Are any of you martial artists?

What do you think is the best way to defend yourself? learn martial arts or go to the gym and do weights or whatever?

I think the reponces will be interestng...

Defend yourself where? When at home i'd just grab for my BB gun and fire it or my pen knife I keep both these beside my bed for safety. If I was like getting mugged i'd hit their face or crotch if it was a man. If theyw as armed I'd shouted and run and hit and stuff... I don't know any martial arts but am quite strong and big, not many people would mess with me.

Neither lifting weights nor "pure" martial arts will save you on the street. Both will certainly give you an advantage but a self-defense class is still 10 times better than either one.

To defend yourself on the street you gotta learn how to defend against somebody who doesn't care about rules and who is potentially stronger than you. No martial arts course or amount of weight lifting can replace a self-defense course.

But then again the best way to defend yourself is to not even look attackable, in other words: know where you're going, avoid dangerous areas as best as you can, be aware of what's going on around you and don't get drunk if you know you'll be walking around in a high-risk part of town.

The way your talking about being safe on the street makes it sound as if any where you live is dangerous, How this may be true in some places is up to other people to decide. In the end the only thing having muscles or martial arts training is going to do is help you in a physical fight. If your worried of being injured via gun fire, purchase a vest (50 Cent/ G-Unit make some cool ones). Other wise dont do something stupid.

Or you could just caryy this around with you all the time I can't imagine anybody who'd attack you if you carry that

I guess you could carry that around, but wouldn't make more sense to carry around a tazer?

I think ultimatly, the best way to stay safe on the streets is to be wise as to how to react and respond in certain situations. I think the self discipline and judgement gathered from martial arts is most certainally life saving, and this can actually prevent a fight in the first place.
I believe that learning weights alone is not effective. Perhaps against one common, simple, weak thug then yes, but against anybody with skill, or anygroup with numbers to simply be strong is not 100% effective. I think that it should be taken into a close balance. I think that strenght is 'vital' for the grappling side of fights that usually takes place, but ultimatly I would advise learning skills such as those taught in Shotokan Karate, enabling you to defend yourself from any position/direction against all sorts of attacks from attackers. Martial arts is the one to learn if you are only going to complete one, but most certainally a combination is vital, and also boxing. This is something that I strongly believe should be taken with martial arts. Although i believe martial arts fighting is more direct and effective, I believe to 'toughen' yourself up in a ring, and get use to contact is brilliant for the street, although as I said, most of it comes from the non-combat side of martial arts, ie: the wisdom to back down, the street sense, the presence that you pass off, this alone can keep you out of trouble, the confidence (this shows to people around you) and the self discipline.

i did karate for a very short time and ive been involved in a mugging and i know that the karate couldnt have helped me, maybe because i didnt go for long and quitted but in my opinion a martial art such as karate is only goodif the person youre fighting is also using a martial art. Because many of the clocks we learned in karate involved the attacker t be using a certain kind of kick only a martial artist would use because in a street fight you dont stand in an attacking pose and perform aroundhouse kick to the kidneys you just go mental kicking at anything you can aiming for the shins and crotch and such like and with that speed and mentality a karate block is just no good, you would block one kick and the next would hit your arm taking your balance and the rest could hit your fast or anything as you fall. Ive never been to a street defence class but i would like to. I know that martial arts, as already said give you dicipline and control but in a street fight its not control you need, its speed. You just need to hit hit hit, not defend. thenn run like hell. I suppose a street defence class would show the weak parts or an attacker and how to avoid comon attacks like a kinfe, bottle or bat etc... Karate and martial arts just tendto focus on much more co-ordinated martial art style attacks which is something you dont see on the streets. It does build up confidence though whch is good

In response to shadowx, I have to disagree I'm afraid. How long did you actually study Karate for? Amongst overs, I have been studying Karate for over 6 years now, and i can honestly say that it is really, really effective. If the opposition does not know any martial arts, then it gives you even more of an advantage. It sounds as if you never got past the basics mate.. Well, when you reach brown belt and above, you begin to learn freestyle blocks. These are effective against multiple attacks at high speed. I do agree with you though, that, for a large part of it, Karate can be dated some what. It's just when you get towards the top end (3rd Kyu and above) that the game get's rolling. I think if you just want to learn an art for pure brutality, then Thai Boxing might be a place to try. I also train in Muay Thai Boxing and that is a very solid street defence style of martialarts/boxing. I know for a fact, that only the basics of martial arts will focus on co-ordinated attacks and block sequences, but again as soon as you become more experienced at the art, it will once again evolve, and become more in depth and complete. Karate is a very long stance art, which makes it, in places a little tricky to use, but again, once your 3rd Kyu or above, you learn the freestyle stance, and so this isn't much of a problem anymore. As for the point your making though shadowx I do somewhat understand were your coming from, you just have to believe mate, that once you keep it going for long enough the results are absoloutely incredible, although to be honest if you want to learn ultimate street defence you should take up Freestyle martial ars - a pure combination of boxing and different martial arts. That is what really bags results. Linking to the first question again, (I know I've said this once already), you can be the biggest, strongest guy in the world, but it only takes a small, weedy little guy that's got a bar to take you out, or equally it takes a standard sized chap that's made it to 1st Dan. If you want to learn to fight, for self defence or what ever, then it must be martial arts. Weight Lifting is only really a complimentry thing to do, it is good to train and become large and muscly along side martial arts training, but the most important thing is the training.. Try different styles. Often Kung Fu and Karate. Kung Fu is a flowing art, and some take this, Karate is a solid, strong art, and others take to this better. Just try a couple of classes and find something you really enjoy before you commit yourself to it.
Sean.