Martial art for US army?

A

az0r

New Member
Hey guys, first time on this site just looking for some answers on what martial art would be the best to start practicing, I'm 16 and planning to join up (the US) probably as soon as i get out of my current school, that will be when im just turning 19. Anyway, any ideas for good martial arts that would get me ahead the most in both regular army and a bit more advanced such as rangers and other SFs.

Thanks, all help appreciated.
 
Krav Maga.

I'm no soldier but Krav is designed so that you can get free of the other guy, hurt him badly and go from defense to offense and soon as possible.
 
Last edited:
Don’t start on something. You will learn what you need to know if you get into the service.
BTW. Why do you want to join in the US.?
 
Yea i know but might aswell do something that will make me better then eh, or make it easier for me, either one really. - Why not be the best you can be, if ur going to do it you might aswell go all out :)


I'm half american and will probably be living there later in my life & the only thing you will do in the swedish armed forces is train :) dont really have any combat operations :)
 
Last edited:
Nothing wrong with training, that's what you will spend a majority of your time doing in the US armed forces anyways, especially three years from now unless Afghanistan goes down the crapper. Taking up martial arts is a good idea, but do not go into thinking you will become a killing machine like Chuck Norris in Delta Force. A regular class would however help develop your muscles, keep you in good shape, which will help you more than anything else in preparing yourself for bootcamp and military life.
 
I believe branches such as the USMC have some form of martial arts system which they will attempt to teach you. But as I have no personal experience in it, I can only go as far as referring to it.

I do have some experience in Martial Arts, however, and I would reiterate Damien's point in that you probably shouldn't expect to become some kind of super warrior simply because you know a martial art. In terms of which to choose, that's somewhat of a broad question. There are some that seem more practical from a military standpoint than others. There also may be ones you would be better at in comparison to others and would subsequently gain more benefit from learning.

To lay it out simply, martial arts generally have their specialties. As a rough example: Tae Kwon Do utilitizes many kicks; Wing Chun Gung Fu, strikes and counters; Wrestling, close groundwork; Judo/Jujitsu, throws and groundwork; Muay Thai, knee and elbow strikes; etc. Remember, these are only rough examples. They may not quite do justice to the martial arts as a whole.

Specific martial arts can be suggested to you as generally ideal, but it's unlikely you'll be completely reliant upon it in your BCT. You may want to do some research, and try and judge for yourself which you could gain the most out of -- which you are more inclined to.
 
Last edited:
Izvor, Russian martial art, from the ancient times, developed around the city of Tver


Russian, Siberian martial art/self defense system Viun, real life situation demonstration
 
Last edited:
Klibanophoros said:
Krav Maga.

I'm no soldier but Krav is designed so that you can get free of the other guy, hurt him badly and go from defense to offense and soon as possible.
Click to expand...

Yeah, Krav Maga would be a great option. If you don't have one near you, then I suggest you go with Aikido.

Judo is also good too, though I cant imagine anyone throwing a hurka durka over their should with their webbing, rifle etc. However, Judo does teach you how to fall and land correctly so that can save you a lot from injuries or later issues with your bones in life.

Doing some boxing/kickboxing will definitely get you super fit, too.

And also, seeing as the last poster went Russian on us, I think I should mention Sambo as a good option (Fedor Emelianenko is a beast fighter if any of you guys watch MMA).
 
Don't focus on martial arts before joining, but focus on getting in the best shape as possible before joining IMO.

I've instructed in military martial arts/close combat for many years and some of the "worst" soldiers I've instructed where those who had many years of experience in some of the civilian martial arts.
The reason is that military and civilian martial arts are quite different so when you've first learned to do something in one way over some years (as a civilian) it is very hard to unlearn those things and start from scratch again when learning the military way.

But if you want to use martial arts to get in shape then Krav Maga and maybe kick-boxing can be good choices since many of the techniques used in the military are based on those two (I guess it's the same in the US).
Krav Maga is developed for the military as well, but there are several branches of it with some more soft versions for civilians that I don't recommend as preparation for the military.
 
Yeah okay, thanks for your input everyone :) Obviously dont expect to become a imba killing machine just cos i've done a little martial art x) and to the guy who said about training mostly in US too - in the US u atleast have a chance of getting deployed and the way its been going the last couple years that chance is pretty high.

--

Worth thinking about what you said, Redleg, although i think ill go ahead and then try to think about it after i've joined up instead, not get stuck in my old ways and all that. Obviously there is no martial art that reflects exactly what you learn in the army but all im trying to do is get into something i might be interested in and at the same time stay fit and if possible, just the bonus, a little better end result.
 
I think one of the significant factors for what Redleg pointed out could have to do with the theatrical aspects of many civilian martial arts. As people have mentioned styles, such as Krav Maga, kickboxing, and judo, which do involve less theatrical dynamics, you can take those as indications to consider a martial art that is more straightforward in nature, if you're determined to learn one that may seem practical for military standards.

Do some research on: Krav Maga, Kickboxing, Sambo, Wrestling, Boxing, Judo/Jujitsu, Aikido, Karate*, Muay Thai, Ninjutsu*...

*Karate, these days, has some sports elements in it that can be impractical for real life situations. You want to be aware that not all Karate instructors may be willing to digress from the standards of the ring. Otherwise, Karate does have a number of simple, straightforward techniques that could prove useful.

*Ninjutsu has received a lot controversy over the years, primarily for its controversial history. However, despite the babble, Ninjutsu generally implements a mixture of effective techniques from various martial arts styles. There can be theatrical elements in some areas of its teaching, but there are also many dirty techniques taught that are naturally very effective (e.g. eye-gouging, throat strikes, joint locks/breaks, chokes, etc.). Athough I included it in the list, it may be somewhat complicated getting hold of a reliable intructor... unless you travel to Japan.

I specifically pointed out Karate and Ninjutsu because they are the styles I am most familiar with, and therefore have a little more input on. They are not necessarily my recommendations.
 
Last edited:
I’m not an expert on unarmed combat in any form, but it seems to me that all of them share two characteristics - mental and physical fitness. Train your mind and body first - the rest will follow.
 
hey dude, im in the the u.s also 16 and planning to enlist. im a kung fu(bei shoalin student and really useful. but M.M.A.(mixed.martial.arts.) is big deal in this country. might wana look into that. get back at me warzonewarrior16@yahoo.com
 
The US Army uses what is called Modern Army combatives. Looking at it from the outside it looks like MMA. After the first few weeks of suck fest you realize that it is a skill that can quickly go from controlling someone to killing them in short order.
 
To be quite honest the idea is kill your enemy long before you can reach out and touch him. If he gets that close you will using your bayonet or shovel, but the last thing you want to do is to wrestle with him
 
@ LeEnfield

Obviously, the point of this thread wasnt to become a soldier running around and killing eveyone in close combat, a martial art is just something i've been thinking about starting anyway and i might as well pick one that has some connection to what you learn in training, after all, if they didnt think it was possible you would get a chance to use it ever, they wouldnt teach it. -- also a good way to stay fit and alert.
 
two more cents worth

There are a lot of ways you can get in shape, the military will show you how they want it done and they will instruct you in combat elements.
For yourself, boxing is always good because it teaches coordination and a workout with the ole gym bag is good for the wind. What you want to do is learn to spar with a real partner so you can experience the unexpected and learn how to take a punch and keep functioning. Poking and kicking at the air is not the real thing and is not training for the real thing. Krav maga (close combat) is what we had in Israel, it's good if done right because you work out with full contact on assault bags with a partner. You have to actually hit something to know how well you are doing and how accurate you are. Combine with some form of wrestling or judo and you have the two basic elements of most combat styles. Then you need to practice in the rain, in sand, in poor lighting, on uneven footing, pavement, mud, etc. you get the idea. If you only practice in a gym then you might get good at fighting if your opponents come to the gym and stand in the right place, otherwise you might be surprised. This is why acrobtic theactrical movie moves don't translate well to the real world. In a real world application there is not much dancing around, the movements are linear, simple to remember, and straight to the point, ferocity is a plus. Example: place a gym bag 30 feet in front of you, have a partner place a belt around your waist and hold it from behind like the reins of a horse. Have someone say GO and charge the gym bag with your partner restraining you with the belt, assault the bag with everything you have for a full 30 seconds. It's called aggression training, the bag is the terrorist and you must win. A favorite in the Legion is to stand in a circle of six or more people with sparring mitts on their hands. Each one takes a turn to come at you and you will fight and punch the sparring mitt, each person comes at you from a different direction and you must adjust and react, this goes on until you can't hold up your hands any more. Then you get on the ground and you do it again fighting from the ground. The point is never give up, you have to fight even when you are tired, sometimes the difference in life or death is fighting for 30 more seconds. Better yet, try not to run out of ammo.
 
Last edited:
To get into the the UK para's you have to fight in a ring, what they are looking for is not only aggression but a persons ability to take a pasting and still fight back. What they are looking for is that extra spark in them that makes them never give up regardless of what is happening to them. It is surprising just how many men fail this test.
 
My son took boxing. They ran, they were taught discipline, built up his self esteem and he loved it.Confidence level grew and he loved basic. No complaints, he loves the army and I'm very proud of him.
Good luck and I hope this helps.:)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top