street fight practicality

Which style do you think is best suited for street combat practicality? (other than MMA) Tae Kwon Do? Hapkido? Kung Fu? Shotokon Karate? Ishinryu Karate? Aikido? Ninjutsu? Tang Soo Do? BJJ? Other?

I just thought this would be an interesting topic to see what everyone thought. While I think that most styles do have at least a little something good to offer I think that Kung Fu would be the best for real street confrontations. The reason that I think that kung fu is good for real street confrontation is because a lot of the techniques are based on animal survival skills. A lot of knung fu styles take techniques that animals use in the wild to survive and adapt them for human application. These survival fighting techniques used by aminals in the wild prove successful because if they weren't the animal would become extinct and cease to exist. A lot of styles were invented for sport while others were created more recent and have not proved thier efficiency in combat yet. I look forward to seeing what you think the best style is for a good ole' street fight.

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Mark

BJJ

It has proven it's efficiency in combat, that's why the Corps trains it so much.

Kung Fu is good, though I'd screw the animal styles and go with CLF or Lohan, those have a better proven track record of success compared to a dragon's claw or crane's beak in a street fight.

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Whats your take on tiger or snake or monkey techniques for fighting? Monkey style has some pretty cool and "dirty" fighting techniques. How about monkey grabs peaches.....lol?

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Mark

Animal techniques have their uses in fights, but most often when not using the animal imitation as much as the regular techniques and the animal's tactics

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I don't know about pure BJJ.

1. First off I think recent years in cage fighting have shown that one must cover all ranges so striking and clinch cannot be neglected. Look at Gonzaga vs. Couture for example - Gonzaga has world-class BJJ and is a better striker than Couture. But that fight was won in the clinch. Couture controlled it to his range troughout the whole fight and it made all the difference.

2. With the resevations above, BJJ is great in one-on-one situations, as its vale tudo credentials have proven. Streetfights however, often involve multiple agressors, sometimes weapons and other variables. While having the skill can be useful, IMO the last thing I want to do in a street situation is have to roll around on the ground.

Personally I would say if plain survival is what is at stake, you want to deal with things in an order of escalation:

1. De-escalate / walk away.

2. Deal with it standing-up
That includes running the heck out there as your first choice, if that doesn't work, a couple quick strikes and then get out... if that doesn't work, you're in for it.

3. If striking doesn't do it, then you're in for clinching range. Try stand-up grappling (wrist lock, standing arm-bars, if possible), try to keep aware of your surroundings and potential other threats while trying to control your opponent.

4. If you have to go to ground, then obvisouly you had best be prepared for it. But IMO this is the worst situation possible on the street. While you're rolling around you have little awareness of what's going on in your surroundings and are completely vulnerable to others who would want to jump in.

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I've got to go with BJJ.

Take a look at Cam's street fight post, in his situation it worked and was quite efficient.

Even more so, look at how BJJ is trained, through frequent (every class) sparring. In the sparring environment you learn what works and what doesn't against a determined and depending on skill level, educated opponent.

Ever watch a gracie blue belt spar against a newbie? It's frighteningly fast, efficient, and clean. Why? Because that blue belt has hundreds of sparring matches in him/her and knows how to apply their skills quickly and with maximum efficiency (for their skill level, yes a gracie black belt would be more efficient)

-hz

Shuai Jiao & Tai Chi.

BJJ is good, but it committs you to the situation. With Shuai Jiao and/or Tai Chi you can hopefully throw or push your attacker away enough to escape the situation.

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Oh my God....I agree with Mei on BJJ to a certain extent. I do think that BJJ is effective for street combat IF your dealing with one or two attackers but more than 2 opponents then I question it's effeciency. But I do think BJJ is great for street fighting.

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Mark

I agree with hazmat, i would take someone who has had 6 months or so of BJJ over most black belts if I had to choose between the two in a fight. But I still like kung fu for the style i like best if the fight is going to be faught standing up.

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Mark

“	Originally Posted By: Jade_Dragon_03 I agree with hazmat, i would take someone who has had 6 months or so of BJJ over most black belts if I had to choose between the two in a fight. But I still like kung fu for the style i like best if the fight is going to be faught standing up.	”

Aye, for striking, it is the most versatile and has the most to offer

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Thanks guys, the real key here for me is that the proof is in the pudding if you will.

I'd take any stand up art that trained and practiced in semi-full contact on a frequent basis. Otherwise it's just not going to be effective the minute the adrenaline dump occurs.

You must train the monkey brain if you want the monkey brain to work when you need it.

-hz

“	Originally Posted By: hazmat Thanks guys, the real key here for me is that the proof is in the pudding if you will. I'd take any stand up art that trained and practiced in semi-full contact on a frequent basis. Otherwise it's just not going to be effective the minute the adrenaline dump occurs. You must train the monkey brain if you want the monkey brain to work when you need it. -hz	”

I agree 100%

Some of us train that way and train our students that way, it's fun to play but if you want the skill, you have to test yourself for the skill; reality, practicality, Aliveness, stress testing, to do less is wasting your time and the time/safety of your students.

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Oh THAT'S how that works!

hey guys Hazmat has moneky brains!!!!!
the problem with this is there is always the "ifs"
if you don't go to the ground then you will probably be fine with no grappling but if you do chances are you are screwed.
I would say any art that teaches full contact and conditioning. Mui Tai, some Kung Fu schools.
if you are used to being hit and used to hitting you have a better chance of keeping your head and being able to get out of there.

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"Just remember there's many kinds of toughness in this world and not all of them involve kicking in someone's teeth to prove a point." SammyGirl Fan Club

Honestly, I think that's the key, aliveness, stress testing, more realistic sparring, etc.

Now, with that being said, I still prefer BJJ.

-hz

You said not MMA, but i'm still going to mix three.

Aikido- grabs/breaks.
Tang Soo Do- my style, so i'm the most comfortable with that, plus fairly high/powerful kicks.

BJJ- grabs and throws/grappling.

In my opinion, mix those three together and you've got a fair street fighting style.

You left out Savate too, the french style?
It was made specifically for streefighting.

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