But you can take that training to the next level yourself. Read the early training methods for Tae Kwon Do come up with APPLICATION training methods, that resembles street situations today. I suggest the DVDs from Jeff Anderson president and founder of the ISCQC international society of close quarters combat. Real fights real defense they go over real situations caught on tape and the techniques used. Though they tend to slam traditional arts for failing in this area they help you look at the tools you have and need to survive the streets.

First of all, when I train I train for real. If you don’t practice of course you won’t do well in a real fight. Like that one person said, its the same with driving. Who’s a better driver? A 15 1/2 year old? or a thirty year old? point made.

Also, in class when you spar, you have a set of rules so you don’t hurt or Friend and/or training partner. i.e. that’s why samurai came up with the Shani because samurai didn’t want to kill their samurai friends while practicing!

That’s why you have to do bad work and practice combos on your own.

So I recommend karate and kung fu. Why? Because I do them. And I wouldn’t do a Martial Art that would be useless in real life.

(Some of my friends and others at my dojo have used what they’ve learned in real life situations)

Good Luck

Point.

the best defense is to get out of the situation.

it really doesn’t matter what martial arts you know, or even if you know nothing. the difference would be your state of mind and confidence when faced with that situation.

if they ask for money, give it!…and let them go. it is not worth proving your knowledge about the arts if it would cost you your life.

besides, laws in America are double edged. if you cause fatal or serious injury to the thugs, you can even end up getting sued for all you got. that might be even more head ache that just giving your wallet.

Japanese Ju-jitsu: Focus on stand up grappling, wrist locks, escapes from grabs and chokes, many throws and falls. Has the same ritualized formal practice as Karate - lots of practice against an un-resisting, unmoving attacker than grabs and then freezes, or punches then freezes. Some punches and kicks thrown in, but just a few. I’m not sure this is so great against a resisting, moving opponent - mainly because the practice methods don’t allow practice in that sort of situation. The techniques are more realistic than Karate, but I’m not so sure all of them are usable in real life. Since you don’t have to punch or kick to fight or repel and attack, this is ideal for use against someone you don’t want to hurt - a drunken uncle at a party for instance. Against a determined attacker, I feel some of the primary techniques are less useful.

Aikido: Similar to Japanese Ju-jitsu, but more focus on flowing with an attackers force. More philosophy, less hard techniques. I think most of the criticisms of Japanese Ju-jitsu apply here as well.

Hapkido: About 80% Tae Kwon Do, and 20% Ju-Jitsu. Same observations of those arts apply.

Judo: Has many of the techniques of Japanese Ju-Jitsu, but has many of the deadly techniques removed. By taking out the punches, kicks, wrist locks, etc. you are left with some techniques that are safe to be used in a sport. Lots of throws, falls, trips, and groundwork. Most of the practice is against a resisting, moving opponent.

If you can throw someone who is expecting it, and has trained in resisting it who is REALLY trying to stop you - then the odds are really good you can throw some guy in a fight who doesn’t expect it. Its weakness is that it is missing striking, and maybe some of the deadly techniques that might really be useful.

Western Boxing: Since you are practicing against someone actively resisting, as in Judo - the training has great value for actual self defense. The weakness is that only the hands are used, there is no grappling or kicking. Also, much of the body isn’t a valid target. It’s also worth saying that the transition from wearing gloves (and fighting someone wearing gloves) is a big one.

External Kung Fu: There are many styles that fall into this category, and there are some big differences between them. There are ones that focus on punching and kicking, and others that include techniques similar to Ju-Jitsu (or you could say Ju-Jitsu has techniques similar to them). It’s worth pointing out that Karate is basically a Japanese version of an Okinawan version of certain external Kung Fu styles.

There are forms as in Karate, and some schools practice sparring as in Karate. The techniques are a bit different of course. Kung Fu in general is a bit softer with more circular motion, and flowing stances, versus the linear movement of Karate. Of course, that’s a generalization - some styles are very similar to Karate. Some styles such as Wing Chun focus on trapping which involves hampering and controlling an opponents arm so as to facilitate striking, and to prevent them from striking you. Other arts, such as Chin-na focus on grappling, pressure points, and locks as seen in Japanese Ju-jitsu. I feel that many of the same critisms of Karate and Japanese Ju-jitsu apply here.

Internal Kung Fu: Tai Chi Chuan is the best know style in this category. The other styles are Hsing-I, and Ba Gua. The focus is on training the generation of Qi (life force or energy), and the application of Jing (the manifestation of power through the use of Qi). The idea being that this energy is generated internally to the body, rather than through gross muscle movements as in Karate. Practice involves slow practice of forms, drills such as sticky hands, and basically pushing a partner. There are punches, kicks and other strikes of course - but the emphasis is on the power coming from the Internal methods. There isn’t much sparring that I have seen. It would seem that these arts don’t have a lot of application in actual self defense.

Muay Thai: This art has western style boxing punches, elbow and knee strikes, and kicking. This is practiced as a sport, so many of the positive comments related to boxing would apply here as well. In my opinion this style has the most effective kicks of any Style - utilizing a very powerful round type kicks to the leg as a common target area.

(best answer please)