3 No-Nonsense Martial Arts That Will Keep You Alive on the Street

Nunchucks and spin kicks are cool, but when information technology comes to existent-world self-defense, staying alive is the merely thing that matters.

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If you lot're similar me, you lot've seen a few martial arts movies in your day. And by 'a few,' I of class mean 'far too many.' Information technology'due south fast-paced, entertaining cinema: in that location'southward no time of day where I'm not in the mood to watch someone catch an Iron Palm to the ribcage, or get his manus lopped off past a samurai sword. There are plenty of guys who dream of beingness equally practiced a fighter as, say, a Bruce Lee (or even a Jet Li).

Just these movies, while undeniably rampage-worthy, paint a less-than-accurate pic of how martial arts tin can factor into a real-world fight. Fights rarely last for several minutes, simply merely a few intense seconds. And that's the thing: a fight could happen whatever fourth dimension, anywhere, and virtually people don't know how to effectively defend themselves. Yous don't Jason Bourne or Bruce Lee to terminate a fight in a flurry of fists and spin kicks — you merely take to know a handful of moves to defend yourself on the street.

With this in mind, here's a short guide to the best martial arts to explore if you desire to stay live in the middle of a street fight.

Krav Maga

Krav Maga is the official cocky-defense force arrangement created and used by the Israeli military, a group widely recognized as 1 of the nearly hardcore military machine in the earth. It focuses on threat neutralization, efficiency of movement, and cruel effectiveness.

Krav Maga is famous for its pragmatic approach to self-defense, bypassing the time-wasting solo drills of other fighting styles, and giving its practitioners the tools necessary to quickly stop a street confrontation. Technique training ranges all the style from proper punching and kicking to gun disarms and defending against multiple attackers. Hither'southward a video of Krav Maga in activity:

Ignore the silly music. In that location guys could tear you to shreds.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu came into the spotlight when Royce Gracie won the first ever Ultimate Fighting Championship and chop-chop cemented its spot as the world's foremost martial art for one-on-one, unarmed gainsay.

Royce's begetter Helio Gracie adult the system in Rio de Janeiro partially because he wasn't potent enough to pull off some of the more muscle-based traditional Japanese Jiu-Jitsu techniques. Instead, he came up with his own system that relied on intelligent use of trunk mechanics to allow smaller fighters to overcome bigger opponents. It's perfect if y'all're not necessarily built similar Hulk Hogan.

Rather than throws, Gracie focused on taking the fight to the footing and finishing it with a asphyxiate or a joint lock. Everyone has at least some idea of how to throw a dial, only information technology turns out that when you put someone on their dorsum, nearly people have no idea what to do. This provides an opportunity for someone trained in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to come in and finish the job chop-chop and easily.

Muay Thai

Muay Thai is some other martial fine art that's gotten a lot of attention because of its clan with UFC fighters (and, more than recently, Victoria's Secret angels). And with good reason — there's not a single fighter in the UFC who hasn't trained in Muay Thai.

The notoriously cruel style of kickboxing from Thailand is also called "the science of eight limbs," because in addition to the usual two hands and two feet, it also makes all-encompassing utilise of knees and elbows. As any stand up-up fighter will tell you, at that place's no place you want to be in less than a Muay Thai fighter'south clinch, where vicious knees and elbows can come from well-nigh every angle. Muay Thai is a style that focuses on sparring and the actual act of fighting, so you lot tin can exist sure you'll be strapping on the gloves in no time.

The world is a vast, cute identify, and people have been trying to kill each other in information technology since the dawn of time. Over the years,  they've created thousands of unlike combat systems to aid them in this pursuit. But when it comes to the one that'll continue you prophylactic on the street, not all are created equal. If you're going to learn to fight, call up to fight smart.

Tags: bjj brazilian jiu-jitsu fighting krav maga martial arts Maxim Human being muay thai self-defense strategy