Which martial art suits me?

[silveringking]

Ok, I understand this question must have been done a million times in this board, but I really need help, because I want to choose wisely in order to get exactly what I want.

I want to learn a martial art exclusively for self defense. Meaning my objective is to learn it in case I happen to find someone who is going to try to hurt me. I've taken this decision because in the last 6 months I had two very unfortunate situations where people came knocking to my home and not for the right reasons. Lets just be clear about something before we continue, I don't live in the US, I live in Europe, Southern Europe (Portugal to be exact), and here getting a gun is difficult unlike the US, also if you happen to kill someone with a gun or in any way you will be put on trial, and even if it is in self defense, if the judge decides killing was not necessary in order to survive you might be put into jail. Please take also in consideration, that while I was raised by my mother's family, which are good and honest people, my father's family has spawned a lot of robbers, killers and smugglers, and in one situation, it was my family who came knocking into my door (due to inheritances). Also take in consideration they always act in group, so I might have to defend myself against multiple adversaries at one point.

Taking this in consideration, do not worry, I am safe, I am just trying to avoid a bad situation in a far away future by learn how to defend myself.

So about me, I am 1.81m and about 100 kg, I've tried judo before but I hated it, because I can't rollout, I have low flexibility and I simply can't bend over enough to roll out correctly, I also hate to be throw down.

I have read and seen demonstrations of other martial arts, but I can't see myself fitting into most descriptions of these arts.

Example:

Muay Thai, in theory seems good, but I've seen demonstrations where they do wheels while hitting each other's chins (you know like Marshal Law in Tekken) and where they just plain out climb out one guy, jump and hit the other guy with a punch from above, this all seems way too flashy and unnecessary and I would like to learn something more modest. I don't want to look cool while I am fighting, I just want to defend myself in a practical way, the way that keeps my enemies away from me its the better, I don't need to look cool like Macho Man Randy Savage or Nature Boy Ric Flair and I don't need to be Bruce Lee either.

Krav Maga, it would be perfect, except that I have a really short fuse, and I mean short, I'm way to impulsive and I could see myself shoving a bic pen into a guy eye if provoked, so I think its better for me to stay away from arts that show dirty tricks.

Could you help me choose something?

Thank you

 

[JR 137]

Forget what you’ve seen on TV and in demonstrations. They’re not indicative of what goes on day to day. They’re designed to entertain the audience.

Muay Thai isn’t a flashy art. It’s direct and to the point, and brutally effective when trained properly. It teaches the basics without much fluff. Basic punches, kicks, knees, elbows, headbutts, and clinching/tying up. Watch Muay Thai competitions for a truer assessment of it, as it’s heavily competition based. And I’m not a Muay Thai student, so that’s not fanboy talk.

Regardless of all of that, choose a school, not an art. There’s great and awful examples of every art. It’s about who’s teaching it, how they’re teaching it, and who you’ll train alongside. If Muay Thai is proven to be the best art there is (impossible for any art), but your local school has a bad teacher and all the students are kids, how good is it going to be for you?

Make a list of all the schools around you, including boxing and wrestling. Cross of the ones you can’t afford and the ones you can’t attend due to scheduling conflicts. Visit the rest. Take a trial lesson whenever you can. The right school for you will become apparent. And if it turns out to not be the best fit, there’s nothing keeping you there for the rest of your life. Just be careful of long term contracts.

 

[Headhunter]

So you want to learn to defend yourself but you don't want to learn the most useful moves for self defence?....

Just go to any class and see if you like it. We can't say what's best for you because we don't know you, we don't know the clubs around you. Just pick one and go train

 

[jobo]

Ok, I understand this question must have been done a million times in this board, but I really need help, because I want to choose wisely in order to get exactly what I want.

I want to learn a martial art exclusively for self defense. Meaning my objective is to learn it in case I happen to find someone who is going to try to hurt me. I've taken this decision because in the last 6 months I had two very unfortunate situations where people came knocking to my home and not for the right reasons. Lets just be clear about something before we continue, I don't live in the US, I live in Europe, Southern Europe (Portugal to be exact), and here getting a gun is difficult unlike the US, also if you happen to kill someone with a gun or in any way you will be put on trial, and even if it is in self defense, if the judge decides killing was not necessary in order to survive you might be put into jail. Please take also in consideration, that while I was raised by my mother's family, which are good and honest people, my father's family has spawned a lot of robbers, killers and smugglers, and in one situation, it was my family who came knocking into my door (due to inheritances). Also take in consideration they always act in group, so I might have to defend myself against multiple adversaries at one point.

Taking this in consideration, do not worry, I am safe, I am just trying to avoid a bad situation in a far away future by learn how to defend myself.

So about me, I am 1.81m and about 100 kg, I've tried judo before but I hated it, because I can't rollout, I have low flexibility and I simply can't bend over enough to roll out correctly, I also hate to be throw down.

I have read and seen demonstrations of other martial arts, but I can't see myself fitting into most descriptions of these arts.

Example:

Muay Thai, in theory seems good, but I've seen demonstrations where they do wheels while hitting each other's chins (you know like Marshal Law in Tekken) and where they just plain out climb out one guy, jump and hit the other guy with a punch from above, this all seems way too flashy and unnecessary and I would like to learn something more modest. I don't want to look cool while I am fighting, I just want to defend myself in a practical way, the way that keeps my enemies away from me its the better, I don't need to look cool like Macho Man Randy Savage or Nature Boy Ric Flair and I don't need to be Bruce Lee either.

Krav Maga, it would be perfect, except that I have a really short fuse, and I mean short, I'm way to impulsive and I could see myself shoving a bic pen into a guy eye if provoked, so I think its better for me to stay away from arts that show dirty tricks.

Could you help me choose something?

Thank you

well most arts need flexibility, the good news being you can almost certainly increase your flexibility over a few months of concerted effort, and as the main purpose of judo is NOT being thrown on the floor, hating being thrown on the floor looks like a good motivation to be good at judo,

have a think about boxing, it seems to deliver the most bang, in the shortest time and they discourage people being thrown on the floor and gymnastics in general

 

[Martial D]

Ok, I understand this question must have been done a million times in this board, but I really need help, because I want to choose wisely in order to get exactly what I want.

I want to learn a martial art exclusively for self defense. Meaning my objective is to learn it in case I happen to find someone who is going to try to hurt me. I've taken this decision because in the last 6 months I had two very unfortunate situations where people came knocking to my home and not for the right reasons. Lets just be clear about something before we continue, I don't live in the US, I live in Europe, Southern Europe (Portugal to be exact), and here getting a gun is difficult unlike the US, also if you happen to kill someone with a gun or in any way you will be put on trial, and even if it is in self defense, if the judge decides killing was not necessary in order to survive you might be put into jail. Please take also in consideration, that while I was raised by my mother's family, which are good and honest people, my father's family has spawned a lot of robbers, killers and smugglers, and in one situation, it was my family who came knocking into my door (due to inheritances). Also take in consideration they always act in group, so I might have to defend myself against multiple adversaries at one point.

Taking this in consideration, do not worry, I am safe, I am just trying to avoid a bad situation in a far away future by learn how to defend myself.

So about me, I am 1.81m and about 100 kg, I've tried judo before but I hated it, because I can't rollout, I have low flexibility and I simply can't bend over enough to roll out correctly, I also hate to be throw down.

I have read and seen demonstrations of other martial arts, but I can't see myself fitting into most descriptions of these arts.

Example:

Muay Thai, in theory seems good, but I've seen demonstrations where they do wheels while hitting each other's chins (you know like Marshal Law in Tekken) and where they just plain out climb out one guy, jump and hit the other guy with a punch from above, this all seems way too flashy and unnecessary and I would like to learn something more modest. I don't want to look cool while I am fighting, I just want to defend myself in a practical way, the way that keeps my enemies away from me its the better, I don't need to look cool like Macho Man Randy Savage or Nature Boy Ric Flair and I don't need to be Bruce Lee either.

Krav Maga, it would be perfect, except that I have a really short fuse, and I mean short, I'm way to impulsive and I could see myself shoving a bic pen into a guy eye if provoked, so I think its better for me to stay away from arts that show dirty tricks.

Could you help me choose something?

Thank you

First, you seem to have gained an impression of Muay Thai from Hollywood. You will rarely if ever see anything resembling acrobatics in a Mt fight. It's actually quite rigid and the one that can absorb the most punishment generally wins.

Second, krav maga is garbage.

If you want to learn to fight, sign up at a club where they actually strap on gloves and fight. You just won't get that by suiting up in a GI and doing co-operative drills or Asian dancing(forms and kata) exclusively.

Boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai and bjj are examples of styles that almost always pressure test their skills. I would (and do) go one or more of these routes if you want to end up with functional skills.

Or alternatively, get a good set of brass knuckles.

 

[skribs]

Ok, I understand this question must have been done a million times in this board, but I really need help, because I want to choose wisely in order to get exactly what I want.

I want to learn a martial art exclusively for self defense. Meaning my objective is to learn it in case I happen to find someone who is going to try to hurt me. I've taken this decision because in the last 6 months I had two very unfortunate situations where people came knocking to my home and not for the right reasons. Lets just be clear about something before we continue, I don't live in the US, I live in Europe, Southern Europe (Portugal to be exact), and here getting a gun is difficult unlike the US, also if you happen to kill someone with a gun or in any way you will be put on trial, and even if it is in self defense, if the judge decides killing was not necessary in order to survive you might be put into jail. Please take also in consideration, that while I was raised by my mother's family, which are good and honest people, my father's family has spawned a lot of robbers, killers and smugglers, and in one situation, it was my family who came knocking into my door (due to inheritances). Also take in consideration they always act in group, so I might have to defend myself against multiple adversaries at one point.

Taking this in consideration, do not worry, I am safe, I am just trying to avoid a bad situation in a far away future by learn how to defend myself.

So about me, I am 1.81m and about 100 kg, I've tried judo before but I hated it, because I can't rollout, I have low flexibility and I simply can't bend over enough to roll out correctly, I also hate to be throw down.

I have read and seen demonstrations of other martial arts, but I can't see myself fitting into most descriptions of these arts.

Example:

Muay Thai, in theory seems good, but I've seen demonstrations where they do wheels while hitting each other's chins (you know like Marshal Law in Tekken) and where they just plain out climb out one guy, jump and hit the other guy with a punch from above, this all seems way too flashy and unnecessary and I would like to learn something more modest. I don't want to look cool while I am fighting, I just want to defend myself in a practical way, the way that keeps my enemies away from me its the better, I don't need to look cool like Macho Man Randy Savage or Nature Boy Ric Flair and I don't need to be Bruce Lee either.

Krav Maga, it would be perfect, except that I have a really short fuse, and I mean short, I'm way to impulsive and I could see myself shoving a bic pen into a guy eye if provoked, so I think its better for me to stay away from arts that show dirty tricks.

Could you help me choose something?

Thank you

The martial art with the best instructor. Ignore all the other stuff about this art vs. that art. These are what you should consider:

• Do I like the instructor's teaching style
• Do I trust the instructor has good technique
• Is it fun
• Is it close enough I can regularly attend
• Is it affordable

These are the important questions to ask. If you find the "perfect art", that's a 2 hour drive to classes and the instructor is only so-so, then you're not going to learn much while you're there, and you're going to have a hard time convincing yourself to go. But if you find an art that wasn't even on your radar, but it's close to home and you love the classes, you'll go quite often and train harder.

 

[Deleted member 39746]

Whats Portuguese knife law like and do they let you carry OC spray, tasers etc?

I would suggest something which does a lot of sparring divided up into a striking and grappling style and then taking the time to find any good indigenous Portuguese seminars more specifically on self defence topics. Travel is a pest, let alone intentional.

Not knowing any indigenous Portuguese styles either, if you don't have time for both, maybe a mixture of the two, if you find a MMA place or something.

Just going to mirror that Krav maga is hit and miss like plenty of other things, if you get a good place its good if not its bad and its kind of been done to death and such. And the content of it is based on army combatives basically every other nation has re hashed and does very similar.

Edit: Muay thai if its a good school and they let you adapt your posture and all that to how you are comfortable in fighting does seem like a decent thing to do if you can only do it. Or at least mold into a decent thing via seminars and such. Grappling is pretty good for self defence also. As long as they actually have you spar with strikes and teach you strikes. (didnt read the part where you said you hated Judo, ignore that)

 

[skribs]

Whats Portuguese knife law like and do they let you carry OC spray, tasers etc?

I would suggest something which does a lot of sparring divided up into a striking and grappling style and then taking the time to find any good indigenous Portuguese seminars more specifically on self defence topics. Travel is a pest, let alone intentional.

Not knowing any indigenous Portuguese styles either, if you don't have time for both, maybe a mixture of the two, if you find a MMA place or something.

Just going to mirror that Krav maga is hit and miss like plenty of other things, if you get a good place its good if not its bad and its kind of been done to death and such. And the content of it is based on army combatives basically every other nation has re hashed and does very similar.

Rat, have you started taking martial art classes, yet?

 

[jobo]

The martial art with the best instructor. Ignore all the other stuff about this art vs. that art. These are what you should consider:

• Do I like the instructor's teaching style
• Do I trust the instructor has good technique
• Is it fun
• Is it close enough I can regularly attend
• Is it affordable

These are the important questions to ask. If you find the "perfect art", that's a 2 hour drive to classes and the instructor is only so-so, then you're not going to learn much while you're there, and you're going to have a hard time convincing yourself to go. But if you find an art that wasn't even on your radar, but it's close to home and you love the classes, you'll go quite often and train harder.

he seems to have prioritised self defence, so most of your points are academic unless it also delivers on being really quite good at self defence, that rules out most ma and only leaves the ones with live/ competition fighting, irrespective of if it's fun or affordable,

or
doing a a fun affordable ma that's close and has trusted techniques is a complete waste of time and money, if it doesn't deliver his goal of beating up people who knock on his door with Ill intent. in which case he would almost certainly be better empl8yed doing weight training than learning katas

 

[skribs]

he seems to have prioritised self defence, so most of your points are academic unless it also delivers on being really quite good at self defence, that rules out most ma and only leaves the ones with live/ competition fighting, irrespective of if it's fun or affordable,

or
doing a a fun affordable ma that's close and has trusted techniques is a complete waste of time and money, if it doesn't deliver his goal of beating up people who knock on his door with Ill intent. in which case he would almost certainly be better empl8yed doing weight training

No, it's not. If he goes to a "self defense" school and hates it and quits, he won't learn self defense.

If he goes to a "we don't prioritize self defense" school and enjoys it and stays, he'll learn some self defense and a lot of other things, too.

 

[jobo]

No, it's not. If he goes to a "self defense" school and hates it and quits, he won't learn self defense.

If he goes to a "we don't prioritize self defense" school and enjoys it and stays, he'll learn some self defense and a lot of other things, too.

I didn't say anything about self defence school, ? most of them are equally useless at self defence.

if, as he apparently feels under imminent threat, he needs to attend , if he enjoys it is rather irrelevant to his continued well being, but why wouldn't he equally enjoy boxing, or mt or bjj,.. as much as an art that promotes dance sequences, as a major learning point. he may as well sign up for dance class,

 

[Buka]

Welcome to Martial Talk, silveringking.

What training places do you have near you? What are your choices?

 

[drop bear]

No, it's not. If he goes to a "self defense" school and hates it and quits, he won't learn self defense.

If he goes to a "we don't prioritize self defense" school and enjoys it and stays, he'll learn some self defense and a lot of other things, too.

That is basically what I said to a friend of mine who wanted to be a doctor.

I told him don't study medicine. You might hate it and quit. Study dance. That way you will have more fun.

 

[skribs]

That is basically what I said to a friend of mine who wanted to be a doctor.

I told him don't study medicine. You might hate it and quit. Study dance. That way you will have more fun.

False equivalency. It would be more like if he wanted to be a doctor, but couldn't afford to go to a prestigious medical university, and so instead your advice was to look at getting prereqs done at a community college or state school.

Being able to actually go to class is better than not going to class.

 

[silveringking]

Ok, so first thing off, one of you asked about native Portuguese martial arts, there is just one native martial art:

Jogo do pau - Wikipedia

However this is like sword fighting and I might not have a stick with me at all times. (Literally this is the only native martial art in Portugal.)

Second I live nearby big cities, I have a lot of school a google search of distance. Just within a 15 minute walk I have a gym that teaches krav maga and a karate dojo. If I catch a bus to the next town, the local football club offers judo classes (competitive). But like I said I hated judo, in judo if you're down you can't support yourself with your hands and then kick with the legs, whenever I fell down i put my hands backward as instinct and I just hate let myself go and just plain hit my head in the tatami.

 

[silveringking]

I have a lot of offer and I do mean a lot, so much so, I can't even decide, its like I kick a rock and I find a gym.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

False equivalency. It would be more like if he wanted to be a doctor, but couldn't afford to go to a prestigious medical university, and so instead your advice was to look at getting prereqs done at a community college or state school.

Being able to actually go to class is better than not going to class.

Not if the class doesnt teach what he wants though. If I wanted to learn how to save lives, you wouldn't recommend me checking out a dance school. No matter how good the instructor is, or how well i would learn dance, or how much fun i would have.

If anything, what you could do if you didnt think id like med school, is tell me the med schools that are available, and if i find a couple months later its not for me, then recommend ways to find a different hobby or profession. But at least help me find a place that's teaching me what I'm looking for, before encouraging me to focus on something else.

 

[skribs]

Not if the class doesnt teach what he wants though. If I wanted to learn how to save lives, you wouldn't recommend me checking out a dance school. No matter how good the instructor is, or how well i would learn dance, or how much fun i would have.

If anything, what you could do if you didnt think id like med school, is tell me the med schools that are available, and if i find a couple months later its not for me, then recommend ways to find a different hobby or profession. But at least help me find a place that's teaching me what I'm looking for, before encouraging me to focus on something else.

You're assuming that just because a martial art doesn't focus on self defense, that you can't learn it. That is horribly untrue.

If you go to a class for two years and even only 5% of it is self defense, that's more than if you burned out in a month on a self defense class that you hate.

 

[skribs]

I have a lot of offer and I do mean a lot, so much so, I can't even decide, its like I kick a rock and I find a gym.

How many of them do you like? Try them out. Talk to the master about their teaching philosophy and what you will learn. Ask them if you're specifically focused on self defense, is it a good fit, and why that is?

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Ok, so first thing off, one of you asked about native Portuguese martial arts, there is just one native martial art:

Jogo do pau - Wikipedia

However this is like sword fighting and I might not have a stick with me at all times. (Literally this is the only native martial art in Portugal.)

Second I live nearby big cities, I have a lot of school a google search of distance. Just within a 15 minute walk I have a gym that teaches krav maga and a karate dojo. If I catch a bus to the next town, the local football club offers judo classes (competitive). But like I said I hated judo, in judo if you're down you can't support yourself with your hands and then kick with the legs, whenever I fell down i put my hands backward as instinct and I just hate let myself go and just plain hit my head in the tatami.

This is a long shot, but do you happen to have catch wrestling near you? That seems like a good option, along with MMA or sambo