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Let us assume we would like to compare the effectiveness of two different martial arts systems.We would need to have practitioners face off in combat. But under what rules? The very nature of the rules inevitably determines precisely which techniques will be favored. In other words, the contest will be determined as much by individuals skills as by their ability to function comfortably within the framework created by the rules. Judo rules favor Judo practitioners and Karate rules favor Karate practitioners. It is well worth noting that mixed martial arts tournaments also have rules and limitations: Afterall,only two people are fighting, no weapons are allowed, weight class divisions exist, a referee is present and there are many techniques that are banned (groin stikes,spitting, eye gouges, blows to the back of the neck etc...)It will never be possible to artificially similuate life and death combat.Besides, even if it were one fighters win would prove that individualīs superiority not that of his chosen martial art.
What is the best martial art?
This subject is often the center of heated debates-especially in martial arts forums. The question is-for all intents and purposes, impossible to answer.This is due to the fact that it is very difficult to effectively compare two martial disciplines in a clinical environment.Each martial art has itīs own foundations, fighting theories, fundamental assumptions and origins (where it originated under what circumstances). It would be almost impossible to agree upon which precise criteria would comparisons be based upon.
Article created: 2007-02-17 -- It was read 4179 times
COMMENTS
JC said ...
isnīt that what bruce lee developed iīm currently studying jeet kune do actually my instructor took it where bruce left off in his untimely death. where there are no rules having no way as way. with multiple attackers with street weapons. jkd is to my perception is the most well rounded fighting system there is
2007-03-07 megamaster24@hotmail.com
dredi master said ...
We might also assume that the true ninja when fighting for a just cause would be the most effective martial artist ( or should I say hashaseen ) being that no rules need be followed save for those few guidelines set out to maintain clan honour.
2007-03-27
JohnF said ...
I think there is a martial art for everyone. If you are big or fat and canīt kick thatīs ok you can learn several type of wrestling (shooto CSW) wing chun judo or boxing of course you could learn karate or kung fu and get a black belt after several years of training but if you canīt kick but can bench press 300 lbs why waste hours of hard training on youīre kicks and Katas when you might have the potential to become an awesome grappler..... if youīre skinny try a good kung fu style it will reinforce youīre body and augment youīre agility. (IMHO) choose a style that will suit you best. There is a martial art for everyone.
2007-04-09
Ian Ashton said ...
A lot of martial artists think that after two or three years training they are experts in that martial art. I train in traditional Kung Fu and it takes at least 7 years to become reasonably proficient. I also train in traditional Tai Chi and to get to a reasonable proficiency level takes about 15 years. Martial arts should not be compared to each other as martial arts should only be used in self defence. It is not a case of which martial art is the best but how dedicated the student is to learn and years of disciplined training.
2007-04-20 i.ashton@tiscali.co.uk
JohnF said ...
7 to 15 years is way to munch in my book. A friend of mine is a MMA fighter he own a blue belt in BJJ and is well versed in Muay Thai and CSW it took him about a years of training. However he used to train several hours per day i guess an average Joeīs with no formal training in self defense at the pace of about 1or 2 courses of an hour each or so per week would probably require several years but not for someone who is extremely dedicated and skilled. Itīs not the years all about the hours of training. I know a guy who does Krav maga via weekend seminar he take one seminar per year itīs ben 6 years now..... do you realy think this guy has 6 years of training in krav maga? BS!!
2007-05-01
Avi Idelson said ...
I think it simply depends on personal style and the the quality of the school because even if someone has amazing potential without experienced instruction there wonīt be much skill achieved beyond street fighting. So starting with good instruction and a studentīs talent any martial art will do. Itīs just how you feel more comfortable style-wise that will allow you to fully utilise your bodyīs potential. Most martial arts take into account various forms of attack with and without weapons so it really is subjective. In any case a good martial art is flexible and adaptable in itīs techniques.
2007-05-28
kev said ...
i started out with gongfu. Iīm still into chinese martial arts. As the foundation for most chinese arts are more or less similiar. Iīve played around with other styles. but I feel that gongfu allows me to adapt better. Thats why I always go back to gongfu. Thereīs more technics involved than just brute force. bjj is good in the ring. but going on the ground isnīt practical with multiple killers. and bjj is a sport. youīre not allowed to break a finger poke an eye or mulitilate their groin. but modern wushu especially from īsocialistī china is so commercilised. very ineffective. taiwan singapore parts of malaysia
etc still have traditional technics.
etc still have traditional technics.
2007-06-01
jeff said ...
best martial art???
theres none and if you want to study on a martial art system to brag about its superiority you might aswell choose to play hockey instead... beerhall budomens believe whatever they do is best works best...
one shoudnt base thier choice upon the superiority when choosing a martial art. instead you should visit a lot of dojos read extensively on it and choose a discipline that suits your needs technically mentally and physically. theres no magic best martial art so choose one you will dedicate to and eventually if time luck and courage allows master
theres none and if you want to study on a martial art system to brag about its superiority you might aswell choose to play hockey instead... beerhall budomens believe whatever they do is best works best...
one shoudnt base thier choice upon the superiority when choosing a martial art. instead you should visit a lot of dojos read extensively on it and choose a discipline that suits your needs technically mentally and physically. theres no magic best martial art so choose one you will dedicate to and eventually if time luck and courage allows master
2007-07-25
Not Important said ...
Youre all right it is true that you will become as good as your training is. But the years the lenght of the journey is not negligible. The example of the MMA guy who train for a year full time is a good one. I am sure he is able to hurt someone badly he will also probably hurt himsel badly beeing so concentrated on the fast progress. But if you train intensively 2-3 hours per day 4-5 days a week for 50 years. Not only you will become very good too defend youself and others but you should live longer and healthier. If you do not believe in the concept of the bioelectrical energy (the chi) a martial sport suits you better if you ever experience a sparring partner who cultivate his chi since a long time you will see a major difference. As martial sports works more on adrenaline than chi. If you train to cumulate chi and every 3 months you engage in a money match you will never reach the skill level of a Martial Artist who pt the chi in the bank for when it will be usefull...
2007-08-09
a young sensei said ...
theres not one martial art better then a other because theres not one student that are similar to a other one. All have their own way to understand martial arts. the real question its: what it takes to be a complet martial artist. The anwser is : to know how to fight as well as whit a weapon.
2007-08-13
Marty said ...
Jeet Kune Do isnīt really something that can be taught in my opinion. based on what Iīve read from Bruce Leeīs ideas it isnīt a set system itīs just what worked for him. Itīs more of an idea than an art. Either way all of us here are interested in martial arts and thatīs what matters weīre here to learn from each other. Personally I wanna learn from as many martial arts as I can so Iīm basically gonna get as many blue belts as possible before dying :P. So far I got my blues in Hapkido and Taekwondo gonna be taking Kendo at my university soon. Not that belts matter blue just seems like a good one since it gives you a good taste of the martial art. Not all arts use the same belt system either. Jiujitsu and Judo have interested me for awhile since I like using my arms more than my legs :P. Iīm fine with frontal kicks and sidekicks but when it involves spinning I get thrown of balance pisses me off :( Not to say I will give up on spin kicks but better balance takes a while to develop. I can stretch fine and Iīve toned my muscles fairly well but Iīm not really sure how to get better balance lol my brother said to close my eyes and stand on one foot but I havenīt noticed any improvement.
2007-09-09
A anonymous user said ...
the best martail art is mma free fight ...all submission judo aikido boxe kick grappline all is all but the strong man win the fight !!
2007-09-19
Jrock said ...
I have seen and participated in many vale tudo matches(no rules). Again and again good grappeling beats exellent striking but the opposite is never true. IMO a mixture of bjj/wrestling/MT would be best. To go with just one I go with bjj as the gracieīs showed in many MMA matches without a good ground game strikers get subbed quickly.
2007-11-19 jrock7222@yahoo.com
A anonymous user said ...
In any given combat situation the better fighter is the one who wins. Iīm a black belt in Tae Kwon Do (a striking style) and Iīve seen some pretty brutal fights between different students of different styles. I have yet to see any real pattern in winnings. A judo student can wrestle a karate student to the ground and break his arm but then again his grappling skills mean nothing if the karate student punches him in the face and breaks his nose as soon as he steps in to attack. There are hundreds of styles with hundreds of variations of rules philosophies and techniques and to think that one style is inherently better than another only shows how little a person really knows.
2007-12-17
OPP said ...
I dont believe there is a best martial art. Each person learns the martial art in a different way. I practice AIKIDO for those who want to learn more Aikido is the art of peace. For me this martial art is a real Budo teaches you how to defend in any circumstance without harming just by neutralizing one or more opponents helps you understand the universe and nature promotes the use of your inner energy (KI) there are no tournaments to fight and get ill and you exercise your body. For me AIKIDO is the best martial art but I am not saying this is the best martial art there is. I believe each one has to find what fits his needs. Maybe you like to go out and fight the first guy you see using kung fu maybe you prefer an exercise where you can use your legs like Tae kwon do it all depends on what you want. The important thing is that a martial art is a way of life not a way to defend and defeat others.
2008-01-03
Pragmatic guy said ...
Hey all
Been reading all the posting and I read exactly what I suspected. What matirl art is the best... This question can never be answer. Why? first of all what does the best ean? This is not even correctly defined. Is it one that will allow you to grow as an individual? Is it one thta will be the most efficient? And if so under what circumstances? You cannot use striking styles in a street brawl against a street fighter. Even if you win the battle you would have to cripple him and then be put to justice for abusive force. So I would go for a style like aikibudo. But then again you have to MASTER this art before it becomes really effective as opposed to a striking style which way easier to learn and use. And I agree with johnf saying there is a martial style for everyone. Some friend of mine Black belt in karate tried hard but abandoned aikibudo. I personally would never even try karate ot TKD. Not my kind and again in a real life situation you canīt use most of the techniques to defend yourself as there are laws in modern civilisations. So whatīs the use of a martial art if you canīt use it...
But just to answer to an obviously stuborn idea (that usually come from someone who never practice martial arts Iīv been in battle and got my nose broken Twice right from the first punch. It never stopped me to grapple my atacker do some invisible damage to the articulations and leave them defensless on the ground and then sue them into court and even get a whole lot of money on top of that for the broken nose.
So again is there really a best martial art? no. It depends on too much variables and when thinking that the world changed a lot between the period when they were developped and now. In a martial environment like in eudal japan maybe karate could be the best (yet still to be proven) but in the modern days...
Been reading all the posting and I read exactly what I suspected. What matirl art is the best... This question can never be answer. Why? first of all what does the best ean? This is not even correctly defined. Is it one that will allow you to grow as an individual? Is it one thta will be the most efficient? And if so under what circumstances? You cannot use striking styles in a street brawl against a street fighter. Even if you win the battle you would have to cripple him and then be put to justice for abusive force. So I would go for a style like aikibudo. But then again you have to MASTER this art before it becomes really effective as opposed to a striking style which way easier to learn and use. And I agree with johnf saying there is a martial style for everyone. Some friend of mine Black belt in karate tried hard but abandoned aikibudo. I personally would never even try karate ot TKD. Not my kind and again in a real life situation you canīt use most of the techniques to defend yourself as there are laws in modern civilisations. So whatīs the use of a martial art if you canīt use it...
But just to answer to an obviously stuborn idea (that usually come from someone who never practice martial arts Iīv been in battle and got my nose broken Twice right from the first punch. It never stopped me to grapple my atacker do some invisible damage to the articulations and leave them defensless on the ground and then sue them into court and even get a whole lot of money on top of that for the broken nose.
So again is there really a best martial art? no. It depends on too much variables and when thinking that the world changed a lot between the period when they were developped and now. In a martial environment like in eudal japan maybe karate could be the best (yet still to be proven) but in the modern days...
2008-03-22
Drekon said ...
When it comes to the topic of which martial art is the best it is indeed a hard question to answer. I beleive the best or most effect martial art in my opinion is and should be the one that is honest about what it has to offer. it should work for all body types and should be adaptable to most or all situations. Be sure that what is being taught to you appeals to you. If you are taking part in a discipline for the sole purpose of saying that you are taking martial arts training then you are going to miss the small important things. When you enjoy what you are learning then you will retain more of what is being taught. Every Martial Arts has something to offer they all lend and boorow from one another regardless of what anyone says. Just like a house there are many different styles sizes and qualities but they all have one thing in common....a basic foundation. No matter what kind of foundation it is it is still a foundation. So that is my small insight on what is the best martial art. Hey even after reading this remember that this is my opinion. This may not be the best mart arts advice for you and thatīs ok. One thing is true though...after all the yelling all the kataīs the kicks and punches...the one thing that is true and real in the end is You and your personal training.
2008-03-22 sensei_lanteigne@yahoo.com
A anonymous user said ...
Without dismissing philosophical aspects each martial art is a system. Systems have strengths. Systems have weaknesses. Competent instruction a talented student and a strong work ethic can maximize the strengths and minimize the weaknesses of both the system and the student. To me the bests martial art is the one you enjoy as this will likely be the one you will work hardest at and thereby become most proficient.
2008-04-06
A anonymous user said ...
i believe the true question is what form of matial arts is the best for you. comparing and catagorizing are completely and utterly pointless for each form of martial art has the roots of self diciplin honor patiance finding true strength from within and without. all forms of martial arts should be held with high appraise. for art is art and art is abstract and there for can never truely be defined nor compared.
2008-04-11
A anonymous user said ...
Well just go to youtube and watch bjj vs and youll find alot of diffrent martial arts against bjj most fail agianst it. I think the ability you gain in bjj in the small amount of time is awsome. My bjj instructor; who is a black belt in karate swears by bjj and has told me that six months of dedicated training in bjj is more effective than six months of dedicated training in just karate. Theres no perfect martial art that is true 99.9% of fights start standing up but 95% of fights end up on the ground. Bjj addresses that 95%. Training in both striking and ground fighting art is best but if I had to choose one it would be bjj. So for me BJJ is the best and anyone who asks me thats what Ill tell them.
2008-04-17 guapomemiro@gmail.com
A anonymous user said ...
one that teaches that fighting is not the answer but being prepare to defend oneshelf or another from mortal danger by either fight or flight and that what is important is not who wins but what is won
2008-04-18
A anonymous user said ...
Hey people I know itīs very difficult to establish or define which MA is the Best but if and Mixed Martial Artis Champion face a Ninja or a Shaolin Kung Fu fighter for sure the MMA Champ lose. The Shaolin and Ninja are faster and precise with the attacks theirs tech. are better then MMA. Any comment??
2008-04-21
markstraining.com said ...
this is something that shall also been asked. The truth is it depends on the PERSON not the style. its the person that fights good according to his determination cuts spirit etc not because of what style he/she does.
2008-05-01 marksmarkou@hotmail.com
Jimbo said ...
The question should be: what is the most comprehensive martial art that will allow anyone to reach as many of their goals as possible in the shortest amount of time with the least amount of effort and with the maximum return?
Some possible goals might be: get in shape meet someone of the opposite sex live longer kill people self defence or just feel good about myself. Some people I know even took up martial arts just to get out and meet like-minded people socially!
If my goal is just to kill people as quickly and as painfully as possible then the answer might not be the same as if my goal is to improve my health or fitness and live longer
Reading responses from some of the people here it seems like some of them believe that the best martial art is the one that allows you to consistently win against opponents in some contrived competition. Okay...if thatīs how you judge a martial art then get with a really really good instructor in one of the martial sports like Judo TKD or Karate or take up grappling. For those guys who want to f**k people up in real life then take up Baguazhang. To the uninitiated itīs an internal art but those people whoīve been with a good Bagua instructor can tell you that it can teach you in a short amount of time to hurt people real bad real quick - the guy wonīt have time to take you to the ground because heīll be in critical condition or dead. They donīt call it the art of overkill for nothing. Or take up Ba Ji and learn to kill with a single punch - a seriously deadly martial art that the basics can be learned in 6 months or less if youīre dedicated
IMO the best martial art is the martial art that is comprehensive and that offers to satisfy any and all goals that any player might conceivably have. There are plenty of these. Some examples are Hapkido Jiu Jitsu Northern Praying Mantis and the more sophisticated styles of Aikido and even Taiji if youīve got a competent teacher who understands the martial aspects
Some possible goals might be: get in shape meet someone of the opposite sex live longer kill people self defence or just feel good about myself. Some people I know even took up martial arts just to get out and meet like-minded people socially!
If my goal is just to kill people as quickly and as painfully as possible then the answer might not be the same as if my goal is to improve my health or fitness and live longer
Reading responses from some of the people here it seems like some of them believe that the best martial art is the one that allows you to consistently win against opponents in some contrived competition. Okay...if thatīs how you judge a martial art then get with a really really good instructor in one of the martial sports like Judo TKD or Karate or take up grappling. For those guys who want to f**k people up in real life then take up Baguazhang. To the uninitiated itīs an internal art but those people whoīve been with a good Bagua instructor can tell you that it can teach you in a short amount of time to hurt people real bad real quick - the guy wonīt have time to take you to the ground because heīll be in critical condition or dead. They donīt call it the art of overkill for nothing. Or take up Ba Ji and learn to kill with a single punch - a seriously deadly martial art that the basics can be learned in 6 months or less if youīre dedicated
IMO the best martial art is the martial art that is comprehensive and that offers to satisfy any and all goals that any player might conceivably have. There are plenty of these. Some examples are Hapkido Jiu Jitsu Northern Praying Mantis and the more sophisticated styles of Aikido and even Taiji if youīve got a competent teacher who understands the martial aspects
2008-05-07