Effective self-defense should primarily be about avoiding situations where there is a threat to personal safety. Knowledge of methods for dealing with physical attacks will build your confidence and prepare you for the worst case scenario, but you also need to be prepared for the unexpected and aware of potential threats. You should choose a technique or combination of techniques that develop these skills. Self-defense begins with the acknowledgement that you are at risk of an attack and acting accordingly.
Krav Maga
Krav Maga is a form of self-defense developed by Imi Lichtenfeld. He developed the system when he was training the Israeli military in close combat. Training in Krav Maga will teach you situational awareness as well as how to defend against weapons and multiple attackers. The system teaches how to neutralize an attack in the quickest way possible to avoid injury. There are no rules and it is a dedicated self-defense system, not a martial art.
Boxing
If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of being attacked in the street or in a bar, knowing how to box will give you a better chance of defending yourself. Boxing teaches you how to punch correctly, defend yourself and counter-attack effectively. Your training will also teach you how to react under pressure. According to martial artist Vince Palumbo the boxers are some of the toughest athletes in the world, and this training helps to prepare them for the chaotic violence of a street fight.
Aikido
Aikido is a martial art that teaches how to use an attacker's energy against them. The method involves using the motion of the attack and utilizing this force to redirect the attack. If you train in aikido you will also learn throws and joint locks which can be used to completely neutralize an attack.
Aikido instructor Tony Hughes, on the Koshinkan Aikodo Society website, he says aikido is an effective form of self defense against a street attack after 20 years of practice. Maybe more importantly he states the importance of the attitude and self-confidence that aikido training gives you. He says that most victims of aggression invite it by being in the wrong place at the wrong time, or by their negative "attack me I'm a weakling" body language. Both of these easily avoidable traits should be naturally remedied by the awareness and attitude that comes from training.
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