(2 minute 7 second read)

A commenter on one of my articles challenged me: “Step onto a jiu-jitsu mat and get humbled.”
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This sentiment highlights a common desire in martial arts – to find the ultimate fighting method. But the truth is, and I have written about this extensively, there’s NO single “best” martial art.
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Many practitioners take pride in their chosen method, and that’s fantastic! However, effective martial arts share core principles: Good instruction, dedicated practice, and a realistic understanding are key. Techniques alone won’t magically grant you victory – it takes sweat, determination, self-discipline, and a thorough understanding of the principles and fundamentals of your chosen method.
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The focus of any training should be on effort, not Ego.
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Many martial artists, and the Keyboard Warriors, can get caught up in style or method superiority. “My way is best because I do it (or watch it on TV)“ is a undesirable mindset; it hinders growth, and sticking solely to your comfort zone can leave you unprepared for anything other than your usual frame of reference.
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Different martial arts excel in different areas. Some may not translate well to real-world encounters, but that doesn’t make them inherently bad. Every method has its place, depending on the context.
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And Context is King.
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As an example, comparing sport fighting, with its rules, weight divisions, and safety gear, to self-defense is like comparing apples to oranges. Self-defense scenarios can be messy, unpredictable, often brutal and sometimes with disastrous or even fatal consequences.
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Some techniques and practices that are used in a self-defense scenario wouldn’t be allowed in a sporting context, they would be deemed unfair. This doesn’t make them “better”; it simply reflects the specific scenarios trained for. Just as you wouldn’t expect to use certain weapons on a jiu-jitsu mat, context is crucial.
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In their context, they might “win” by their rules. But that’s the point – context matters every time.
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Instead of getting caught up in style wars or which martial art is the “best”, we should all celebrate the diversity of the martial arts. I’m a traditionalist at heart, a pragmatist too, but I enjoy sport such as Boxing and MMA (as an example), just like anyone else.
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Whichever method you follow, for me, the quality of instruction is paramount. A great teacher can elevate any method, or style, while a poor one can cripple even the most effective techniques…… We have all seen those right?
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Challenges are fun to receive, and I’ve had a few over the years, but your focus should be on yourself, on continuous improvement within your chosen discipline (if you have one). Be open-minded to learning other ways of doing things, other methods and styles, not to replace your own, but to broaden your perspective.
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Ditch the ego-driven challenges and arguments (I’m getting old now), and foster a spirit of mutual learning.
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Remember, the best martial art is the one you train effectively. So strive for constant improvement, not belittle each other’s chosen paths.
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Photo Credit: from Kuro Obi World – Tatsuya Naka and Yuki Nakai