Today, walking on the street at night in a hostile neighborhood can be frightening. The feeling most will experience is being defenseless. To overcome that feeling, you can use many methods, such as arming yourself or learning to fight.
Martial arts are fantastic forms of self-defense. Yet, they can be dangerous. Here are the safest martial arts that are still effective. (#1=Safest yet highly effective)
- Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
- Judo
- Wrestling
- MMA
- Kung fu
- Karate
- Krav Maga
All of these martial arts are the safest ones you can learn. Meaning, you’re least likely to get injured while training or using them. Yet, all of these are effective. Because of that, injuries are a possibility.
Finding a solid school and instructor to train with is a crucial aspect. For example, Qigong is a martial art that doesn’t incorporate fighting. If you learn it with an unsuitable instructor, you may still be injured. However, if you research your local area and examine the possibilities to sign up to a certified school eventually, you’ll be fine.
Contrary to most people’s beliefs, learning to fight doesn’t make you violent. Instead, it reduces aggression and anger levels outside of training. If you’re interested in reading more about that, I highly encourage you to follow the link to an article of mine on whether martial arts make you violent.
7. Krav Maga
Some fighting styles are better suitable for various purposes. For instance, while boxing teaches you how to send a powerful punch, Jiu-Jitsu teaches you to maneuver your opponent to master him. Well, Krav Maga is better for a specific goal which if you’re looking to achieve, I recommend learning it.
Krav Maga is a martial art best for dangerous self-defense situations, such as a knife attack. As a result, its training will prepare you to react quickly to such scenarios. It’s a practical self-defense system that trains you to punch and kick powerfully, grapple, choke, and plenty more.
Overall, I love Krav Maga. I went through 14 months of training when I was in the military. Studying the various techniques and moves allowed me to understand better the fundamentals of martial arts. Consequently, I’m now more capable of defending myself properly.
Additionally, there’s no plausible situation we haven’t trained for, multiple times. Because of that, I know how to react and adapt to self-defense situations. I’ll respond differently to an attacker with a pistol rather than someone with a knife.
The whole point of Krav Maga training is to resemble real situations while keeping everyone safe. For that reason, we were on complete protective equipment constantly while doing such drills. As a result, I didn’t suffer from a single injury throughout my 14 months of training.
Many fighting styles don’t do that as well as Krav Maga schools. In such schools, you’ll feel as if you’re honestly getting attacked. However, you’ll be safe to use full force. We call that pressure testing. That way, you’ll respond smoothly under pressure and high-stress levels when it’s real.
Lastly, Krav Maga is an intense full-body workout. In fact, in an hour, you’ll burn 616 calories on average. (Source). Because of that, you’ll improve your aerobic and anaerobic shapes while learning self-defense.
I wrote many articles on my website regarding Krav Maga; why it’s a solid fighting style. The one I recommend you to read is- whether learning Krav Maga is worth it. If you’re hesitant about beginning your training in it, I highly recommend you to read it- as it has many wise insights that may assist you.
6. Karate
One of the most beautiful martial arts is Karate. Its first origins are from Okinawa island. Throughout the years, you can see how it evolved and spread roots throughout the entire world. Today, many people train in Karate as it’s one of the best martial arts.
Karate is a fighting style that utilizes many techniques and movements that you can practice without much risk. As a result, training in it is considered safer than other styles. You’ll learn many moves, such as kicking and striking with accuracy and about the Japanese culture.
Overall, it’s an effective fighting style. If you ever watched Karate finals, you’ll understand that it’s lethal. If you’re capable of landing a precise kick, you can knock out an opponent in a single hit.
Because of that, you can use Karate for self-defense or other purposes. Yet, because of its popularity, many schools teach Karate. As a result, before choosing to learn Karate, ensure there’s a certified school capable of teaching you the principles of it. If you won’t, you may sign up for an unsuitable school.
I wrote an article on whether Karate is good for self-defense. I highly encourage you to read it. It will add to your knowledge regarding this particular martial art.
Additionally, I’ll include a video in which you’ll be able to see the style such a fighting style offers and whether you’ll be interested in learning it.
5. Kung fu
Today, there’s a rising trend regarding the Shaolin monks. If you haven’t heard of them, they’re a group living in China in the Shaolin temples. Their lifestyle is without any stimulant whatsoever. In addition, they’re learning a specific style of martial arts called Shaolin Kung fu.
Kung fu utilizes many moves, some circular, to beat an opponent. Additionally, it also involves meditation and Qi training. Because of that, you can still train Kung fu without learning to fight. Because of that, it’s a safe yet effective martial art suitable for most people.
“In this paper, we provide evidence that training in Martial Arts is associated with improvements in the Alert attentional network.”
(Source)
Kung fu was one of the martial arts in the study I cited- the participants trained. As a result, we can correlate training in Kung fu has plenty of benefits. Additionally, studies have shown it improves aerobic and anaerobic health. (Source)
I wrote an article on who would win in a duel, an elite UFC fighter or a Shaolin monk. I encourage you to read it as it correlates closely with this topic.
From personal experience, Kung fu assists in staying calm under pressure and lowering anxiety. The training doesn’t focus only on fighting, although it’s a primary part. Instead, you’ll be learning self-respect, calmness, and peacefulness. I’ve experienced many of these benefits in my life, as I’m sure you would too.
I’ll include a video on a daily Kung fu routine you can start doing to understand the fundamentals better. It’s a 40 minutes video, which is long. Yet, I do recommend doing a part of it every day- so you can experience some of the effects I mentioned.
4. MMA
Usually, a more dynamic fighting style is more effective. Because of that, some martial arts are more practical than others. Krav Maga, for instance, is an adaptive style. As a result, you’ll be better off in more self-defense situations.
MMA or mixed martial arts combines various techniques and moves from different fighting styles to create a more suitable fashion. While Judo teaches you how to fight standing up, Jiu-Jitsu teaches you to be a solid fighter on the ground. Now, picture a combination of both.
Now, how is MMA safe? First, understand that every fighting technique involves some risk. As a result, I cannot guarantee you won’t get any injuries while training in it.
Because of the number of rules in mixed martial arts, getting permanent injuries is demanding. Lastly, there wasn’t any death in MMA since 1993.
Today, elite UFC fighters combine two techniques to create more efficient movements. Many videos captured such instances. As a result, we can learn plenty from them. I highly recommend you to watch the following video as it’ll reflect what I was talking about visually, which is more appealing.
When I was looking for a fighting style to learn, I wanted a dynamic one. As a result, I would’ve been able to adapt to any situation anyone would’ve given me. As such, it’s more effective.
I recently bought a pair of MMA gloves that fit perfectly for training. Additionally, I recommend combining them with this punching bag by Everlast. That way, you’ll be able to train at home properly.
Eventually, learning MMA is extremely valuable. It’s a practical fighting style that will assist you in learning self-defense and developing yourself. I’ve found success with it, as I’m sure you will too.
3. Wrestling
Today, knowing how to pin someone down is incredibly valuable. Once you’re on top of someone in any scenario, you have the advantage. Hence knowing how to get into that situations will provide plenty of value.
Wrestling is a martial art that utilizes momentum and stance fighting to pin someone down to the floor. As a result, you’ll be capable of using such a technique to win any fight. Additionally, training in wrestling is safe because it doesn’t involve any punching or kicking.
The focus of wrestling will be to end up with your opponent on the ground. If you know how to get into such a situation, you’ll learn self-defense to a much better level. Because of that, I highly encourage you to look more into wrestling as it’s a remarkable fighting style.
The next video demonstrates the techniques you’ll learn in training. I encourage you to watch the video to comprehend why it’s a suitable fighting style for self-defense.
2. Judo
One of the more fascinating martial arts is Judo. By learning it, you’ll become a more capable individual. Not only does it fit self-defense, but it’s also a suitable workout for managing body weight. Yet, not many people consider this sport as a practical martial art.
Data showed that judo athletes and recreational judo practitioners show above-average VO2max, improved body composition, increased bone mineral density, and bone mineral content. (Source)
Judo is a martial art that’s also an Olympic sport. Because of that, it’s widespread throughout the world. It utilizes movements and techniques of cleanly throwing or pinning the opponent. Eventually, it leads to mastering him. As a result, it’s relevant for today’s world while remaining safe.
Many people don’t consider it as an appropriate martial art. Because of that, you may not understand the benefits of training in Judo. It’s a solid fighting style that’s also highly effective. As a result, training will provide many benefits to its trainees.
Eventually, it’s a safe martial art. Its training doesn’t involve any techniques that will cause permanent damage, such as Kickboxing. Yet, it may lead to injuries, especially if done incorrectly.
Overall, it’s a fighting style that’s also suitable for self-defense. As a result, it will be deadly if you want it to be. Thus learning to use it appropriately is vital for keeping yourself and others safe.
I’ll include a video of the 20 best Ippons in Judo’s history. I recommend viewing it to understand- why it’s such a solid martial art. Not a long time ago, I thought it wouldn’t provide any value for self-defense. Boy, I was wrong.
1. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Many people believe self-defense is knowing to strike and kick powerfully. Yet, that cannot be further from the truth. Various techniques and movements achieve a different action. For instance, Judo’s goal is to pin and throw the opponent to the ground. In a self-defense situation, if you get to such a point, you’ll come out on top.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art that utilizes maneuvering on your opponent while on the ground. Such a movement is highly effective for self-defense. Because it doesn’t involve punching or striking, BJJ is one of the safest fighting styles to train. It’s practical and valuable. Thus you should train in it.
“Results showed that officers with additional experience (also those who trained once a week) performed better under high anxiety than officers with no additional experience.” (Source)
One of the martial arts the officers know is BJJ. As a result, to understand why that’s the case, we need to go back to the training. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu focuses on the ground aspect of fighting. So, how to pin an opponent to the ground and force him to stay there. As a result, you’ll get an advantage in the fight.
The study confirms that BJJ skills are valuable in real life. The officers had a background in it. Because of that, they knew how to react in dangerous situations, such as arrests.
For such purposes, training outside of the gym will be challenging. You won’t have any suitable equipment for training. As a result, buying high-quality, appropriate gear will be mandatory for progression outside of training. I highly encourage you to buy this grappling dummy to practice.
Overall, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu isn’t only safe, but it’s also valuable. I’ve had success in it. Yet, deep research will also give you a similar answer to mine, just like the study I cited in the last paragraph.
I recommend everyone to learn BJJ as it’s one of the best martial arts in the world. It’s well-rounded and fantastic for both beginners and advanced trainees.
What martial art is the safest?
Knowing which fighting style is the safest is crucial for choosing which one to learn. Various martial arts can cause severe permanent damage if not done correctly. As a result, knowing that the one you chose will not cause you that- is vital. Yet, understand that learning to fight- revolves around getting hit. Thus you can’t dodge injuries in martial arts.
The safest martial art you should learn is Kung fu. Many Kung fu techniques don’t revolve around fighting, but they’re a series of movements meant to practice your Qi. As a result, you’ll learn fighting moves while meditating and ensuring your safety.
You may be familiar with the Shaolin monks. They’re a group of people that study Kung fu, and they’re the calmest, most peaceful individuals in the world. Training Kung fu has shown to decrease overall aggression and anger levels. Thus it’s the safest martial art one can learn.
Yet, signing up for a good school may be more effective than learning a safe martial art. For instance, even if you train in BJJ in an uncertified school, you’ll be in more danger because the instructor won’t know how to avoid injuries.
Which martial art is the most effective?
Overall, the essence of martial arts is learning to fight. People created Karate to teach self-defense to the people of Okinawa. As a result, its original purpose is to teach people to fight. Because of that, many fighting styles today have a similar effect.
MMA or mixed martial art is most effective because fighters can adapt and combine many techniques to construct a better fighting style. As a result, MMA trainees react more quickly and smoothly to self-defense situations, as training has prepared them for such scenarios.
There isn’t a single part in my body that’ll tell you otherwise. Learning MMA is wise, and doing it will instantly improve your life.
I wrote an article on whether martial arts and fighting are the same. I highly recommend learning it as it correlates closely with this article.
Which martial art should you learn?
For that question, I wrote a whole article on the nine best martial arts for self-defense you should learn. I encourage you to follow the link and read it, as it’ll change your perspective for sure.
Learning a martial art that’s dynamic and practical is best, for instance, MMA, Kung fu, Krav Maga, or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. If you pick up one of them, you’ll find yourself progressing much faster and learning more valuable skills than ever before. I recommend choosing one of them.
Another article I recommend you visit is the deadliest martial arts in the world. I encourage you to read it to get another perspective on the topic.
Conclusion
Martial arts have become popular in the last couple of years. As a result, you can learn to develop yourself while fighting appropriately. Yet, training in such sports can cause permanent damage. Because of that, knowing which ones are the safest- yet still practical is crucial.
Overall, I highly recommend you learn a martial art. It changed my life and- I’m sure it’ll have a similar effect to yours. Read more about that in an article of mine on whether you should learn a fighting style.
In the videos I included in this post, you’ll be able to witness how these martial arts come into play in real-life situations. That way, you’ll know which one to pick by which techniques and movements you prefer learning.