How would you defend yourself if you couldn’t use a gun? Martial arts may not serve as effectively as a force multiplier as a self defense firearm, but there are occasions when using a gun isn’t feasible, or appropriate.
First, I must give a disclaimer. Getting into a fist fight, or any other kind of struggle with an attacker, is highly inadvisable. Your first mode of self defense should be to, if at all possible, AVOID any kind of confrontation—physical or otherwise. Also, as with carrying self defense tools, such as pepper spray or a firearm, there is NO GUARANTEE that any degree of training or experience will save you from mortal danger. That being said, if you should find yourself without means of escaping, avoiding, or resolving a self defense situation without becoming involved in a physical confrontation, and using self defense implements isn’t a feasible option, having martial arts training can increase your odds of surviving a self defense encounter long enough to escape or neutralize the threat.
Like choosing a self defense firearm, choosing the “right” martial arts discipline to study for self defense is subjective. As you start your search, this is a key question you’ll need to answer for yourself in order to narrow down your martial arts interests: Would you rather learn to strike and block an attacker, or manipulate and deflect an opponent? (It is advisable to consider one’s size and level of strength when considering this question.)
Multiple Disciplines
Again, as with firearms, there are many martial arts disciplines that can help give you a better edge with unarmed self defense. There is no one ideal martial art. In fact, you may find that picking and choosing components from several disciplines serves you the best.
Hard Styles vs. Soft Styles
Hard Style Martial Arts
Martial arts that have an emphasis on direct strikes and blocks, such as boxing, karate, or muay thai, are generally referred to as “hard style” martial arts. The techniques involved with hard style martial arts are often what come to mind when people think of fighting; kicks, punches, elbow strikes, knees to the gut—that kind of thing. Learning to use proper technique when executing strikes or blocks will make someone of any size more effective in a physical confrontation. However, by the nature of hard style martial arts, those with large stature and strength have an advantage against those of smaller stature and strength. This doesn’t mean that small guys, children, or women can’t benefit from learning how to deliver a good punch. But, it does mean that they likely would be better served by integrated some degree of soft style martial arts into their training.
Soft Style Martial Arts
Soft style martial arts generally have circular techniques that allow the practitioner to utilize their attacker’s own body against them, whether through redirection or deflection, joint manipulation, utilizing pressure points, or similar techniques. Some examples of soft style martial arts include judo, hapkido, and tai chi, to name a few. An advantage to integrating soft style martial arts training is that the techniques are generally less dependent on size and strength to be effective.
Some martial arts are a combination of hard and soft styles, such as various kung fu disciplines, MMA (mixed martial arts) or krav maga.
Just because you may not be able to use a firearm doesn’t mean you are defenseless. Which martial arts disciplines will you use for unarmed self defense?
I’d have to use my good ol fists. Im 5’10 not big not small but have a muscular build. Just that can be a way of avoiding a fight. Most cowards pick on smaller people. If a guy or girl looks like they will put up a fight the cowards will chose who they think will be weak.
Very neat article, and I already know which category I fall into, soft style. The only martial art that I have taken that has some offensive aspect to it is Iaido, which is actually defensive, I am only a 5th Dan in it. (But we will throw it into the offensive category since I don’t carry a Iai blade on me, though it is putting yourself into an unknown environment, and defending yourself with “Quick drawing”). The other Martial art I’ve achieved some rank through is Judo (4th Dan), and that was part of my Iaido discipline. So I am not a heavy practitioner of either currently, I did it to keep me out of trouble and at the time I was big into collecting real swords and the Zatoichi T.V series (I know, goofy reasons, but it kept me out of fights at school). I have instinctively fell back on what limited Judo training I have during times of duress, and what is good about it is that it is defensive (mostly) and I have never been considered a “combatant” by police, so I was always the victim of assault..which has led to me keeping my rights. I can’t imagine myself being put in a situation where I cannot use any self defense tools, because if I can not carry a firearm where I go, I carry a good fixed blade Knife. But when I was younger, I was a victim of an attempted robbery with over 20 assailants and no martial art would have saved me then, the knife I had, kept them far enough away for armed security to arrive and help. I don’t want to go into the times I have used what limited training I do have, but I have received a couple of wounds from improper timing while I was still in training, and more recently Judo, in combination with a firearm, has saved my neck from receiving a fatal stab wound. I am glad that my instincts saved me from using my firearm, but I couldn’t imagine facing those 20 people without a weapon of any kind to keep them away long enough for help to arrive, it still gives me nightmares and it was about 7 or 8 years ago.
daxm15e2s i agree – i’m 5-9 and a female. but luckily i grew up with brothers that played football. though my brother is a judo instructor, and taught me, i prefer the good old country ass kicking way i was brought up.
Well written and pleasant to read article,as always. The martial arts I practice until my early teen days was karate. I was going pretty far: Violet belt(only behind from black belts). Because of some problems of my master personal life, he had to close and sell his dojo and unfortunately, I didn’t find other. Because being of the country that have their on martial arts(capoeira and jiu jitsu), become very hard to find another dojo. Never use it for self defense(but if I need it, I think I would be well prepared). I never needed, I think I’m 6’3 and 250 lbs, and maybe this is could be a little intimidating, for some people.
I have a black belt in smell if atyackef I toot and as they gasp for air I make my getaway. :0)