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Choosing a martial art is one of the most important, and unfortunately, difficult decisions you will have to make. There are many factors to look at, and lets face it - the more you have going on in your life, the less free time you'll have.

I've read through a lot of the articles here and I agree and disagree with all of them. Hence, this article.

Some of them mention Age, Physical Shape and other factors. All important. Since this is my article, I'm going to write what I have found is important to me. I started martial arts in college around 15 years ago, very naive and not exposed to many choices. I began taking karate through my martial arts club at school. Nice solid basics, good instructor, very decent progression as long as I was willing to work for it. Not a 'belt factory' by any means. (A Belt Factory is a school that tends to make you learn some forms and fight a little and pass you even if you're fairly lousy at it. They want you to continue and keep paying them fees.)

Is karate the right thing for everyone? No. Since that first nervewracking class watching everyone do things I thought I'd never be able to do, I've come a long way. I've taken classes and studied more martial arts than I care to remember. I have a 2nd degree Black Belt in ITF Tae Kwon Do, and a 5th Kyu in Aikido. Which is better? When I was doing TKD, it was TKD. When I was doing jujitsu, it was jujitsu. Now that I am studying Aikido, it's Aikido.

I don't believe in just studying one thing. When I was learning TKD, it was all flying kicks and punching. What happens when I get taken down? Do I know how to fight on the ground? Um...no. Hmmm. Let me try some other stuff.

The thing I am getting at is TRY LOTS OF THINGS!

First and foremost, the most important factor in choosing where to study, is location. They say Location is everything? Well, I am a firm believer in it. The normal pattern for people is to take a few classes, get really into it, and then start rationalizing their way out of it. Find something that's close, and it's a lot easier to convince your tired bones to get to class. If you're a parent and have to hike your kids out to classes, face it - it's a lot easier if it's close.

The most important thing I can convey is look around. If you find some cool obscure style that seems like it'll be awesome, but it's an hour away, take a look at the schools around you. Not only home, but work as well. I've worked out a deal with the local Aikido dojo where I pay a mat fee(a nominal amount to practice for that day) whenever I go in, so I can catch a lunch class or an evening class on my way home. I keep my regular schedule at my home dojo nearer my house, but this allows me to work off some steam. Most Aikido places I've found are really open to this(and a Judo dojo or two I've heard as well).

So, what's my point? My point is this. Open a phone book, look around your area, talk to people you live near, work with, have kids in school with yours. Go, take a free class. If they don't offer one, take that as a bit of a warning sign. The ones that I have found that do that, are interested in making money only.

Keep in mind something else. You are not going to find Mr. Miyagi unless you either research the hell out of your neighbors, or get really lucky. I got lucky for about 3 years studying Jujitsu with a guy in his backyard. In winter, yeah...12 degrees, swinging a staff - talk about intense training :)

Take a look around, try things out, and feel free to email me with questions.

Learn more about this author, Matthew Cushing.
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