Sadly in the world today we all live with the threat of violence on a daily basis. Many of us may consider learning a martial art like taekwondo to deal with this but will it work in a real street attack?

My answer to learn street self defence. A modern, progressive martial art based on actual situations street self defence will prepare you mentally and with moves you can use to defend yourself. As an experienced martial artist I am often asked for self defence techniques and tips and the answer is there really aren't many short cuts. Attending traditional martial classes isn't the answer for everyone.

If you do choose this route which is the best martial art? Of course you will need to find martial arts classes local to you and this will restrict what you can do. The range of martial arts is vast and includes throwing arts like judo and striking arts like karate and also newer martial arts like Choi Kwang Do and Krav Maga. Personally I feel Krav Maga is one of the best martial arts for street self defence.

Street self defence includes moves which I know many people would consider dirty fighting techniques. But what really is a dirty move in a street fight where there's a real threat of injury! Elbow strikes, strikes to soft tissue areas like the ears may all be considered fair when you are forced into a real fight. Certainly when you think about self defence for women I would argue dirty fighting tactics have a place. At the end of the day it's all about surviving. Real world taekwondo is another option for highly effective fighting techniques and is well worth looking into.

One of the other advantages of street self defence is that you can study techniques from home study courses and attending classes may not be necessary. Many martial artists spend years perfecting a kick or strike but when it comes to a street fight they would fall apart. My best self defence tip would be to have the right attitude to deal with actual attacks. It all starts with awareness. Be aware of your surroundings and of your self. You need to understand how you will react when threatened or attacked. Sometimes it really is necessary to make the first strike and if you can't accept this you need to change your mind set. Most thugs won't have any second thoughts in injuring you and you must be able to do the same if backed into a corner. We must always stay on the right side of the law of course.