who, as best they could, defended the Jewish population from the growing, and at the same time very radical, manifestations of anti-Semitism.

After arriving in Palestine, Lichtenfeld began teaching hand-to-hand combat at the Haganah. After the formation of the State of Israel in 1948, he became the main instructor in physical fitness and hand-to-hand combat at the Israel Defense Forces Combat Training School. Lichtenfeld served with the IDF until 1964, constantly developing and improving his system. After retirement, Krav Maga was adapted by him to civilian realities. In fact, Krav Maga is his brainchild.

Why is Krav Maga one of the best martial arts?

Krav Maga is designed to quickly neutralize the threat. The techniques are simple and often very dirty. However, the Jews did not have to choose. There is even a saying: "If the reception looks good and beautiful, then this is not Krav Maga."

There are three main principles of Krav Maga:

The most important thing is to neutralize the threat.
- Simultaneous defense and attack. Unlike many styles of martial arts, attacks and defense in Krav Maga are intertwined during the fight.
- All blocks are built to open up the opportunity for the fighter to counterattack.
All Krav Maga attacks target vulnerabilities human bodies such as eyes, face, throat, neck, groin and fingers. There is no place for ceremony, philosophy and other nuances inherent in oriental martial arts... This art was created in order to quickly and painfully eliminate an opponent. That is why it was adopted by the Israel Defense Forces. The military does not need to bow, the military needs to be killed, or at least cut down.

It is a deadly fighting style that does not accept etiquette. It was born on the basis of fighting techniques of other martial arts, in street fights with Jewish pogromists with exactly one goal - to help the Jews survive. So if you need a simple and effective way to survive in real conditions, and not a beautiful solemn combat with your inner culture, then all the attention is on Krav Maga.

Aikido - the martial art of Steven Seagal

Country of origin: Japan
Nickname:"The Way of Spiritual Harmony"
Famous fighters: Steven Seagal, Matt Larsen

History of aikido

Aikido is not exclusively a combat system. The founder of aikido, the legendary Morihei Ueshiba, studied several areas of traditional ju-jutsu, ken-jutsu, as well as the art of calligraphy. On the basis of the knowledge gained, he formed his own system - Aikido - as opposed to the traditional bu-jutsu (the art of killing). Aikido - budo (the way to stop killing), teaches murderous techniques of bu-jutsu, not only with the aim of killing, but with the aim of stopping them, making a person strong, helping others, uniting all people on the basis of love. As they say, goodness should be with fists.
Ueshiba once said, "Controlling aggression without causing harm is the art of peace."
Aikido is also a highly spiritual martial art. The word aikido means "the way of the harmony of the spirit" ("Ai" means harmony, "ki" means spirit or energy, "do" means the way, way or way).

Why is aikido one of the best martial arts?

As a preface, aikido is one of the most difficult of all Japanese martial arts. If you want to quickly, in a short time, learn self-defense, then aikido is not your assistant here.

Aikido is a derivative of ju-jutsu, and in the same way focuses on merging with the opponent's attack, redirecting the attacker's energy and ending with a painful grip or throw. Aikido fighters use the aggression and momentum of the enemy to incapacitate him, or make his attacks useless.
However, one should not think that since mastering aikido takes a long time, and the style itself promotes peace and tranquility, then there is little sense from it. It is one of the best martial arts for self defense.

Wing Chun - Bruce Lee's martial art

Country of origin: China
Also Known As: Wing Tsun
Nickname:"Singing Spring"
Famous fighters: Bruce Lee, Robert Downey Jr., Christian Bale

Wing Chun history

The history of Wing Chun is a mixture of facts and legends. Most boil down to the fact that it was developed in the 17th century, as an offshoot of one of the most complex styles martial arts, which are studied by the harsh and die-hard Buddhist monks. There is talk of the nun Umei, who created a martial art capable of being effective regardless of size, weight or gender.

Why is Wing Chun one of the best martial arts?

As in other wushu techniques, it is based on the technique of "chi-sao" - "sticky hands", thanks to which the fighter learns to constantly be in contact with the enemy with his hands, to feel all his movements and to prevent him from carrying out his techniques. But Wing Chun fighters fight at a short distance, where you can reach the enemy with your hand, or even better with your elbow. In order to break through to a sufficiently close distance, they use special types displacement. Kicking is used in conjunction with punching. Usually kicks in the knees of the opponent simultaneously with the attack with the hands on the upper level.

What the Wing Chun masters are really proud of is their balance between attack and defense, they can attack and defend at the same time. And real masters are famous for their ability to correctly choose a position, so competently that it is literally impossible to take them by surprise.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu - Chuck Norris' Martial Art

Country of origin: Japan / Brazil
Also Known As: Jiu Jitsu, Gracie Jiu Jitsu
Nickname:"Human Chess"
Famous fighters: Carlos Gracie, Helio Gracie, BJ Penn, Joe Rogan, Paul Walker, Michael Clarke Duncan

History of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Like aikido, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is an adapted version of Jiu Jitsu. In Brazil, martial arts are very fond of, and therefore with pleasure they developed the technique shown by the outstanding jiu-jitsu master Mitsuyo Maeda during his visit to the sunny country.
The founders and creators of Brazilian jiu-jitsu (bjj) are the brothers Carlos and Helio Gracie. Carlos showed the knowledge he had received from Maeda to his numerous brothers, trying to teach Eastern wisdom to everyone except the frail and too young Helio. An annoyed boy who was already complexed by the fact that he was much younger and sicker than his brothers took and developed the basics of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This new style of martial arts allowed him to use leverage and choke rather than brute force to control combat.
But the real popularizer of the martial art was the son of Helio - Royce Gracie. Speaking in the UFC, with the help of road safety techniques, he easily laid opponents several times higher and heavier than himself. After the success of Royce, the popularity of road safety increased significantly.

Why is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu one of the best martial arts?

BJD is undoubtedly one of the most effective martial arts styles in the world. Nearly all MMA and UFC fighters have studied road safety extensively. The style teaches fighters to use leverage and proper weight distribution to defeat stronger opponents.

Leverage is the isolation of an adversary's limb to a specific body position, which forces the joint to move in a straight line (rotate on its axis) outside of its normal range of motion. With an increase in pressure on the limb, the opponent, who has not managed to avoid this position, surrenders. He may surrender verbally or pat the opponent several times (clapping on his own is dangerous because the opponent may not hear). Strangulation is used to disrupt the oxygen supply to the opponent's brain, which can cause him to become unconscious if he does not surrender soon enough. It is clear how dangerous it is, deadly dangerous species sports, therefore, in some countries, road safety sections and tournaments are not approved by law.

Muay Thai

Country of origin: Thailand
Also Known As: Thai boxing
Nickname:"The Art of Eight Limbs"
Famous Fighters: Tony Jaa

Muay thai history

Muay Thai is a Thai style of martial arts with very deep roots. National Thai fighting style, which is not only a sporting but also a cultural heritage of the country. The secrets of Muay Thai were passed down from older warriors and fathers to children, from generation to generation, and perhaps it was thanks to this traditional struggle that Thailand, surrounded by sworn enemies, managed to survive through the ages.
A cruel spectacle from which one could emerge either victorious or defeated. They fought to the death, in the truest sense of the word. It was impossible to give up - shame and contempt for life, so the defeated one left the battle either badly beaten or dead.
Over the years, only one thing has changed in Muay Thai - thanks to the introduction of glasses, it became unnecessary to die, but the combat itself did not become softer, deaths are also not uncommon.

Why is Muay Thai one of the best martial arts?

Muay Thai is not only one of the most effective martial arts in the world, it is also one of the best martial arts for self-defense. In modern Muay Thai, punches, feet, shins, elbows and knees can be pounded, which is why it is called the "eight-limb fight." Essentially, every part of the body turns into a weapon, a deadly weapon. The hands became daggers and sabers; elbows with clubs and hammers; the knees are like axes, and the shins and forearms protect the body like armor. There are many discouraging lethal strikes that have helped Muay Thai win a number of impressive victories over other martial arts. And to this day, this harsh single combat evokes sacred fear and admiration in all.