What's better than Kungfu for self defense?

[thescottishdude]

Here's a list of martial arts I've done in the order of what's best I think for self-defense.

Kung Fu
Karate
Tae Wan Do
Aikido

Do any of you agree/disagree?

What order would you put them in?

[medic06]

Try common sense.

[JKD-Jeremy]

Not karate nor tae Kwon do
-Try Jeet Kune Do
Muay Thai
Wing chung
and more

[Drunken Munky]

Not karate nor tae Kwon do
-Try Jeet Kune Do

Thought JKD was a principle, not a martial art.

[Thai Bri]

They all come last. None of them teach self defence directly.

[Drunken Munky]

They all come last. None of them teach self defence directly.

What do you me????

[joedoe]

They are all fighting systems. Self defence encompases a lot more than just fighting - situational awareness etc.

[JKD-Jeremy]

Thought JKD was a principle, not a martial art.

Huh?? Explain yourself please.

[danfaggella]

Joe doe makes a great point.

I don't think most Karate/TKD/Aikido places teach selfdefence directly, but Kung Fu usually does.

JKD is a principle of taking what is useful and leaving what is flashy and ineffective. (IE: Bruce philosophy)

[jubaji]

I don't think most Karate/TKD/Aikido places teach selfdefence directly, but Kung Fu usually does.

That 'thought' comes from your experience with all of the above?

[joedoe]

Joe doe makes a great point.

I don't think most Karate/TKD/Aikido places teach selfdefence directly, but Kung Fu usually does.

JKD is a principle of taking what is useful and leaving what is flashy and ineffective. (IE: Bruce philosophy)

To be honest, the majority of MA schools do not teach self defence. Most MA schools teach techniques for fending off an attacker. Situational awareness is something that is overlooked by most schools when addressing self defence, simply because it is outside of the core teachings of most MAs. To be honest, most people see self defence as being exactly what is offered by most schools, whereas the true self defence courses provide so much more information. The issue of fighting/fending off an attacker only really arises when your self defence has failed.

Think about it - the best defence is to not be in the situation to start with.

[georgie]

take up boxing and brazilian jiujitsu..........youll beat the crap out of anyone ........think about it most fights are ended by one punch or the first punch and if it goes to a clinch or grapple youll own your opponent. boxers are the best punchers and brazilian jiujitu are the best grapplers.

[jubaji]

take up boxing and brazilian jiujitsu..........youll beat the crap out of anyone ........

it never ends................................................

[medic06]

take up boxing and brazilian jiujitsu..........youll beat the crap out of anyone ........think about it most fights are ended by one punch or the first punch and if it goes to a clinch or grapple youll own your opponent. boxers are the best punchers and brazilian jiujitu are the best grapplers.

Warning! Warning! Troll alert! Troll alert!

Post your crap in the MMA BJJ forum!!!

[Shard]

Seriously, less than half of the kung fu schools give any useful instruction at all. To much emphasis on forms and theory, no real application. At least with boxing, you know it works. No only for the "street" bullshit. I'm sorry but thats the sad truth. There are alot of frauds who teach crap like practising forms only will work and 1 hit KOs. Sorry real life doesn't work that way.

My grandfather did Shaolin Kung Fu for 6 years. He did it the old fashioned way. No crap about Chi making you invincible(sure they called it chi, but they didn't sit around meditating). Just plain old Hard ass body conditioning. Stronger hands? He would smack around an old phone book with his hands, palms and the back of the hands. Stronger legs? He hit his shins with wooden sticks to condition them. Better punches? I remember him standing in a horse stance for half an hour while doing punches with chains around his arms.
Now that is real kung fu.