5 Best Martial Arts for Self Defense

A basic knowledge of martial arts goes a long way in keeping you safe from harm. But with several options available, choosing the right technique for self-defense is a major problem. Here are five of the best martial arts recommended by experienced professional San Jose security guards. Learn any one of them, and you can keep all muggers, robbers, and fighters at bay.

Western Boxing

Although not exactly the martial arts you’d expect in Kung Fu movies, western boxing does help you keep your ground against opponents bigger and stronger than you. The fighting style is all about throwing hard, fast and extremely accurate punches.
When mastering western boxing, you’ll get to work on your defense. Blocking is essential in keeping you safe from injuries. However, you won’t be working on your kicks that much. So if hand fighting is your specialty, then boxing is the sport for you.

Aikido

This modern Japanese martial art is extremely effective in putting up a good defense. The art is all about redirecting your attacker’s moves and energies on to themselves. This means that if someone points a knife at you, Aikido will teach you how to turn their knife on themselves in an instant.

This martial art is all about momentum. It focuses on joint locks and painful submission holds that are powerful enough to immobilize any attacker. However, Aikido is useless if your attacker has basic knowledge of Karate or Tae Kwon Do.

Jiu-Jitsu

This is one of the most universally accepted forms of self-defense. It requires extensive training. But once you’ve mastered this art, you become a true champion in hard striking, choke hold submissions, joint locks, and eye gouging.
Jiu-Jitsu is a lethal defense art. When you’re disarming your attacker, you need to be careful of your moves. Any hard strike can prove fatal and send you to prison. This martial art also requires years of training. Physical fitness is a must.

Kickboxing

Taking traditional boxing to new heights, kickboxing is extremely effective when taking on multiple attackers. This self-defense martial art focuses on punches, kicks, and knees. It trains you how to take on armed muggers too.

Professional kickboxers rely on a technique called “combat qi”, which helps them fight even if they are in excruciating pain. The technique is helpful in strengthening your joints and improving your stamina. Basic kickboxing knowledge is enough to help you keep all armed muggers at bay.

Keysi

You may recall this fighting style from Christopher Nolan’s Batman movies, as it was used extensively by the Dark Knight throughout the three films. Developed by Andy Norman and Justo Dieguez, Keysi fighting methods combines Karate, Jiu-Jitsu, and kickboxing to create a deadly, yet efficient, martial art.

Keysi Method does not rely on kicks. It focuses on punches and blocks and is useful in close-quarter combat. It teaches you how to use any object as a weapon for self-defense. By focusing on your knees and elbows, you can easily break bones and immobilize your opponent. Keysi method is quick to learn and a full-fledged master course which normally takes up to 6 years.