Today, there’s a variety of martial arts. As a result, one can get confused rather quickly. Although all legit fighting styles provide some value, others are more practical. Because of that, knowing which ones are the most valuable to learn will assist you in deciding. Well, which martial art should you learn?
The following list is the five martial arts you should learn by order from best. (#1 = Best)
Getting involved in a dangerous situation may become scary. Consequently, you must train to your highest level. You’ll be capable of using the techniques you’ll practice in every risky scenario. Not only will you be able to defend yourself, but you’ll also learn to fight appropriately.
Throughout my life, I’ve gone through dozens of martial arts sessions. As a result, I know plenty about the best ones. Additionally, I understand what makes a martial art a solid one. Read more about the best age to start training in martial arts by following the link.
And now, let’s dive into the 1st one.
5. Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
Although most people know the sport known as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Gracie is less prevalent. As a result, most aren’t familiar with the benefits of it. In short, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, or BJJ, is a grappling sport. You must pin the opponent to the ground and force him to submit to win. As much as it’s relevant for self-defense, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is a better fighting style.
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, or GJJ, is a form of Jiu-Jitsu that focuses on self-defense as a whole. Learning GJJ is wise because it’s a suitable martial art for self-defense and as a traditional martial art. It’s highly dynamic and you’ll practice many movements that assist in beating the opponent.
Overall, it’s one of my favorite martial arts. It combines everything that BJJ offers with other effective techniques. As a result, we’re left with one of the best fighting styles worldwide.
Next, a video from my favorite content creator on YouTube concerning Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. In it, you’ll see him demonstrating his skills and movements that you’ll practice as well.
You’ll practice grappling, choking, submitting, striking, kicking, and other incredibly effective techniques for today’s changing world. Because of that, you’ll know to defend yourself and others close to you.
“Our results indicate that doing an additional martial arts training once a week may lead to better performance under anxiety.”
(Source)
Additionally, it will better your physical shape immediately. Post your first class you’ll feel sore. That’s a sign your body is building itself to be stronger. Next, you must consume the proper foods to ensure you’re supplementing your body accordingly, therefore causing hypertrophy.
I’m no dietician. Because of that, I encourage you to read this article explaining this topic in detail.
Lastly, I want to point out the numerous benefits you’ll experience from training in GJJ. First, you’ll notice positive physical experiences occurring. Because the workouts will use many muscle groups, you’ll burn more calories. Hence it’s an effective workout that burns up to 820 calories.
Later, you’ll notice many mental changes occurring to you. That may vary from being less stressed to increasing confidence and self-esteem. Such experiences correlate with training in martial arts. Read more about the benefits by following the link. In it, I cite many studies to show what you can expect.
4. Jeet Kune Do
If you’re not familiar with Bruce Lee, you may be living under a rock. Lee was a famous movie star and one of the more respected martial artists in the world. He constructed a new martial art named Jeet Kune Do. It was his life creation, and therefore we should appreciate it as much as possible.
Jeet Kune Do is one of the deadliest martial arts worldwide because its focus is on self-development rather than progressing in the martial art’s belt system. As a result, you’ll constantly be looking for ways to improve your life by training in such a fighting style.
Jeet Kune Do is as effective as it is because of the many techniques you’ll practice. It’s constantly changing and therefore regularly improving. Compared to when it began, it’s better now. Thus learning Jeet Kune Do will provide plenty of benefits.
First, you’ll learn how to fight, which is the essence of the fighting style. You’ll learn all about the distinct approaches you can take to beat an opponent. That includes offensive and defense movements. Eventually, you’ll become a solid fighter. Read more about Jeet Kune Do by following the link to an article of mine.
Secondly, many use Jeet Kune Do as a self-help/development tool. As a result, not only are they capable of self-defense, but they’re also incredibly spiritual and at peace.
Because of that, they’re calmer, peaceful, and stress-free. I wrote an article about why martial arts decrease anger and stress. I encourage you to read it as it has wise insights that will definitely benefit you.
Lastly, Jeet Kune Do is one of the deadliest martial arts for self-defense. Thus learning it will provide high value and practicality. You can learn it both for self-defense and spiritual significance. Overall, I highly recommend you practice it as it’s one of the best fighting styles.
3. Krav Maga
Today, one of the most relevant self-defense systems is Krav Maga. It originates from the Israeli military. They used it to teach their operators to use self-defense in a short period. Thus you’ll become decent at it after a short time as well.
Krav Maga is a self-defense system that follows the concept; Everything works. For that reason, if you need to use eye gouges, crotch kicks, or any other illegal move to win a fight, you should do it. Additionally, it teaches other effective movements.
From experience, Krav Maga can be both relevant and useless. I’ve studied it for 14 months. As a result, I know the ins and outs of it. Thus I can tell you with a qualified, skilled instructor. You’ll be good to go. That said, many schools aren’t doing as well of a job as others. As a result, when looking to learn Krav Maga, sign up for a solid school.
I’m a big fan of Krav Maga because of its dynamic nature. When training it, you’re adapting to a given situation. Hence in a real scenario, you’ll be capable of changing your approach quickly.
Because of that, it’s as effective as it is. In fact, it’s one of the deadliest martial arts in the world. Read what they are by following the link. You’ll know how to overcome knife attacks, firearms in general, street fights, and multiple attackers. Thus it’s highly relevant for self-defense purposes.
On my website, I have an entire section dedicated to Krav Maga. If you’re interested in learning it, I highly encourage you to check it out, as it includes valuable information. For example, read eleven practical tips to progress faster for Krav Maga beginners.
Because you’ll use most muscle groups in your body, you’ll burn more calories than the average activity. Krav Maga meets the ACSM guidelines for managing body weight. (Source) Furthermore, in an hour-long KM session, you burn 616 calories on average, which is plenty.
Source
Furthermore, you can effortlessly train it at home. That’s especially suitable for people who’re unwilling or incapable of spending money on martial arts classes. For your information, it’s entirely acceptable and possible to go around. I wrote an entire article on a guide to learning Krav Maga at home, and I recommend reading it.
2. Boxing
One of the most viewed martial arts is Boxing. In fact, it’s more popular than UFC. Because of that, we understand there’s a reason behind that enormous view count. Additionally, such a fighting style provides numerous desirable benefits. As such, practicing it is valuable.
Boxing is a fighting style that utilizes striking in many forms to knock out an opponent. Because you’ll become a solid fighter from doing it, it’s highly effective for most. From training, you’ll practice numerous offensive and defensive techniques that’ll help you win every fight.
Today, the best fighters come from many different arts. For instance, some have a Wrestling background. That said, Boxing is a leading background martial art for many elite boxers. It teaches you appropriate footwork combined with powerful striking.
According to a study, Boxing has many benefits, including psychological and physical.
(Source)
Boxing trainees are capable of knocking out a person in a single strike. You’ll be working on your jab for so many hours you’ll have a powerful one.
That said, in real life, other martial arts may be of higher practicality in street fights. Many techniques outperform Boxing simply because of what they achieve.
For example, a person who knows Judo will know how to pin an opponent to the ground. Additionally, he’s capable of throwing you from your standing position again, to the ground. Thus if you know to Box and end up lying down, you’re in trouble.
Although you learn not to get into such a position, you may. Consequently, if you don’t know any ground martial arts, such as Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, you’re in trouble. That’s where Boxing is lacking. I believe it’s a solid martial art, as an art, but for self-defense.
“A boxer on his back pinned to the ground, is a white belt.”
I’ve seen success with Boxing because I bought the essential equipment for my home. Thus I progressed my abilities outside of training. These are the products I used.
Again, Boxing is one of the best martial arts. I’m sure it’s better than many fighting styles. For instance, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu doesn’t make you a solid fighter as Boxing. As a result, if you desire to become a person capable of sending a powerful punch to knock out an opponent, it may be for you.
Lastly, it’s an incredible workout. Today, you’ll see all elite Boxing fighters jacked. Although it’s their work and thus they must stay in top shape, it’s partly a consequence of Boxing training. In an hour-long session, you’ll burn up to 800 calories.
1. MMA
As I’ve mentioned previously, dynamic fighting styles tend to be deadlier. Because you’ll know to adapt appropriately, you’ll overcome most situations. Additionally, you’ll react differently to a distinct scenario. For instance, you would approach a knife attack and a street fight distinctively.
MMA or mixed martial arts is a fighting style known for its dynamic nature. Because it combines numerous techniques from distinct arts, it’s as effective as it is. For example, elite fighters combine Boxing and Wrestling movements. As a result, it’s lethal.
Knowing how to merge a few fighting styles to create a better one is vital for self-defense. If you exclusively know how to strike powerfully, you wouldn’t be capable of grappling opponents, which is a primary technique in self-defense.
Because of that, the leading fighters in the UFC have a unique style. For instance, many use Jeet Kune Do techniques in their skillset. That allows them to surprise their opponents, as they’re not expecting such movements. Because of that, they’re capable of dominating their competition.
I recommend you watch the video as highly insightful on how people combine Jeet Kune Do to dominate their opponents. That way, they manage to catch their opponents off guard. As a result, they inflict massive damage in a short time.
If you want to become the best fighter possible mixed martial arts is for you. You’ll learn to merge distinct techniques to create your unique version, which is lethal.
“The professional group had higher scores compared to semi-professional and amateur groups with regard to confidence, positive cognition, and determination.”
(Source)
From that study, we understand training in MMA will grant many benefits, including physical and psychological. As a result, it’s highly beneficial, and you should practice it.
Lastly, training MMA at home is possible. In fact, I wrote a complete guide on how you can train in martial arts at home. I highly recommend you to read it, as I’ve worked for many hours to create it.
Which martial art should I learn?
Knowing what to expect from the various fighting styles is crucial to picking the right one. For instance, if you want to become calmer, training in a martial art, such as Tai Chi is wiser. Yet, if you desire to become the best fighter capable of self-defense, consider Jeet Kune Do.
Every martial art holds some value and practicality. However, some are better than others in their field. For that reason, the martial art you should learn varies on many factors, such as your pursuit and interest. In the next section, I’ll direct you to which martial art you should choose. By the end of it, you will have one you should learn.
First, let’s examine the martial arts and what they accomplish.
An important note is these are the numerous martial arts I recommend learning. I left out many solid and practical martial arts, such as Wrestling. That said, these are the ones I’ve seen most people succeed using. As a result, these are the ones I recommend you to learn.
If you’re interested in learning one of them fantastic! If you want to become a solid fighter, consider choosing one from the Fighting column. Likewise, if you desire a more traditional martial art to develop yourself, consider one from the Spiritual column.
Some of the styles in the Spiritual column will make you a solid fighter. As a result, it’s not all black and white. You may choose a martial art from the fighting column and use it to grow your inner self.
Now, let’s dive deeper into the five martial arts I mentioned in this post.
Now you know which martial art is most suitable for you. You most likely notice many connections and similarities between the fighting styles, which is normal. All of the five styles I mentioned in this article are fantastic and suitable for most purposes. Thus learning one of them is wise.
What’s the best martial art to start training?
If you haven’t realized which is the best style for you, it’s time to go back and examine the table I created again.
The best martial art to start training fits your goals and needs. Thus if you’re looking to use them to become calmer and less stressed Tai chi is a suitable fit. However, if you want to become a solid fighter, try Boxing or Kickboxing.
Again, all martial arts provide some value even Qigong. Anyone who says Tai Chi or Qigong are “useless” is uneducated on this topic. Read more about useless martial arts you should avoid by following the link to an article of mine.
What’s the easiest martial art I can learn?
Some aren’t looking to become the greatest fighters. Instead, they’re looking to use martial arts as a self-development platform. As such, knowing which fighting style is the easiest to learn is crucial.
The easiest to learn a martial art is Tai chi because it doesn’t incorporate any complicated techniques. However, if you want to learn to fight, consider Boxing as it doesn’t involve any complex movements similar to Tai chi.
Yet, there’s more to it. I wrote an article where I dive into detail on this topic. To know the seven easiest-to-learn martial arts, follow the link.
Conclusion
Eventually, all martial arts provide some value. As such, whether you’re looking to develop yourself or learn to fight, it doesn’t matter. You can use martial arts as a platform to achieve such goals. Because of that, I’ve been through dozens of fighting sessions.
From personal experience, I experienced all the benefits I mentioned in this article, such as increased confidence, better physical shape, and calmer. Consequently, I speak with much certainty when writing this article.
Many aren’t aware of the consequences of learning martial arts. They’re a suitable way to achieve many feats in your life. Not only do they better your inner self, but they’re also solid for managing body weight. (Source) As such, I encourage you to read this article about the eleven reasons to learn martial arts.
Here are other articles you’d enjoy reading:
7 Best Martial Arts for MMA | Which Is the Best?
The 5 Best Martial Arts to Learn at Home – List
5 Best Martial Arts for Fitness | Burn More Calories
5 Best Martial Arts for Beginners | Suitable for Everyone