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If you would like to start practicing some martial arts, you will have to do some solid research before deciding on what kind of Asian martial arts you want to learn and finding what themuscle definition is. In addition, you may also learn about the advantages and disadvantages of Asian martial arts.
Advantages
Strength. Asian martial arts make you fit and teach you how to be a man. During classes, you may encounter either classical exercises such as push-ups and sit-ups, or a cardio set of exercises. In any case, your muscles will not be flabby.
Flexibility. It cannot be said that physically fit people are flexible solely because of the martial arts, but in many ways, flexibility can be acquired through practicing martial arts. In your classes, you will be required to do some mandatory exercises for flexibility.
Confidence. The awareness of the fact that you are able to protect yourself if something should happen to you is a great feeling indeed.
Disadvantages
Bruises. There will be a lot of them, and they will be everywhere if you train hard solving the “how to get bigger biceps” issue. Prepare for the fact that at first, you will have green knees, purple wrists, and blue forearms.
Injuries. The risk of dislocating the shoulder when practicing Asian martial arts is higher compared to, for example, conventional aerobics.
Too much confidence. As mentioned above, the realization of one’s own strength provides peace of mind. But it can also hurt. The fact that you learn to win over your rivals in training does not mean that your technique will greatly help you in a real-life situation. In class, everyone plays along, attack from the comfortable side and hold the blows slightly. When it comes to street fights, you cannot count on that.
Tips on choosing personal Asian martial arts
1. Establish your budget. Some Asian martial arts will require you to buy expensive equipment. For example, Kendo’s armor can cost up to $1,000, while Karate requires only a white uniform. It does not make sense to be interested in something, which you cannot afford.
2. Determine your main objective. The four main goals are usually the following:
(a) Health and fitness with martial arts knowledge as a secondary benefit.
(b) Martial skill as a primary interest, coupled with health and physical fitness.
(c) Being part of an inheritance and the Asian cultural tradition that goes back to thousands of years.
(d) Win trophies at sporting events.
3. Choose a martial art style. You could choose a hard style, like Muay Thai (Thailand); an intermediate style, such as Tae Kwon Do or Hapkido (Korea); a traditional art of soft style, such as Aikido (Japan); or one of the many styles of Kung Fu (China). Do you want to compete one-on-one in the ring with opponents who use the same style as you, study the traditions of a particular martial art, or learn to defend yourself against real-life street attackers? The training methods differ widely, and most Asian martial arts schools focus on one aspect only.
Take a few minutes to find information on the Internet about the style that has caught your eye and check more details if that is what you are looking for. If you cannot find that info, do a bit more research on Asian martial arts forums.
4. Recognize your physical limitations. If you are an old person or you are not very acrobatic, probably Wushu (China) is not for you, but Tai Chi (China) could be just what you are looking for. Popular styles, such as Judo, Aikido, or Jiu-Jutsu are close to combat martial arts, so they emphasize the technique and, therefore, are more useful to you. In the same way, Chinese fighting styles tend to rely primarily on technique and depend less on having a particular stature or weight to succeed.
5. Consider your cultural interests. If you have a respect for the Asian culture, you can learn more about it through martial arts. If that is part of your goal, choose a school where a native Asian gives lessons. Similarly, if you have been assigned with an essay on the Asian culture, you can find somebody to do university assignment for you.
6. Decide when to start. Before joining a class, make sure to attend classes of others. Although, for some, it is better to simply jump in and then figure out which style works for you the best.
7. Decide if the teaching style fits your personality or not. If you are looking to learn a particular type of Asian martial arts, make sure to choose the one that will be suitable for your personality.
8. Take note of the students at your prospective school and the way they interact with each other and with their teachers. Are they friendly and respectful? Would you consider them to be friends? You will spend a lot of time with them, so it is important to understand the microclimate.
9. When visiting your local Asian martial arts schools, keep in mind that many teachers will tell you that their school style is the best. There are many martial artists who are very loyal to their art and who will be offended if you express interest in another style, probably are not the best instructors.
10. Remember that there are no superior Asian martial arts. There are only superior martial artists. All Asian martial arts have advantages and disadvantages. All you have to do is pick the one that speaks to you!
