What Are The Best Martial Arts For Self-Defense

The importance of self-protection is undeniable. However, with so many fighting styles to choose from, it can be overwhelming to determine which one is right for you. It all boils down to your motive why you want to learn. In this post, I will introduce the best martial arts for self-defense, considering their practicality, adaptability, and overall effectiveness. Also, I'll explore the strengths and weaknesses of each system and discuss why a combination of different types can be the most effective for your safety.

Why Prioritizing Individual Safety is Essential

Before we start, let's discuss some reasons for self-defense and the benefits of martial arts . The issue of violence is a grave concern that impacts individuals of all genders and age groups. According to some research, over two million people fall prey to violent crime in the United States annually. Unfortunately, women and children face an even greater danger of assaults. Since they are vulnerable and easier targets for criminals and predators, one in three women and one in four children will suffer some form of harassment in their lifetime.

Considering all these, defensive tactics are crucial for anyone who wants to secure themselves from physical threats. As a proven method for safeguarding, learning proper hand-to-hand combat (H2H) techniques can equip you with the skills to protect yourself against an attacker, whether they are multiple, armed, or larger and stronger than you. On top of that, practicing will build your confidence, self-esteem, and healthy body — contributing to a healthy lifestyle — which can make you a harder target, i.e., less likely to become a victim of bullying in the first place.

If you wonder what is the best martial art for a street fight or the most suitable self-defense techniques for women, please continue reading this article.

Kickboxing: One of The Most Effective Martial Arts

Whether Kickboxing or its Thailand version (Muay Thai), it is among the most effective martial arts since it's efficient for self-defense and used in sports. You can practice it realistically with a sparring partner — full contact — allowing you to hone and test your skills.

Since Muay Thai utilizes a broader spectrum of techniques, i.e., fists, elbows, knees, and shins for striking, it is a better choice than classic Kickboxing — letting you fight against aggressive attackers in a 360-degree environment. Despite its usefulness, it has drawbacks. The main disadvantage is inadequacy for combat on the ground. Yet, comprehensive attacking makes Muay Thai one of the most complete types of stand-up fighting. For this reason, I highly recommend this combat style to all learners, no matter your previous knowledge, as it is among the best martial arts for self-defense.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Among The Best Defensive Martial Arts

Another highly functional fighting system is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), both for sports and self-defense. It has earned significant reverence for its efficiency in ground fighting. Numbers show that around 90% of street brawls eventually end on the floor. Consequently, knowing how to counter takedowns and control aggressors, even from disadvantageous positions, is essential. Focusing on counterattack techniques, BJJ allows smaller individuals to defend themselves against larger attackers through leverage and submission grappling.

You acquire skills and gain strength, endurance, flexibility, and confidence by participating in hard-core sparring, a crucial element of every workout. BJJ comes in two versions: gi and no-gi. The former is similar to fighting clothed, which is more realistic and practical for real-life self-defense. In contrast, the latter will develop brute power, ideal for mixed martial arts (MMA). Anyhow, I advise doing both.

What's more, this combat style has found its place among many military and law enforcement agencies, contributing to the effectiveness of its techniques. Although BJJ is second-to-none for ground fighting, it is inferior for stand-up fights. Still, this style is one of the best defensive martial arts.

Boxing: The Best Martial Art for a Street Fight

Boxing benefits include effective punching techniques, footwork, defense, head movement, great cardio, improved endurance, excellent reflexes, and coordination.

As one of the most popular sports, it has a million practitioners across the globe. You will appreciate its full-contact sparring, which is challenging and close to actual combat. This will enable you to evade, block, escape strikes, experience the feeling of being punched, and handle when knocked out.

Still, Boxing comes with some disadvantages. As with all striking-based systems, it lacks a ground element. Likewise, it is based on punches — using hands only— no kicks, knees, or elbows. Thus, it is not a complete stand-up fighting system. Lastly, it relies on power; hence, weaker individuals, like females, don't have many chances against bigger attackers.

Yet, Boxing can't be excluded as a self-defense system. It offers many advantages, like accuracy and powerful knockouts, making it the best martial art for a street fight.

Sambo: The Best Martial Arts for Self-Defense

Sambo is a Russian fighting system with two forms: Combat Sambo for close-quarters combat (CQC) — used by the Russian military — and Sport Sambo for sports competitions. Both versions are excellent. However, Combat Sambo is more comprehensive. While Sport Sambo prioritizes ground fighting and integrates Wrestling, Judo, and BJJ techniques, Combat Sambo incorporates all forms of fighting, i.e., stand-up and ground combat. This holistic approach is based on realism, practical techniques, and full-contact sparring. Therefore, Combat Sambo is, by far, the most complete and certainly among the best martial arts for self-defense today.

Krav Maga: The Best Self-Defense Martial Art for Beginners

Known for its emphasis on real-world scenarios, Krav Maga is a ruthless H2H system initially developed for the Israeli military. Since it is aimed toward real-life situations rather than sports purposes, it has become an integral part of many training programs in both civilian and security sectors worldwide. Its focus on weapon defense and disarming tactics make it among the best defensive martial arts.

Thanks to its "dirty methods," you don't need the power to be able to subdue much larger opponents. Therefore, it is one of the most efficient self-defense techniques for women and weaker individuals. On top of that, unlike combat sports, Krav Maga teaches you how to identify, evaluate, and avoid incidents and not just how to fight.

Nonetheless, Krav Maga has its flaws. Due to its brutality, it is hard to practice realistically with a partner — the risk of injury is too high. Consequently, it makes this system good in theory but difficult in practice. Acquiring any skills without lifelike training and full-contact sparring is difficult. That's why many experts question its practicality.

Still, Krav Maga is considered the best self-defense martial art for beginners because of its simplicity. To overcome the shortcomings of this form, I advise learning and testing its "dirty strategies" on a heavy bag or dummy and doing full-contact sparring with a partner but avoiding using dangerous strikes.

FAQs

What is the best self-defense martial art for beginners?

Aside from the already-mentioned Krav Maga, the following styles are the best martial arts for self-defense if you start learning self-protection.

Kyokushin Karate: Karate has many forms. However, not all of them are equally effective. For H2H, Kyokushin Karate is an excellent option. This system is known for its full-contact sparring and can provide a solid foundation for stand-up combat. Thus, it is the best self-defense martial art for beginners.

Judo: Demanding sparring is an essential component of Judo training sessions, developing your strength, stamina, explosiveness, and agility. It is very similar to BJJ (gi version); as a matter of fact, BJJ has its roots in Judo. However, the latter prioritizes throws and sweeps, while the former is focused on submission grappling, locks, and chokes. Besides, many police and military forces internationally opted for Judo as their primary CQC system. As a solid base for MMA, Judo is excellent for children and among the best defensive martial arts.?

Wrestling: It shares some grounds with BJJ and Judo inasmuch as it is based on takedowns and not on strikings. It helps you build brute strength and explosiveness. Likewise, it is implemented in many high-school programs since it is excellent for developing proper body physics and mechanics. In essence, it is a core fighting method and a building block for further training, particularly MMA. Accordingly, Wrestling is a preferred choice of many teenagers.

What are the most effective martial arts?

I would say that no system can be singled out as the most successful. Except maybe Combat Sambo since it is the most complete CQC. The best martial arts for self-defense requires a holistic approach, i.e., a practitioner must combine two or more different styles to get the most out of training.

What are the most recommended self-defense techniques for women?

When it comes to the most recommended self-defense techniques for women, Krav Maga stands out from the rest. Likewise, since it accentuates real-life situations and defense against weapons, it is also the best martial art for a street fight. Additionally, it includes situational awareness and conflict management, enabling you to recognize and avoid threats. Its combination of simplicity and brutality makes it a good fit for beginners.

Conclusion: The Best Martial Arts for Self-Defense

There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to self-protection. However, the best martial arts for self-defense discussed in this article are all efficient in their own way. Combining different forms will be ideal if you seek a style that can successfully equip you with defensive skills for various situations.

I find it best to begin by building the sound basis of stand-up, takedowns, and throws, for example, merging Boxing or Kyokushin Karate with Wrestling or Judo. Then, you can switch to advanced striking, ground fighting, and submission grappling — integrating Muay Thai with BJJ.

No matter which system you choose to incorporate, training regularly, realistically, and full-contact sparring with a partner is essential. This will help you to develop the skills and confidence you need to protect yourself in a real-life situation.

In conclusion, I am sure this article has helped you to learn more about different defensive styles. If you have any more questions, please feel free to comment below or contact me.

A Few Words About Me

I have 15 years of experience practicing and teaching various H2H tactics, including participating in professional MMA competitions and providing CQC training programs to the military, police, and bodyguards. So, I have tested each of the suggested forms in this post and believe they are the most effective martial arts, given not just from my viewpoint but from the perspectives of several elite instructors. If you want to get in touch with me regarding training inquiries, please reach out to me and my company, Nemesis Protection , at [email protected] .