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How effective is boxing for self-defense?

Which martial art is best to learn?

  • Boxing

    Votes: 25 24.8%
  • Judo

    Votes: 5 5.0%
  • Jiu-Jitsu

    Votes: 20 19.8%
  • Karate

    Votes: 2 2.0%
  • Kickboxing

    Votes: 6 5.9%
  • Drunken Boxing

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • MMA

    Votes: 21 20.8%
  • Krav Maga

    Votes: 7 6.9%
  • Aikido

    Votes: 2 2.0%
  • Capoiera

    Votes: 2 2.0%
  • Tae Kwon Do

    Votes: 1 1.0%
  • Kung Fu

    Votes: 3 3.0%
  • Other

    Votes: 7 6.9%

  • Total voters
    101

Punished Miku

Human Rights Subscription Service
No. What is that?
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jason10mm

Gold Member
1vs1 i think it's as useful as kickboxe, muai thay or almost any full contact martial art, not sure what is the advantage of being limited to only using punches versus using your 4 limbs or your elbows or knees.
I HATED fighting muai thay guys because those damn shin kicks to your legs HURT. But that's a lifestyle discipline, if you don't numb your shins and arms by constant training those techniques are gonna hurt you as much as the guy you are fighting.

My advice isnt really for trained fighters squaring off, but how a regular guy can harden himself against getting picked on or assaulted.
 

DeafTourette

Perpetually Offended
The SPEAR technique is like this. Tries to take your natural instincts to raise your hands to protect yourself and weaponize them.


Lots of folks try to teach you just a couple techniques in an hour that you can use in desperation. Bit different than learning an entire skillset that you devote significant time to.

My brother! Yes! Tony Blauer is the modern Bruce Lee when it comes to mixed martial arts (not to be confused with sport MMA). Training for realism!
 

Putonahappyface

Gold Member
I think I'm misunderstood, which I admit I could have made the post more clear. I meant someone who is trained in MMA having to fight on the street, I know that actual MMA sport has rules, such us no underbelt hits or behind the head. I just meant someone who is trained in MMA (so good at ground fight also or having to use leg kicks) vs someone who is trained at boxing having to fight on the street. So everything is for a street fight scenario with no rules, I believe MMA is above the rest, ofc that doesnt mean the rest are useless.
Krav Maga is designed for no rules fighting (street fighting) and covers most of the disciplines in the poll, it takes the best of many martial arts and leaves out the unnecessary stuff. MMA has rules and doesn't cover knife and gun defence!
 

Dr_Ifto

Member
Ive been in 2 fights. I took some boxing from the fitness gym I was in , but not serious. It really didnt help much, but without it, I might have lost both fights due to slower reflexes. You need to have quick reactions, The goal of any fight is to get them to back down as quick as possible. That can happen by getting them knocked down quickly and repeatedly, or knocking them out. Most of the time, from fights I have been witness to, usually the agressor will try to get you on the ground as quick as possible. on the ground boxing aint gonna help you. You need a mixture of skills.
 
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Krav Maga is designed for no rules fighting (street fighting) and covers most of the disciplines in the poll, it takes the best of many martial arts and leaves out the unnecessary stuff. MMA has rules and doesn't cover knife and gun defence!
Krav Maga takes years to learn. Again the guy doesn't want to spend 12000 learning how to effectively use a pen as a weapon.
 
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DeafTourette

Perpetually Offended
Krav Maga takes years to learn. Again the guy doesn't want to spend 12000 learning how to effectively use a pen as a weapon.

Quickie way is learning wrestling and boxing concurrently. Train for an actual fight and not matches. Have your friend attack you full contact (with protective equipment) so you can learn to take a punch and defend how you may be attacked or mugged if not with a weapon.
 

YuLY

Member
Krav Maga is designed for no rules fighting (street fighting) and covers most of the disciplines in the poll, it takes the best of many martial arts and leaves out the unnecessary stuff. MMA has rules and doesn't cover knife and gun defence!
Theres no such thing as knife defense. You run or you shoot your gun. People watched too many Seagal movies. NEVER try to fight someone with a knife.
 

thief183

Member
BTW it is clear that a gaming forum is not the best place for fighting advice :)

Boxe and any other martial arts that puts you in a real sparring from the first day is going to do well. When you get hut in the face the first time by someone looking like he wants to kill you, it is going to change completely your way of approaching any fight.

I remember the first time I sparred and I still remember the face of this smaller person change in an instant and I got kinda scared. Than after a couple of jab takes to my block I hesitated and got hit right in the nose. I will never forget it. Getting hit by someone that knows how to do it is totally different.
Sparring is key, it changes the attitude and makes you understand that getting hit hurts a lot, so if you can just run.
 

thief183

Member
Theres no such thing as knife defense. You run or you shoot your gun. People watched too many Seagal movies. NEVER try to fight someone with a knife.
Exactly... it is better he got a sword, a knife is the weapon of the devil. NEVER fight against a knife.
 

Putonahappyface

Gold Member
Ive been in 2 fights. I took some boxing from the fitness gym I was in , but not serious. It really didnt help much, but without it, I might have lost both fights due to slower reflexes. You need to have quick reactions, The goal of any fight is to get them to back down as quick as possible. That can happen by getting them knocked down quickly and repeatedly, or knocking them out. Most of the time, from fights I have been witness to, usually the agressor will try to get you on the ground as quick as possible. on the ground boxing aint gonna help you. You need a mixture of skills.
With all due respect that's why boxing didn't help you. Boxing when rigorously trained in a boxing gym and sparring will 100% help you in a street fight! Regardless of anyone's preferred discipline, without sparring and training rigorously it won't be as effective in a real world scenario.

I'm not a fan of sparring as it brings on a flight or fight response, but I never turn it down as it builds confidence and a strong competent skill set.

Going to the ground is the worst place to be but it's worth learning BJJ or Judo! Striking and kicking are paramount for keeping distance. I've always been taught to run and only get in to an altercation if you're boxed in.

At my Krav Maga club we like to spar when we are fully exhausted because obviously that's when you're at your most vulnerable, regardless of size or level of skill set. I've had to spar against two people at once on a few occasions and it's unnerving to say the least.
 

YuLY

Member
Exactly... it is better he got a sword, a knife is the weapon of the devil. NEVER fight against a knife.
I know you meant it as a joke, but I guess it could work lol, since it has more reach can keep the enemy with the knife away.

But seriously guys, I see some people here with some fight experience or knowledge, please never try to fight a knife attacker with bare hands, just dont, run or shoot in self defense, dont play with your life, knives can do A LOT of dmg, all it takes it one scratch at your neck and you are done for, ambulance wont come fast enough.
 
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Putonahappyface

Gold Member
Theres no such thing as knife defense. You run or you shoot your gun. People watched too many Seagal movies. NEVER try to fight someone with a knife.
Correct. Expect to get cut when trying to get through a knife attack. Someone with training is more likely to walk away needing stitches than someone that has had no training whatsoever.
 
Correct. Expect to get cut when trying to get through a knife attack. Someone with training is more likely to walk away needing stitches than someone that has had no training whatsoever.
No. You don't fight them unless it's impossible to escape.

Knives are terrible. You don't have to be a genius to stab somebody.
 

YuLY

Member
Correct. Expect to get cut when trying to get through a knife attack. Someone with training is more likely to walk away needing stitches than someone that has had no training whatsoever.
I mean yea of course, I'm not saying it wouldnt help, just that the trade isnt worth it, because worst case you die. Just run, not time for ego, remember that the enemy isnt fighting fair bringing a knife so no shame in running to avoid getting hurt.
 

thief183

Member
I know you meant it as a joke, but I guess it could work lol, since it has more reach can keep the enemy with the knife away.

But seriously guys, I see some people here with some fight experience or knowledge, please never try to fight a knife attacker with bare hands, just dont, run or shoot in self defense, dont play with your life, knives can do A LOT of dmg, all it takes it one scratch at your neck and you are done for, ambulance wont come fast enough.
I probably wrote it badly, I meant that I prefer to fight someone with a sword than someone with a knife. The knife is way to small to keep track of:)
 

Artoris

Gold Member
Do weights and boxing I think that works the best for self defence you can't do much wrong with them two
 

YuLY

Member
I probably wrote it badly, I meant that I prefer to fight someone with a sword than someone with a knife. The knife is way to small to keep track of:)
Ah yea totally, knife is crazy man, the attacks come too fast, there like no chance you dont get hurt, even if you win, is it really a win? just avoid
 
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Putonahappyface

Gold Member
Krav Maga takes years to learn. Again the guy doesn't want to spend 12000 learning how to effectively use a pen as a weapon.
You'll pick up the basics inside of six weeks. Foot work and head movement is drilled into you around boxing and karate. then once your competent they'll start throwing in other disciplines. Ultimately there is no quick fix for self defence, it takes patience and discipline.
 

GymWolf

Gold Member
I think people in here are really mixing wrestling with bjj...

A capable wrestler doesn't need to stay on the ground to do major damage, a wrestler can lift you up and slam you down on solid concrete in a matter of seconds and get up in a fraction of second (because they are usually super athletic and train their whole life how to get up from being pinned down), and if you think that a 1-2 combo does more damage or make other people more fearful than being slammed on concrete with your spine or head touching first, you are in for a rude awakening.

So the theory that a wrestler must stay down is almost as bullshit as boxing preparing you to fight 5 dudes at once, just saying.

People really think that khabib need a whole round of mauling to finish a dude if he was in a street fight? please...
 
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Little Mac

Gold Member
I’m a huge UFC fan and I can recall several times where elite fighters, in interviews or podcasts, recommended starting with kickboxing or Muay Thai. I’d love too scale back my weight training and somehow incorporate Kickboxing into my regime.
 
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DeafTourette

Perpetually Offended
Do you know what pressure testing is? It's completely unpredictable. Yes we wear protective gear, but we still get bashed up.

Its perfect for preparing for an actual fight.

Yeah and you're not going to ask your attackers to roleplay all those perfect scenarios

They don't teach like sport karate/TKD dojos/dojangs ... They drill into you the basics and then start preparing you for contact defense/offense. There's multiple ways to handle most scenarios and they don't do it with a technique... You learn by doing and utilizing strategies that work in multiple scenarios. Krav Maga (like Jeet June Do ORIGINALLY taught) is about real world fighting and defense. Not sport karate competition or UFC.
 

Dr_Ifto

Member
With all due respect that's why boxing didn't help you. Boxing when rigorously trained in a boxing gym and sparring will 100% help you in a street fight! Regardless of anyone's preferred discipline, without sparring and training rigorously it won't be as effective in a real world scenario.

I'm not a fan of sparring as it brings on a flight or fight response, but I never turn it down as it builds confidence and a strong competent skill set.

Going to the ground is the worst place to be but it's worth learning BJJ or Judo! Striking and kicking are paramount for keeping distance. I've always been taught to run and only get in to an altercation if you're boxed in.

At my Krav Maga club we like to spar when we are fully exhausted because obviously that's when you're at your most vulnerable, regardless of size or level of skill set. I've had to spar against two people at once on a few occasions and it's unnerving to say the least.
i mean your response got to the same result, you need a mixture of skills depending on the type of fight you get into. I won the fights I was in, only cause I was able to keep knocking him down and he gave up. Most fights end up on the ground some way shape or form, if you are the one putting them on the ground, you will most likely get them to quit. And yes, always try to avoid fights first and foremost.
 

Putonahappyface

Gold Member
Its perfect for preparing for an actual fight.



They don't teach like sport karate/TKD dojos/dojangs ... They drill into you the basics and then start preparing you for contact defense/offense. There's multiple ways to handle most scenarios and they don't do it with a technique... You learn by doing and utilizing strategies that work in multiple scenarios. Krav Maga (like Jeet June Do ORIGINALLY taught) is about real world fighting and defense. Not sport karate competition or UFC.
When I was given this as homework after a few weeks years ago, I was like oh shit!🤣

aq5l0Dk.jpeg
 
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