street fighting style

Which style is best for street fighting? That’s the question that I am occasionally asked by Martial Arts Mastery subscribers.

So, which martial-arts style is best to learn to street fight?

I hope that people ask this from a self-defense point of view. In other words, I want to believe that subscribers are asking about a fighting style for the purposes of defending themselves from an attack on the street, not in order to start a fight.

Assuming a self-defense goal, which style should you study?

Street-Fighting Efficiency

If someone were to attack you on the street, you don’t want to turn it into a match. There is no circling, fighting at sparring distance, reassessing your situation after the first round of hits, etc.

Someone attacks you, and you want it to be over … NOW!

Make sure you look for a style that emphasizes direct responses. No competition or tournament mindsets for you. The best system for street fighting self-defense is NOT a block-then-punch style.

Your first response needs to go a long way to ending the fight … in your favor.

A Better FIghter

Each and every class has to work toward making you a better and more efficient fighter. You aren’t there to enter kata competitions or get a martial-arts history lesson. You need to defend yourself in real situations.

So, which style is the best for this, already?

I wish there were a pat answer….

Which Martial Arts Style For You?

Your first question should be, “What’s available in my area?”

There is no point lusting after a rare, Filipino martial art only taught in the Philippines, if you can only take classes offered in Juneau, Alaska. This makes sense, right?

You can put your dream style on the back burner with the eventual goal of finding such a class. Just know that because of geographical limitations, it’s not in the cards, for now.

Next, look for a style that focuses on pure self-defense … Krav Maga, JKD, Combatives, and so on.

Also, find a style that will tailor the techniques to you and your needs. If you are a senior citizen, they shouldn’t expect you to jump in the air and do flying kicks. Young versus old. Strong versus weak. Athletic versus more couch potato.

You need a teacher who will help you to achieve your specific goal given who you are.

Mixed Martial Arts or Brazilian Ju Jitsu?

My guess is that you probably don’t want either one….

That statement will probably anger a bunch of readers … so be it.

Each and every time I have worked out with a BJJ guy or someone into MMA they have seemed bound by their rules. Their competitions come with a lot of regulations, and these limitations rear their ugly head in the self-defense class, too.

I’m sure that both can live up to their claims of being more brutal in the ring. And they are more realistic than some competitions.

BUT … they still have rules for safety. Rules that keep you from defending yourself on the street, at your best.

Still, you’ll have to visit and watch individual classes; there may be some out there that do focus on self-defense and only make the competition a small part of their curriculum.

When you start your search for what’s available in your area, keep your goal of street fighting self-defense in mind.

Good hunting.

Tags: best street fighting style, direct defense, jkd, krav maga, mma, self-defense