is there a "best" martial art? if so, what is it?
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M$2 Answers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlYD-j9GSvo
Karate may be one of the most popular martial arts along with other expressions like Hap-Kido, Judo, Tae-Kwon-Do or even Kung-Fu or Aikido, but it is far from being the "best" martial art.
That title corresponds to Jiu-Jitsu, in particular Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Suffice is to say that these incredible and lethal form of fighting has been adopted by the US Navy Seals and the US Marine Corp as the preferred combat style for the American armed forces.
Jiu-Jitsu means the "art of softness" and its origins go back to the age of Samurai in feudal Japan, evolving as a form of self defense without weapons against an armored opponent. This method took the form of pins, grapplings, joint locks, leg sweeps and throws. The most famous derivative of Jiu-Jitsu is the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu which was developed by Mitsuyo Maeda who brought Judo to Brazil in 1914.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu have dominated the modern Mixed Martial Arts competitions (MMA) during the last 20 years, causing the emerging field to adopt many of its practices, with fighters often mixing, complementing and strengthening other forms of fighting like Boxing, Wrestling, Thai Boxing, Judo or Sambo with the superior grappling technique of the Jiu-Jitsu.
The best expression on the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the one practiced by the Gracie family from Brazil, with the so called Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. The art was better exemplified by Royce Gracie, one of the younger members of the Gracie family, who in 1994 became the first winner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), showing to the world how the Jiu-Jitsu martial art in the hands of a small non athletic guy was superior to any other form of self defense.
The late Helio Gracie, old grand master and developer of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil, who was a student of Mitsuyo Maeda, the Japanese master that brought this martial art to the Southamerican country, here at his Jiu-Jitsu academy in Rio de Janeiro teaching combat movements at an advanced age.
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M$
-quote-
Meaning “Empty hand” in Japanese, Karate is one of the more popular martial arts. Originated centuries ago from the island of Okinawa, it did not catch on in mainland Japan until the early 1900s, when Master Gichin Funakoshi simplified the self-defense techniques and added a philosophical aspect to the art. There are many different styles within Karate, but they are all characterized with the same hard blocks, punches, and kicks. Today, it is practised and studied in countries all over the world.
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M$
I just tried to submit my answer.. instead I posted in your comment section by mistake. Then posted the Answer in the correct section. Went back to the comment... deleted, and leave the word "repeated".
Sorry for the inconvinence.
repeated..
..sorry, my comment was repeated here.
What do you mean when you say 'repeated'? Please specify or use appropriate word, thanks!
