The Most Lethal Martial Arts Styles Anywhere
Different people have a lot of different reasons for looking into martial arts styles. Some are looking for transcendence and self-control, others for the ability to kill other human beings. That lethality captivates the imagination; every man would like to be able to kill others with impunity, even if he never would. So what are the most deadly styles of martial art in the world? Simple: the ones that come from war-ravaged nations.
Have you ever noticed that there is no martial art indigenous to the United States, or Canada, or Norway (Stv notwithstanding)? That’s because those are countries that haven’t had to deal with long histories of invasion. Compare them to countries where being invaded is a way of life — Malaysia, Thailand, Israel, Russia, and their ilk — and the difference is clear. Guess which countries have produced the world’s most lethal martial arts styles?
Thailand: Muay Thai
Muay Thai is also called the “Art of 8 Limbs”. It has this name because it adds four more striking surfaces to the typical 2 hands and 2 feet: the elbows and the shins. Muay Thai practitioners use body-hardening techniques on their shins, knees, and elbows until they are tough enough to survive a strike that would shatter an enemy’s bones without bruising. Muay Thai is famed for it’s clinching martial arts moves, wherein the practitioner grabs an opponent’s head and shoulders and holds them down while repeatedly driving knees into his heart and elbows into the back or top of his head.
Israel: Krav Maga
Krav Maga (literally “Hand to hand combat”) has it’s roots in brutal Israeli-vs-Pakistani streetfighting, but has been refined by the Israeli government and police into a systematic method of disassembling an opponent. The Israeli government’s official Krav Maga manual details hundreds of technques and has an entire chapter devoted to dozens of lethal martial arts moves that are easy to perform, from hip-shattering throws to neck attacks that can stop blood from leaving your brain and result in death.
Malaysia: Silat Melayu
Silat’s origins are mysterious, but it’s a fair bet that this diverse array of martial arts styles developed over Malaysia’s centuries-long history of being invaded by everyone from Colonial Europe to Imperial Japan. Silat relies heavily on strong stances that allow it’s practitioners to remain firmly grounded and fluid at the same time. Because Silat is entirely practical, there are almost no flashy flying kicks or extravagant overkill attacks, but a Silat practitioner trains in a wide variety of ways to end fights with extraordinary efficiency.
Russia: Sambo
Sambo, from a Russian acronym for “Defense without Weapons”) is a fairly new martial art, developed only 90 years ago by the Red Army to improve their chances of survival when disarmed. Borrowing techniques from a variety of martial arts styles ranging from judo to savate, Sambo practitioners take things to the ground, and fast, applying a huge variety of joint breaks, disarm techniques, and knockout blows — often as the opponent falls down. There are no wasted moments in Sambo.
Could it be a coincidence that four of the world’s nastiest martial arts styles come from four of the world’s most often-invaded countries? Probably not. One thing is for certain, however — those of us that live in more peaceful climes are thankful for the opportunity to witness and maybe practice the martial arts styles that come from such turbulent places.