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You are here: Home / Martial Arts Training / The 3 Deadliest Forms of Martial Arts On Earth

The 3 Deadliest Forms of Martial Arts On Earth

June 20, 2022 By Sifu Larry Rivera 14 Comments

DEADLIEST FORMS OF MARTIAL ARTS
Kapap instructor demonstrates street fighting self defense technique against holds and grabs with his student

This is going to cause some controversy I am sure. Talking about the deadliest forms of martial arts is no laughing matter. Some would think that I would put Muay Thai, Brazilian jiu jitsu,

Vale Tudo, combat sambo, Jeet Kune Do, Krav Maga, or Karate are on that list, and I could keep going on. The problem is that I have spent most of my life seeking truth about different types of martial arts.

So before I go any further in the blog post I have to say that I think practically all styles of fighting could be considered one of the deadliest forms of martial arts. At the end of this article, I will share with you which 3 styles I think are the deadliest and why.

Table Of Contents
  1. How To Determine What Lethal Martial Arts Are
    • Just Trains Static Techniques
    • Just Focuses On Cooperating Partners
    • Relies Heavily On Brute Force And Power
  2. How To Choose The Deadliest Forms Of Martial Arts
    • What Is A Real Street Fight?
    • What is the deadliest martial art and why?
  3. 3 Deadliest Forms Of Martial Arts That Train For The Unknown
    • Is Ngo Dac Na One Of The 3 Deadliest Forms Of Martial Arts?
    • The Deadly Art Of Wing Chun
    • The Grand Ultimate Fist
    • The Painful Art Of Chin Na
  4. In Conclusion

How To Determine What Lethal Martial Arts Are

While I believe there is something to be learned from all fighting styles. There are a few styles that wouldn’t hold up in a real fight. If there is one thing I don’t like doing it’s talking crap about other martial arts. And I am not about to start doing that now. But I will give you signs to look out for.

Just Trains Static Techniques

Schools that only focus on teaching scenario-based self-defense are missing the mark. I know many of you are probably thinking modern day martial arts wouldn’t do that. However, there are schools out there that do just that.

While it is necessary to train your techniques repetitively it also can be very dangerous when you train to use a technique for a situation that may or may not happen the way you practiced it.

As long as you keep in mind that the reason you are repetitively training a technique is that you are committing it to muscle memory you will be okay. It only becomes a problem when all you do is train that way.

Just Focuses On Cooperating Partners

Good martial arts training has levels. Beginners absolutely need to work with cooperating partners. It takes time to learn how energy works. It takes time for your body to learn how to move.

However, they absolutely need to work with partners that are going to push them physically, mentally, and emotionally as part of their training.

Relies Heavily On Brute Force And Power

While it’s important to be physically fit and healthy. I wouldn’t consider a martial art that relies on those attributes to be one of the deadliest forms of martial arts. Size shouldn’t matter when it comes to street fights.

I am not even going to talk about styles that are used for combat sports. That’s because deciding on what a deadly martial art is, doesn’t have anything to do with competitions. This is because success in these relies more on the person fighting than the style(s) of fighting they are choosing.

How To Choose The Deadliest Forms Of Martial Arts

There really are dangerously effective martial arts in the world. But to really know what an effective martial art is we need to know if it can hold up in street fighting.

What Is A Real Street Fight?

It is a type of street fight wherein both the attacker and the victim are not aware of each other’s identities or the fact that they are being attacked.

These types of attacks are also considered to be dangerous, as they involve violence that isn’t mediated by any type of official sanctioning body.

Unlike combative sports, real street fights are unprotected, meaning the attackers often seek to gain an advantage before attacking the victim.

They also often involve a lack of remorse, often being drunk, on drugs, or mentally ill when they attack. Real fights are often unpredictable, and their victims are often attacked in isolated areas.

There are a few tips you can use to avoid getting into a real street fight. The first thing you should do is avoid provoking the situation.

If you feel threatened, the best way to avoid a fight is to avoid confrontation. Although most street fights start with a warning, if the fight escalates into a verbal argument, it’s best to remain calm. Then, try to explain what made you angry.

While a real street fight can last for a long time, Hollywood movies and MMA have created an unrealistic idea that it won’t.

However, you can prepare yourself for such a situation by learning some deadly martial art techniques. It won’t only prepare you for the physical fight, but will also prepare you mentally for the psychological one.

While you may be intimidated to fight, you’ll be much better prepared for a real street fight with the right training.

Because real fights are unpredictable the way you train for them has to be adaptable to every situation you can imagine and even the ones you can’t imagine. When I was 7 years old my father was already planting the seeds of mixed martial arts in my head. That was back in 1981. Before Royce Gracie and the ultimate fighting championship.

What is the deadliest martial art and why?

I read lots of articles online that will pick specific styles as being the deadliest. The problem here is the question itself doesn’t have a right or wrong answer because regardless of the answer it’s just somebodies opinion.

A better question may be is “How does someone become an effective and deadly martial artist. And the answer to that is simple. Train honestly and with the right people. As long as you find the right people the martial art style won’t matter at all.

3 Deadliest Forms Of Martial Arts That Train For The Unknown

MASTER EVEN WHEN YOU THINK YOU ARE BEING SOFT YOU ARE NOT

So before I knew anything about anything my father was boxing, wrestling, and teaching me dirty fighting techniques he picked up around the world while he was in the military. He also got me Karate and kick boxing lessons.

My father is also a Vietnam vet and has seen the horrors of war up close and personal. So he was and is only interested in martial art techniques that are deadly effective, efficient, and fast.

Those were the only types of techniques he taught me.

He always told me “If You Think, You’re Dead”. So I gained a unique perspective from the wisdom my father shared with me over the years. Sifu Phu later tied it all together for me. He also has a saying sort of like my father says is “If You Think You Stink”. Two men I admire in my life said similar things to me at different times on my martial art journey. This tells me there is some universal truth in the saying.

Is Ngo Dac Na One Of The 3 Deadliest Forms Of Martial Arts?

What I love so much about Ngo Dac Na is that it can be applied to be used in conjunction with any martial art.

Sifu Phu Ngo mastered Ngo Dac Na via training and information passed down over many generations in his family. It is based on energy, nature, and physics concepts.

You could say here at Enter Shaolin we practice Mixed Martial Arts with its roots in Shaolin Kung Fu.

The Deadly Art Of Wing Chun

WING CHUN, KUNG FU TRAINING

So if there is one martial art style that has a lot of controversies it’s Wing Chun. Even within its own community. However, due to the efficiency and sheer deadly accuracy of this art, it deserves to be on a list for one of the deadliest forms of martial arts.

We aren’t interested in the politics of Wing Chun what we focus on is what type of training can you get from it. This martial art system focuses on Close Quarter fighting.

What makes Wing Chun really shine though is its Chi Sao training. Sticky Hands (AKA) Chi Sao teaches people how to stick to their opponent and it also teaches them sensitivity.

This is important because developing good sensitivity will give you valuable information so that you can counterattack your opponent.

The Grand Ultimate Fist

TAI CHI ONLINE

Tai Chi is most likely one of the most misunderstood martial arts in the entire world. If you ask someone if they know what Tai Chi is they will most likely tell you it’s an exercise like yoga.

Tai Chi takes a person from mid-range to close-quarter fighting. What makes Tai chi so powerful is that it also has a training exercise called Push Hands that teaches are teaching a person sensitivity. Tai Chi Chuan definitely deserves to be one of the deadliest forms of martial arts.

The Painful Art Of Chin Na

CHIN NA ART OF LOCKING

Many kung fu schools incorporate some form of Chin Na into their curriculum. That’s because Chin Na teaches locks, pressure points, cavity striking, joint manipulation, and other nasties.

If You understand all 3 martial art forms and utilize the sensitivity games from them. You will learn how to handle yourself in every situation from kicking distance (Tai Chi Mid Rage) Boxing Range (Wing Chun close-quarter) and clinching range ( which is a little of all of the Wing Chun, Tai Chi, and Chin Na) including grappling anti grappling and ground fighting in general.

If you have been ever put into a Chin Na technique before it can literally feel like one of the most painful sensations you have ever felt in your entire life. As such i feel this style also deserves to be on a list as one of the most deadliest forms of martial arts.

Training in sensitivity trains you to be ready for what is about to happen at the moment it happens.

In Conclusion

I feel today many people are brainwashed by hero worship and the idiot box, I mean television. Even combat-style simulations don’t prepare you for the real thing, ask any vet if it does. I was tempted to do whatever else who wrote about this topic does.

That is to create a listicle of the top ____ how ever much deadly blah blahs. That doesn’t sit well with me because I know the truth. Styles don’t matter. How a person practices their art does.

Sifu Phu didn’t invent a style, nor did Bruce Lee or my father. What they did was based on a rich history of battle-tested ideas, strategies, and principles.

There is a universal truth that transcends styles. Bruce Lee knew it. My father knows it and my Sifu knows it as well. I know it, Sije Jamie Knows it and even my daughters know it. After all, truth is truth.

It’s this truth that we teach here at Enter Shaolin. We just teach it through the lens of mostly Southern Based Shaolin Kung Fu. That’s just because we like Kung Fu. I also apply Ngo Dac Na to the Goju Ryu, kickboxing, and judo I studied as a young lad.

I believe that the masters of ancient martial arts knew these truths and they were most likely also mixed martial artists. My advice is don’t get stuck in a box. Don’t limit yourself to just doing things one way.

Under the right circumstance, the deadliest forms of martial arts can be any style or no style. This is because what makes a style deadly is You and I.

[lasso ref=”ngodacna” id=”25439″ link_id=”9935″]

Filed Under: Martial Arts Training Tagged With: brute force, chin na, Jeet Kune do, Krav Maga, martial arts, Sambo, street fight, Vale Tudo, wing chun

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Comments

  1. AVATAR OF BOB WBob W says

    June 21, 2022 at 9:33 am

    Very nice article very well put thanks Larry

    Reply
    • AVATAR OF SIFU LARRY RIVERASifu Larry Rivera says

      June 21, 2022 at 9:40 am

      Thank you!

      Reply
  2. AVATAR OF STANLEY ZStanley Z says

    June 21, 2022 at 9:51 am

    Sifu Larry,

    Thank you for sharing an excellent commentary regarding martial arts.
    Having trained in karate, Aikido, Krav Maga and Ngo Dac Na I agree that any style can be lethal. The common denominator is the practitioner.

    The seasoned practitioner is capable of handling most scenarios, whereas the unskilled and delusional student may be the most dangerous. The expert can disable a threat in many ways from having the threat avoid contact with the expert to the delivery of a deadly blow. The rookie doesn’t have the expertise to know how to control a given technique, so a lethal blow may be delivered by dumb luck, and the aftermath will be most unfortunate. In my years of studying karate, we often would state, “Never trust a white belt.” The novice has no control and no understanding of how they can accidentally cause tremendous damage.

    So, the deadliest martial arts is a little knowledge in the hands of a novice for a master knows that to become a master is a lifelong endeavor without knowing all.

    Cheers,

    Reply
    • AVATAR OF SIFU LARRY RIVERASifu Larry Rivera says

      June 21, 2022 at 10:19 am

      Hi, Stanley thanks for commenting. Your comment reminds me of something I heard at a business event one time. It was called “ignorance on fire”.
      It’s when someone who knows very little goes out and outsells someone who has more experience. Because the inexperienced person hasn’t had
      as many bad experiences, they just blindly charge into the frey so to speak. Also, I remember reading one time something that sums this up perfectly.

      At the moment I forget where I read it maybe A Bruce Lee book, anyhow it goes like this:

      3 Stages Of Cultivation

      Stage 1: You are deadliest on the first day you walk into a training hall. This is because you don’t know anything at all. All of your reactions are natural. It is here
      you flow the best. (A punch is a punch and a kick is a kick).

      Stage 2: Rather quickly into your training you begin to realize that a punch isn’t a punch and a kick isn’t a kick. That there is much more that goes into the equation.
      It is here you begin to realize how bad you really are. (It’s at this point where one is the worst) It’s here where upper-ranked students need to be careful. Because
      they often are stuck in the paralysis of analysis mindset. While the newbie doesn’t know any better, they just charge in without thinking much.

      Stage 3: After many years of training, decades perhaps. After training your techniques over and over. You realize that a punch is just a punch and a kick is just a kick. And
      you again begin to flow naturally.

      Cheers! šŸ™‚

      Reply
  3. AVATAR OF SAN DSan D says

    June 21, 2022 at 10:11 am

    Eyes opening , true and logical
    Greatful to read it

    Reply
    • AVATAR OF SIFU LARRY RIVERASifu Larry Rivera says

      June 21, 2022 at 10:21 am

      Thanks, San!

      Reply
  4. AVATAR OF DAN NDan N says

    June 21, 2022 at 11:49 am

    Outside of the sport, fighting should be avoided at all costs. Even people with limited martial skills, can cause fatal results. For example, many years ago, two guys I know decided to see who was the toughest. The results, one died, and the other went to prison.

    Reply
    • AVATAR OF SIFU LARRY RIVERASifu Larry Rivera says

      June 21, 2022 at 11:59 am

      I know it happens more frequently than people know. Thanks for commenting!

      Reply
  5. AVATAR OF THALIA DASTAMANISThalia Dastamanis says

    June 22, 2022 at 12:24 am

    Dear SiFu Larry, thank you for sharing your thoughts and true believes. I’m focusing in my training on the psychological side, my mindeset; for example ā€œa kick I receive is my chance to attackā€ Your words are in inspiring and they support the best parts in me. It’s the art of training you all are committing yourself to, I appreciate and I’m proud to be part of. Now my aim is to get in person to you, because everything is depending on ā€œthe right peopleā€ to train with. Best wishes, Thalia

    Reply
    • AVATAR OF SIFU LARRY RIVERASifu Larry Rivera says

      June 22, 2022 at 8:55 am

      Thanks for commenting and the kind words!

      Reply
  6. AVATAR OF TY WTy W says

    June 22, 2022 at 8:39 am

    the only style i train is my own. fuck all this annoying bullshit that clouds my head. I already fucking perfect in here. In my head im a god. All i need to do is grow up.

    Reply
    • AVATAR OF SIFU LARRY RIVERASifu Larry Rivera says

      June 22, 2022 at 8:56 am

      Growing up is always good šŸ™‚

      Reply
  7. AVATAR OF ROY FRoy F says

    June 24, 2022 at 10:59 pm

    Hello Sifu Larry, thank you for your thoughts in regards to the martial arts. Your article is very well written and a nice read, keep up the good work!
    Take care…

    Reply
    • AVATAR OF SIFU LARRY RIVERASifu Larry Rivera says

      June 25, 2022 at 10:37 am

      Thanks for reading and commenting.

      Reply

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