Martial arts are the most practiced combat sports in the world. There are many reasons why people engage in martial arts; some practice to improve flexibility while others join martial arts classes to acquire self-defense skills.
But one of the most common questions that most people who are interested in martial arts ask is whether the techniques acquired can work in real situations such as street fights. If you also ask the same question, then today you are in the right place.
So, are martial arts useless in a fight? Are martial arts useless? In this article, we tell you whether martial arts are helpful or useless in a real fight situation. Make sure you read until the end so that you don’t miss out on anything.
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Are martial arts useless in a fight?
It depends on various factors, including the type of martial art that you have specialized in, your commitment to the sport, and more. For instance, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is much more effective in a real fight than karate. Bottom line is that learning martial arts can give you an upper hand in a real fight, especially if your opponent does not have any fighting skills.
However, that does not mean that you will win in all your fights. You may lose the fight even when your opponent is not a skilled fighter.
Even a person who has attained a black belt in martial arts is beatable in a real fight. So, if you are planning to learn martial arts, know that it can help you defend yourself in a real fight but does not guarantee that you will beat your opponent.
Why most martial arts don’t work in a real fight
According to experts, the reason why most martial arts don’t work in a real fight situation is that most of them are not designed for self-defense.
Most martial arts schools don’t equip students with practical knowledge of how to defend themselves in an actual fight. Instead, they usually teach skills that cannot be used in a real fight.
The unrealistic training techniques taught in martial arts make them useless, especially when fighting with an uncooperative opponent.
More so, most martial arts techniques don’t equip students with realistic training on how to defend themselves against modern weapons that the opponent may have.
Most attackers nowadays are likely to use weapons when engaging in a fight. Unfortunately, most martial arts academies don’t equip students with realistic skills on how to defend themselves against modern weapons.
Most martial arts also don’t put much focus on strategy. Regardless of your fighting skills, if you lack good strategies, then you are more likely to lose the fight. Martial arts training doesn’t put a lot of emphasis on self-defense strategies.
As a fighter, you need to know the best time to attack, the time to run, and the most appropriate technique to use to defeat your opponent. In most cases, martial arts usually focus on a structured way of fighting, rather than giving people room to strategize and this usually gives the opponent an upper hand.
Do any martial arts work in a fight?
To say the truth, a vast majority of martial arts don’t work in real fights. This is because most of them have not been designed for self-defense but rather to educate people about real violence and how to prevent them.
Most of them use training techniques that do not and cannot be used in a real fight. So, if you are a trained martial art professional, chances are that your opponent who does not have martial arts skills may beat you in a real fight.
This is because the rules of martial arts don’t apply in a real fight. Additionally, most techniques learned in martial arts are not realistic and thus cannot be applied in a real fight.
Which types of martial arts are effective in a real fight?
Although most martial arts will not give you an upper hand in a real fight situation, there are some which are more effective and could give you an advantage when engaging in a real fight.
Mixed martial arts (MMA) which incorporate techniques from wrestling, judo, boxing, karate, jujitsu, and Muay Thai among other disciplines is the toughest form of martial arts and can give you an upper hand in a real fight.
Most MMA pros are respected both in the ring and on the streets because of their strength, endurance, and ability to execute their moves quickly and precisely.
So, if you are an MMA pro, you can have an upper hand over your opponent who does not have any fighting skills, but it is still not a guarantee that you will win the fight.
Is it safe to use martial arts in a real fight?
YES, it is safe to use martial arts in real fights. Martial arts are combat sports that do not encourage violence. That is why it is not easy to find a martial arts pro engaging in senseless fights.
But just because they don’t engage in a fight does not mean that it is illegal for them to fight. Most martial arts are legal, meaning you can use them for self-defense in a real fight. However, some moves are dangerous even to you, and as such, you should take a lot of caution.
Are martial arts a waste of time?
NO martial arts are not a waste of time. There is so much that you will learn from martial arts that will help you in many aspects of your life.
For instance, martial arts will help boost your confidence, flexibility, your mental stamina, your coordination, your self-discipline, your social skills, and much more.
Additionally, people who have trained in martial arts have a higher chance of defeating an opponent who is not trained.
This is because you can easily anticipate where the attack will come from as well as take appropriate measures to cushion yourself from your opponent’s kicks and blows.
Final thoughts
Martial arts are great combat sports that can help you in many ways as discussed above. However, when it comes to a real fight, the skills learned may not be of much help because a majority of them are not applicable in a real fight.
As such, people who have trained in martial arts are often discouraged from engaging in physical confrontation because it may result in fatal injuries.
Only defend yourself if you have to but if there is a window of escaping, take that option because that is the surest way to guarantee your safety.
