The most popular types of martial arts. The Best Martial Arts Styles for Self Defense

It is still not clear which martial art is best suited for self-defense? Fencing? Well, walking around gateways with a dull sword is not a good idea. Some weird martial art that's being talked about all over the world? Skills street fight It’s also not always enough, because the hooligans who decide to pick your pockets most likely have them no worse than you. It’s very difficult to say right away, probably everyone has their own opinion, and for some, boxing is enough. Therefore, there is no point in extolling one martial art over others, instead we will offer 7 highly effective types of martial arts that are ideal for self-defense. Very brief overview and the right to choose at your own discretion.

Jujutsu

Country of origin: Japan
Also known as: juju
Nickname:"The Art of Softness"
Famous fighters: Ice-T

History of Jiu-Jitsu

Many of today's and popular martial arts styles, including judo, aikido and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, have their origins in classical Japanese jiu-jitsu.
By and large, without jiu-jitsu, the modern fight fair would not be what we know it in its current form. It may seem to some that the Jiu-Jitsu Federation paid us extra, but in fact, many martial arts would lose their effectiveness.

So, jiu-jitsu, or as they say in Japan, jujiju, was one of the fundamental methods of samurai combat training. Well, of course, when it comes to Japan, then it is, one way or another, connected with samurai, or technology, or geishas, ​​or very bad porn.

As you know, the samurai’s equipment made him a killing machine, but in battle anything can happen, and in frequent cases when a warrior was left without a sword, dagger and bow, he had to fight with the last weapon he had left - with his hands and feet, and more often everything, against an armed enemy.
The literal translation of "jujutsu" can be confusing. “The Art of Softness”... are you serious!? Powerful and effective techniques, invented in order to, if not kill, then simply kill the enemy with bare hands, least of all smack of softness.

Why is Jiu-Jitsu one of the best martial arts?

Jiu-Jitsu is one of the most effective martial arts in the world because it uses the aggression and momentum of the attacker against himself. In essence, this is the art of counterattacks, self-defense in its purest form. For a chained and tired samurai, there was no point in throwing himself at the tip of a spear or sword; it was easier for him to kill the enemy with his own energy. In addition, hitting armor with your hands and feet is not entirely effective, but dodging, intercepting a blow and impaling the enemy on his own weapon is quite useful.

The basic principle of jiu-jitsu is “not to go into direct confrontation in order to win”, not to resist, but to yield to the onslaught of the enemy, only directing his actions in the right side until he is trapped, and then turn the enemy's power and actions against him.

Combat techniques of jiu-jitsu are based on knowledge of human anatomy, physiology and psychophysiology, as well as on filigree technique brought to the point of automatism and the nuances of strategy and tactics of fighting. There is no place for all sorts of dance steps and film-style techniques. There is only one task: destroy your enemy or enemies as quickly as possible, using any methods in your arsenal.

Taekwondo

Country of origin: Korea
Also known as: Taekwondo, Taekwon
Nickname:"The Path of the Brush and Fist"
Famous fighters: Barack Obama, Steven Seagal, Jessica Alba, Willie Nelson

History of Taekwondo

Taekwondo is very closely intertwined with the history of Korea itself, and this is probably why in recent years it has been developing as successfully as Kim Jong-un’s southern neighbor.
There were originally nine kwans (schools) of taekwondo that were recognized by the Government South Korea. Each school had its own unique style of taekwondo. In 1955, the nine kwana were combined into the one that is commonly studied today. In order to describe the history of this art in more detail, a separate article will be needed, it is enough to just say that all political events, including the notorious Korean War, had a strong impact on the appearance of martial arts.

Why is Taekwondo one of the best martial arts?

In films with high intensity martial arts, when a fighter kicks quickly and vigorously in one frame, he is most likely using taekwondo. Actually, powerful high kicks are what make taekwondo so effective look martial arts
The main beauty of taekwondo is not only that good hit legs can incapacitate an opponent, but the fact is that this martial art is extremely effective against several opponents. Unless, of course, they know taekwondo.
The word “taekwondo” is made up of three words: “tae” - leg, “kwon” - fist (hand), “do” - art, the path of taekwondo, the path to improvement (the path of the hand and foot).
Taekwondo is the only martial art on this list that is Olympic form sports But Olympic restraint and fear of lethal outcomes did not make it any less effective.

Krav Maga

Country of origin: Israel
Also known as:"Contact fight"
Famous fighters: Eyal Yanilov

Story

Krav Maga has long been recognized as one of the best martial arts for self-defense in the world. This type of martial arts owes its birth to the outstanding fighter Imi Lichtenfeld. He initially taught his fighting system in Bratislava to help protect the Jewish community from Nazi militias. He created a group of trained young men with characteristic surnames and noses, who did their best to protect the Jewish population from the growing, and at the same time very radical, manifestations of anti-Semitism.

After arriving in Palestine, Lichtenfeld began teaching hand-to-hand combat in the Haganah. After the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, he became the chief instructor in physical training And hand-to-hand combat at the Israel Defense Forces Combat Training School. Lichtenfeld served in the IDF until 1964, constantly developing and improving his system. After his retirement, Krav Maga was adapted to civilian realities. In fact, Krav Maga is his brainchild.

Why is Krav Maga one of the best martial arts?

Krav Maga is designed to quickly neutralize a threat. The techniques are simple and often very dirty. However, the Jews did not have to choose. There is even a saying: “If the technique looks good and beautiful, then it is not Krav Maga.”

There are three main principles of Krav Maga:

The most important thing is to neutralize the threat.
- Simultaneous defense and attack. Unlike many martial arts styles, Krav Maga's attacks and defenses are intertwined throughout the fight.
- All blocks are built to open up the fighter for a counterattack.
All Krav Maga attacks are aimed at vulnerabilities of the human body, such as the eyes, face, throat, neck, groin and fingers. There is no place for ceremonies, philosophy and other nuances inherent in martial arts. This art was created to quickly and as painfully as possible eliminate an opponent. That is why it was adopted by the Israeli Defense Forces. There is no need to bow to the military, the military needs to kill, or at least cut down.

This is a deadly fighting style that respects no etiquette. It was born on the basis of combat techniques of other martial arts, in street fights with Jewish pogromists with exactly one goal - to help the Jews survive. So if you need a simple and effective way to survive in real conditions, and not a beautiful solemn martial arts with your inner culture - then all the attention is on Krav Maga.

Aikido - martial art of Steven Seagal

Country of origin: Japan
Nickname:"The path of harmony of spirit"
Famous fighters: Steven Seagal, Matt Larsen

History of Aikido

Aikido is not exclusively a fighting system. The founder of Aikido, the legendary Morihei Ueshiba, studied several areas of traditional jujutsu, kenjutsu, as well as the art of calligraphy. Based on the knowledge he gained, he formed his own system - Aikido - as opposed to traditional bu-jutsu (the art of killing). Aikido - budo (the way to stop killing), teaches the killing techniques of bu-jutsu, but not for the purpose of killing, but with the goal of stopping them, making a person strong, helping others, uniting all people on the basis of love. As they say, goodness must come with fists.
Ueshiba once said: “Controlling aggression without causing harm is the art of peace.”
Aikido is also a highly spiritual martial art. The word aikido means “the way of harmony of spirit” (“Ai” means harmony, “ki” means spirit or energy, “do” means way, road or way).

Why is Aikido one of the best martial arts?

As a preface, Aikido is one of the most difficult of all Japanese martial arts. If you want to quickly, in a short time, learn self-defense, then aikido is not your help here.

Aikido is a derivative of jujutsu, and similarly emphasizes merging with the opponent's attack, redirecting the attacker's energy, and ending with a painful hold or throw. Aikido fighters use the aggression and inertia of an opponent to disable him or render his attacks useless.
However, one should not think that since mastering aikido takes a long time, and the style itself promotes peace and tranquility, then it is of little use. This is one of the best martial arts suitable for self-defense.

Wing Chun - Bruce Lee's martial art

Country of origin: China
Also known as: Ving Tsun
Nickname:"Singing Spring"
Famous fighters: Bruce Lee, Robert Downey Jr., Christian Bale

History of Wing Chun

The history of Wing Chun is a mixture of facts and legends. The majority is that it was developed in the 17th century as an offshoot of one of the more complex styles of martial arts studied by hard-nosed Buddhist monks. There is talk of a nun named Umei who created a martial art that could be effective regardless of size, weight or gender.

Why is Wing Chun one of the best martial arts?

Like other wushu techniques, it is based on the “chi sao” technique - “sticky hands”, thanks to which the fighter learns to constantly be in contact with the enemy with his hands, feel all his movements and prevent him from carrying out his techniques. But Wing Chun fighters fight on short distance, where you can reach the enemy with your hand, or even better, with your elbow. In order to break through to a fairly close distance, special types of movements are used. Kicks are used in combination with punches. Usually the legs hit the opponent's knees simultaneously with the upper level attack with the arms.

What Wing Chun masters are truly proud of is their balance between attack and defense; they can attack and defend at the same time. And real masters are famous for their ability to choose a position wisely, so wisely that it is literally impossible to take them by surprise.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu - the martial art of Chuck Norris

Country of origin: Japan/Brazil
Also known as: Jiu-Jitsu, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
Nickname:"Human Chess"
Famous fighters: Carlos Gracie, Helio Gracie, BJ Penn, Joe Rogan, Paul Walker, Michael Clarke Duncan

History of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Like Aikido, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is an adapted version of Jiu-Jitsu. Brazil is very fond of martial arts, and therefore they were happy to develop the technique shown by the outstanding jiu-jitsu master Mitsuyo Maeda during his visit to the sunny country.
The founders and creators of Brazilian jiu-jitsu (bjj) are the brothers Carlos and Helio Gracie. Carlos showed the knowledge he received from Maeda to his many brothers, trying to teach the eastern wisdom to everyone except the frail and too young Helio. The disgruntled boy, who already had a complex from the fact that he was much younger and frailer than his brothers, took and developed the basics of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. This new style of martial arts allowed him to use leverage and choke rather than brute force to control the battle.
But the real popularizer of martial art was Helio’s son, Royce Gracie. While performing in the UFC, he used BJJ techniques to easily put down opponents many times taller and heavier than himself. After Royce’s success, the popularity of BJJ increased significantly.

Why is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu one of the best martial arts?

BJJ is undoubtedly one of the most effective martial arts styles in the world. Almost all MMA and UFC fighters traffic safety has been intensively studied. The style teaches fighters to use leverage and proper weight distribution to defeat stronger opponents.

Creating leverage is isolating an opponent's limb to a specific body position that will force the joint to move in a straight line (rotate on its axis) outside of its normal range of motion. With increasing pressure on the limb, the opponent who was unable to avoid this provision, for rent. He can surrender verbally or pat the opponent several times (patting oneself is dangerous because the opponent may not hear). Choke is used to disrupt the oxygen supply to the opponent's brain, which can cause them to become unconscious if they do not surrender soon enough. It's clear how dangerous and deadly it is dangerous look sports, therefore, in some countries, BJJ sections and tournaments are not approved by law.

Muay Thai

Country of origin: Thailand
Also Known As: Muay Thai
Nickname:"The Art of Eight Limbs"
Famous Fighters: Tony Jaa

History of Muay Thai

Muay Thai is a Thai martial arts style with very deep roots. The national Thai fighting style, which is not only a sporting but also a cultural heritage of the country. The secrets of Muay Thai were passed down from elder warriors and fathers to children, from generation to generation, and perhaps it was thanks to this traditional struggle that Thailand, surrounded by sworn enemies, managed to survive through the ages.
A most cruel spectacle from which one could emerge either victorious or defeated. They fought for life and death, in the literal sense of the word. It was impossible to give up - shame and contempt for life, so the defeated one left the battle either severely beaten or dead.
Over the years, only one thing has changed in Muay Thai - thanks to the introduction of points, it is no longer necessary to die, but the martial arts itself has not become softer, and deaths are still not uncommon.

Why is Muay Thai one of the best martial arts?

Muay Thai is not only one of the most effective martial arts styles in the world, it is also one of the best martial arts for self-defense. In modern Muay Thai you can strike with fists, feet, shins, elbows and knees - because of this it is called "eight limb fighting". Essentially, every part of the body turns into a weapon, a deadly weapon. Hands became daggers and sabers; elbows with clubs and hammers; the knees are like axes, and the shins and forearms protect the body like armor. There are many discouraging lethal blows that at one time helped Muay Thai achieve a number of impressive victories over representatives of other martial arts. And to this day this severe martial arts evokes sacred fear and admiration in everyone.

The list below consists of the ten best martial arts for self-defense. If you are interested in choosing a martial arts for the most effective defense, then you should definitely read this rating to the end.

Kickboxing is a combat sport that originated in the United States in the 1960s. Based on punches and kicks along with techniques martial arts(sweeps, throws, etc.). It has quite a few branches, the most famous of which is Muay Thai - roughly translated as “the art of eight limbs.”


Karate is a Japanese martial art that uses precisely aimed weapons to crush an opponent. powerful blows hands and feet, applied to vital points of the body. This sport was invented in 1929 by Funakoshi Gichin, influenced by the ideas of Zen Buddhism. In Karate, special emphasis is placed on dodging.


In eighth place in the ranking of the best martial arts for self-defense is Aikido, a Japanese martial art whose peculiarity is the use of throws and grabs. It was founded by Morihei Ueshiba between the 30s and 60s of the 20th century. Aikido focuses on using the opponent's strength against himself. It is considered one of the most difficult Japanese martial arts to master.


Wing Chun is a Chinese martial art that uses a variety of fighting techniques. It is for this reason that Wushu is considered an applied direction. Characterized by effective departures from the line of attack, complemented by instant, straightforward strikes at a very close range. Often the fight ends with knees and elbows. An experienced fighter who masters the Wing Chun style is capable of inflicting up to eight blows per second on the enemy.


Jiu-Jitsu is the most versatile style on this list. This is a real hybrid, including elements of wrestling, hard strikes, choking techniques, locks, etc. Jiu-jitsu is one of the oldest types Japanese wrestling. Main principle Jiu-jitsu is not to engage in direct confrontation, but to yield to the onslaught of an opponent, directing his actions in the right direction until he is trapped, and then turning the enemy’s strength and actions against him.


Jeet Kune Do was created by Bruce Lee and translated from Chinese means “the way of the leading fist.” Today, this style of martial arts is considered one of the most popular in the world. It is taught in many countries. However, Bruce Lee himself did not call Jeet Kune Do a “style”, but preferred to call it a “method”. According to his philosophy, the Jeet Kune Do method can be used in any form of martial arts. Here the emphasis is on punch speed and combinations.


Boxing ranks fourth on the list of the best martial arts for self-defense. I think almost everyone knows that a boxer has the fastest, most powerful and most accurate punch of any trained fighter in any other martial art.


Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a martial art that is an international combat sport, the basis of which is ground fighting, as well as painful and choking techniques. This art is based on the principle that a person with an underdeveloped physique can successfully defend himself and defeat a more powerful opponent using the appropriate technique (painful holds and choking).


Keysi Fighting Method (KFM) is a self-defense system based on the development of natural human instincts and a number of techniques taken from the arsenal of boxing and street fight. KFM is based on a small arsenal of techniques adapted to a specific situation. The system was created in 1957 by the Spaniard Justo Dieguez and the Englishman Andy Norman, both of whom are Jeet Kune Do instructors.


The best martial art for self-defense is Krav Maga, an Israeli martial art developed by Imi Lichtenfeld for self-defense purposes. There are no exact rules in Krav Maga and there is no difference between training for men and women. The system is not considered a sport, it does not have a special uniform and competitions, although some organizations, as training progresses, award various levels and emblems. All techniques focus on maximum effectiveness in real conditions, as well as natural reflexes, simple movements and aggressive defensive techniques. The main principles of Krav Maga are: do not receive damage, quickly neutralize the attacker, quickly move from defensive to offensive techniques, use the body's reflexes, as well as the enemy's weak points, use any available object.

Almost every country in the world has its own type of martial art - sometimes more than one. People have always learned to defend themselves from an insidious neighbor (those who themselves were not in the shoes of an insidious neighbor who, on the contrary, learned to attack).

Many sports have evolved over many centuries, gradually adapting to the existing reality. Others - here we can cite as an example a whole galaxy of Japanese BIs - remained unchanged, due to the foresight of the masters who invented them. Today we will tell you about the ten main types of martial arts around the world - everyone can choose something to their liking.

Boxing, England

Refined manners never stopped a real gentleman from polishing off the face of another real gentleman - after all, how else should a real gentleman solve pressing issues? Generally speaking, the origins of boxing can be traced back to the times Ancient Greece However, the very first school, with developed rules of combat, was founded in England. The island spread boxing throughout the world: now, for example, this bloody sport is considered the national pastime of the United States.

Krav Maga, Israel

This hand-to-hand combat system was developed in Israel - not from a good life. Krav Maga focuses on maximum efficiency, there is no talk of any sport here. The fighter focuses on hitting vital areas of the body. Poking fingers in the eyes, blows to the groin - a real street fight, only every movement here is meaningful.

Muay Thai, Thailand

The progenitor of this brutal martial arts is considered to be the Muay Boran style, which, in turn, came to the country from India. Muay Thai was developed as an exclusively military discipline - hence the effective blows designed to destroy the enemy, which not everyone is able to endure.

Wushu, China

In fact, Wushu is a term that applies to almost all martial arts in China. It can be translated as “the art of war.” There are a great many subtypes of wushu, divided by regions, schools, and even individual masters. The sport is characterized by plastic, clear movements, fast movements and a large number kicks.

Capoeira, Brazil

An amazing method of fighting was developed by African slaves transported to Brazilian plantations. To an uninitiated person, capoeira looks like a dance - during demonstration performances, the fighters do not even come into contact with the enemy. This feature is due to the fact that slaves were forbidden to train any martial art and they disguised their teachings as cheerful dances.

Karate, Japan

The path of the “empty hand” is strikingly different from other national martial arts of the Land of the Rising Sun. This is because the system was imported from China, where fighters were looking for the most effective and quick way neutralize the enemy rather than defend against him. Today, karate is one of the most widespread martial arts in the world - not least thanks to demonstration performances craftsmen demonstrating their skills against ice blocks, concrete blocks and planks.

Kalari Payattu, India

Indians claim that Vishnu himself developed this art. Kalari Payat is considered the oldest fighter in the whole world - it is from the tradition of “fighting of God” that almost all modern fighting styles have grown. Real Kalari Payat masters know how to stop an enemy with one blow - and in order not to be tormented by conscience for an innocently murdered soul, these guys also study the medical system - Siddhi.

Sambo, Russia

The development of a system of self-defense (sambo is just an abbreviation) began when the young Soviet state felt the need for trained fighters. Sambo is designed to educate not only the body, but also the spirit of the adept; classical masters place significant emphasis on patriotism. Sambo philosophy is constant self-development, the fight changes, accepting the most effective methods, used in other martial arts.

Savate, France

Literally, “savat” is translated from French as “old shoe.” The unusual style was invented by sailors who were forced to fight with their feet on the deck of a ship, since their hands acted as balance. Savateurs wear shoes with thick soles and protruding welts. In modern savate, punches exist, but they play a secondary role.

Dambe, West Africa

It's hard to call a dam sports discipline. This is a true art designed to completely crush the enemy. Its creators, the Khusa people, sent their fighters to neighboring villages to show courage and valor. The dambe master wraps one hand with several layers of thick fabric, secured with a thick cord - imagine how powerful the blows of this mace are! The fighter's leading leg is wrapped in a chain.

Many people wonder which martial art is best to take up in order to feel confident in a conflict situation on the street. It was this question that prompted me to write this short article to help beginner martial artists.

In this article I will not say anything about street hand-to-hand combat or about applied martial arts in general. We will talk exclusively about those martial arts that I consider the most effective for street fighting today and of which I am a fan.

I would like to immediately make a small reservation: martial arts, which have applied value, are inevitably associated with hardships and hardships training process. When you come to class, you will definitely get hit on the head, it will most likely be painful and hard for you, but the knowledge and experience that you will gain will be one hundred percent real. Once you start practicing one of the martial arts listed in this article, you are guaranteed to learn at least something; all that remains is to choose the optimal direction just for you.

I’ll start by announcing a truth that absolutely all people who are interested in martial arts know: if you have never done anything before and are starting from scratch, then BOXING is an ideal option for street self-defense. The thing is that boxing is a super-universal sport. Having received good base in boxing, further growth in the world of martial arts will not present any problems for you.

One of the main advantages of boxing, compared to other types of martial arts, is the relative simplicity and incredible effectiveness of the technical arsenal practiced. That is why, if you do not have a lot of time and you are faced with the task of learning to fight as quickly as possible, boxing, due to its hyperspecialization, provides the best ratio of the time spent and the knowledge and technical skills acquired during this time. Among other things, the methodology for training boxers in our country has been worked out quite well, so when you come to almost any gym you will receive high-quality training services.

However, this direction also has disadvantages, which are the flip side and continuation of its advantages: due to a rather narrow technical arsenal, the boxer remains vulnerable to a huge range of techniques used in hand-to-hand combat, such as throws, kicks, elbows, knees, wrestling technique, close combat technique, etc…. However, this is no reason to worry: in my experience, about eighty percent of the techniques used in street fights are hand-to-hand techniques. middle distance. It’s rare that the average fight’s arsenal exceeds a few crooked punches and a couple of simple kicks. Having learned to defend against basic kicks and counterattack with standard boxing combination, you will protect yourself for the rest of your life.

In order to confidently master the boxing technique, you only need to spend about 3 years studying it, after which you will not have problems communicating with people with a reduced level of culture.

Second in order, but not in importance, in my personal ranking of the most effective martial arts for a street fight is Thai boxing, or as it is also called, Muay Thai. The advantages of this martial art are that the technical arsenal used is as close as possible to that in a street fight. Strikes are delivered with all parts of the body (except the head), work is carried out both at medium and long distances, and in the clinch.

The Thai clinch is a strong thing. It is a set of simple twists, carves and throws, which, when organically combined with Muay Thai striking techniques, become an incredibly effective weapon and a way to create a lot of problems even for experienced mixed martial artists! In my deepest conviction, this is the technical arsenal closest to real, applied hand-to-hand combat, and this is exactly what the application of wrestling elements in practice should look like, in real life. In my opinion, the amplitude throws and takedowns that are popular in wrestling circles are not suitable for street fighting.

Despite the significant role of the ground game in competitions mixed martial arts, it is extremely undesirable to take the fight to the ground in a street fight. And if you do find yourself on the ground, which is quite likely, your main task is to get back to your feet as quickly as possible. Don’t even think about messing with anyone, otherwise you will get out of extreme situation You may not make it out alive and healthy, since the rules regulating your safe stay on the ground at sporting competitions do not apply on the street.

However, in order to sufficiently master the technical arsenal of Muay Thai, you need to spend significantly more time than if you took up English boxing. The combination of striking techniques of the arms and legs requires greater coordination and motor aptitude, which is why the required frequency of visits gym to obtain reliable self-defense skills will be higher than that of boxing.

For those who don’t want to bother and spend a lot of time on martial arts, this option is not ideal. However, if you feel enthusiastic, have a craving for martial arts and have enough time to attend training regularly, then Thai boxing is your choice.

And finally, if you want to take martial arts seriously and get the maximum practical value from your training, then I would strongly recommend that you go for combat sambo. Combat Sambo is the most comprehensive combat system I know of. It has absorbed all the best and has shown itself to be extremely effective not only within our country, but also in the international arena. This is an open, flexible system of hand-to-hand combat, which is constantly evolving and improving, cultivating all possible martial arts techniques and conducting competitions according to the most free rules.

The technical arsenal of Sambo is inexhaustible. It is impossible to fully master it. It includes both wrestling techniques and striking techniques of arms and legs, techniques of painful and choking techniques, a special section for special services, a section for working with weapons, techniques for all-out combat, detention, convoying, etc.... In general, if we briefly summarize all of the above, sambo is an encyclopedia of the best knowledge available to a person in the field of sports and applied martial arts today. If you decide to take up combat sambo, then be patient, because you simply will not conquer this peak.

By practicing sambo, you will not gain highly specialized skills, as you would in boxing, but a fairly wide range of knowledge, which you will be able to apply in a wide range of situations.

However, if we are talking about a self-defense option and you are interested in solving applied problems on the street, winning fights, then the combat sambo arsenal will be redundant and not optimal for you, since it contains many techniques specialized for the conditions of conducting a competitive fight that are not desirable for use in real fight. What you can do painlessly on the carpet, in good lighting, after warming up and stretching, is guaranteed to cause you a lot of trouble when trying to do the same thing on the street, where the surface is most often uneven and hard, and there is not much space to perform the technique. , the enemy may not be alone or armed, and temperature changes and “cold” muscles are guaranteed to lead to injury when trying to show off a “beautiful” technique. Well, this is not the fault of Sambo as a system: the point is, as I have already said, that the selection of the most effective and efficient technical actions in any combat sport is based on the conditions and rules of the fight. With the same success, a sambo fighter will experience difficulties entering the cage at a mixed martial arts competition, where he does not have his usual wrestling jacket, which makes it difficult to perform many techniques. But it’s worth making a reservation: eighty percent of the technical arsenal practiced in combat sambo, suitable for universal use in any street situation.

In addition, if you do not have sufficient time resources to deeply immerse yourself in this martial art and thoroughly master it, it is better to take a closer look at one of the options listed above.

Therefore, to summarize, it is necessary to outline the main features of the above styles of hand-to-hand combat: take up boxing if you are short on time and want to learn how to fight..., if you have more time (about 3 free evenings a week), choose Muay Thai, but if you are a fan martial arts and are going to get carried away with it seriously and for a long time, then combat sambo is your choice!

The truth, in my opinion, always lies somewhere in the middle. Speaking of solving applied issues (winning on the street), I personally would lean towards training in Thai boxing (Muay Thai). In my opinion, training in hand-to-hand combat is a rather labor-intensive and complex activity that requires regularity and consistency. By practicing Muay Thai a little more often, you will gain incomparably more experience and master a much more diverse technical arsenal than in English boxing, and at the same time not redundant, as in combat sambo. That is why in my personal ranking of the most effective martial arts for a street fight, Thai boxing takes first place!

From the very beginning of their history, people tried to come up with the most sophisticated techniques for inflicting pain and injuring the enemy. It all started with claws and teeth, then there was the era of sticks and stones, and gradually all this resulted in systems of a wide variety of martial arts.

Some types of martial arts are really more like an art, for example, like a dance, while others have left nothing from the battle except extreme efficiency and lethality. We will consider the latter:

An ancient martial art from Cambodia, also known as Labokka-tao. Translated from the ancient language, it is translated as “beating a lion.” Bokator originated on the battlefield, during the clash of ancient armies, and not in daily small skirmishes, so it is not surprising that this system takes into account the use various types weapons - sticks, spears, etc.

This is a Canadian invention. Today it is no longer practiced, but during World War II Combato proved to be extremely deadly look martial arts that Canadian soldiers used against opponents (Canadians fought mainly in Italy and Northern Europe, approx. website).

Jeet Kune Do

In Chinese it sounds like " Tse-quan-dao", translated means "The Way of the Leading Fist." This style, developed by Bruce Lee, contains all the most effective techniques all martial arts that the “Little Dragon” mastered. For his style, Bruce chose only those elements that were truly useful in battle, putting effectiveness rather than entertainment in the foreground.

There is a unique, the only video that has reached us -.

Sib pal ki

This martial art has been in service with the Korean armies for hundreds of years. It is built on three main elements - lunge, strike, cut. Sib stick ki differs from other Korean martial arts by placing more emphasis on efficiency and less on philosophy.

Although Capoeira is now more of a dance than a fighting style, in the very beginning this fighting art was quite fearsome. It appeared several hundred years ago in Brazil, in slave settlements. Capoeira was created so that a runaway slave could defend himself if caught, which is why it quickly became banned.

Kajukenbo (kajukembo)

This American-Hawaiian hybrid appeared relatively recently, around the time of World War II. The name is no coincidence: “ka” - karate, “ju” - judo, “ken” - kempo, or Chinese boxing. The history of the origin of this martial art is interesting - it was invented by the Hawaiians for self-defense both from street gangs and from drunken American sailors.

The word, familiar to Russian ears, means “self-defense without weapons” and is a lethal combination of striking and wrestling techniques. This martial art was developed by order of the Red Army in the 20s of the last century. Sambo includes the most effective techniques and tactics of various types combat sports, martial arts and folk types of wrestling: Azerbaijani (gyulesh), Uzbek (uzbekcha kurash), Georgian (chidaoba), Kazakh (Kazaksha kures), Tatar (tatarcha korәsh), Buryat wrestling; Finnish-French, free-American, English wrestling of Lancashire and Cumberland styles, Swiss, Japanese judo and sumo and other types of martial arts.

Balintawak Eskrima

Also known as Balintawak Arnis or simply Balintawak. This martial art originates from the Philippines. The technique is so effective and sophisticated that the Spanish colonialists banned the Filipinos from practicing Baliwantak after several mass riots. The style flourished in the 50s of the 20th century.

Although the English word “spear” in translation means “spear,” the name of this type of combat is in no way connected with edged weapons. The English acronym SPEAR (Spontaneous Protection Enabling Accelerated Response, site note) means “spontaneous protection with accelerated counterattack.” The style is almost entirely based on the use of natural human reflexes and is used by many police services around the world.

GRU special forces combat system

As the name suggests, it is used by Russian military intelligence. Extremely effective style a battle where the enemy is incapacitated as quickly and reliably as possible. Experts say that there is only one analogue in the world that is comparable in effectiveness and lightning speed - Krav Maga, used by Israeli special forces.

Krav Maga

Actually, the Israeli twin of the previous type of combat. Fast and reliable is the main message. None sports competitions Krav Maga is not held, there are no amateur sections.

Muay Thai

At home it is called “the art of eight limbs”, in the West the popular name is “ Thai boxing" Due to the active use of elbows, knees, feet and legs, even sports matches often lead to serious injuries. Muay Thai is very ancient art fight, however, it gained worldwide popularity relatively recently, after the release of the film “Kickboxer”, where main role performed by Jean-Claude VanDamme.

Vale Tudo

Widely known under the names “Fight without rules”, “Fight mixed style"or "Mixfight". Translated from Portuguese, “vale tudo” means “anything goes” or “whatever works.” This martial art of Brazilian origin came to Russia not so long ago - the first championship in “Fightings Without Rules” took place in 1995, where Russian fighter Mikhail Ilyukhin, having reached the final, lost first place to a Brazilian champion named Ricardo Morais. Currently the most famous Russian athlete This style is Fedor Emelianenko.

This world-famous martial art is based on merging with an opponent's attack and redirecting the attacker's energy. Simply put, the enemy's strength is used against him. Leaving range to throw your opponent off balance is common. This art is so traumatic that no competitions are held in traditional aikido styles. In addition, the founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba, rejected the very possibility of any rivalry: ““There are no and cannot be competitions in Aikido.”

Originally from medieval Japan, translated means “the art of being invisible.” Ninjutsu is an invention of the Japanese spy clans, or "ninjas", there is no concept of "rules". Anything can be used as a weapon; any means are suitable to achieve the goal. Ninja training began from infancy, literally from the cradle itself, which was rocked so that when it hit the wall, it helped the baby learn to group when hit. Ninjas mastered swimming before walking, they could walk along a slack rope like across a wide bridge, and the ability to “merge” with the environment for camouflage is still legendary. Usually, a clash between an ordinary ninja and an ordinary samurai did not bode well for the latter, because the samurai, with his laws of honor, was initially vulnerable. Due to their extreme unscrupulousness, ninja performers were also called “genin”, or “non-human”.