Getting Started

Lao Tzu is usually credited with the thousand miles-single step thing, and I suppose that anytime you want to start something it's best to start at the beginning. Since this is the beginning of what I hope to be a long running enterprise, we will begin at the start.

If you are interested in starting martial arts, the first question you should ask yourself is "why?" The reasons for starting such an activity are legion, for they are many, and understanding your motivations for such an undertaking will go a long way towards finding the right art and teacher for you.

Many times, the process for beginning a martial art goes something like this...

Bob (random & easily spelled name) sees a martial art movie or local demo and thinks that it would be neat to start kuhrotty (karate's common pronunciation). Bob then goes to the internet and looks for a school in his local driving radius and picks the one with the coolest website. Eventually, Bob - not knowing what he really wants out of the arts other than "those cool moves" - goes to the school with the coolest website and signs up. Unfortunately, the art is not ideally designed for his build...or the instructor is too "hardcore"...or it just doesn't seem as cool as it did on TV. For any of the above reasons or thousands more, Bob quits thinking that all martial arts are alike and not for him at all.

This is a very common and sad scenario. I feel that the martial arts have something to offer to EVERYBODY. The issue is that there are so damn many arts that it's often too daunting of a task to begin understanding where you fit into the entire picture.

Before I offer a review of what art is for you, I must give this caveat...if you don't live in a metropolitan area, you may have to commute significantly for an in person instructor. If it's not available, there are options that I will discuss later.

As a martial arts instructor, I have to caution you against asking your martial artist friend what you should study. On the one hand, he or she might have your best interest in mind and will direct you well. On the other hand, they might tell you "Oh, I can teach you..." which may or may not be a good idea. If you are going to do that, I highly recommend doing research yourself first, so you can ask the right questions.

What are the right questions? I'd say THAT is the best question. I implore you to not seek answers, but better questions. Here are a few to ask yourself first...

1. Why do I want to study martial arts? Do I seek self-defense, physical conditioning, tradition, social activity, competition, or something else?
2. What is my current physical health level? This is very important, as you must ensure that you are in healthy enough condition to begin various arts...some are much more cardio intensive than others while some specifically start slow and build you up.
3. What kind of setting do I want to study in? There are large schools, backyard dojos, gyms, and everything in between. Some offer private instruction, some only offer group lessons.
4. What level of contact am I willing to participate in? Martial arts all have some level of contact eventually. If you are looking for less touching, a forms based art might be for you...otherwise an MMA school might be what you are looking for.

Asking yourself these questions is a great start to finding your way into the martial arts. Hopefully, these questions will lead you to more questions and you can find better answers. After all, it IS all about finding a better question. until next time...