How to choose your first Martial Art
In this article I will try to help you in beginning your Martial Arts journey.
We will begin by assuming that you have no idea yet as to which Martial Art is right for you.
Be aware of trends.
Without getting into the modern history of Martial Arts, just like in any field, there are trends that come and go. Let’s take the fashion industry as an example. Whatever you see in fashion today is very likely to have been in trends years, sometimes decades prior to becoming today’s “must have”.
As we evolve as a society our needs and desires evolve as well. Lucky enough, Martial Arts have been around us for several centuries and the core knowledge have been put to the test through times of war with the need for civilisations to survive and achieve peace on the long run, for all communities.
It is not surprising if today a large amount of people finds interest in learning MMA (Mixed Martial Arts). In fact, the growing popularity of MMA and its wide reach -thanks to companies such as UFC (USA) and Pride (Japan)- tells us enough about how impactful and eye-opening a trend can be.
To conclude this intro, have a quick look at the highlighted ticket revenue as well as the PPV buys and TV ratings in screenshot below.
MMA is a mix of several Martial Arts, combined in order to form a polyvalent fighter capable to compete for the title of the “undisputed world champion”. And meanwhile, be able to put on a show, generating millions for himself and -mostly- for the promoters and venues.
That said, MMA isn’t a Martial Art per se. And if you decide to dive straight into Mixed Martial Arts, be aware of the following facts:
- MMA fighters are already complete martial artists. They often have a previous experience in traditional Martial Arts or even street fighting.
- Practicing MMA is a highly competitive endeavour. Unless you are ready to devote yourself to your training, you will get hurt.
- MMA can be costly. Not only financially but health-wise as well. Here is why the great Jon Jones -who is an incredible athlete btw- have decided to spread awareness about this side of the game. Know what you are getting yourself into.
That’s why, as spectacular and effective as MMA can be, these are the main reasons for you, beginner, to first find yourself within the scope of traditional Martial Arts such as Karate, Aikido, Kung Fu, Judo…
Einstein was right.
First of all, any Martial Art will teach you more than basics fighting skills. That is, of course, if you enter the right dojo/training center. And it’s all up to you.
“I never teach my pupils, I only provide the conditions in which they can learn”. Albert Einstein
Depending on what art you choose, you will acquire not only the technical knowledge related to that art but as well as the core principles behind every Martial Art. These pillars, this philosophy is commonly called “Budo” (the Martial Way). Also, read about “Bushido” (the Way of the Samurai).
No matter what Martial Art you decide to start, please make sure you feel that these values are present amongst your Sensei, your lessons, and yourself.
More than punching kicking and choking your opponent, Martial Arts are each built on philosophy, often several centuries old. Any Sensei, black belt, instructor, coach must be aware of the customs, the roots of his/her discipline.
Follow your heart.
Feel free to try several dojos. Come watch a class to feel the vibe, then come back again and give it a try, as often the first lesson is free. Pay a great deal of attention to the virtues mentioned previously. If you sense in any way that the Sensei/Instructor isn’t at the level of expectations based on what you expect from any human being, leave. And never come back. Morons are everywhere and Martial Arts isn’t an exception.
Let me emphasise one key element: promoting violence -in any way- is a major red flag, including with fighting sports such as Boxing and Muay Thai. Even when sparring on the ring with real blows, you must feel safe and respected by your training buddies and of course by the coach.
What if the other pupils display bad behaviour?
The dojo/training center owner must run a business. The lines are blurry when it comes to sanction bad behaviour. What you must primarily focus on is the Master in charge of the place and his interaction with these problem guys. You are all there to learn and although it’s unfair to kick out someone in an arbitrarily fashion, most of the problematic pupils leave by themselves. It may seem impressive at first to join an existing group as a newcomer but as long as you manage to put your ego aside to stay humble, fair play, overall kind and respectful, you will make your marks relatively fast and become one of them.
It’s about the learning curve.
So we finally get to our main topic: choose the right Martial Art for you. Depending on who you are and what you want, you may prefer something more spiritual and artistic like Aikido or a certain Karate style if you seek something more punchy. What you will not escape however is that learning curve, the common denominator in all Martial Arts. And arts in general. You may practice Tai Chi or Muay Thai, every Martial Art has a certain learning curve and it comes down to what matters the most: having fun while learning. By fun I do not mean “woohoo” fun. But real fun. The one that is a perfect balance of positive and negative. The fun where you find yourself out of your comfort zone, the fun that hurts as much as the fun that makes you shed a tear from the satisfaction of having accomplished something new. The kind of fun that will always bring you back to that dojo, to that mat, to that group.
I will not explain about the different Martial Arts in this article. If you wish to read more about each one of them here are the Wikipedia links to the top ten Martial Arts: Karate, Taekwondo, Judo, Aikido, Jeet Kune Do and Wing Chun, BJJ, Sambo, Kendo, Wrestling.
As for the combat sports: Boxing, Muay Thai, Lethwei, Kickboxing, Fencing.
