Just in time for

May 30, 2007 4:32 AM

Which three open-hand combat systems would you pick for real-world, live-or-die encounters?

Threads on martial arts tend to devolve into "MMA versus traditional arts" flamewars. This is a new approach.

Ground rules:
-You'll go into combat unarmed, even if an empty beer bottle is nearby. Just for the sake of argument, a'right? If you chose a stick-fighting art like Arnis, that means you're looking only at the unarmed techniques.
-No need for a training background -- a glancing familiarity of the moves and philosophy of your picks is fine.
-No holds barred. This isn't UFC circa 2007. Fatal, one-blow kills a-okay (if they exist and are practical).

posted by Gordion Knott to sports, hobbies, & recreation (3 comments total)

Gosh maybe I'm missing something, but why three?

As a youth I learned a Japanese style called Wado ryu earning Shodan at the age of 19. A lot of our focus was on combat tactics, with kicks restricted to groin level and open handed techniques eschewed in favour of basic punches.

My instructor always pushed us to achieve the "one punch / one kick knockout" and although I haven't practiced in years the body remembers.
posted by Mutant at 4:57 AM on May 30, 2007

Yeah, I don't know three, but I'm studying Ving Tsun kung fu, which emphasizes conservation of energy and ending a fight as fast as possible with as little effort as possible (in case you may have to face multiple attackers). So the basic kick is a straight forward kick to the knee, and the basic punches/jabs are to the heart, neck, and face/eyes.

I'm still quite a way off from one-blow kills, though, so who can say.
posted by hermitosis at 5:47 AM on May 30, 2007

"Touch of Death, Lisa."
posted by plinth at 5:52 AM on May 30, 2007