Which is the best martial art for a beginner to learn for self defense and why?

I am looking to learn martial arts for self defense, increased confidence and a good workout. I do not know much about the different kinds of martial arts or what is good to take. If anyone has any advice that would be great. Also, what is the purpose of the belt system?|||i would recommend brazilian jui-jitsu for self defense since about 90% of fight end up on the ground according to my instructor. if you%26#039;re looking for a good workout, i would recommend kickboxing or taekwondo. the association that i%26#039;m with teaches us these and more (like weapons, forms, self defense, etc.) so if you want to be well rounded i would recommend enrolling with Ernie Reyes World Martial Arts if you have one in your area. purpose of belt system is ranking: longer you go, higher belt level you get.





Good Luck!|||Nothing against BJJ, but I find that the idea of always going to the ground leaves you open to attack from a second attacker..... Yes, many fights go to the ground, but that does not mean that Iwould want to expose my back unless it is necessary. Report Abuse
|||I agree with the above. In a street fight going to the ground will end up with you getting a boot to the head. I have been around a number of these fights. People gang up on you, they use weapons (a friend was hit with a tire iron), and they use moves that no instructor will teach you. Report Abuse
|||The best will be the one that you actually can stick with for a while.





Meaning, something that keeps you interested, that you can afford, and is close enough that you show up to every class.





If you want a good workout, you have a plethora of options. Ride a bike, run, jump rope, lift weights. Any decent gym, regardless of style, will give you a good workout.





For self defense, the best thing you can learn is not physical at all; situational awareness. If you are observant, you can learn to defuse or avoid situations before they become violent. Even when they do, the best defense is usually to run away.





Now if you mean the best way to fight, well that%26#039;s a different thing altogether. Everyone will tell you a specific style, but there is no best. There are too many variables. How many people are you fighting, do they have weapons, how much space do you have, are you trying to cause as much damage as possible or to minimize the damage you take. Besides the fact that different styles will be more suitable for different body types.





Look up all the gyms in your area, try to find some reviews, and then go and check it out. Pretty much everywhere they will let you sit in on a class or two, and you can see if it%26#039;s the right fit.|||To learn how to strike I recommend spending several months at a boxing gym or a Muay Thai gym. Muay Thai is kickboxing plus knees and elbows. Once you have striking down, take Brazilian Jiu Jitsu or Judo. Those are grappling sports. If you only take striking lessons then a wrestler will destroy you in a fight. Trust me, I used to take Kempo, but then I got in a fight with a wrestler who took me down and just railed on me. Now i take Jiu Jitsu, and I guarantee you there is no way in hell he could ever do that to me again.





Also consider Krav Maga, I%26#039;d say in terms of practical self defense it is unmatched. I%26#039;ve never taken it so I can%26#039;t say whether its good for schoolyard bully defense / rival alpha male at a party type fighting, but it might be. You should check it out and see if you like it, it really is one of the most dangerous martial arts out there.|||There is no best style really. Its far more about the skill of the instructor and the amount of effort you put in to it. All styles have their strengths and weaknesses you just have to look around and find a school with a good and respectable instructor, then put your effort in to learning it.





Personally, I recomend Karate...but I am partial of course. I just think that Karate is a good well rounded style. It has a wide variety of kinds of techniques...striking, grappling, etc. Its a great style for your Base style...then go on to something more specialized if you want to. And for self defense its very useful if you get a good instructor. Lets face it....its been around for longer than almost any styles.... it wouldn%26#039;t have stayed popular if it wasn%26#039;t useful.|||no best martial art which someoen can tell you here. its all about which one you like most. if you hate bjj its not going to be very effective if you learn it because you wont try as hard or really care.|||Royce Gracie showed the world that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the best form of self defense. Belt system is a ranking system based on level of skill