How Martial Arts Can Save Your Life – The Best Martial Art For Self Defense

Martial arts started with a practical application, but as they have evolved over the years, times have changed.  We no longer have a need to “use” martial arts on a daily basis, so they have become largely stylized and intended for self-improvement and physical conditioning.

But some people want to learn a “practical” martial art or one they can use for self defense.  While there is no one best self defense martial art, there are some that focus on realistic fighting and dangerous scenarios as opposed to stylized fights.

The top three best self defense martial arts are:

1. Krav maga

2. Brazilian jiu jitsu

3. Hapkido/aikido

Ultimately you will get the best training for self defense if you practice different martial arts – or “mixed martial arts” as you will hear them called.

Krav maga is actually a system which Israeli defense forces are required to train in even today.  Its focus is on realistic fights and what to do to quickly end a fight rather than sustaining violence.

Another useful application of krav maga is techniques to disarm an attacker who may be carrying a knife or gun.  Obviously you cannot just punch someone with a gun to your face so you have to know how to deal with firearms and knives in self defense.

So really the best self defense martial art is a combination of different fighting styles.  Krav maga is a great place to start and then if you choose to take other classes or watch more online videos in different martial arts styles you can do so.