What Is The Best Martial Arts for Self Defense?

Determining The Best Martial Arts for Self Defense

This is a common question among those looking to train in martial arts for the purpose of self-defense. The simple answer to the best martial arts for self-defense is the one you choose to practice and perfect. Without constant practice, it will be difficult to deploy the techniques and skills necessary to defend yourself properly.

This doesn’t mean you’ll need to practice three hours a day everyday before going to work or school. But it does mean you’ll need to be practicing several days a week for at least twenty minutes or so each day. This keeps your skills honed, your mind sharp and your body will retain the muscle memory needed to deliver the correct block or counter attack.

Another Consideration for determining the best martial arts for self defense is if the style of martial art meets your personal physical ability. It doesn’t matter how many MMA champions you strive to immolate, if you’re not young and fit, you’ll likely not do very well trying to master techniques meant for someone built completely different.

So choose a martial art style that’s going to be a natural fit. For instance, I personally am not that acrobatic; high kicks and aerial kicks are not what I do best. So I chose a style that focuses on kicking below the belt and punching above the belt. This not only matches my natural physical abilities, but it also matches my self-defense philosophy – keep it simple!

One last consideration when choosing a martial art for self-defense is the motives that drive your training. If you’re simply looking for self-defense then a pure self-defense type program may be best suited for you. But the true chances of needing the physical abilities of martial arts are highly unlikely. In fact it’s less than a one percent chance that you’ll need to use your martial arts for self-defense.

Thankfully martial arts offers so much more than self-defense. You’ll gain life enhancing skills as you train in martial arts. Skills like increasing focus and lengths of concentration, building self-control, and developing the confidence to make decisions and take the necessary actions to propel you forward in any area of your life.

Martial arts is so much more than just self-defense, it’s a way of life. But in the end, the best martial art for self-defense is the one that you’ll participate. We invite you to be a part of our martial arts training academy.

As Always…wishing you all the best!
Sensei Mark Roscoe