There is rarely one type, style or discipline that is “better” than any other, most often an “expert” will tell you, different types of martial arts cannot be compared with one another and that each discipline has its own unique techniques and practices. Sometimes extreme differences in styles can be a deciding factor in a “better” or “worse” situation when two disciplines are against each other. The only clear example of one discipline “beating” another time and time again would be Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or “BJJ”. Let’s say an expert at Brazilian jujitsu were to fight an expert of just about any other martial art (see the video for an example) the winner just about every time would be and has been the BJJ expert …If the BJJ guy or girl can get the other person to the ground there are very few other martial arts that can compare to BJJ because of its unique on-ground style of fighting. Just a little side note, if you are fighting a BJJ expert, you will probably end up on the ground… so you figure it out.
Here is an example of an expert in Kenpo Karate VS. an expert in BJJ… WOW
Here are a few styles that I like. I have practiced and competed in a few, I consider these to be among the most popular.
Note: Martial arts can be used to defend yourself, but it takes a lot of training to use martial arts as self defense, practical, common sense and “easy” techniques are recommended for self-defense, not necessarily learning a specific martial art.
Marine Corps Martial arts program: “’USA”
MCMAP takes a little of every other martial arts and adds some small weapons including knives, hand guns, batons, rifles, and sometimes the throat you just ripped out to create a no-nonsense hand-to-hand style of combat based fighting, no rules and “no holds barred”. They use a belt system just like traditional martial arts. And it only costs 4 years of your life to learn some of it.
Fun Fact: This is what I practiced while in the US Marines. Most of what I teach now is based on these techniques, sans the throat taking-out, it’s bad for repeat business.
Kempo Karate: “Japan”
Lots of styles influence and are influenced by Karate, it is a popular form of martial arts in the USA, the main reason is because the branding of the name Karate is synonymous with “self-defense” (which makes me angry…see above) so if your kid says, “mommy, I wanna learn…” and the next words out of his or her mouth is NOT “..to play the clarinet”, it’s going to be “Karate”. It’s because of its popular name that has resulted in just enough following for the millions of Karate schools to prosper.
Fun Fact: Chuck Norris is famous for his Karate and the fact that, “there is no theory of evolution. Just a list of creatures Chuck Norris has allowed to live.”Other Chuck Norris facts
TaeKwonDo: “Korea”
Almost as popular in the US as Karate, it is quickly becoming a household name. I studied Tae Kwon Do (TKD) with the world class TKD team, the Gray family of Ohio. Because of their training I became a state TaeKwonDo champion in 2005. When I was training with the Marines in Korea, I saw the Korean R.O.K. Marines doing their crazy ass TKD, and that’s what started my love for the sport-style fighting.
FunFact: Some high schools and colleges give you credit for training in their TKD classes. There are many places to learn in every city in the US however, It is very hard to find a good TKD school, I have looked and rarely have i found a class that would rather teach you correctly than hurry you through and sign you up for a long commitment for $$$.. except for the Gray family of course!!
Brazilin Jiu-Jitsu: “USA/Brazil”
Originally started in, you guessed it Brazil, by the Gracie family. Grappling and various forms of Jiu Jitsu, jujutsu, Judo and others have influenced the art, but the Gracie family perfected it. Around 1914, Gastão Gracie was taught by Japanese practitioner Esai Maeda aka Conde Koma. Gastão taught his sons, including Helio Gracie and it eventually evolved into arguably the most popular and effective martial arts in the world. Read more
Fun Fact: Royce Gracie helped make BJJ popular by winning the 1st 2nd and 4th Ultimate fighting championships in the 1990s, against often bigger opponents, sometimes without kicking or punching.
Kung Fu: “Chinese”
David Carradine made me like it when he dodged bullets and always talked really slowly… I had ADD so his sloth like speech allowed my brain to work momentarily and focus on his badassness.
Fun Fact: Kung Fu is like 4000 years old, so just after the dinosaurs and before little baby Jesus, people were dodging bullets coming from machine guns and tanks and fighting bad guys in NY city.. note: I may have my history a little mixed up.. it’s the ADD. It goes a little deeper than dodging bullets tho, there is long history of discipline and honor with practitioners of Kung Fu.
Ninjutsu: “Japan”
Think Ninja.. Assassins, scouts, spies and all around badasses.
Fun Fact: shurikens or “Throwing stars” are not meant to kill anyone, just to distract someone long enough for the badass ninja to whip out a sword or another equally sharp object to cut you in half, bringing the phrase “kill you to death” to mind…or, they will just let you bleed to death when trying to take out the “throwing star”. My friend and I got some at the flea market when we were kids and threw them at stuff.. lots of fun, technically we were real ninjas, until I lost mine in the back yard…and in the neighbors tree. Got a question for a REAL ninja? ASK HERE
Capoeira: “Brazilian/African”
Created and practiced by African slaves to stay under the radar of practicing self-defense or fighting, they were able to create a strong bond while “playing” and also to use it as a deadly self-defense /martial art when needed.
Note: I practiced/played a lot of Capoeira and I’ll tell you, if you want to be able to kick someone in the eyes while doing a back flip while listening to some kickass music, look no further.
Boxing: “USA”
Two Guys or Girls, put on gloves and start hitting each other. Made famous mostly in the USA and Mexico, it has roots being traced back to Egyptian carvings on pyramids.
Fun Fact: June 28, 1997 Mike Tyson bit BOTH of Evander Holyfield’s ears.. Actually ripping a piece off of one and spitting it on the floor. Talk about getting an ear full.. right? Anyone? Never mind.
Kick:Boxing: See boxing and add kicking..
Jeet Kun Do:“Chinese”
“Way of the Intercepting Fist” Bruce Lee, no relation, just watch Bruce Lee.. that’s what it is..
Muay Thai: “Thai”
Think… kick boxing on steroids, generally, they use a lot of knees and kick using their shins, some consider this to be the world’s deadliest sport that is shown in public venues.
Not exactly Martial arts:
Lucha Libre (Mexico, think about the movie Nacho Libre)
World Championship Wrestling AKA wraslyn, WCW (WCW-was WWF but the World Wildlife Foundation also thought this “wrestling” to be incredibly stupid, so they took the name for themselves, forcing hillbillies everywhere to rename their favorite sport).
Fore more info and a list of hundreds of martial arts styles check this out
