How do you select a martial art?

[Howitzer]

I feel that for many martial artists their martial art is chosen due to national and cultural reasons or if it's in the family. Like for example a child born in a family of say karate exponents will obviously be learning karate. A thai person is most likely going to learn muay thai, a japanese karate, a korean taw kwan do etc it feels like they didn't have a choice.

Which martial art would you pick and why?

[tailspin]

Hate to be pecksniffian, but karate originates from Okinawa and has Chinese roots so it is not really Japanese.

Judo, Kendo, naginata, iaido, sumo, jujutsu, etcetc are all Japanese which means a great selection for any Japanese person.....

[Baerboxer]

Hate to be pecksniffian, but karate originates from Okinawa and has Chinese roots so it is not really Japanese.

Judo, Kendo, naginata, iaido, sumo, jujutsu, etcetc are all Japanese which means a great selection for any Japanese person.....

Hate to be picky but Judo and Kendo are sports based on martial arts.

Like modern fencing is in Europe.

[Baerboxer]

First you have to decide what you want to learn a martial art for.

Some martial arts are focused much more on "sport sparring" and competition than others. MMA, Muay Thai and Tae Kwondo all train for competitions. Do you want to fight in competitions, learn for self defense, or good health or a combination.

There is a whole plethora to choose from.

Judo is a sport based on Japanese martial arts that concentrates on throws, locks, chokes and hold downs. Very popular in the West and Putin's choice.

Karate - different styles have different approaches and structures.

Tae Kwondo has, IME in the West, become very focused on sport sparing and competition.

Aikido is quite different but used to be the basis of self defense in some British police and military training.

Chinese Kung <deleted> has many styles, which are quite different. Wing Chun is popular in the UK, along with Praying Mantis and Lau Gar.

Malaysian Silat and the Filipino and Thai martial arts are very effective. Brazilian styles are athletic.

Indian martial arts are not so well practiced outside India or Indian communities but very practical and unique.

Do you want to learn weapons and if so which weapons etc.

Many questions and many choices. Another factor will what is available in your area, the competence and capability of those teaching and how it is being taught.

Your own physical attributes will also help determine which martial arts you'll find more to your liking.

In China school children get credits for learning Chinese Martial Arts. Whilst in Osaka earlier this year I saw a schools Kendo competition, boys and girls. In some countries, you don't get a choice because they don't have people with money to attract foreign teachers. Others do.

I'm always surprised at how popular Tae Kwondo is in Thailand, which has it's own traditions. But I guess it's because it's an Olympic sport.

Enjoy, whatever you choose - but look around and do some research to.

[DirtyDan]

To each their own - what do you want out of this martial arts study? That's the first question you need to answer - trophies and medals? Quiet practice and meditation? Weapons training? Discipline and respect? Physical fitness? Something the family can do together?

The only thing I can add to BaerBoxer's comment is to just try one. Give it 6 months to see if you like it - an honest 6 months where you practice 3 times a week. I tried various sports growing up until, as a young adult, I stumbled into a Chinese martial art different from anything else I had played with (two different Japanese sports as a kid). This was no longer about training for competition or scoring points but about self-enlightenment via physical awareness and practice of ancient forms. I have a close friend that still loves his Taekwondo and he wouldn't trade the competition for anything but I never had the bloodlust for points. Think of it like yoga - one studio will be putting you through a hard-core workout while the next will have you sitting in a circle and humming. Each school is different and you need to find one that matches your philosophy.

Edited November 30, 2015 by DirtyDan

[tailspin]

Unfortunately, your fallacy of equivocation and semantic shift to prove your point, do not take away from the fact, that you are wrong.

But who am I to say...let's rely on wiki shall we,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kendo

Kendo (剣道, kendō^?, lit. "sword way") is a modern Japanese martial art,......

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judo

Judo (柔道, jūdō^?, meaning "gentle way") is a modern martial art, .....

While both may be practiced as sports, the vast majority of budo-ka study these in a pure budo and non-sporting sense. Nothing more in common with fencing than tiddlywinks....

Hate to be pecksniffian, but karate originates from Okinawa and has Chinese roots so it is not really Japanese.

Judo, Kendo, naginata, iaido, sumo, jujutsu, etcetc are all Japanese which means a great selection for any Japanese person.....

Hate to be picky but Judo and Kendo are sports based on martial arts.

Like modern fencing is in Europe.

Edited November 30, 2015 by tailspin

[Baerboxer]

Unfortunately, your fallacy of equivocation and semantic shift to prove your point, do not take away from the fact, that you are wrong.

But who am I to say...let's rely on wiki shall we,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kendo

Kendo (剣道, kendō^?, lit. "sword way") is a modern Japanese martial art,......

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judo

Judo (柔道, jūdō^?, meaning "gentle way") is a modern martial art, .....

While both may be practiced as sports, the vast majority of budo-ka study these in a pure budo and non-sporting sense. Nothing more in common with fencing than tiddlywinks....

Hate to be pecksniffian, but karate originates from Okinawa and has Chinese roots so it is not really Japanese.

Judo, Kendo, naginata, iaido, sumo, jujutsu, etcetc are all Japanese which means a great selection for any Japanese person.....

Hate to be picky but Judo and Kendo are sports based on martial arts.

Like modern fencing is in Europe.

Seeing as you seem to rely on Wiki:

Judo (柔道 jūdō^?, meaning "gentle way") is a modern martial art, combat and Olympic sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano (嘉納治五郎). Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the objective is to either throw or takedown an opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue an opponent with a pin, or force an opponent to submit with a joint lock or achoke. Strikes and thrusts by hands and feet as well as weapons defenses are a part of judo, but only in pre-arranged forms (kata, 形) and are not allowed in judo competition or free practice (randori, 乱取り)

You accidentally missed off the bit about Olympic SPORT.

Kendo is an activity that combines martial arts practices and values with strenuous sport-like physical activity - Whoops you missed that bit too.

I would like to know what you base your statement on that the vast majority do not study these in the sporting sense. Whilst paying homage to the martial art heritage, spirit and culture, the majority I've seen and know, (which is a tiny minority of course and arguably only a convenience based sample) treat them more as competition sports. Sadly, Tae Kwon do has gone the same way.

And another - that's the problem with Wiki, just don't know their sports from their martial arts:

Today, naginatajutsu is most often practiced in the form of a sport called either the "way of the naginata" (長刀道 naginatadō^?), or "new naginata" (新しい長刀 atarashii naginata^?), which in Japan is governed by the All Japan Naginata Federation (AJN). It is most common in Japan for this sport to be practiced by women at the collegiate level.

Your lack of understanding of European martial arts, which can easily be researched, is lamentable. Maybe too much Hollywood view of fencing and sword fighting.

Edited November 30, 2015 by Baerboxer

[DirtyDan]

If it ends in -jutsu, it's a martial art.

If it ends in -do, it's a modern interpretation of the art evolved into sport form. (But it still retains enough of the history to arguably be referred to as an art by those that practice it)

Kendo practitioners have sticks to whack their opponent to score points.

Kenjustsu followers study the way of the sword in order to incapacitate/eliminate a threat.

Anyone that references wiki as a valid information source does not know how to reference valid information sources; there's a reason it's disallowed by schools/colleges for citation.

So back to OP - sport & health, or self-defense, or exploring ancient systems of thought and meditation. They're all available, it's up to you to decide.

[tailspin]

As I stated, both are martial arts that are also practiced as sports.....not only as sports, as you incorrectly asserted.

I base my comments on practitioners on years of in-depth study and many friends at both 全日本剣道連盟, and the kodokan for judo....pretty valid sources compared to your limited sample size. The top teachers and students in naginata in Japan, also do not practice it as a sport, as this is for kids...source? yeah you guessed it, I actually have practiced at real schools with real hardcore senseis/students in Japan, unlike you.

As for European martial arts, that is laughable....there are none, all are sports.....however, the best martial activity seems to be invading other countries, but it is run more like a business rather than a martial art....next....

For fencing though I prefer to watch old Errol Flynn re-runs rather than Euro-sports or Olympics....

Good luck in your ongoing quest for knowledge......

Unfortunately, your fallacy of equivocation and semantic shift to prove your point, do not take away from the fact, that you are wrong.

But who am I to say...let's rely on wiki shall we,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kendo

Kendo (剣道, kendō^?, lit. "sword way") is a modern Japanese martial art,......

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judo

Judo (柔道, jūdō^?, meaning "gentle way") is a modern martial art, .....

While both may be practiced as sports, the vast majority of budo-ka study these in a pure budo and non-sporting sense. Nothing more in common with fencing than tiddlywinks....

Hate to be pecksniffian, but karate originates from Okinawa and has Chinese roots so it is not really Japanese.

Judo, Kendo, naginata, iaido, sumo, jujutsu, etcetc are all Japanese which means a great selection for any Japanese person.....

Hate to be picky but Judo and Kendo are sports based on martial arts.

Like modern fencing is in Europe.

Seeing as you seem to rely on Wiki:

Judo (柔道 jūdō^?, meaning "gentle way") is a modern martial art, combat and Olympic sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano (嘉納治五郎). Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the objective is to either throw or takedown an opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue an opponent with a pin, or force an opponent to submit with a joint lock or achoke. Strikes and thrusts by hands and feet as well as weapons defenses are a part of judo, but only in pre-arranged forms (kata, 形) and are not allowed in judo competition or free practice (randori, 乱取り)

You accidentally missed off the bit about Olympic SPORT.

Kendo is an activity that combines martial arts practices and values with strenuous sport-like physical activity - Whoops you missed that bit too.

I would like to know what you base your statement on that the vast majority do not study these in the sporting sense. Whilst paying homage to the martial art heritage, spirit and culture, the majority I've seen and know, (which is a tiny minority of course and arguably only a convenience based sample) treat them more as competition sports. Sadly, Tae Kwon do has gone the same way.

And another - that's the problem with Wiki, just don't know their sports from their martial arts:

Today, naginatajutsu is most often practiced in the form of a sport called either the "way of the naginata" (長刀道 naginatadō^?), or "new naginata" (新しい長刀 atarashii naginata^?), which in Japan is governed by the All Japan Naginata Federation (AJN). It is most common in Japan for this sport to be practiced by women at the collegiate level.

Your lack of understanding of European martial arts, which can easily be researched, is lamentable. Maybe too much Hollywood view of fencing and sword fighting.

[tailspin]

unfortunately your jutsu/do definition is not correct.

For instance bu-do...ends in do and refers to overall martial arts dating to samurai times.

What about aikido...not a sport for sure.

Or here's another one, sa-do....tea ceremony.

Anything ending in -do is loosely translated in English as a way, but there is no direct comparison form Japanese as they are a combination of the perfection of technique, mind and body. In the case of Japan the only competition is with self and death.

The real spanner in the works though is MMA which is about as far from a martial art as you can get.

It should actually be called Mixed Martial Sports......

Ok, I am getting tired from typing and teaching....off you go grasshoppers...it may take some time to absorb this.

If it ends in -jutsu, it's a martial art.

If it ends in -do, it's a modern interpretation of the art evolved into sport form. (But it still retains enough of the history to arguably be referred to as an art by those that practice it)

Kendo practitioners have sticks to whack their opponent to score points.

Kenjustsu followers study the way of the sword in order to incapacitate/eliminate a threat.

Anyone that references wiki as a valid information source does not know how to reference valid information sources; there's a reason it's disallowed by schools/colleges for citation.

So back to OP - sport & health, or self-defense, or exploring ancient systems of thought and meditation. They're all available, it's up to you to decide.

[DirtyDan]

Regardless of the random examples put forth, I -do think you've hijacked the thread from the OP's original question.

That hard-core school you speak of, was it the Cobra Kai Dojo by chance?

Edited December 1, 2015 by DirtyDan

[derble]

As I stated, both are martial arts that are also practiced as sports.....not only as sports, as you incorrectly asserted.

I base my comments on practitioners on years of in-depth study and many friends at both 全日本剣道連盟, and the kodokan for judo....pretty valid sources compared to your limited sample size. The top teachers and students in naginata in Japan, also do not practice it as a sport, as this is for kids...source? yeah you guessed it, I actually have practiced at real schools with real hardcore senseis/students in Japan, unlike you.

As for European martial arts, that is laughable....there are none, all are sports.....however, the best martial activity seems to be invading other countries, but it is run more like a business rather than a martial art....next....

For fencing though I prefer to watch old Errol Flynn re-runs rather than Euro-sports or Olympics....

Good luck in your ongoing quest for knowledge......

Sensei, thank you for your valued contributions...we are not worthy....I know you will not ignore the detractors, but they really are ignorant.....

Edited December 1, 2015 by derble

[Blackheart]

Traditional artist will always disrespect mma.

But remember it evolved from traditional arts fighting each other.

Being an athlete does not mean they cannot defend themselves outside of the ring, on the contrary it gives an almost real Fight experience.

In a dark alley my money is on an experienced mma fighter over a traditional art, why it's proven itself even over traditional arts.

They mix arts to fill the Gaps, ground,standing,take Downs etc.

All traditional arts are missing one major aspect at least.

[starky]

I agree MMA has certainly changed what it means to be a "complete" fighter. If you want to learn to fight you need long range and short range attacks as well as what to do when you go to ground. I have studied a number of martial arts and styles since the age of 5 but was drawn to Muay Thai even before I knew much about Thailand. Personally I think pre MMA it is the best style of stand up ring sport just due to amount of weapons it makes available to you. I think a good base in some sort of Bjj, wrestling or judo is essential too. As for the street IMHO krav maga is probably the simplest and most effective combat art for a person to utilise and I will be encouraging my children to learn as much as they can. Unfortunately I don't know of any good krav maga schools in Thailand especially up where I am but have spent enough years in training that I can provide them with a solid start. As others have said what do you want? To get fit? To learn how to fight? To compete? To defend? To understand more about yourself? For the philosophical aspect? There are a multitude of reasons just as there are a multitude of styles which is what makes the martial arts so beautiful.

[Blackheart]

I agree MMA has certainly changed what it means to be a "complete" fighter. If you want to learn to fight you need long range and short range attacks as well as what to do when you go to ground. I have studied a number of martial arts and styles since the age of 5 but was drawn to Muay Thai even before I knew much about Thailand. Personally I think pre MMA it is the best style of stand up ring sport just due to amount of weapons it makes available to you. I think a good base in some sort of Bjj, wrestling or judo is essential too. As for the street IMHO krav maga is probably the simplest and most effective combat art for a person to utilise and I will be encouraging my children to learn as much as they can. Unfortunately I don't know of any good krav maga schools in Thailand especially up where I am but have spent enough years in training that I can provide them with a solid start. As others have said what do you want? To get fit? To learn how to fight? To compete? To defend? To understand more about yourself? For the philosophical aspect? There are a multitude of reasons just as there are a multitude of styles which is what makes the martial arts so beautiful.

I began training in boxing at about 4. Muay thai at fourteen.

I had the opportunity to grapple with a bjj world champion, I realised I was a baby on the ground, even his smaller female students were tapping me at will.

Opened my eyes for the better.

Muay thai is my most loved but even on the feet boxing improves the hands.

Now I want to add small circle submissions from Daito ryu and aikido, the small joint manipulations banned in sport's.

[arunsakda]

Krav Maga is Badass for self defense and escape.

[Howitzer]

To each their own - what do you want out of this martial arts study? That's the first question you need to answer - trophies and medals? Quiet practice and meditation? Weapons training? Discipline and respect? Physical fitness? Something the family can do together?

The only thing I can add to BaerBoxer's comment is to just try one. Give it 6 months to see if you like it - an honest 6 months where you practice 3 times a week. I tried various sports growing up until, as a young adult, I stumbled into a Chinese martial art different from anything else I had played with (two different Japanese sports as a kid). This was no longer about training for competition or scoring points but about self-enlightenment via physical awareness and practice of ancient forms. I have a close friend that still loves his Taekwondo and he wouldn't trade the competition for anything but I never had the bloodlust for points. Think of it like yoga - one studio will be putting you through a hard-core workout while the next will have you sitting in a circle and humming. Each school is different and you need to find one that matches your philosophy.

What do i want out of this martial arts study?

Obviously to kick @ss!!!!!

To know i am the biggest bad @SS in town.

To know i could easily submit anyone i came into contact with.

To be out numbered and still come out the victor.

Secondly to be able to do some neat tricks.

Doing nice flips, breaking some boards/ hard objects etc etc would be cool but the first point able to defeat anyone whenever i like whether i was the aggressor or not is the top priority.

[Howitzer]

If it ends in -jutsu, it's a martial art.

If it ends in -do, it's a modern interpretation of the art evolved into sport form. (But it still retains enough of the history to arguably be referred to as an art by those that practice it)

Kendo practitioners have sticks to whack their opponent to score points.

Kenjustsu followers study the way of the sword in order to incapacitate/eliminate a threat.

Anyone that references wiki as a valid information source does not know how to reference valid information sources; there's a reason it's disallowed by schools/colleges for citation.

So back to OP - sport & health, or self-defense, or exploring ancient systems of thought and meditation. They're all available, it's up to you to decide.

That only covers the japanese aspect of martial arts.

Anyway i already replied earlier. I want to learn martial arts to kick @ss. That's the whole point. If i wanted a sport hey football or basketball is fine. You get to kick and in a way use your arms.

I find martial arts as a sport to be a joke. I suppose it's a sport as in who can do the best looking kicks in mid air that have 0 practical usage in real life.

[Andyz27]

Testing your skills in competition is the best way to improve. Steel sharpens steel

[nausea]

Depends what you want. Personally, if I had my time again, I would go for a controlled full contact sport like Judo. I'd steer clear of  boxing in all its forms cos of the brain damage. If you're into Judo you probably would be introduced to Atemi and Ju-Jitsu, which are like the combat forms of the sport. But you need the full physical contact thing first. It just keeps you in the real world. Besides, learning to fall can be really useful, saved me from serious injury a couple of times. I don''t deny the usefulness of boxing skills, but I don't know if the pen is worth the paper, in the long term.

[Adrian Hunt3r]

There are numerous reasons that may shape your end decision to pick a martial arts to master. For instance, you can simply choose one because it is the dominant culture in your country like Tae Kwon Do in Korea or Kung <deleted> in China.

 

Another reason you may select a martial arts is the end result you seek from it. What do you really want to learn martial arts for? Yes, it is primarily for self-defense but are you also looking for fitness, physique, agility, technique, power and explosive strength? Some martial arts like sumo wrestling and Aikido focus simply on technique (and they do a pretty good job too coz they're absolutely lethal). So in the end, it really depends on what YOU want to see in yourself.

 

Personally, I prefer a martial art that teaches technique and strengthens me while also making me look good and fit.

[nausea]

You don't, you fall into it. Like I fell into Kung-<deleted> cos some guy opened a Kung-<deleted> club at our local church hall, Bruce Lee was all the rage, I got into Kung-<deleted>. What I'm saying is that it maybe depends on what is fashionable at the time, and what contacts/opportunities you have. In Thailand you have to be pretty stupid not to get into Muay Thai.

[nausea]

That's rather hilarious. What happened to my Fs and Us I mean.

[Panda13]

What do i want out of this martial arts study?
Obviously to kick @ss!!!!!
To know i am the biggest bad @SS in town.
To know i could easily submit anyone i came into contact with.
To be out numbered and still come out the victor.
Secondly to be able to do some neat tricks.
Doing nice flips, breaking some boards/ hard objects etc etc would be cool but the first point able to defeat anyone whenever i like whether i was the aggressor or not is the top priority.