What is the most practical form of martial arts to know for...

Sorry if this is a repeat, I searched and didn't find anything....

I've read a little bit of the 'What do you consider as the best martial art in the world' thread, but my question is more specific. I'd like to know what, in your opinion, the best form of martial arts for a young female with little upper body strength but very strong legs to learn that would help her get out of a genuine life-or-death situation without causing any extreme or lasting damage to her attackers?

I'm looking for something that you can learn quickly that focuses more on self-defense, and is good to know if someone that was very dangerous dangerous, say, came to your apartment and tried to kill or hurt you or your family.

Thanks in advance


Edit: Okay I just want to clear one thing up, to all the people that say causing extreme damage should be my priority, I know THAT. I am a pacifist and while I don't LIKE to hurt people, if this guy shows up at my door I know full well that he would really mess me up or kill me (I know someone who has had to have facial reconstructive surgery because of this man), so I'm totally willing to completely wreck him if need be.

I ment "extreme or lasting damage" to mean that I want to avoid putting him in a coma or damaging him in such a way that he would be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life, stuff like that.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: Form over Strength. They call it the "Gentle Art" and seems what you are looking for.

Favours flexibility, discipline and core strength over brute force.

Basic locks into more advanced submissions capable of incapacitating an assailant.

Look up the guillotine choke, regularly used in MMA, cuts of blood to carotid artery, causes temporary loss of consciousness.

Ive done a few diffrent types, but I am most impressed with this guy, was in his school for a few years, learn how to whoop ass in a phone booth!
ebmas.net...

Krav Maga is also excelent!

This might seem sarcastic, but I don't mean it so. I've known a great many people versed in the motions of pipe wrench that swore by it.

Myself, I like Tai Chi Chuan, because the forms help keep an older body as mine somewhat more nimble than I'd be without it. Plus, I feel a certain ......... glowing...... I don't know how else to put it, but it's a great way to start the day. TCC isn't often thought of as a marial art, but the motions, movements and its roots are firmly in self-defense.

I would suggest initial forays into many disciplines with people that you trust and see what fits for you. It has been said by better people than myself that the method chooses you. I don't know if that's true, but it sounds right. I got involved in Tai Chi when I saw people so elderly that they were timeless....... moving, flexible and graceful, like people a quarter their age.

I think your best bet is bear spray on your keychain

reply to post by Patrioitinsheepclothing


She asked for something that would not hurt an attacker long term.

Krav Maga is one of the worlds most dangerous martial arts. Please read what she posted.

reply to post by SFlowers


Aikido, translated means, love, spiritual energy way. It doesn't require phsical strength, mostly if you tightened a muscle you have done the technique incorrectly. Their is no punches or kicks, a normal result would be pinning the attacker, again without strength.

If not this then another could be Judo, which woul make good use of those strong legs, this in Japan is considered the gentle way. The attacker is put on the ground and pinned.

The limitation of both of these is in multiple attacks - hard to hold someone down when another is hitting you. These both are very good for confidence, balance and self protection. Much energy is spent learning how to fall and roll well.

reply to post by SFlowers


First: Non injury on your attacker is not an option in the case you described.

Normally.. I'd recommend something like Krav Maga. It's not really a martial art, but it does excel for those who have less interest in the art, and more interest in learning pure self defense.

But I would recommend Aikido, or Karate, any martial art that practices in a traditional fashion.. You have to come to terms that with fighting, the only way to stop an attack is to run faster than your opponent or injure them in a way that they will not be standing up. You will not get to choose how you injure them. It might be ripping a knee apart, dislocating a femur, breaking an arm.

I understand the desire to not hurt someone.. but in a fight the only way to not injure someone is to never have gotten in a fight.

You wanted a martial art to compliment your strongest asset (legs), BJJ does that, and it is a true martial art, not one based around routinely learning forms.

It is the reason why it is a taught discipline in MMA..unlike what some of the other posters have put.

Please do yourself a favour and look.
BJJ

wing chun is a very practical self defensive martial art and is quite effective...

Everyone who practices a martial art will most likely have a bias for what they practice.

While I practice braziian jiu jitsu, and agree that it is awsome for this, you need to add some more ingredients.

First of all Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a great base, and it's self defense alone would suit your needs.

After training BJJ for 2 years, I would cross train a bit in Muay Thai, Kick Boxing, and finally Krav Maga.

Krav Maga is kind of like BJJ basics/Kick boxing basics mixed with preasure point strikes, etc.

Originally posted by SFlowers
Sorry if this is a repeat, I searched and didn't find anything....

I've read a little bit of the 'What do you consider as the best martial art in the world' thread, but my question is more specific. I'd like to know what, in your opinion, the best form of martial arts for a young female with little upper body strength but very strong legs to learn that would help her get out of a genuine life-or-death situation without causing any extreme or lasting damage to her attackers?

I'm looking for something that you can learn quickly that focuses more on self-defense, and is good to know if someone that was very dangerous dangerous, say, came to your apartment and tried to kill or hurt you or your family.

Thanks in advance

reply to post by SFlowers


What crutchly29 said and maybe a stun gun. I was highly into martial arts years ago I still love it, but having a gun pointed at you from a distance you can't possibly protect yourself from changed the ball game a little for me. I felt I needed to branch out into more applied weapons defensive training, including firearm training. Just go to an accredited place to do this and observe all local laws. Other martial art weapons work well too, just not as well. Good luck and remember a punch or kick in the right spot is as deadly as any bullet.

Do you practice BJJ at all?

Originally posted by Crutchley29
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: Form over Strength. They call it the "Gentle Art" and seems what you are looking for.

Favours flexibility, discipline and core strength over brute force.

Basic locks into more advanced submissions capable of incapacitating an assailant.

Look up the guillotine choke, regularly used in MMA, cuts of blood to carotid artery, causes temporary loss of consciousness.

edit on 8-11-2010 by Crutchley29 because: (no reason given)

edit on 8-11-2010 by Crutchley29 because: (no reason given)

Originally posted by SFlowers
I'd like to know what, in your opinion, the best form of martial arts for a young female with little upper body strength but very strong legs to learn that would help her get out of a genuine life-or-death situation without causing any extreme or lasting damage to her attackers?

No contest whatsoever - Ecky-Thump

Known to beat all other forms of martial arts

As already suggested, Brazilian Jujitsu is a good bet. I would also strongly recommend Aikido, Hapkido, or any other Jujitsu. These styles favor painful and crippling manipulation of the opponents joints. They emphasize technique over brute force, and are conducive to self defense against stronger opponents.

Good luck!

Originally posted by SFlowers
Sorry if this is a repeat, I searched and didn't find anything....

I've read a little bit of the 'What do you consider as the best martial art in the world' thread, but my question is more specific. I'd like to know what, in your opinion, the best form of martial arts for a young female with little upper body strength but very strong legs to learn that would help her get out of a genuine life-or-death situation without causing any extreme or lasting damage to her attackers?

I'm looking for something that you can learn quickly that focuses more on self-defense, and is good to know if someone that was very dangerous dangerous, say, came to your apartment and tried to kill or hurt you or your family.

Thanks in advance

If you're being attacked, causing extreme and lasting damage should be your main priority!
If someone tried to kill my family, I'm not going to smack em on the wrist and shoo em away.
You must eliminate such a person or you are putting others at risk. Think about that for a while.
If your state allows C+C Get a gun and be professionally trained with it. Go to the shooting range often and become proficient with your new firearm. Carry it with pride. If C+C is not an option keep it securely in your home but easily accessible to you and your spouse, but not your children.
The bottom line is eliminate your attacker, don't disable him!
Good luck my friend!

This is an example, sort of staged, but realistic of how a girl really can beat a guy:

www.tapoutlive.com...


Honestly at a very high level, BJJ black belt girls will destroy guys who even have experience.

reply to post by SFlowers

I'm looking for something that you can learn quickly that focuses more on self-defense,

Rather than enroll in a specific course of traditional styles, that take time to get into all of the applications, history and steps toward advancement, I would suggest maybe looking for someone that specifies in basic self defense or women's self defense, and I say women's because those techniques are taught with the considerations you mentioned, body weight and strength.
You could learn 5 or 6 moves that could give you a good ability to defend yourself.

with little upper body strength but very strong legs

Very good for running or groin kicks.

help her get out of a genuine life-or-death situation without causing any extreme or lasting damage to her attackers?

Not really a concern if someone is trying to hurt/kill you, no? Of course there is the psychological approach of "fighting by not fighting," which entails being clever and talking your way our of a situation and avoiding phys conflict at all costs.

There are advantages to committing to a traditional style, the knowledge and skills learned , the communion, the health benefits, mentally, spiritually and physically. There are 2 styles of martial arts, hard and soft. The hard ones, Mui Thai, Krav Maga, TaeKwonDo, Ju Jitsu and Kickboxing, you can expect to mix it up a bit(including hit in the face) and get physical with sparring. The soft styles, Tai Chi Chuan, Aikido, Wing Chung and Kung Fu(hard and soft) enable you to develop balance, strength, and coordination. Wing Chung was actually developed by a female with the disadvantage of size considered and built upon.

One piece of advice is remember the 3 vital areas: groin, throat and eyes. The eyes in particular are vulnerable, even if the person has you in their grips, you can scrape, or better plunge your thumb as deep as you can into their eye socket then run like hell. Your elbows, knees and forehead are your strongest weapons. Whistles and mace should be considered too.

Just my .02

Be safe and peace,
spec

Start with yoga and work on your upper body strength,
work on your cardio maybe boxersize then try some
forms of martial arts.

I think it would be worth your while to go to take some female specific, self defense/protection classes, and practice what you learn. Probably start by looking on the internet for the area you live in.

Like another poster said, the smartest thing would always have some kind of equalizer readily available. Spray, tazer etc. Things like that will enable you to keep your distance and maybe stop an attack from happening.

For protecting yourself in a life and death situation you are going to have to not worry if something is going to hurt your attacker. You need to get away safe at all costs if you are maliciously attacked.

That means if your intial tools don't help, it's eyeballs, ears, jewels, biting, making alot of noise etc.