best styles for self defense

[drummingman]

i have been looking into karate for some time now and i know there are a lot of styls out there.i was wondering what dtyles are best for self defense? i don't care about sport karate and thats not what i want to study.im looking for the style/styles that teach real self defense.
some of the styles that i know are american goju ryu(as well as other styles of goju ryu) isshin ruy,uchi ryu,shotokan,shito ryu,wado ryu.
the styles that are taught close to where i work that i know of are american goju ryu and shito ryu.im sure that i could find more if i look.

 

[cstanley]

It isn't the style, it is the teacher/school. All of them can teach you what you need for self-defense. Check the schools out and go with the one that seems to fit you best.

 

[drummingman]

but is not for instance shotokan sport karate? at least what i have read said so so i just figured that it would not be good for street slef defense.

 

[Haze]

Street self defense,,,,,,,,,,,,learn to fight standing up and learn to fight on the ground. Try some Muay Tai and BJJ.
No matter what you know, if you are not aware of your suroundings and someone catches you off guard you may be going down. Most self defense is mental preperation. Avoiding certain situations, Being aware of things around you, Being able to read peoples body language, etc.

See whats available in your area and visit each school. Then decide what you are interested in and do it.

 

[terryl965]

I have said this for thirty years no matter what style it is more about you and the people you train with, remember the style is only as good as the person proforming the techniques.

 

[MJS]

I agree with Haze and Terry! I've said the same thing many times myself...it comes down to how the person trains.

Check out the schools in your area. Ask questions. If they meet what you're looking for, give it a shot.

Mike

 

[jtbdad]

I pretty much agree with the rest here. Back in the 70's there were alot of arguments about which is best. Not so much anymore. (although a lot of MMA folks still can get worked up about this) I think most people agree that in depth study of any martial art should also include working with other arts. For example I am primarily a Shorin Ryu practitioner yet I have studied Judo throws and grappling (and have incorporated them in my training) Kenpo self defense techniques, (Some of which are just awesome) Police baton training, Iron Tiger Kung Fu etc.

 

[Brandon Fisher]

I agree its the teacher not the style. Goju Ryu, Shorin Ryu, Isshin Ryu, Shito Ryu, Wado Ryu among many others have the depth you need for real self defense. Its up to the Sensei to be able to actually teach it to you.

 

[exile]

but is not for instance shotokan sport karate? at least what i have read said so so i just figured that it would not be good for street slef defense.

The Japanese special tactical police units (like our SWAT teams, except even more so) train in Shotokan, drummingman. So don't worry that Shotokan isn't a full-scale combat art. There is a thread titled `Police Shotokan' that was up on MT during the autumn, don't remember just when, which contained footage of officers training at the police dojo, and you've never seen such severe combat `practice' in your life—I'm not kidding, you have to see this video, and listent to the police instructor's commentary, before you jump to any conclusions about Shotokan. Trained correctly—and this is the point that Terry and the other people who've already posted are stressing, correctly, because it's such a deep mistake to confuse the technical resources of the system with training. I see this all the time with TKD, which gets a similar bad rep to certain karate styles, for similar reasons (except on a larger scale, because of its Olympic status)—but which is just as severe and damaging a fighting system as Shotokan or any other combat-trained style of karate (most of the technical content is actually the same).

My friendly `challenge' to you: find that `Police Shotokan' vid in our archives (you should be able to find it with the Search feature, I think; if you have trouble, Support should be able to help), watch it a couple of times, and let me know what you think, eh? I'm not saying you should train Shotokan in particular, but don't cut yourself off from any possibly very effective system on the basis of an undeserved reputation for combat-useless flashiness...

 

[Brandon Fisher]

Keep in mind the Okinawan and Japanese along with the Koreans and Chinese all train much harder typically then most anyone else in the world. The reason being is the mindset is different than the western world. They will show you just how effective any of their ryu-ha is.

 

[exile]

Keep in mind the Okinawan and Japanese along with the Koreans and Chinese all train much harder typically then most anyone else in the world. The reason being is the mindset is different than the western world. They will show you just how effective any of their ryu-ha is.

Yes—that's the thing: you can do what they do but only if you can find someone who's willing to help you train to that level. So maybe the question should be, what MA styles have schools which are most likely to train you to a very tough level of self-defense using hard combat-sparring methods? That takes the burden off the art itself (which has almost everything you need, if you knew how to use it) and puts it back in the realm of practical application, and the attached social factors, where it belongs.

I don't know that anyone's ever collected comprehensive enough data on the point to be able to give a reliable answer to the question, though....

 

[drummingman]

well the schools in my area that im looking at are american goju ryu and shito ryu.im looking more at the american goju ryu school because it works better for me time wise.what do you all think about american goju ryu katare for self defense? also,what do you think of shito ryu for self defense?

 

[Brandon Fisher]

Don't know enough about it personally.

 

[exile]

what do you all think about american goju ryu katare for self defense? also,what do you think of shito ryu for self defense?

Again—every style of karate was designed and built for self defense. When you talk about goju ryu (even the American version) and shito ryo, you're talking about Okinawan styles, or styles directly based on the Okinawan, and those styles have tremendous martial/combat technical content. But will that be the focus and direction of your training? Only if your instructor stresses that aspect of it and uses a realistic, hard-edged training regime.

Drummingman, there's no way around it, you have to do a side-by-side comparison and you have to talk candidly with the instructional staff at any of the schools you're considering. What you need convey to them is that you're not interested in sport, you're interested in close quarters combat with street applicability. What you need to get from them (with a certain amount of reading between the lines, so to speak) is just how much commitment they have to that program. Get them to spell out for you just how their curriculum works and at what stage, and in what manner, you train for realistic fighting apps of the technical content you'll be learning. Get explicit answers from them with as much detail as you can.

 

[cstanley]

Anyone serious about self-defense in today's world needs to purchase a handgun and learn how to use it. Karate, traditional karate anyway, should not be pursued merely as self-defense. Self-defense is a by-product of learning a much deeper, multi-faceted art. If self-defence and fighting are your primary interest, then no karate style is going to satisfy you.

 

[Cirdan]

Anyone serious about self-defense in today's world needs to purchase a handgun and learn how to use it. Karate, traditional karate anyway, should not be pursued merely as self-defense. Self-defense is a by-product of learning a much deeper, multi-faceted art. If self-defence and fighting are your primary interest, then no karate style is going to satisfy you.

I disagree. Not all places are that violent yet.

 

[exile]

Anyone serious about self-defense in today's world needs to purchase a handgun and learn how to use it. Karate, traditional karate anyway, should not be pursued merely as self-defense. Self-defense is a by-product of learning a much deeper, multi-faceted art. If self-defence and fighting are your primary interest, then no karate style is going to satisfy you.

Like Cirdan, I also disagree, but for a somewhat different reason. Take a look at that `Police Shotokan' video that was the subject of a thread this past autumn on MT—the startup post gives the URL—and consider whether someone who really wanted to learn effective CQ combat skills would disdain the system that those Japanese SWAT guys use (and train under essentially real-world conditions, nothing pulled, nothing held back, full force strikes to head and groin, etc). Consider also that the military TKD the ROK troops learn is intended for combat use when a weapon isn't available, and that there is solid documentation of its lethally effective use—literally—by Korean troops in two wars—the Korean and Vietnamese conflicts. And those are both about as `traditional' MAs as you can get.

I just don't see the basis of statements that karate is ineffective for CQ self-defense, given cases like these, where real-world military and tactical police units choose karate-based styles as the core of their H2H training. If you train for effectively damaging application of these MAs under realistic conditions, then you will get the ability to apply them that way under those conditions. The fact that not many people have the stomach to train that harshly isn't a reflection on the arts themselves, but rather on most people's reluctance to generate the level of violence required for these arts to be effective as H2H defense systems.

 

[MJS]

Anyone serious about self-defense in today's world needs to purchase a handgun and learn how to use it. Karate, traditional karate anyway, should not be pursued merely as self-defense. Self-defense is a by-product of learning a much deeper, multi-faceted art. If self-defence and fighting are your primary interest, then no karate style is going to satisfy you.

While a handgun is a good SD tool, its limited in what it can do. I think an important question you should be asking is, "Is every SD situation I find myself in, going to warrant the use of a gun?"

Mike

 

[chinto01]

I have said this for thirty years no matter what style it is more about you and the people you train with, remember the style is only as good as the person proforming the techniques.

I agree 110% !

In the spirit of bushido!

Rob

 

[twendkata71]

While someone looking for just streetwise selfdefense may not be interested in karate do. If you are willing to put the time in to karate do training, not only will you learn effective self defense, but you will also learn more about yourself and how to avoid putting yourself into situations that would warrent self protection. Many people walk into a dojo and would not understand the culture of karate do. It is more about personal development. but, it is also about self defense. It takes time and patience. If you do not have the patience then pehaps you should look at Krav Maga. Or some other eclectic self protection. Buyer beware though you get what you pay for. If you learn fighting skills without any sort of foundation, you may find that your techniques are ineffective and weak.
On the question of Shotokan, Many Shotokan schools are geared towards sport karate do. But, not all Shotokan sensei are for sport.
Shito ryu karate do many times is also geared toward sport karate. but, you may find that Shito ryu is a style with much depth, if you are willing to put your time into it. Just like any system or style of karate may have what you want if you are willing to put the time in, have patience and study seriously. Another style you may want to check out if in your area is Bando. It is very effective, but you do have to put the time into learning. It is not an overnight course.