What self defence should I learn?

chrisd said:
I would have thought so. Learn to throw and take a punch properly and you're already more competent than 99% of guys.
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With martial arts you won't need to take any punches :p

I'm not a boxer but have trained to high level in Wu Shu Kai (Bu Jitsu Ryu), Shotokan Karate & Wado-Ryu Karate and feel the training gave me a great level of fitness, discipline, control and correct attitude which I have used throughout my life.

I would highly recommend it to any parents looking for something enriching for their children :)
 
Edward01 said:
Krav Maga
It's what all the special forces are trained in.
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Not true.

Or probably more accurate, you exaggerate.

Something that is used by special forces does not make it the be all and end all. There are many systems used by many different SF around the world.

The systems taught to the military can also turn out to be quite different to those taught to civilians.

This can be a good thing and a bad thing: as a civilian you may need responses that are of different force levels (ie not all lethal) but also the civilian system could be completely defanged.
 
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osc89er said:
Not true.

Or probably more accurate, you exaggerate.

Something that is used by special forces does not make it the be all and end all. There are many systems used by many different SF around the world.

The systems taught to the military can also turn out to be quite different to those taught to civilians.

This can be a good thing and a bad thing: as a civilian you may need responses that are of different force levels (ie not all lethal) but also the civilian system could be completely defanged.
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Ok i'm sorry you're right. MOST Special forces are trained in a form of Krav Maga. Including but not limited to UKSF, USA SF, Israel SF, FBI and MOSSAD
 
Edward01 said:
Krav Maga
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Looking at the wiki page, this type of self defence, would leave you in a very legally dubious position. Looking at the principles here:
  • Do not get injured or injure training partners.
  • Employ pre-emptive defensive techniques
  • Change quickly from defensive into offensive techniques i.e. respond to an attack with overwhelming force, in the quickest time possible
  • Use the most natural, quickest, reflexes of the body
  • Exploit the opponent's vulnerabilities to their extreme
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That in a lot of cases, would not consitiute a 'reasonable' response like Dolph said.
 
Well it would be up to you to use it in moderation surely? I mean any martial art can seriously hurt people if employed to it's full. Look it up on the tube.
 
Ta Burnsy, who I think agrees with me at least on some points here.

Further, a pre-emptive strike is permitted in British law - but is it a good idea? There are millions of CCTV cameras in this country and a pre-emptive strike could look very bad on camera even if you do everything right and are justified in your actions.
 
Edward01 said:
Well it would be up to you to use it in moderation surely? I mean any martial art can seriously hurt people if employed to it's full. Look it up on the tube.
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Sometimes in the heat of the moment you do what you train and thought and judgement and moderation come later.

I wouldn't go train breaking someones neck. What if I did it in the heat of the moment?
 
Edward01 said:
Well it would be up to you to use it in moderation surely? I mean any martial art can seriously hurt people if employed to it's full. Look it up on the tube.
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Yes, but most martial arts don't have their core principles to use 'overwelming' or 'extreme' force. Using it in moderation isn't what the martial art teaches.
 
SteveOBHave said:
No you're right - so I guess the Koreans need to stop calling it their national 'sport' and they will need to take it back out of the Olympics (The worlds premier 'sporting' event)
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The World Tae Kwon Do Federation is an olympic sport. The original founded International Tae Kwon Do Federation is not, and is more defensive.

The TKD you see in the Olympics is a more offensive, flying kicks, tricks TKD.

There are 2 different ways of TKD.
 
Edward01 said:
Well it would be up to you to use it in moderation surely? I mean any martial art can seriously hurt people if employed to it's full. Look it up on the tube.
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Taught properly, Krav maga teaches you to react instinctively in that way, not to think and consider the reaction. If you're not taught that instinctive response, you're not learning Krav Maga, you're learning something based off it. You can't disassociate the mental and physical disciplines of martial arts in that way.
 
Damonic said:
The World Tae Kwon Do Federation is an olympic sport. The original founded International Tae Kwon Do Federation is not, and is more defensive.

The TKD you see in the Olympics is a more offensive, flying kicks, tricks TKD.

There are 2 different ways of TKD.
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Actually there are stacks of different versions but there are mainly two schools which the others subsequently stem from - ITF rules are light/semi contact points governed fighting like many Karate contests - i.e. point and break. However the basic form is still an offensive martial art and very much not a reactive martial art like Aikido

The Olympic rules are WTF or World Tae Kwon Do Federation and are full contact however it stems from the same form as ITF and vice versa. ITF was created as a more traditional interpretation of the art as opposed to WTFs sport inclinations.

WTF was not formed as an Olympic sport it has been around significantly longer than that and was previously known as the KTA or the Korean Tae Kwon Do Association. TKD became an Olympic sport in 2000. Previous to this it was only a demonstration sport (I think from 1980ish). TKD itself in as close a form as we recognise today has only been around since 1957 and is a combination of many martial arts including Japanese Karate.

However coming back to the point - I can see where the disparity of 'TKD is a sport' comes from and will concede that ITF is more of a martial 'art' and WTF is more of a martial 'sport'. However I would disagree with the call that ITF is more 'defensive' as the forms of the Palgwe's and Taeguks are hardly what I would call defensive in either ITF or WTF.
 
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Jodo but you will need to be doing it with people that are not limp, agression and fitness is what you need in the group that you train with. Try some boxing to learn how to throw a punch or two, saying that if you are limp forget about fighting. Learn how to keep yourself out of trouble is the best option.
 
etom said:
if a bouncer ever roughed up a friend to the extent of putting him in hospital (they have been very rough in the past) this would be my tactic as well hit one of them in the chin and run off lol. (not to hard just enough to really get him angry) great fun.
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Just because were bouncers doesnt mean we cant run ;)
 
Well ive done Kendo since I was about 4, but it really depends on what you identify with and what good clubs there are in your area, whatever you pick your better off doing something with a decent master. I would say Taekwondo, Wing Chun, karate are good places to start for self defense. Tai Chi is excellent but it will be 5-8 years before your truely capable of defending yourself with it which is too long I think.
Someone pointed out things like Karv Maga would basically give you jail time if you use them because they revolve around getting the kill. Any martial art will teach you to do that, but not from the off, control and discipline should be learnt before that IMO. So I wouldnt recommend those.
Boxing is fine and will teach you some basics which would be good enough for almost any situation, its also a great way to get fit, but a decent martial artist will flatten a boxer every time. Not to say im not recommending it but people seem to be talking it up too much for my liking.
I would also like to say I wouldnt recommend Kendo for self defense at all.

Hope thats of some help, basically choose what suits you and do some research on the masters in your area.

Hawker
 
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