Know Yourself Before Learning Martial Arts

by Leni Zyboerle
(http://letslearnmartialarts.com)

Before you start to learn martial arts you should look within yourself and ponder why you want to start learning them. Will they form part of a new fitness regime or are you already very fit and want to learn the fighting? Or are you fit enough to meet the requirements of some of the more energetic martial arts? Can you spare enough of your time to learn a martial art properly? You will surely not progress, and will end up disappointing yourself if you only blow the dust off your kit and turn up to train once a month!

Here are some of the questions you must ask yourself before signing up to train in martial arts.

Why Do I Want to Learn Martial Arts?

Each individual will have his or her own reasons to begin training. You might be determined to become super-fit and see martial arts as a way of doing this through their gruelling and regimented exercise drills. The techniques will become second second nature and you'll achieve superior fitness, so it is a win-win situation.

Alternatively, you may feel the need to learn martial arts for self-defense purposes, and have this as your main focus. You will undoubtedly learn to look after yourself, but will get great health and fitness benefits as an extra bonus.

You might just be a really competitive type of person and want to immerse yourself into the world of competition and sport martial arts, for example taekwondo or mixed martial arts. You will certainly need to be extremely fit and be very skilled in your martial techniques if you are going to win in competition, and these aspects will all become pivotal training goals.

Of course, you might also have an interest in martial arts because you enjoy the culture of its country of origin. This could be reason enough to get involved in learning some of the martial arts skills.

Am I Physically Upto It?

If you are fairly old and not as fit as you used to be, you would probably be well advised not to jump straight into shootfighting! It would be better to learn martial arts like tai chi or aikido, which emphasise technique and look outwardly gentler.

When considering your physical limitations it is wise to think about matching your size and physique to certain groups of martial arts. For example, if you are small, you may decide to learn ju-jitsu, a grappling and locking art, rather than opting for karate or taekwondo, which rely on powerful striking techniques. If you are comfortable taking the middle ground then perhaps the Chinese martial arts offer a solution; many use a range of techniques including striking, locking and throwing.

Do I Have the Time?

To become truly proficient at any martial art, you need to invest a great deal of time and effort. All the teacher can do is show you the techniques and correct your mistakes in class. It's upto you to practise your martial art whenever you can outside lessons.

Do I Have the Money?

Some traditional Japanese martial arts such as kendo require you to buy expensive armour. If you choose an art that demands semi or full contact sparring, you will again need to get hold of gloves and protective equipment. The best idea is to set a budget and use it to determine whether any particular martial art is affordable. You'll need to factor in the costs of tuition, uniforms and protective equipment, gradings, etc.

Now, if you have seriously considered your answers to these questions and are happy, get out there, find yourself a teacher and start to learn martial arts!