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Martial Art
Would you like to find inner peace or break a cement block with your head? How about both? Martial arts can be an effective way to gain mental and physical fitness, or a way to drain your wallet and fill you head with nonsense. This article will help you make the right choice.
Steps
Set a budget. Some arts require a significant investment in equipment. For example, Kendo armor can run up to $5,000 US, while Karate requires only a white cotton uniform. There's no point in getting interested in something you ultimately can't afford to do.
Decide whether you want a sport, such as Taekwondo (Korea), traditional art, such as Aikido (Japan), or a practical fighting art, such as Jiujitsu (Japan/Brazil) and Western Martial Arts (Europe); that is, do you want to compete one-on-one in the ring with opponents who use the same style as you, or study the traditions of a particular culture's martial art, or learn to defend yourself against real-life attackers on the street? The training methods are different, and most martial arts focus on one aspect.
Recognize your physical limitations. If you are older or not very acrobatic, Wushu (China) probably isn't for you, but Tai Chi (China) might suit you nicely.
Consider your cultural interests. If you have a respect for or interest in a certain culture, learning more through one of their martial arts can be a great experience. If that is part of your goal, choose a school taught by a native of that culture, or someone who trained directly under someone of that culture.
Consider the effectiveness of the martial art as well. For example, a modern martial art such as Krav Maga (Israel), reconstructed Western Martial Arts such as ARMA (Europe) or classes lead by experienced soldiers or police officers will place a greater emphasis on the "martial" aspect rather than the "art." This is not to say that traditional Asian arts are less important; it is simply a matter of understanding that these ancient Eastern martial arts are often not practical approaches to self-defense, but spiritual paths meant to shape character, and so it may take longer to learn basic self defense this way.
Before joining a class, sit in as a polite observer three times. Decide whether or not the teaching style suits your personality. If you are looking to learn practical martial arts, does the class encourage or allow beginners to get involved in sparring or "free-play" or is this reserved for more advanced students who have spent more time and money at the dojo? Look at the students as well. Would you like to hang out with them? You're going to be spending significant amounts of time with them, and putting your safety in their hands; if that makes you uncomfortable, keep looking.
Check the teacher's qualifications. Don't worry so much about degrees and certificates; there are no universal grading standards and no universally-recognized governing body in martial arts. What's important is:
Who did this person learn from?
How long did he or she study with this person?
How long has he/she practiced this art?
Does the teacher have any experience as a teacher, or is he or she simply a skilled martial artist? Just like great football players can make bad coaches (and vice versa), great martial artists are not necessarily great teachers.
Set aside a significant amount of time each week to dedicate to your training. Most arts have exercises or forms you can practice at home to keep it all fresh in your mind; if you only practice at class, your progress will probably be stunted.
Tips
Rather than focusing on a specific art, it may be better to find the best teacher in your area, and study whatever he or she is teaching. As the months go by, the frustration of long travel times to and from class can lead to quitting early.
Understand that arts established in modern times and founded by one person (e.g. Aikido, Judo) will have a more consistent curriculum than older arts practiced by multiple teachers (e.g. Karate, Wushu, Tai Chi). If you plan to travel, move around, or would like to practice in different cities, take this into consideration. A black belt in one Karate school is not necessarily recognized by another, even within the same styles (e.g. Shotokan, Wado-Ryu, Goju-Ryu), because of the art's eclectic tradition, but Judo groups usually follow the same training guidelines as its founder.
Review the grading methods and fees involved in a school before joining. Most schools have adopted the Japanese black belt grading system (developed for Judo in the 1880s), but what's required to earn black belt can vary widely, and some schools can charge hundreds of dollars for black belt degrees. You need to decide whether or not it's worth it to you; remember, a black belt degree has no meaning outside the school that awarded it. If you have a third-degree black belt in a Shotokan Karate school and join a Goju-Ryu Karate school, you will be a white belt again.
Avoid schools that have advanced degree requirements that their own founders would not qualify for. The degree inflation that has developed since the 1960s is a result of egotism and commerce. For example, if it takes 30 years of training to earn the highest degree in the school, and yet the school's founder only trained directly under his or her teacher for 5 years, ask why. It could be that the founder trained 4 hours a day every day as a live-in disciple, and you only go to class 2 hours a week; or it could be that the school's teaching methods are inefficient.
Be careful about the intermixing of martial arts and spirituality. Some groups promote mystical ideas that you may or may not agree with, such as the idea that you can heal or protect yourself by using the body's energy, or Ch'i/Qi (Chinese), Ki (Japanese).
Learn the vocabulary of your art. Keep in mind that many arts use the word "karate" as a generic term, when among martial artists it refers specifically to an empty-handed art of self-defense which developed in Okinawa, Japan in the 1300s and became a sport in mainland Japan in the 1930s. Likewise "kung-fu" (or gongfu) is a generic term for "training" or "hard work," and does not itself define a Chinese style, such as Wushu.
Warnings
Martial arts teachers are not necessarily sports physiologists or trained educators. If some form of training keeps injuring you and the teacher will not modify it to suit your body, quit the class. If you're not able to understand or learn at a reasonable pace, find a new teacher. Even a great teacher is not necessarily the best teacher for every student.
Sport martial arts (e.g. Taekwondo, Japanese Karate, and Judo) have a higher injury rate than traditional or self-defense martial arts (e.g. Aikido, Tai Chi, Okinawan Karate). It is common for people to practice sport arts in their teens and early twenties, then shift to traditional arts.
Teachers may insist on being called sensei or sifu or master, according to their training and school's tradition. It may be sufficient in some schools to call the teacher Mr./Mrs. So-and-so, as with any teacher in any class. 'Sensei' is a term of respect, and actually means "teacher" in Japanese.
If the teacher deserves your respect, by all means use the title s/he prefers. Using it also shows respect for the school's customs. If you feel the teacher does not deserve the respect the title implies, choose another school.
Thx Bahram khan .
Steps
Set a budget. Some arts require a significant investment in equipment. For example, Kendo armor can run up to $5,000 US, while Karate requires only a white cotton uniform. There's no point in getting interested in something you ultimately can't afford to do.
Decide whether you want a sport, such as Taekwondo (Korea), traditional art, such as Aikido (Japan), or a practical fighting art, such as Jiujitsu (Japan/Brazil) and Western Martial Arts (Europe); that is, do you want to compete one-on-one in the ring with opponents who use the same style as you, or study the traditions of a particular culture's martial art, or learn to defend yourself against real-life attackers on the street? The training methods are different, and most martial arts focus on one aspect.
Recognize your physical limitations. If you are older or not very acrobatic, Wushu (China) probably isn't for you, but Tai Chi (China) might suit you nicely.
Consider your cultural interests. If you have a respect for or interest in a certain culture, learning more through one of their martial arts can be a great experience. If that is part of your goal, choose a school taught by a native of that culture, or someone who trained directly under someone of that culture.
Consider the effectiveness of the martial art as well. For example, a modern martial art such as Krav Maga (Israel), reconstructed Western Martial Arts such as ARMA (Europe) or classes lead by experienced soldiers or police officers will place a greater emphasis on the "martial" aspect rather than the "art." This is not to say that traditional Asian arts are less important; it is simply a matter of understanding that these ancient Eastern martial arts are often not practical approaches to self-defense, but spiritual paths meant to shape character, and so it may take longer to learn basic self defense this way.
Before joining a class, sit in as a polite observer three times. Decide whether or not the teaching style suits your personality. If you are looking to learn practical martial arts, does the class encourage or allow beginners to get involved in sparring or "free-play" or is this reserved for more advanced students who have spent more time and money at the dojo? Look at the students as well. Would you like to hang out with them? You're going to be spending significant amounts of time with them, and putting your safety in their hands; if that makes you uncomfortable, keep looking.
Check the teacher's qualifications. Don't worry so much about degrees and certificates; there are no universal grading standards and no universally-recognized governing body in martial arts. What's important is:
Who did this person learn from?
How long did he or she study with this person?
How long has he/she practiced this art?
Does the teacher have any experience as a teacher, or is he or she simply a skilled martial artist? Just like great football players can make bad coaches (and vice versa), great martial artists are not necessarily great teachers.
Set aside a significant amount of time each week to dedicate to your training. Most arts have exercises or forms you can practice at home to keep it all fresh in your mind; if you only practice at class, your progress will probably be stunted.
Tips
Rather than focusing on a specific art, it may be better to find the best teacher in your area, and study whatever he or she is teaching. As the months go by, the frustration of long travel times to and from class can lead to quitting early.
Understand that arts established in modern times and founded by one person (e.g. Aikido, Judo) will have a more consistent curriculum than older arts practiced by multiple teachers (e.g. Karate, Wushu, Tai Chi). If you plan to travel, move around, or would like to practice in different cities, take this into consideration. A black belt in one Karate school is not necessarily recognized by another, even within the same styles (e.g. Shotokan, Wado-Ryu, Goju-Ryu), because of the art's eclectic tradition, but Judo groups usually follow the same training guidelines as its founder.
Review the grading methods and fees involved in a school before joining. Most schools have adopted the Japanese black belt grading system (developed for Judo in the 1880s), but what's required to earn black belt can vary widely, and some schools can charge hundreds of dollars for black belt degrees. You need to decide whether or not it's worth it to you; remember, a black belt degree has no meaning outside the school that awarded it. If you have a third-degree black belt in a Shotokan Karate school and join a Goju-Ryu Karate school, you will be a white belt again.
Avoid schools that have advanced degree requirements that their own founders would not qualify for. The degree inflation that has developed since the 1960s is a result of egotism and commerce. For example, if it takes 30 years of training to earn the highest degree in the school, and yet the school's founder only trained directly under his or her teacher for 5 years, ask why. It could be that the founder trained 4 hours a day every day as a live-in disciple, and you only go to class 2 hours a week; or it could be that the school's teaching methods are inefficient.
Be careful about the intermixing of martial arts and spirituality. Some groups promote mystical ideas that you may or may not agree with, such as the idea that you can heal or protect yourself by using the body's energy, or Ch'i/Qi (Chinese), Ki (Japanese).
Learn the vocabulary of your art. Keep in mind that many arts use the word "karate" as a generic term, when among martial artists it refers specifically to an empty-handed art of self-defense which developed in Okinawa, Japan in the 1300s and became a sport in mainland Japan in the 1930s. Likewise "kung-fu" (or gongfu) is a generic term for "training" or "hard work," and does not itself define a Chinese style, such as Wushu.
Warnings
Martial arts teachers are not necessarily sports physiologists or trained educators. If some form of training keeps injuring you and the teacher will not modify it to suit your body, quit the class. If you're not able to understand or learn at a reasonable pace, find a new teacher. Even a great teacher is not necessarily the best teacher for every student.
Sport martial arts (e.g. Taekwondo, Japanese Karate, and Judo) have a higher injury rate than traditional or self-defense martial arts (e.g. Aikido, Tai Chi, Okinawan Karate). It is common for people to practice sport arts in their teens and early twenties, then shift to traditional arts.
Teachers may insist on being called sensei or sifu or master, according to their training and school's tradition. It may be sufficient in some schools to call the teacher Mr./Mrs. So-and-so, as with any teacher in any class. 'Sensei' is a term of respect, and actually means "teacher" in Japanese.
If the teacher deserves your respect, by all means use the title s/he prefers. Using it also shows respect for the school's customs. If you feel the teacher does not deserve the respect the title implies, choose another school.
Thx Bahram khan .
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