Imagine being attacked. How would you protect yourself? Violence should be avoided, however, some circumstances leave one with no choice. Your body is the only weapon that you’ll have with you at all times. Having the ability and skill to protect yourself if attacked is important. There are many martial arts styles. Below are some of the best martial arts for self-defense.
Wing Chung
This style was developed in the 17th century as one of the more complex styles of martial arts taught by Buddhist monks. Its techniques are developed based on the movement of animals, mostly that of the crane. It delivers solid self-defense skills. Its power lies within its direct approach.
Karate
Karate is a solid martial art style for self-defense. The karate syllabus has pars of kicks, blocks, punches, and even grappling. A student studying karate develops strong kicks and punches. The exact origin of karate is not known. It has been made popular by many martial arts films.
Taekwondo
A Korean style nicknamed the way of the hand and the fist which has its main focus on striking. It has been developed over many centuries. In Korea there we nine kwans (dojos or schools) of taekwondo, each with its own style of taekwondo recognized by the government of Korea. The kwans united in 1955 and created the style of taekwondo known today. Taekwondo is also an Olympic sport.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Backed as one of the most effective styles of martial arts. Almost all MMA and UFC fighters have studied and trained in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It teaches the use of proper weight distribution and leverage to defeat stronger opponents. It’s a mix of passes, ground control, takedowns, and submissions each with defense.
Krav Maga
A style from Israel nicknamed contact combat. It focuses on striking, grappling, or mixed. It does not have fancy moves. Its moves are simple and mostly dirty. Its pillars are neutralizing the threat, simultaneous defense, and attacking the body’s vulnerability.
Come Learn Self Defense Techniques in a Safe Environment
Having the ability to defend yourself is important. Taking up a class of one of the martial arts style will make you more prepared if attacked. Come check out a martial arts class at our location that is closest to you.
By Jessica Militello
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Originally posted on 08/09/2016
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Updated: 5/19/2020
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Originally posted on: 3/21/19
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Original Post: 01/06/2015
MMA, or Mixed Martial Arts, is a popular sport. Few people understand that it typically involves striking, wrestling, and grappling - basically fighting on your feet, getting your opponent to the ground, then...
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Updated from 6/26/2017
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If you have ever watched mixed martial arts, you’ve no doubt seen someone use their elbow at some point during the bout. These elbow strikes can be some of the most vicious and effective attacks in any fighter’s arsenal.
There...
The art of Jeet Kune Do created by Bruce Lee integrates all facets of combat. Various styles are borrowed from boxing, fencing, and other types of fighting. But one of the things that makes it truly unique is Jeet Kune Do footwork.
If you...
If you want to achieve success as a martial artist, you need to improve your takedown defense as a way to avoid being brought to the ground during a fight. When mixed martial arts (MMA) first started, skilled grapplers won many of the first...
By Jessica Militello
Most fighters that you watch from boxing to MMA adopt a stance that is either orthodox or southpaw. In these combat sports, it has always been a tradition to stand with your less dominant side forward and your lead hand...
By Jessica Militello
Every once in a while the MMA community revisits the debate of whether or not moves like the oblique stomp should be made illegal in the UFC.
The question has been getting attention again lately after viewers watched the...
By Jessica Militello
If you are looking for a martial art to enroll your child in, you may be wondering which style is the best for them to learn and have fun while still being appropriate for their age. Every martial art has a list of benefits...
By Jessica Militello
There are several criteria that are a good idea to look for when choosing a martial arts school for your kids. Obviously anytime you are investing time and money into something, you want to make sure it’s the right...
By Jessica Militello
With all of the many choices of hobbies and sports to enroll your child in, it can become a little overwhelming to find the best one that both you and your child feel most confident about signing up for. Martial arts is a...
By Jessica Militello
Anxiety can be very uncomfortable and scary for anyone to deal with, but for parents who have children who deal with anxiety, it can feel frustrating to watch your kids struggle with it, especially if you are unsure of how to...
By Jessica Militello
Warning: This article may contain spoilers if you have not completed the first three seasons of the show Cobra Kai.
While fans of Cobra Kai anxiously wait for season 4 after a pretty intense season 3 finale, it’s...
By Jessica Militello
Some of the most brutal and historic moments in the UFC have been from fights finished with knockouts using knees. Fans have a tendency to look at a fighter’s grappling, striking, and kicks, and can tend to overlook...
By Jessica Militello
For every UFC fight, the conversations in the days and weeks leading up to the event and thereafter always returns back to the debate of who has the best skill set to defeat their opponent and what tools really win...
If you have ever watched mixed martial arts, you’ve no doubt seen someone use their elbow at some point during the bout. These elbow strikes can be some of the most vicious and effective attacks in any fighter’s arsenal.
There...
The art of Jeet Kune Do created by Bruce Lee integrates all facets of combat. Various styles are borrowed from boxing, fencing, and other types of fighting. But one of the things that makes it truly unique is Jeet Kune Do footwork.
If you...
If you want to achieve success as a martial artist, you need to improve your takedown defense as a way to avoid being brought to the ground during a fight. When mixed martial arts (MMA) first started, skilled grapplers won many of the first...
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JKD has its own identity and follows a design with a purpose. It is a system. A JKD man's movement is definitely different and distinguishable from other martial arts such as Thai kickboxing, wing chun, or karate. The physical...
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In the Tao of JKD Bruce Lee said, "I hope that martial artists are more interested in the root of martial arts and not the different decorative branches, flowers or leaves. It is futile to argue as to which single...
Jeet Kune Do is training and discipline toward the ultimate reality in combat. The ultimate reality is returning to one's primary freedom, which is simple, direct, and nonclassical. A good Jeet Kune Do man does not oppose force or give way...
1. SDA (Single Direct Attack)
A direct attack is composed of a single movement. The objective is to go to the target by the most direct route. Although it is the simplest of the attacks, it is the hardest to complete successfully because the...
Like the people who run most magazines, we at Black Belt love to look at surveys--in particular, surveys that tell us what you want to read. Back in the 1970's those surveys told us you were interested in kung fu and jeet kune do. In the '80s, it...
Imagine being attacked. How would you protect yourself? Violence should be avoided, however, some circumstances leave one with no choice. Your body is the only weapon that you’ll have with you at all times. Having the ability and skill to protect yourself if attacked is important. There are many martial arts styles. Below are some of the best martial arts for self-defense.