The Top Three Martial Arts Everyone Should Train
When it comes to effective self-defense, these are the essentials for developing real fighting skill.
1. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian jiu-Jitsu (different from Japanese jiu-jitsu) actually evolved from Judo (which at the time was called Kanō jiu-jitsu) when it was brought to Brazil in 1914 and developed into its own martial art. It primarily concerns itself with ground grappling techniques, including holds, chokes and joint locks. Why is this number one on the list? A common wisdom prescribes: “90% of fights end up on the ground.” There is room for debate on the matter, but the basic spirit of this motto represents some reasonably sound logic. What it means is that due to the chaotic nature of a physical confrontation, it is highly likely that one or both parties involved will lose their balance and be forced to continue the fight from a non-standing position. This can happen from intentional aggression, such as a takedown, knockout blow, sweep or throw. Or it can happen completely by accident, caused by obstacles in the environment or a simple loss of traction. You can see this happen in the UFC all the time when a fighter slips on a wet spot in the ring caused by sweat, blood or ice water splashed over someone’s head during a corner break. So, given that some majority of fights will end up on the ground, it’s a strong argument for why Brazilian jiu-jitsu—a martial art with a huge arsenal of defense and aggressive ground grappling techniques—is the most important one. This theory was put to the test and more or less proven when the UFC first got started and the now famous Brazilian fighter Royce Gracie dominated opponents who were bigger and stronger than him to win the first UFC tournament.
Thirty years later, many UFC fighters have a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, as mastery of this martial art is an essential skill that one absolutely must have in order to compete. BJJ, therefore, is also essential for every day self-defense. It’s not just a martial art, but is rather like a science. All the ways that a human body can be choked, twisted, bent and broken by another human body have been researched, tested and perfected throughout its development history. If you know even a little bit of jujitsu and your opponent knows none, you will dominate them. Likewise, if your opponent knows any jujitsu and you know none, you’re finished. If you both know a little bit of jujitsu, then the fight will become less like a bar room brawl and more like a chess match, in which the techniques are precise and every strategy has its counter strategy.
Jiu-jitsu also has the added benefit of techniques that will definitively disable an opponent (causing them to pass out from a choke or to give up due to a broken arm) without being lethal or otherwise causing permanent injury. One particular technique called the “rear naked choke” is not only very common in UFC bouts, but is used by cops and good samaritans to subdue a criminal or aggressive person without hurting them. Street fights are no joke; people can die, go blind, get brain damage or end up in a wheelchair for the rest of their lives. Even if you’re the one walking away from a confrontation, do you want to be responsible for having crippled or killed someone? Probably not.
2. Boxing
Most fights will end up on the ground. Okay, we’ve covered that with Brazilian jiu-jitsu. But 100% of fights will start standing up, which means that some kind of striking martial art is necessary. And in a physical confrontation where parties are striking each other, most of the time it’s going to be punching. Put up your dukes, right? While there are lots of other striking martial arts that are much more fun and versatile, training in traditional boxing will teach you the fundamentals of striking and defense. This includes utilizing the proper stance, foot work, balance, head movement and the full-body leverage necessary to deliver a powerful jab, cross, hook, uppercut or vicious combinations thereof. A regular workout consisting of jumping rope, road work (running), heavy bag, speed bag and sparring will build your strength, extend your stamina and sharpen your skills, turning you into an unstoppable brawler. If you can do all that well, you will have an enormous advantage that can bring a physical confrontation to a very quick and decisive end. This applies when defending yourself on the street as well as for professionals competing in mixed martial arts bouts.
The downside of boxing, as with all striking martial arts, is that size and strength provide enormous advantages. With Brazilian jiu-jitsu, you have a chance of defending yourself against someone in a heavier weight class, but when it comes to boxing, there’s no such luck. That’s why weight classes exist in the first place, in order to level the playing field for fighters of equal skill level but different physicalities. Boxing also has rules that narrow the range of available techniques and allow fighting only in limited circumstances. For example, the referee breaks up a fight in the clinch, i.e. when two fighters grab onto each other. To survive in a real-life self-defense situation, you’ll need to also learn how to grapple standing up, and you’re going to need more than just punches
3. Muay Thai
Muay Thai—poetically referred to as “art of eight limbs” for its use of feet, knees, elbows and hands—is a kind of kickboxing that originated in Thailand and became popular in the west starting in the early twentieth century. Some of its fanciful spinning kicks to the head are not practical for real-life self-defense situations, but most of its techniques are incredibly real tools for survival in a physical confrontation. Kicking, in particular, need not be fanciful at all, as some fighters in the UFC have devastated opponents with short kicks to the legs. Most importantly, though, Muay Thai will teach you to fight in the clinch, i.e. grappling while standing up. Here you can also throw knees and elbows, taking advantage of the closed range where punches are not practical or powerful enough. Muay Thai will teach you how to control an opponent on your feet, as well as ten different ways to smack your elbow into their face and knock the wind out them with your knees.
Beyond the technique itself, training in Muay Thai will, like boxing, build your strength, stamina and general athleticism to the level required in order to manage physical confrontations, should they arise. What you don’t want, of course, is to find yourself in a self-defense situation where your own exertion ends up hurting you, such as throwing our your back when you tried to deliver a haymaker. Training in Muay Thai (as well as Jiu-jitsu) will also increase your flexibility and build technique into your muscle memory so that when trouble finds you, you can successfully deal with it without even having to think.
Conclusions
If you can find a boxing or mixed-martial arts gym that offers all of these classes and you spend time learning the different disciplines outlined here, you will be incredibly well-prepared for any self-defense situation. You will also be physically transformed by these comprehensive, full-body activities, effectively turning your cookie-dough ass into solid steel. Not only that, but your confidence in your ability to handle dangerous situations as they arise will help you keep a cool head.
For a bit of inspiration, the best example I think we’ve ever seen in combat sports of a such a well rounded athlete is Anderson Silva, a Brazilian mixed martial artist who successfully defended his UFC Middleweight Championship belt sixteen times, becoming the longest reigning champion in history. You can see him winning fights by submission using Brazilian Jiu-jitsu techniques as well as punches, kicks, knees and elbows that come from boxing and Muay Thai training.
Now hit the gym. And good luck to the mugger who tries to take your wallet.
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