What is more important for self defense, firearms or martial arts training?

The simple truth is that martial arts have their limitations, and anyone who tells you otherwise is a fool. Remember, if fighting empty-handed was all the talk, we wouldn’t need weapons. On the other hand, just because you carry a weapon doesn’t mean you’ll ever get a chance to use it. Many people, especially in law enforcement, think that because they have firearms training, they will have no need for melee tactics, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Statistics indicate that a police officer is more likely to be physically assaulted long before he has a chance to deploy his weapon. There is only one safe answer to this debate; to be successful in close combat you need both.

One of the most persistent myths about martial arts is that they eliminate the need to train with weapons. The fact is that outside of three feet you are dealing with a gun, and inside of three feet you have a real fight on your hands. Many people genuinely believe that they have to choose between owning weapons and martial arts, self-defense training, but they are wrong. Historically, martial arts and weapons training have been shown to work together to create an effective form of self defense and close combat.

When the Dutch and Portuguese traders introduced primitive muskets to the samurai, they did not abandon their bows or swords, but began to give the new weapon to their infantry. Even Saig? Takamori, who led the Satsuma Rebellion depicted in the movie The Last Samurai, taught firearms training at his martial arts schools. In reality, all of the rebel samurai carried firearms in addition to their traditional weapons, and the new imperial army had many samurai serving as officers. The combinations of firearms and martial arts led to many brutal hand-to-hand combat fights between the rebels and government forces before the fighting ended in a bloody charge.

The pioneers of close combat in World War II, who brought martial arts to the military, did not neglect weapons training. In contrast, self-defense expert William E. Fairbairn, who studied various martial arts and had a black belt in Kodokan Judo, was also a strong advocate for realistic firearms training. During his career in law enforcement, he taught his students how to survive real combat using guns, knives, and martial arts. When Fairbairn met Rex Applegate during the war, he was already teaching similar shooting techniques. Both men understood that to be ready for combat, a warrior had to be deadly with and without weapons.

You’d be surprised how many dedicated martial artists own firearms. Some wear them because they see their sports martial arts training for what it is and have no misconceptions about survival and assault. Real fights are just unfair, and if you’re facing multiple attackers, a firearm can quickly deter them and give you time to escape.

The world is not a perfect place and it will most likely surprise you. If you train in martial arts, you will be able to protect yourself better when your weapons are out of reach. You can’t carry your weapons everywhere, but you can still be ready for close combat.

There has long been a gap between “gun guys” and “martial arts guys,” and it’s unnecessary. To be effective and survive in close combat you need good weapons and self defense training. Neither replaces the other, so divide your time between the shooting range and martial arts school. Both martial arts and shooting are about having the right mindset, doing what it takes to survive. By understanding both, your chances of survival only improve. If done correctly, your martial arts and self-defense training should match your firearms training.