Starting out with self defence.

Edbanger> Another option to consider could be Russian Systema, I practiced that for many years but currently having a break. It's a nice mixture of hard and soft skills and is also a health system as well as martial system so you'll learn how to move and more importantly breathe correctly under pressure. There is also a lot of awareness training involved too. Maybe worth taking a look if you have a class nearby.

Hi Edbanger. I'm late on the debate here, but will chuck in my 2 pence worth.
 
I did ITF tae kwon-do for over 10 years. That isn't the olympic, twirly kick only stuff, but we use hands as well. And I did 3 years of Jitsu at University.
 
A simple thing my TKD instructor once said to me was, if you walk around looking like a victim people will pick on you eventually. If you walk around stood tall, with your chest out and head up you get left alone. TKD gave me a lot of confidence!
 
Learning to talk people down is better than learning to beat them up. Learn both and you have a failsafe if the talking down fails.
No matter how hard you think you are, there is always someone out there thats harder than you.
 
I found TKD to be the most useful because we did a lot of full contact sparring and we learnt to move in circles, as oppossed to just backwards and forwards. The higher grades would also roll around on the floor as well, like most street fights will end up. Good to learn where to grab people if you end up on the floor with someone pyhsically stronger than yourself.
 
As for yourself, i'd suggest having a good look around and try a few things out. All things have their benefits.
Boxing is good because you will get hit and get used to it. Judo is also useful, as you get used to rolling round on the floor etc.
 
Just give things a try. No one thing is better than the other!
Good luck!

thing is with all these krav maga, systema stuff is unless you actually spar as well then imo its not that good.  If you cnt take a dig or learn what happens when you do soon as someone smacks u thats it game over you freeze on the spot with shock.
 
i really like some of the strikes used and in theory they seem deadly but how many times have you seen these moves actually wokr in a mad street envirmonent and you cant practice at full force as you will hurt each other, so u will never know it works untill u try it,  what if it doesnt.
 
least with boxing/ thai boxing u know u hit someone and it hurts.  u get hit and u deal with it. a lot of these so called deadly arts deal in the unknown imo.

odog


thing is with all these krav maga, systema stuff is unless you actually spar as well then imo its not that good.  If you cnt take a dig or learn what happens when you do soon as someone smacks u thats it game over you freeze on the spot with shock.

i really like some of the strikes used and in theory they seem deadly but how many times have you seen these moves actually wokr in a mad street envirmonent and you cant practice at full force as you will hurt each other, so u will never know it works untill u try it,  what if it doesnt.

least with boxing/ thai boxing u know u hit someone and it hurts.  u get hit and u deal with it. a lot of these so called deadly arts deal in the unknown imo.

 
To true odog dude, thats one of my reasons for not going back to krav, no sparring, granted if I ever see a 2 foot kick pad its bad news for him, but hey ! I got to look sexy in my combat pants and mossad t-shirt 

odog


thing is with all these krav maga, systema stuff is unless you actually spar as well then imo its not that good.  If you cnt take a dig or learn what happens when you do soon as someone smacks u thats it game over you freeze on the spot with shock.

 
Any decent class will involve some amount of sparring and believe me, we hit each other hard in systema. You learn how to strike and also the person receiving the strike learns how to deal with it physically and emotionally. I've attended classes where we allow our partner to punch us in the jaw (bare knuckled), lightly to start, then building up stronger and stronger so that we get to experience how it feels. My instructor went to Russia to train with the top guys and over there they actually practice letting their training partners hit them in the face to the point of almost knockout, and then using breathing techniques to bring themselves around.
 
So yes, I do agree that sparring is essential so it then comes down to the specific class/instructor.