Martial Arts That Aren't Useless

[Funyahns]

Age plays a factor too. There are inner styles and outer styles. Outer styles are for more explosive intense release of power. Where inner styles focus more on reaction. Both have value, like Tai Chi is very good for your joints and flexibility while great for focus. That is one of more popular inner styles and the one I am most familiar with since I didn't get into it till I was in my 30s

 

[Danhoyt]

The one that you will spend time practicing.

 

[Dr. Crawver]

Surprised Jeet Kune Do hasn't been mentioned yet. Being built entirely around efficiency and adaptability, there are definitely styles that get the job done faster (it being more reserved than some all out techniques), it should be able to deal with whatever comes at you. It is however painfully hard to learn as it's as much a mindset as a list of moves.

 

[someonehairy-ish]

I've personally found kickboxing to be excellent for my physical fitness, but I would think its practicality really comes down to what kind of kickboxing class you go to and whether they train you for continuous sparring or just point scoring. Some intructors will put more emphasis on inflicting damage or self defense, whereas some are a bit more keen on the 'art' side of things and will just nag you to get your form right.

At the very least, you should be taught to throw a really bloody good punch, kick, sweep people's legs, keep a guard up,etc. You'll also probably learn proper technique for knee and elbow strikes, although they're illegal in sparring. The kicks can't generally be performed properly if you're wearing jeans or anything, but they're worth learning on the off chance that somebody tries to mug while you're wearing joggers.

I've had people recommend things like krav maga, judo, jiu jitsu, muay thai, but I can't personally attest to whether or not any of them are any good.

 

[Mr C]

(I'm not sure if martial art is the broadest term, but basically, I'm just talking about any style of fighting.)

I want to get fit and I figured that I may as well learn a useful life skill while I do it, so naturally, I thought of learning a martial art. The only problem is, all the martial arts that I'm aware of (Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Tai Chi, Yoga, Sudoku, etc etc etc) seem to be about as useful in a real life fight as training in Baseball (or so I'm told).

So, my question to you is, do you know of any fighting styles that actually have a practical application.

In honour of the upcoming Brazil Soccer World Cup, which I'm sure we're all super excited about [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lie], have some Capoeira.

Try several different styles to see what suits you, don't be afraid of being shit, looking a fool or taking a hit. I've done karate, tae kwon do and kick boxing. I assure you any form of training will make you faster than the average punk, none of them are useless so long you learn to take a hit and practice actual fighting.

From what I've done, kick boxing was the best for fitness and easily had the most applicable skills, if I understand you. I still do this in my mid 30s, I'd easily suggest this if you are going into a fighting style and you've left it a bit late in life.

Tae Kwon do is often ran as a sport, so most clubs will probably not provide what you want. But it is a great way to get fit and it is often popular with the ladies

The karate style I practice, wado ryu, has both practical and spiritual aspects to it. I found it a great way to relax both physically and mentally in my troubled youth. It kept me fit and it helped me kick the shit of of few plebs in my teenage years.

 

[Funyahns]

Age plays a factor too. There are inner styles and outer styles. Outer styles are for more explosive intense release of power. Where inner styles focus more on reaction. Both have value, like Tai Chi is very good for your joints and flexibility while great for focus. That is one of more popular inner styles and the one I am most familiar with since I didn't get into it till I was in my 30s

ye but are you doing it right ?

most people in the west do "Tai Chi" completely wrong and thus develop very little, if any, tendon strength from doing it...which is it's major benefit...especially in old age.

not saying that's you Funyahns but typically classes are usually just people flailing about...slowly...while thinking their doing something vaguely beneficial and perhaps vaguely mystical...usually middle aged women tbth...including my own mother...

for the layman: if anyone knows what i mean by "pushing against a wall that isn't there"...that's the real secret of "Tai Chi".

now try doing that continuously while executing something akin to a single clichéd "Tai Chi" movement or "form"...

ye.

now you know why it's mental discipline as well as a physical one and why it takes years to master.

I learned it from a very good teacher. The man grew up in China and was amazing. I have hardly ever seen anyone as graceful in motion as him. He was also adept at several Kung Fu styles, which I never tried to learn but I still love to watch him do it. So to answer yes, I learned a lot about it. He taught us how the forms and movements could be used in joint locks and tosses. Tai Chi is honestly a pretty nasty style it goes for a lot of breaking of hands or dislocation of shoulders.

 

[BloodSquirrel]

The reality is that knowing how and being really good at throwing a straight-forward punch is far, far, far more useful in a fight than knowing twenty different kinds of kicks and thirty different katas.

In a real fight, you need something that you can do as a reaction. Unless you're an asshole setting out to pick a fight with a smaller person, then any real fight you find yourself in is going to be an unexpected, stressful situation where you will need something simple and direct that you don't need to set up or think about. Knowing a bunch of neat joint locks is only helpful if you have the skill and presence of mind to pull them off. And you will never learn to use any martial art as a reaction practicing katas or doing sets of ten crescent kicks on count. If you want to use something practically, it needs to be practiced practically.

So if you're looking for self-defense, you want to train in an environment that focuses on sparing in a way that can actually resemble a real fight. Boxing is good for non-grappling (It doesn't teach you to defend against kicking, but being able to kick well enough for that to be a problem requires more training than whoever your fighting probably has), but you *definitely* want to practice some kind of grappling as well, because real fights can end up on the floor pretty fast.

Keep in mind that, in a real self-defense situation, you're almost certainly not going to be fighting a martial artist or trained boxer. You'll be fighting someone is just impulsive and violent, but tough enough that he hasn't gotten that behavior beaten out of him and actually experienced in a real fight. If you can keep your cool and hit him hard with a solid, well-formed punch you've neutralized most of his advantage.

Talking about different styles though, one thing I've never understood is why modern MMA doesn't incorporate the side kick. In ITF this is the first kick you learn alongside the front kick, and it's basically you're bread and butter. It can be quick, versatile, and powerful. Anytime we went to mixed style tournaments we'd usually dominate with it. It also happened to be Bruce Lee's favourite kick.

Might be because, if you *don't* serious hurt your opponent with it, it's easy for them to grab your leg and put you in a bad position.

I remember from my days in TKD sparring that, yeah, it's really good if you're just trying to hit someone and they aren't supposed to grab, but the one time I sparred with a woman who liked to grab anyway she'd be able to grab my foot every time, and it would be straight to the mat at that point if we were doing MMA. And it's also a kick that requires your opponent to be far enough to have room to use the kick, but close enough for you to actually hit hard with it. Back off just a little neutralized it as an actual attack, rather than just a point-scoring move.

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

I have to say BJJ is surprisingly useful. A lot of the time you end up on the ground anyway, and most people don't know what to do when you go for an armbar or a triangle choke because they have no concept of what you could be doing before it's done.

 

[DefunctTheory]

I have to say BJJ is surprisingly useful. A lot of the time you end up on the ground anyway, and most people don't know what to do when you go for an armbar or a triangle choke because they have no concept of what you could be doing before it's done.

Most people are overly concerned about their torso and head, and value them above limbs and joints in a fight. Its understandable - In any circumstance besides a bare knuckle fight, giving up an arm is preferable to getting stabbed, or hit with a bat, or having boxes fall on you, or whatever normal things may be happening to you. In truth, your torso and head are fortresses of their own right. Its really only modern issues like weapons and accidents like car wrecks that make them seem so fragile.

Generally speaking, once you get just about any joint on your opponent's body under your control, the fights done, whether they accept it or not. If the pain of having an arm wrench out of the socket doesn't finish them off, the fact that their fighting you with only one arm will likely be a decisive factor.

Which isn't to say you should go tearing peoples limbs off once you learn how to. That's obviously the last resort deal.

 

[Augustine]

Krav Maga to be sure.
Though it is not really a martial art - it was pragmatically deigned to be a set of principles to be employed on the actual modern battlefield. It is a dangerous thing to know, however - Krav Maga is generally designed to kill opponents.

 

[schiz0phren1c]

I'm gonna go with recommending Krav Maga too(although it's not a Martial Art,it's self defense),I started Martial Arts 30 odd years ago with Kung Fu,and have done just about every interesting one to come to light since then(Shotokan Karate,Bujinkan Ninjutsu,Muai Thai(in Thailand),Pencak Silat,Tae Kwon Do...I'm sure I'm forgetting a few!..
and if you don't like Krav Maga a couple of other good picks are Pencak Silat(the Martial art used in the Raid Redemption and Raid 2 movies,Muai Thai fighters are some of the toughest people I've ever met because of the ferocious training schedule,there's also Bokator which is Cambodian,but if you make the mistake of mentioning/asking the question "which came first Muai Thai or Bokator you may not survive the answer!)

If it's fitness that you want by all means do some MMA training,but remember it's a sport...with rules,and I heavily discourage anybody who thinks taking a fight to the ground as soon as possible is a good idea...one of my friends was murdered in Wales a few years ago because he took a fight to the ground and got kicked to death by the guy he was tying in knot's friends and he was a very competent fighter,taught me a lot of Jiu Jitsu moves that I still use today.

Ultimately I would recommend a Krav Maga school whose main instructor has been trained by someone from Roy Elganyahan's school
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hXjr_7bSdg,anyone who has trained with Amir Peretz or of course the main man Eyal Yanilov,
I know this is a wall of text but the most controversial aspect of Krav Maga training is Gun Disarms,I was totally against them when I started(as I shoot as well,and if I'm gonna shoot someone it's not going to be within reach of their arms),
but those disarms are mainly for execution style situations where someone is intending to shoot you from close distance,so I got over my reservations I would also recommend Escrima,and a good Krav Maga or Escrima class will get you every bit as fit as Boxing or MMA,
One final word,street fighters with no training,who fight all the time,beat black belts and highly trained individuals all the time,there's a world of difference between a Dojo or Ring and a street or bar situation,so if you're REALLY serious about learning to protect yourself,and read your surroundings,either get a job as a Door Supervisor(we used to just call ourselves Bouncers,but a lot has changed since then!) for a while,or get ADVICE from a Doorman/Woman who has at least ten years on the job,
also look up a chap named Geoff Thompson http://www.geoffthompson.com/ and read his book "Watch my Back" it's full of tips and tricks that have saved my ass numerous times and is a cracking read too.

 

[teamcharlie]

First, a note: Don't get into fights. They're really bad. It's surprisingly easy to get somebody killed when there are a lot of hard surfaces and corners around (anybody see Ender's Game? It gets a lot of flack, but if you recall the shower scene that can absolutely happen), and even if you 'win' the fight their friend, or girlfriend, or grandmother might be hiding a knife just waiting for you to walk on by. Fun fact: knives are really easy to use, easy to hide, hard to see, really hard to defend against at close range, and can absolutely kill you. Stay safe.

That being said, a few basic recommendations:

Any good martial arts school should have a proper exercise regimen. Stretching has dubious benefits prior to a workout (helps your joints move further, but can also increase the risk of hyperextension. Definitely stretch afterwards if your class doesn't do it though, great for preventing sore muscles and getting the most out of your training the next time), but jumping jacks, push-ups, crunches, and jogging are a great way to get some exercise in and get the blood flowing before you train.

Style honestly depends on your teacher. Krav and MMA can be good. If the sensei (and whoever else runs classes; pretty often a high-ranking student runs some normal classes. This shouldn't put you off, but bear it in mind when considering a dojo) has a good pedigree and teaches a mixture of strikes, joint locks and throws (and if you're lucky some weapon defense techniques) you're pretty much set. But some senseis and dojos are shitty, so do your homework. And yes, as awesome and disabling as a good joint lock is, most fights you're likely to be in require nothing more than good reflexes and the ability to punch somebody without breaking your own hand.

Sparring is good, and so is not getting beaten up at your own dojo. You definitely want there to be some contact. This should optimally include bag work for your strikes, a training partner for joint locks and throws, and an opponent for free-form minimal-to-medium contact sparring. The first teaches you what it's really like to put force into a strike against a target with mass, the second ensures you understand how the joint locks and throws work against another human body (in an actual fight you generally have to soften up your opponent with some strikes to get them into a lock in the first place, btw), and the third helps you learn what works in a match against somebody actively trying to beat you as well as helping you with your reflexes.

Avoid getting hurt. An injury puts you out of training for a while, and concussions can lead to brain damage and a whole host of other problems. It probably doesn't sound very manly/tough/whatev, but if you're legitimately worried about getting hurt by another student and your sensei doesn't do something about it, you're at the wrong dojo.

Don't worry about rank. If you really want a black belt, buy it. You train to learn and to get in shape, and that's the only true measure of success in training.

 

[lucky_sharm]

The Bujinkan doesn't fuck around. They generally aren't allowed to have/take part in martial arts tournaments because almost everything they do is geared toward killing and maiming as efficiently as possible.

That's kinda dumb, since maiming and killing is pretty much illegal (even in self defence), it's like a group where you teach civilians how to best hunt endangered animals. While such groups probably exists in some underground places of the world, they're in no way official.

In fact, a simple google search easily proved you wrong. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bujinkan Like alls martial arts, it's focused on defence. you want to know why? Because killing and maiming people is illegal. If they would dabble in illegal stuff they'd get shut down, and the guys teaching how to kill people would probably be locked up.

It's kind of funny how much of a hard on people have for martial arts, it's kind of like parkour or snipers. Sure it looks cool in the movies, but you're not really some kind of superhuman for learning it, and you don't become wiser just because you can throw someone to the ground.

Martial arts are still a thing where people are having a difficulty differentiating it from the "oriental wise man" from the movies, or the "ninja"-bullshit that's sadly more common than I'd like.

It isn't dumb to teach people how to kill, especially when you're in a situation where someone wants to take your life. In a fight, most people don't think "Here's how I will methodically neutralize my opponent" but more like "punch kick elbow OHSHIT HIS FIST IS COMIN".

 

[Louis.J]

I would recommend judo. I have used it in various brawls and it can deter an assailant from carrying on a fight, if you start off knocking (or throwing) him off his feet at his first several attempts.

I concur that Krav Maga is a very efficient type of martial art, although it is certainly not a gentlemanly one.

 

[Vausch]

Well technically there aren't useless martial arts. Each one does have an advantage over another with different strengths and weaknesses, the key is just in how well you train.

That said though, it is best to avoid places known as "McDojos" where they're purely in it for the money, charge you to take belt ranking tests (if applicable) and really the styles are often more applicable to sports than anything else so real world combat is rarely taught. K-Tigers is the very definition of McDojo.

Personally I'd consider Krav Maga, Muay Thai, Karate, or ITF Taekwondo (the good one, do NOT go with "WTF").

 

[Enamour]

Surprised Jeet Kune Do hasn't been mentioned yet. Being built entirely around efficiency and adaptability, there are definitely styles that get the job done faster (it being more reserved than some all out techniques), it should be able to deal with whatever comes at you. It is however painfully hard to learn as it's as much a mindset as a list of moves.

It's my understanding that Jeet Kun Do is a basis for many of the modern military styles, so was also surprised that no one's mentioned it.

@OP I started JKD for similar reasons to what you've explained. The main concern I had was finding a physical expression for my zen practice; to practice calmness in activity. Basically I needed something to practice focusing, clearing my mind while gradually and mindfully building my body to meet the demands of the practice.

What JKD is.

It's a fighting style developed by Bruce Lee. He believed that, as has been pointed out in this thread, the problem with "martial arts" was the arts part. He criticized traditional styles like karate for having become like sports and having lost the true essence of combat.

What it did for me.

So I got Bruce Lee's Tao of Jeet Kun Do. Basically his notes were published after his death. So I read the words, looked at the pictures all the while trying to understand the "essence" of what I would be trying to accomplish.

Bruce Lee constantly reminds you that Jeet Kun Do is a basis into which you can add and adapt almost anything from any style. He stresses that your practice is a personal/emotional/spiritual thing as much as it has combat-motive. With the wrong mind you will lose every fight; internal or external.

I approached JKD as a self-learning exercise and after a few years of practice I have a limited, but sufficient, range of "moves" that I practice mindfully whenever I am alone, or sparring with a friend. My kicks are quick, accurate and powerful. My hands are strong and I harden them constantly. At around 186cm tall, weighing around 72kgs, I am slim but strong and flexible; I rediscovered the joy of movement, something that I believe most of us lose when we're no longer children. I am confident that I'm able to execute correctly and with the right mind. Though winning a street fight depends as much on my opponent as it does me.

Practice was never suffering and there was no feeling of "Meh, I don't want to do this today.". Gradual, mindful and constant practice of basic principles.

Don't get discouraged.

Here's where I have to get a little zen. Whatever OP chooses, the easiest way to become discouraged is to have goals in terms of expectations. Expectations never meet up with reality and failing to meet them can easily discourage you from practice. Having an expectation of your practice is a little like asking "What does this offer me?" and then answering your own question when the answer is actually "I don't know yet, I haven't been practicing it long/diligently enough to realize.". You do what you can do and the rest will take care of itself.

Balance, mindfulness, strength, agility, stamina, speed. It doesn't matter how you practice as long as you're not sliding backwards.

 

[Sanshou]

One that people rarely bring up; Sanshou/Sanda.

Its essentially the chinese equivalent of muay thai its taught to the military out there. It utilizes boxing, kicking, knees and elbows like muay thai does but also involves some wrestling making it a pretty versatile art. ALot of it is based off its kung fu roots, so depending on the school there may be a large emphasis on traditional bone conditioning exercises which makes you hard as iron.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Do you really think that profitable organisations actually can teach people the best way to kill and maim other people? Like actually?

Er...anywhere that teaches people to use a handgun is most likely doing that.

 

[ExtraDebit]

Just practice your dragon punch, hurricane kick and hadokens and you'll be fine.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Do you really think that profitable organisations actually can teach people the best way to kill and maim other people? Like actually?

Er...anywhere that teaches people to use a handgun is most likely doing that.

Which are, what, three, four countries in the western world?

Assuming it was, that'd represent something like a quarter or a fifth of the west's population.

I don't believe that it is that rare, though, lots of western nations have pistol shooting as a sport, send people to the Olympics, and so on.