There is no most effective martial art. They all have their strengths and weaknesses. The fact that you put your hands up to fight is the first thing you did wrong.
The more you train a martial art the more you realize you do not need to fight. Honestly you could have walked away and that would have been the best approach but if there was no option then once again we are back to no martial art is more effective than another.
Martial arts is similar to a mechanics tool box... The more you learn and train is like buying another tool and putting it in the tool box. Years later you have an entire garage filled with tools to fix a car. Then sometime when you need to get a nut or bolt off, then you search in the tool box and you find an open ended spanner this does not mean it is the only tool you can use. because the next guy comes along and has a ring spanner, and the next has a shifting spanner and then the next has a socket wrench and so on and on...
All the tools can do the job but its just a matter of being prepared with as many tools as you can.
Forget that situation, it is pointless in the question. It all depends on the person using the art, not the style. You stated this fact but went on to ask the question anyway. Like others said, martial art styles are tools, and they are not superior to one another. They are to be defined by people.
I'm guessing you might be asking this because you wish to start martial arts. If that is the case, just look into the schools in your area and pick the one with the best school and instructor. There is no best art, just the best school and instructor in your area, and that is who you should study under. Good luck.
Forget the scenarios. Styles are tools, nothing more. Styles are not superior of inferior, people are. It is not the style but the training. Asking which style is most effective is like asking which car is most efficient. Bottom line is a car is only a way fo getting from point A to point B. Martial arts are no different. They are tools that can do nothing by themselves. They are only as good as the person suing them. As you know some people are good at something with others are not.
Find the best instructor and study what he teaches, end of story.
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Although it is not considered an "art", it is an actual fighting system, Krav Maga is the most street practical system currently available. MMA training is effective for fight application as well (duh), but it lacks the critical and lethal techniques that may be needed to survive a life and death confrontation.
As for BJJ (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) it is a very effective system as well, as long as no else comes over and kicks you in the head before you can submit (choke out) your opponent and then get back up.
As far as the most effective "traditional" system I lean towards Kempo karate, or, Wing Chun.
However, if you have the opportunity to learn the traditional combative styles of Japanese Jiu-Jitsu and Karate (used in WW2 against American and Allied Forces) I would go that direction.
But, like others have said before, and I agree with, if they will let you walk away,,, do so. It is not their opinion of you that matters, it is your knowledge of yourself that is most important.
you already lost the fight in making an assumption that the bully is a basic fighter. the best martial art to use in a street fight is kali or escrima or arnis. a weapon does more damage with less effort. punching someone in the eye may slow them down but using half of that energy to stab them in the eye puts them down. dont forget there is a video on youtube of two mma fighters being attacked in the street and it didnt turn out to well one was put in a coma.
The only style of martial arts that is the most effective is the one your best at.
The winner would be the one with...
1. The most fight experience
2. The biggest desire to end the fight (do whatever is necessary)
3. The least fear of getting hit
As somebody above mentioned...the style is irrelevant.
styles are not important it is the application of them that is key.
What the best style in the a street fight - Whatever works best for you and is most effective against an opponent.
the most effective art would be the ancient style of using your brain to defuse the situation before a move is made. turn your enemy into a friend.
That's a dumb reason to fight. You always do what others tell you even if it is the wrong thing to do? You got to get a lot more of 'standing up for yourself' and 'doing the right thing'.
This is hypothetical, but, assuming you walked home from somewhere and this one guy was following you and talking sh*t about you and there was a crowd of instagators screaming "fight, fight, fight", and both of you put your hands up. Assuming nobody would interrupt, what would be the most effective martial art in this situation. I know that it is the practitionar and not the art. But lets say you were equally trained in literally every martial art, if you could only use one what would it be, also assuming the bully was just a basic fist fighter.
there's nothing martial arts, all depend on personal, and how hard they learned
the one where no strikes are thrown
yes ive been in my share ended up with black eyes and so on
but a brazilian tactitian would simply take u down and choke u out
no harm done and u learn your lesson
Probably krav maga
Tai Chi is. It helps the body, mind and soul ;)
