What is the best self defense option for street fight?

[adriano]

In terms of martial arts, what can be the best option for street fight?

[SomothErgai]

In order of most effective to least effective

A gun. And use a practice gun to practice different situations with a friend. You'd be amazed how hard it can be to actually shoot someone if you're not trained for it. Not just in terms of willingness to take a life but also in literal physical difficulty to draw and shoot in a short enough time that your aren't killed first. There aren't a lot of schools that focus on gun fighting so you would probably do best joining a police force or something of that nature. They will have a lot of training (or at least they should) on how to use a gun effectively.

A knife. Again. Train. It's actually far harder than you would think to effectively cut and stab someone enough to make them leave you alone. There are lots of dojos that claim to offer knife training but almost all of them are bullshit. This is something you will have to look around for a legitimate instructor. Anyone offering anything close to resembling a guaranteed knife defense is a liar and a charleton and you should get as far away from them as you can. Knife fighting is extremely dangerous. Defending against a knife is extremely dangerous. Even if you have a knife too. The chances that even with training you will be severely injured are almost guaranteed. Knife defense is about giving you the best chance to survive. Not about getting away unscathed. You will be very, very scathed.

Other blunt force weapons like bats, clubs, brass knuckles etc. things that drastically amplify your striking power. Most dojos will offer some form of blunt weapons training but it's rare to find one that actually has you train for realistic scenarios under realistic conditions. You'll want to avoid "classic" weapons like staves, nunchaku, sai, and shit like that because the chances you will be walking around with a 6 foot staff are basically zero. Find classes that focus on escrima. These are the closest thing to a short club or bat that you actually could find in your environment. Any sturdy stick-like object is a fine stand in for an escrima. Brass knuckles are pretty self explanatory. Anything you can do with your fist you can do with some knuckle dusters. Though for inexplicable reasons, they are illegal in some states so you may need to look out for that depending on where you live.

Hand to hand combat. There are tons of martial arts schools. They are almost all full of shit. Anything that does not have you training against aggressive, fully resisting opponents is a crock of shit and you should avoid them at all costs. Look for MMA dojos and ask them about how their training applies to real world situations. Do they train with opponents who will actually make you fight for a submission or do they "just go with it" whenever you try to perform a technique.

Threats. If you're aggressive and intimidating enough and really look like you could fuck someone's shit up then sometimes simply being aggressive and threatening them and talking a big game is enough to deter some folks. However this will fail spectacularly if they are armed or have friends. So it would not be a great idea to rely on this approach without having the ability to back up your threats with the above tactics.

Lastly running. Yeah... no. imagine you're a criminal and you just tried to mug somebody and they run away. Are you going to let your mark get away with all that juicy money I. Their wallet? Fuck no. You're committed to getting whatever they got. So if you gotta chase them a little bit no big deal. Even better if you have a gun you can just shoot them. No chasing necessary. Are you willing to bet that you're so much faster than your mugger that you want to try and outrun them? Suppose they catch you. Now you're too tired to fight back if they decide that all that chasing has pissed them off and now they want to hurt you. No, running is a great way to get yourself hurt or killed. Threats have to be faced and eliminated. Your life depends on it.

[Caroline91]

Wow. Impressive presentation! As a woman, I do rely on running, bc any woman that tries to take on a man in any capacity is almost certainly going to lose.

[SomothErgai]

Pt 1

@Caroline91 Woemn are a special case. you pretty much ONLY have the option of a gun. Or if you are very very good you can use a knife. but a gun is always going to be your best bet.

You say you rely on running. I'm curious, how many situations have you actually ever been in where a man was aggressively coming after you, either to rob you or force himself on you, and you had to run or fight?

I don't mean to be presumptuous but i'm going to guess somewhere in the neighborhood of never. You acknowledged that physically fighting a man is a bad idea due to overwhelming strength and aggression. which is good to recognize that reality. But you don't seem to also be considering the greater speed and endurance that men typically have over women also.

Put yourself in the mind of a man who has decided YOU are the one he's going to rape today. In fact I'll play the role. I'm not going to let you know I even exist until I'm already close enough to grab you and put a knife on your throat. If you try to pull away and run I'm going to kill you. I'm going to bark orders at you and yank you around, probably beat you up in order to force you into submission. so you lose the will to fight before you even have a chance to start.

There is no running from this situation. attempting to run is almost guaranteed to get you murdered on top of everything else that's about to happen to you.

[SomothErgai]

Pt 2
Now imagine you have a gun. you're still not going to be able to prevent me getting close enough to grab you. criminals are wise to the fact that people can be packing a weapon. they're not going to give you any kind of warning of what they're about to do. At least, not the ones who aren't retards.

So your option now is limited only to your gun. and most likely you're not going to be able to use it right away either. You're going to need to wait for an opening where the man drops his guard just long enough for you to actually retrieve your gun and blow his fucking ass away.

Realistic scenarios are not like the movies. they are dirty, ugly and rarely EVER go the way you trained for. Weapons like guns give you a CHANCE for survival. they do not guarantee it. But what I can guarantee, is that running is the worst possible option next to submission.

[Caroline91]

3 times.

[SamIam96]

@Caroline91 you're smart to run. Statistics show over and over again, if you pull a gun, YOU'RE most likely to be shot not your assailant.

It's probably the same with the other weapons.

[Caroline91]

@SamIam96 It's sad bc no woman should ever have to run. If I am walking down a street and there is no one else around except for a lone guy walking the other way, before I even get close to. him, I cross to the other side. If he is already on the other side and starts crossing to my side, I will tell him not to and if he continues, I take off. I would rather make a fool of myself and be embarrassed than be injured.

[Caroline91]

Honestly, I always assume I won't be able to protect myself well against a man who really intends harm. As much as I hate that it is necessary, I usually am with at least one man and often a mixed group.

[SomothErgai]

@Caroline91 it sounds like from your other responses you ran away out of an abundance of caution and and not sure to active attempt to harm you. Are you saying that on 3 separate occasions a man seriously and aggressively attempted to pursue you? Or did you suspect that you might be in danger and run before it got to that point?

I'm not saying that's necessarily the wrong thing to have done. I want there. But what I am saying is that a man intending to do you serious that is going to be careful not to anger you in the first place.

Also, it is simply, flatly wrong that properly using a gun in a life or death situation gets people killed. That is a stupid take on every possible level and I would love to see your sources that support such an absurd statement

[Caroline91]

Yes, 3 times gone after. 2 kidnapping attempts and the 3rd time he got ahold of me. I'm not the one who made the comment on the gun, so I can't answer that.

[Caroline91]

@SomothErgai A man doesn't have to anger me for me to do everything in my power to avoid him.

[CrabCakes11]

Women do not have the only option of a gun. I’ve choked a what I’m pretty sure was going to be a rapist until he passed out. Self defense classes, if applied correctly are very effective

[SomothErgai]

@CrabCakes11 what do you mean "pretty sure" he was going to be a rapist? That is an incredibly odd thing to say. Could you explain the situation to me please?

[CrabCakes11]

I was on a run early and stopped because my shoe’s sole was breaking again, and this man I didn’t notice earlier came up behind me and grabbed my arm. We were in a parking lot of area around some hiking trails. I looked behind me and he told me that if I screamed he would stab me. He wasn’t holding the knife but they found it on him. He grabbed my hair and dragging me into the bathrooms. When he grabbed the door with his other hand I twisted and managed to get him to let go. When he turned around he sorta lost balance and I got him from behind. I choked him as he knelt while screaming until somebody came up from the trail and called the police. It took about 30-40 seconds

[SomothErgai]

@CrabCakes11 I'm very very glad you were able to get out of that situation relatively unharmed. You saw an opportunity and you seized it. Most situations don't go that way though.

On average your best defense is going to be the thing that gives you the greatest amplification of force for the lowest degree of skill required to deploy it. And that's going to be true no matter if you're a woman. OR a man.

Take it from someone with a high degree of training in lots of different aspects of combat and defense. A hand to hand fight is a last resort every time. If it's at all possible to draw down on a threat and simply pull a trigger that is vastly superior to trying anything else.

It's simple math. As I said, the greatest force for the least effort is going to be superior regardless of all other factors. Age, race, gender, whatever.

If you're put in a situation where you have to fight for your life and you win that's awesome. I am genuinely thrilled that it worked out for you. I'm just saying it's dangerous to rely on that in lieu of more effective weaponry.

[Anonymous]

I say at best you'd have some knowledge/training in all of these but

Karate: powerful punches, kicks and stances which allow you to have decent stand up defence which allows you to one shot basically 70% of the population

Muay thai: probably one of the most well rounded for close combat, proper training involves hardening bones and connecting with them which allows for incredibly fast, devistating blows that are often compared to the force of being hit with a sledge hammer.

Some form of jujutsu, it's the most proven wrestling art. Very impractical in 90% of street fights but if you're going up against some weirdo who manages to get you on the ground, knowing basics could save your life. The training involves getting out of submission holds, preventing someone from jumping on top of you and beating the shit out of you, getting out of that situation maybe if you're lucky. It's just something you should know at least a little of and it never hurts to know more.

Wing-Chun: a lot of people would scoff at this but in a realistic street fight, you never know what's going to happen but it's almost certainly not going to be two people squaring up, a ref is there in case things get too wild to count down the rounds.

Sometimes, a dude trys to swing something at you, or do something else unexpected. Wing Chun is more about studying the mechanics of the human body and using that understanding to make split second decisions in a fight. It is a perfect way of looking at martial arts in my opinion and in a street fight would probably make you the most dangerous arguably.

Moves for almost any scenerio, ability to knock people off balance using very little energy, incorporates well into any other martial art training, opens you up to a world of opportunity based finishing moves, lots of techniques for landing devistating blows.

[Caroline91]

Unless you are way up there in the martial arts rank progression I wouldn't count on being particularly effective in a street fight. A REAL fight shouldn't last longer than a few seconds. It's not like the movies where guys keep taking turns punching each other or leaping up and spinning in the air yelling "Ah-cho". In a real fight, one or the other is going to shut it down real quick. As a female, when I have very occasionally found myself in a bad situation, my motto is: Never let 'em know what's coming, kick hard and most importantly RUN FAST!

[dustybiker2]

Are you looking to join?
Find a rounded instructor.


I joined several studios before settling in mine the first few weren't a good fit for me. My instructor now has at least one dan (and still going) in a blackbelt in all martial art forms, was also on the Korean Olympics team. He uses a little from all to incorporate into our taekwondo lessons.



With martial arts you have instant defense, even if unarmed.

[MrOracle]

Sneakers. Because all bets are off in a street fight. You could be shot, stabbed, or beaten to death with a piece of rebar or a rock. You could be ganged up on by 6 armed men. You could be hit by a car. There is almost no limit to the ways it can go badly for you.

So the best plan is to AVOID them or run away from them. If you have to stand and fight, you should assume there's less than a 50% chance that you will survive. Any fighting discipline should be focused on escaping, rather than standing and fighting. Real life isn't the movies.

[Juxtapose]

One of the only people I have seen who actually respects how dangerous fighting is. To rip off an ear only takes 4 pounds per square inch.

[Juxtapose]

My dojo said a similar thing to you, your first line of defense is avoiding conflict in the first place.

[MrOracle]

@Juxtapose And ripping off an ear is one of the lesser concerns you should have. in my opinion, even worse than being killed, you could be paralyzed (neck/spinal injury), or have a brain injury that leaves you with the brain capacity of a 2 year old, and spend the rest of your life trapped in a useless body.

Way too many people take movie fights seriously - as if actual street fights are going to go that way - but in the real world, people routinely get maimed and killed. There are no rules. Fair has nothing to do with it. It's all-out war. And even if you survive, you could still be prosecuted and tossed in jail for a decade or two, just because.

[Juxtapose]

Well to be fair I do have friends that have been fighting for longer than I have been alive and the worst they have is some scars. They've been in some pretty serious gang violence too.

[Juxtapose]

And you're right about the spine, I was taught in martial arts not to hit people there.

[Juxtapose]

Unless I want to make them paralyzed.

[JacobJordan]

Martial arts are based on honor and respectability. In a street fight neither are present. Your best defense is utilizing distance and surprise. Target weak points (ankles, knees, nuts, armpits, neck, nose, eyes, ears.) Realize you are going to get hit at least once. As a result if in such a situation first target has to be the leader. And preferably before things actually get going. Target any part you can cause the most damage (even death) quickly. First couple shots is to remove a threat and buy time. Throat, nose or double cupped clap over the ears to blow ear drums distance yourself immediately after or rush party number 2. Lunge step on their foot and shove them. At this point if you didn't completely disable first person they or 3+ are inbound. Rotate around putting an enemy between you and them. If they are swinging don't try and take the shots try to intercept or deflect them. Movement as key. Try and ensure you can only be targeted by 1 person at a time.

[WindAtMyBack]

Everyone is saying to run, which is true. But don't get yourself in that situation to start with. I've been in the wrong place at the wrong time many times. But really, there was no need for me to be there in the first place. You know when you are putting yourself in higher risk situations, so don't do it.

Maybe in the real world you DO find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time. But you should be able to spot it soon enough that you don't need to run. Just turn the other direction and walk away long before there is any need to run. If you need to run, it's already too late. If you need to run, either you knowingly went somewhere that is higher risk, or you weren't reading the signs.

If you really want to learn a fighting form, learn wrestling for the conditioning, and learning to control the other person.

[WhiteSteve]

I feel like the ability to fight…. you have it or you don’t. I mean, you can learn techniques, but being a brawler is just in your wiring or it isn’t.

One of my friends told me back in high school there was some kid who was big into karate, might’ve been a black belt or some shit. Got in a fight at school with some very average kid and got fucking TOTALED and sent to the hospital. So, so much for fight training lmao.

But I don’t know, maybe something like Krav Maga would be most effective and applicable to street fight situation. Best defense is always to run if you can, this ain’t about pride, it’s about self-preservation.

[CrabCakes11]

You’ve obviously never done a marital art in your entire life

[WhiteSteve]

@CrabCakes11 A little king fu and a little judo, definitely nothing serious that I’d claim expertise in, but I haven’t “never done it.” I’m just saying people are either tough or they aren’t, a martial art will just add ability. But like I said, that kid from my buddy’s high school got wrecked and he knew all kinds of stuff, he just wasn’t tough, so it didn’t matter.

My point was more about it being a safer play to avoid fighting altogether

[CrabCakes11]

Have you ever considered that the highschool kid was exaggerating, you know, how high schoolers do?

[WhiteSteve]

@CrabCakes11 I mean…he’s one of my best friends and I don’t know him to exaggerate generally, and he’s 45 like me. Plus a few of my other friends went there, and I remember at least one of them being there and chiming in that he remembered that. In any case, it’s no big deal, I’m not trash talking martial arts, I’m just saying they don’t just make you invincible, so unless you’re backed into a dead end, fighting some rando on the street isn’t the best option. It’s not an indictment on martial artists, I’m just saying street fighting is street fighting, and martial arts fighting is martial arts fighting, so one may or may not win out over the other, it’s probably just case to case, so it’s best to avoid the fight altogether if at all possible.

[joehypo1]

That is what started ufc it was to find out what style was the besf and there was no such thing as mixed martial arts and some of those guys would fight 4 times a nite and there was no weight classes and the grapling guys that knew there shit would dominate , what makrs it intresting was anybody can get knocked out a master in brazilian ju jit su is pretty tough to beat they brake your bones and there is no tapping out outside the ring so they would twist you and pull in you and you would be fucked for sure

[The_Sexpert]

Run

If you run every morning, you'll be faster than most people and your chance of outrunning a person will be more, plus in most cases the other person won't chase you once you run

No amount of fighting can help often if the other person has a knife or a gun

You can put him in a classy chokehold you learned in the weekend BJJ class, but he can easily slide a knife and stick it in your stomach or put a bullet in your head... else his other 5 friends will come and stomp you

Street fight is ALWAYS a Lose -Lose situation

[wiltingrosepetal]

Since I realistically wouldn't win a fight against a man, I pick aikido. Someone tries to attack with a knife? Make them drop their knife! Someone tries to punch you? Use their fist to pin em down!

But, that's just me. I'd much rather run from a fight than lose my teeth ☺

[Chazmatazz269]

Walk away. If they chase, you’ll likely need to use something they don’t teach in martial arts classes; groin strikes, eye pokes, throat punches, et cetera.
There are no rules and no honor in a street fight. If you don’t assume they’re coming to kill you, you’ll eventually pay the price for underestimating your attackers.

[jennifer_bloom]

The best way if you want to learn how to fight for self defence is to talk to a military guy. I was chatting with a bus driver while selling credit cards at the mall at age 21 and he told me he used to work in the military and knew 50 ways to kill somebody with his bare hands.

[Sevenpointfive]

it's hard to say. sometimes you fight bigger guys and aggressive smaller guys. the tactics aren't the same for both. so let's go with the average guy. i always try to sweep the leg. it let's you take control of the fight. once you topple the opponent it's over unless they flip you. so keep weight on them

that's the most i can divulge. i can't really say much more. my self-defense instruction would hurt anyone

[jshm2]

None, or all.

It doesn't really matter as the deciding factor will always be experience. An experienced street brawler will always win against a professional as the street brawler will go as dirty as he needs.

This is why you rarely read about professionals fighting outside the ring. They know it's a different world.

Also, a gun is fucking useless in close quarters.

[andreasderjuengere]

The only option I can think of:

To disable the opponent before he/she/it/whatever disables me.

No rules. No ''ethics''. No limit.

Where: It won't be me who starts the business.

[spartan55]

Your best weapon in any violent encounter is your brain (situational awareness). If it kicks off your main goal should be creating distance between and the attackers and getting out of there.

[AviatorTom]

The best defense is to avoid the fight altogether, But if you have to fight, the best defense is a good offense.

[Anpu23]

De-escalation and leaving. Really there is no better thing then walking or even running away. You have nothing to prove, nothing to gain and everything to lose.

[Viola_456]

Jiu-jitsu if there's just one person against you. If there's more then something with striking probably kick boxing.

[Green96]

Have you ever fought with a guy?

[CrabCakes11]

@Green96 I have and I do jiu jitsu. I am 5’0, 100 lbs and he was like 5’8, 150? He was aiming to hurt me. I think rape. I choked him out and yelled until some more people came.

[Viola_456]

Outside of the jiu-jitsu class i fought my friends just for fun. And once i fought my ex seriously 😅

[Madlc]

The best option is:

run Adriano, run..

[TommyMountainFigure]

Krav Maga. There really is no substitute in a street fight!

[JayBones2469]

Inflict the most pain as fast as you can while avoiding the same for as long as you can. Most fights are over in 5 minutes but I've been in fights that lasted an hour. Why go through that? Just live in Texas and buy a Gun.

[MemeSupreme]

a gun

isn't that what everyone says these days lol no one wants to fight anymore but shoot ya