simple answer = RBSD (reality based self defence)

If your Number one priority is to protect yourself from actual violence as it happens in the real world then RBSD is your answer. This is what RBSD was designed for, real world self defence for real world people.

Thats not to say that regular martial arts wont help, they compliment the RBSD nicely, plus you have the added benefit of knowing that you have a means for street survival while you explore the greater aspects of the more traditional and sporting Martial arts.

People will tell you that MMA, boxing or karate etc will give you the same thing, eventually they might, they will provide soem physical ability if trainined corectly but they will lack the behavioural emotional and psychological aspects of actual violence.

If you want specialized skills you need specialized training

First of all, I'd recommend you take a look at the FAQ on finding a good martial arts school. In general, signs to look for are a competitive record, regular heavy contact sparring and 'aliveness' (if you're unfamiliar with the term, Matt Thornton has a long article on the topic describing what it is and why it's important: he is the man most associated with popularising the concept).

If your interest is mainly in striking, the safest option if you want decent training is muay thai (which you'll also see as 'thai boxing'), along with martial arts like boxing and kyokushin karate. That's not to say there aren't good schools within other striking styles, but they tend to vary widely in quality.

If you're more interested in grappling, then BJJ would be an excellent choice, as the strong competitive element and ability-based ranking system generally results in high quality training. A cheaper option is judo, which is also much easier to find - the two styles are closely related, the main difference being that judo normally focuses on throws whereas BJJ is mostly about the ground. For more on judo, read the Bullshido.com article - there is an article on BJJ too (you could also check my BJJ Beginner FAQ). SAMBO is another good choice, but even harder to find than BJJ. Then there's wrestling, which is also great training for grappling.

Alternately, you could combine grappling and striking by cross-training in several arts, or at an MMA gym (though technically 'MMA' is a ruleset rather than a specific style). Examples of well known MMA gyms would be Team Quest and Miletich Fighting Systems.

Finally, you could try having a look through the dojo reviews section, which might yield something more specific to your area, or use the search function (the link is at the top right of the page).

There are also several school databases you could try. For example, for BJJ:

TrainJiuJitsu.com
Gym Database (BJJ, MMA etc)
UK Club Map

If you just want to learn how to defend yourself then the actual style you choose doesn't matter that much because you will have to modify it anyway for self defense purposes. Obviously something like Krav Maga or Jujitsu would be better than traditional karate but the most important part of self defense is not the techniques but the prevention of it.

The most important thing you should work on is your awareness. Learn to spot trouble before it starts and always be aware of your surroundings. If you are confronted then talk with your hands, placing them out in front of you to create a gap between you and your opponent. If you think you are going to get attacked then utilize an effective first strike and then run in the confusion. Only if these tactics fail do you actually fight.

The biggest thing you can do is change your training methods to make them more realistic and more pressurized. Dojo sparring is no good for this and has to be modified accordingly.

At then end of the day you can probably count on the fingers of one hand the techniques you would actually use in a real fight, which is why I am saying style doesn't really matter.

I'm writing a series of articles on this subject at the moment. If you want to learn more then check out my blog out clicking the link below. Hope you find what you're looking for.

[quote=Neal Obviously something like Krav Maga or Jujitsu would be better than traditional karate but the most important part of self defense is not the techniques but the prevention of it.
[/quote]

Why do you say this? What's your experience of traditional karate (whatever you mean by that)? I would very strongly disagree with what you say.

Yeah, I don't get that either. Someone correct me if I'm wrong here, but doesn't a lot of krav maga come from karate. Further, some of the bunkai, of Okinawan styles especially, look a lot like Japanese JJ. So I don't get why karate is automatically disqualified.

To the o.p.:

To throw my two cents in here, I would suggest BJJ. Not because I think it's the best, or deadliest, but because it teaches you how to survive in a place you will likely find yourself, (especially true because you are completely new to m.a.: the ground.


Personally, I think working from the 'ground up' is a good strategy for building defensive skill. I wish I had done it that way. Most BJJ schools also offer some form of standing grappling training as well.

--Chris

Hi

I'm pretty much in the same boat. I've never done a martial art before and looking for one that is right for me and my 6 year old daughter.

Would like to train in an art that will keep us fit and provide good self defence.

So far I'm looking to see whats available in the Glasgow area and then looking at my options.

First, I disagree with the exclusion of traditional karate. While it MAY not get you up to speed as quick, it would be better in the long run IMHO. "change your training methods to make them more realistic"? Not in my dojo.

Secondly, I disagree with the old idea that I'll eventually be on the ground. Probably against an accomplished grappler, but what's the odds of that? Most fights wind up on the ground because most "fighters" don't know how to fight. My goal is for the OTHER guy to be on the ground.