Self defense in martial arts
Muay Thai
The history of this martial art dates back to the 16th century, when in Siam there was an active struggle between the Burmese and Kombang families. And although initially it was used exclusively on the battlefield, the system very quickly moved into the category of competitive and general strengthening. Muay Thai is also known as “The Art of 8 Limbs”. A unique combination of boxing and kickboxing techniques using elbows, knees and feet. At the beginning of the 19th century, the system began to be actively integrated into European fighting styles, so that even its own sports federation, IFMA, was soon created, which partially entered MMA later.
In Muay Thai, there are two main categories. “Mae mai” are basic techniques, and “lak mai” are minor techniques. All of this includes jabs, hooks, straight punches, applocks, jump kicks, knees, kicks, kicks and much more. All this is extremely effective for offensive combat, especially if it is done by a specialist, but it is difficult for beginners to do this. A lot of fast movements and strikes, constant movement, high energy consumption. Yes, there are also defensive techniques, such as the “defensive wall”, but the emphasis is still on the attack, and not on deflecting or avoiding blows. However, with all this, Muay Thai is the best combat system for those who want to keep themselves in shape.
Sambo
Sambo differs from most Western martial arts in one small detail – it was invented in the USSR. For the first time, something similar was used in the 20s of the last century as part of military training, for the purpose of training soldiers in hand-to-hand combat. However, this martial art quickly evolved. Now there are three main types: Combat Sambo, specifically adapted for the battlefield and for self-defense. Sports Sambo, adapted for competitions, like Judo or Jiu-Jitsu. Freestyle Sambo, invented by the American Sambo Association and allowing you to participate even in MMA fights. In 1980, the CCCP team demonstrated demonstration performances in this martial art, however, Sambo was still not officially included in the list of Olympic disciplines. So what can we say that this art is still on the way to worldwide recognition.
Like oriental martial arts, Sambo is based on a combination of throws and low grips with blocking of the limbs and painful techniques. However, this way of self-defense is much more aggressive – nevertheless it was created for the battlefield. So much here depends on physical strength and endurance, and also on the size of the enemy. However, with approximately equal data, Sambo gives a huge advantage in battle.
MMA (Mixed Martial Arts)
If you are looking for a little bit of everything, then you will not be mistaken by choosing “fights without rules”. In fact, this is a very incorrect name, since MMA is a very metered, rational and effective mixture of technicians, schools and disciplines. However, each fighter may have his own “splashing mixture”. MMA is hardly a new system, as people have been combining various martial arts into smoother forms for centuries.The modern concept has existed since about the 20s, when the brothers Carlos and Elihu Gracie, practicing Brazilian jiu-jitsu, invited anyone who wanted to fight to prove. Over time, this principle turned into official fights, and began to spread throughout the world. This type of competition was first introduced in the US in the early 1980s, but only in the mid-90s, with the advent of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, did it turn into a massive sport that we know and love today. Although many martial arts contain several sub-styles at once, which are used in each specific case, none of them is as comprehensive as MMA. This single combat and confrontation oriented combat system encourages fighters and their teachers to use the best of any other martial art. When training professional-level fighters, it becomes like a game of chess – to focus your efforts on techniques that are directly opposite to what they use. . For example, speaking against a boxer, a good MMA fighter will try to transfer the game to the “par terre” …
In conclusion, each combat system has its pluses and minuses. Moreover, in many situations, knowledge of martial arts not only does not save life, but also puts it in jeopardy. And in general, most famous masters of self-defense say that the best “combat system” is a sprint run with evasions.