Ted Hanulak asked:


People often argue over which martial art is the most effective martial art. Generally that goes along with whatever is most popular in pop culture at that time. There was a time that people thought Kung-Fu as the best martial art because of Bruce Lee or Karate because of Chuck Norris or now Jujutsu because of the UFC. The secret is not which martial art is best, the secret lies in how the student trains in that martial art, which ever martial art.

 

You must train realistically in order for the martial art to have any street self defense value. This means forget about stopping a strike an inch before its target. It is about striking through the target. Many martial arts training have attacks that are unrealistic. The striking distances are off, the attacks are lame at best. When you are first learning a technique you of course will practice the technique in slow motion in order to get the mechanics down. Once this occurs, the attacks must be taken to the next level. The attack must be full force. Yes, this means that if the defender makes a mistake, he will get hit hard and possibly hurt. This is the best way to practice. You get a legitimate feel for being attacked for real. If you are worried about getting hurt in training then you shouldn’t be studying a martial art for self defense.

 

Now insert which ever martial art you like. There are advantages to ground fighting, kicking, throwing, etc. This is where the uniqueness of each martial art comes in. But the attacks will be the same. The attacks should be like street attacks. We should not tailor the attacks to compliment each martial art style. That is a mistake. Remember, it is not the martial art itself that is best but how the martial artist trains in that system.



Joe

Paul A. Walker asked:


A lot of people nowadays are getting into the martial arts and choosing a school without even knowing which style of martial arts the school teaches. Some schools are not totally clear on what their style is as many are practicing and teaching a hybrid mix of multiple arts. Is this a problem? Should you know which style you practice? Are clearly lineated styles even important? The easy answer to all of these questions is yes and no. Unfortunately there are hidden costs involved in choosing the wrong style of martial arts.

Here’s why:

· Choosing a style based on popularity rather than something that fits your personal strengths

Just because a style is the most popular thing going doesn’t mean that it is right for you. Taekwondo has held the interest of many a young person due to its dynamic and spectacular kicks. If you are athletic and flexible then this might be the art for you but if you have bad knees and worse hamstrings, then think twice.

Not too long ago, Tae Bo was the big thing. At first glance some people thought this was a martial art, especially as the founder Billy Blanks was a former karate champion. However, some of them were disappointed to find out that Tae Bo was a new style aerobic workout using martial arts techniques that has little to no self-defense value.

More recently Mixed Martial Arts has become hugely popular and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is attracting record numbers on its Pay-Per-View events. Consequently, many young people are hoping to ride the next wave of popular martial arts. However if you want to keep your good looks, straight nose and nicely-shaped ears you might want to reconsider.

The bottom line is that you should try to find a martial art that matches your strengths and not your weaknesses.

· Picking a martial art that has conflicting values with your core beliefs

The majority of martial arts have a certain amount of traditional “baggage” that comes with them. This “baggage” can sometimes include some rather esoteric practices and mystical thinking that you may or may not be comfortable with. Most people are able to accept these practices at face value and in many cases the various martial arts schools water down some of the stranger customs and forms of etiquette in the interest of blending in with our popular culture.

Some people however feel that their own personal religious preferences and ideals are being compromised and therefore can feel more than a little uncomfortable. If this description fits you then you might want to check out your chosen style’s practices and customs before you make your final decision. This factor is usually not an issue but it doesn’t hurt to check out this aspect of your martial art before making a commitment.

· Enrolling in a martial arts school based on price rather than quality

This factor can work for you and against you. There is no regulation in the martial arts industry that defines what standards a good school should uphold. Also there are a wide range of martial artists who are full-time commercial school owners and some who are part-time hobbyists.

Most people’s perception is that the more expensive the school the better the martial art. Sometimes this is true but sometimes the local community center has a great martial artist offering a great service. Expensive schools usually offer excellent training facilities and great customer service together with well-structured programs.

Cheaper schools or classes generally offer lesser facilities and sometimes inferior instruction, but very often there are some hidden gems to be discovered. Don’t overlook these people just because of price. Conversely don’t overlook the big schools because they are “too expensive”. Make your decision based on quality and not price.

· Opening the Yellow Pages and choosing a karate school just because the ad looked good

Looks can be deceiving and just because an ad in the Yellow Pages looks good doesn’t mean that the karate school is the right one for you. It just means that they are better at marketing and design than some of the other schools listed in the same pages. Check into a few of the schools by calling them and visiting them and then make your decision. It might end up that you still go to the school with the cool ad and that’s fine, but at least you looked around a little first.

So what is the moral of the story? Do your research first, before you begin your martial arts practice! A little extra time spent up front will more than likely pay dividends later. The martial arts often turns into a lifetime endeavor. You probably won’t be too happy if you spend some significant time practicing a certain style of martial arts only to find out that there is nowhere else to go unless you change your style.

I speak from personal experience here so please listen to what I’m saying. I spent the first ten years of my martial arts practice studying a style of karate that had been invented by my instructor. I was lucky because this particular instructor was actually very good at the martial arts and had developed his style based on what he felt was the best from some of the mainstream karate styles.

Consequently, when he decided to end his study of the martial arts due to family commitments, the transition into my current style of Shotokan Karate was not too difficult due to the similarities with my first style of karate. Fortunately I have few regrets based on the life lessons I received from my first instructor. Some of you may be less fortunate and will have to change altogether.

For a comprehensive guide on how to choose the right style and the right school for you just download my FREE Report, “Karate for Newcomers: How to Find Out Everything You Need to Know to Start Your Karate Practice”. You will find it at http://www.freekarateinformation.com.

Good luck and best wishes on your journey in karate.



Debra

some guy asked:


There is no best art, only a practitioner, every one has their preferences.SO what martial art do you find works best for YOU? If you cross train please tell me what combination of arts you think work best for you. Please only people who train in arts, not a person behind the computer saying muay thai, BJJ, and wrestling because it works in the UFC. Thanks.
clowns you contribute alot to Y!A MA community but are you sure you practice Tae Kwan Do? you seemed to have spelled it wrong, or is it a typo?
Edit: clowns I am an on and off martial artist some martial arts I have taken a few classes in but can’t say are my arts are Kyokushin karate, Tae kwan do, and Judo. I have trained for 1 and 3/4 year muay thai 1/2 year mma, and 2 months bjj. I also took Krav Maga for 3 months but you can say I don’t have that much experiene compared to others on th MA Y!A board.
Oops meant to say experience*

Stephanie