What Martial Art?

"What Martial Arts is best for a Real Life Superhero?"
I hear this question all the time. If your not training and are asking this question, you probably should not be doing real life superhero work that involves possible physical harm.

Before I answer this question, I want to give my background as a martial artists. I have been training for 10 years. That is 10 years straight, no breaks, 10 years of full on training. I am a 3rd degree black belt in a mixed system based in Kempo. My training has involved several styles of martial arts and weapons training. The core of what I have done is Kempo (various styles mostly Kajukenbo), Kick-boxing (Muay Thai), some Grappling (BJJ, Judo), some Stick and Knife fighting (Kali). I have trained in Boxing as well. I have fought amateur kick-boxing and muay thai. Besides my training I have taught for 8 years. I teach martial arts and kick-boxing. I have run and managed schools.

I am going to give two answers. One is more general and the other is more specific due to my personal experiences.

Fist and foremost get training before you go out and put yourself in any situation where you may be in harms way.

1. TRAIN. Get self defense training. Do not try to learn from a book or video. You can not get the training necessary for being a rlsh from a book or video. You need real experience from an experienced instructor. Any training is better than sitting on the couch. What style to train in can depend on the individual.

2. Find a reality based style. Avoid flashy moves and jump kicks. Focus on the basics and what works best. From my experience I am going to suggest some styles that I think will help real life superheroes best.

Krav Maga
Mixed Martial Arts
Muay Thai Kick-boxing
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Judo
Boxing
Kajukenbo
Combat Sambo
Filipinio Martial Arts - Kali, Arnis, Escrima

Can we add Combat Sambo to that list?

I should have added that initially. It is something I normally recommend, must of forgot.

Mental training may be needed as well. Being able to break something with your fists is not the same as being able to break somebody with it.

Two great books for mental training are The Tao of Jeet Kwon Do (by Bruce Lee) and Mind Control: The Art of Psycalogical Warfare (by Dr. Haha Lung). Great reads.

(cough cough) I meant Jeet Kune Do.

I hope you might consider Hapkido as well. It isn't pretty but it is extremely effective on the street.

Systema anyone? Also love the Filipino martial arts.

Systema?? Okay, haven't heard that one in a loooong time. How about Glima as well? JK, Systema is very effective (so is Glima, for tht matter, I just like saying it). Tiger style kung fu is also very good. Extremely aggressive, but little to no regard for defense.

Glima? Never seen that used effective for anything but glima vs. glima. I wouldn't bother picking up glima unless I decided to compeat in the world championship. Think, I'll do that, could be fun to try.

Glima sounds like some sort of skin disease.

Ha! Yeah, I can't honestly even remember where it is from. Iceland, I think. But it is very aggressive, so the mentality is okay, but Dogman is not being unfair in his assessment, and I doubt there are many practicioners.

Bjork teaches it.

Where do I sign up? Does the training uniform involve a fake goose dangling over your shoulder?

Not sure, but at least you'll be learning these sweet moves.

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The best(worst) part was all the people filming rather than helping. F'n paparazzi.

Poor Bjork. She just wanted sleep... just let her sleep.

That's not a fighting style. That's sumo wrestling for the mentally handicapped.

haha i would love to see that

I do Krav maga myself, great for incapacitating a target. Nothing beats the confusion of somebody whose whole body seizes up from a simple press under the ribcage.

What would your advice be for a shorter girl to learn? I know that Judo is a fantastic option, but there are no training facilities in my area; also my college is woefully short on the number of martial arts it teaches.

What I can learn, and will take the classes as soon as I can, are Aikido and Fencing. There's also the option of archery, but the last time I tried that I nearly shot the instructor in the butt... so I'm assuming that's something to stay away from.

I guess what my question is is this: is modern-day fencing something practical to learn for RLSH patrols?

Not particularly. Can't see how archery would help much either.

Judo is a decent option, if it were available to you, because of the height. I've heard some bad things about aikido related to self defense, aikijujitsu appears to be a more reality based system.

For a well rounded introduction to hand to hand combat, MMA schools are everywhere these days. You have to realize that at some point you'll need some other training because it isn't really self defense oriented, but you'll be fighting fit and know how to dish out and defend against striking and grappling, which is a strong foundation for moving into something else.

Not to mention, it gives you a great education in being able to spot bullshit systems, when their striking and such doesn't obey the laws of physics or anatomy.

Aikido work best if you got some reach and ten years to get good at it (and a good sensei). I wouldn't write off fencing, I've learned a lot from iado and aikiken myself. Never trained fencing, so I have no idea.

The MMA tip definitely is a good idea, the only problem is that I'm currently at a small-town college with no access to a car. The Judo I would learn in a heartbeat if it were available.

I'm more interested in the self-defense and grappling more than anything else. With my bulk I can subdue someone easily enough, and I'm more interested in making them stay down than beating the crap out of someone. Is aikijujitsu suited for that?