How to Teach Yourself Martial Arts

Martial arts are good for both body and mind. Depending on where you live, finding a place to learn martial arts can be difficult, let alone the cost of learning. Learning martial arts directly with a teacher is the best, and there is no substitute for hands-on experience. However, there are several options available to those who want to learn martial arts at home.

Table of Contents

Choose the right martial art

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What makes you want to learn martial arts? People start learning martial arts for many reasons. Perhaps you don’t feel well, or don’t want to be bullied.

Learning martial arts is the right choice to improve self-esteem. When you start practicing, you will know yourself better. This will help you understand and respect others. ^{[1] X Research Source}
Martial arts will help you identify your weaknesses and ways to overcome them. Learning martial arts is not only a challenge but also motivating. ^{[2] X Research Source}

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Learn different martial arts. Before you start practicing kicks and punches, you should learn about martial arts. Don’t just choose a popular martial art, choose to learn what you like.

There are many different schools of martial arts. Some martial arts require a lot of energy, but others focus on how to coordinate energy.
Another benefit of studying martial arts is that it helps you expand your knowledge of fighting styles. You need to have practical knowledge of different martial arts if you want to become a martial artist.

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Choose the martial art that is right for you. Some martial arts prioritize strength, but others require flexibility. Think about your qualities and what you want as a fighter.

If you want to learn traditional martial arts, you should learn Chinese techniques or Aikido. Traditional martial arts tend to focus on the philosophy behind the moves. ^{[3] X Research Sources}
If you have long legs, you should consider learning Taekwondo, which uses a lot of legs. If you have a stocky body, you should learn Jujutsu, a martial art that favors physical objects. ^{[4] X Research Sources}
There is no one martial art that “fits” everyone. One martial art that works for you may not be for another.

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Consider how much time you can spend practicing. Martial arts training always requires determination, no matter what martial art you choose. However, some subjects take more time to learn than others.

If you decide to learn Capoeira – a martial art that combines acrobatics and martial arts, it takes a lot of time to learn complex movements. ^{[5] X Trusted Source Princeton University Go to Source}
Other martial arts like Boxing or Triet Quyen Dao focus on efficiency and simplicity. Not to mention there are plenty of resources to learn these martial arts. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

Start practicing martial arts

Start slow. When you first learn martial arts, you should start with the basic movements. Don’t rush into doing fancy kicks or acrobatics. Instead, you should start with the basic poses of your chosen martial art.

Pay attention to your footwork when exercising. After one or more attacks, you need to return to the correct standing position. ^{[8] X Research Sources}
Imagine your opponent is standing in front of you. Practice attacking but at the same time maintain a defensive posture. ^{[9] X Research Source}

Practice. The only way to be good at martial arts is to practice. When talking about martial arts, most people think of Chinese gong, actually the word “gung” has little to do with fighting. This is a transliteration of the Chinese word and means “good skill”.

Towards stability in practice. It’s the only way you can maintain your physical strength and get better.
When hitting the punching bag, each time you hit you need to focus on a single point. Don’t punch wildly. Reduce training speed because accuracy takes precedence over power. ^{[10] X Research Source}
Try more. Once you have improved, you need to practice longer. If you’re doing 50 kicks at first, try to work up to 100 after a while, but don’t overdo it. Take care to avoid injury. Identify your limits and practice to exceed them.
Bad habits are easy to form when you practice martial arts alone. Always pay attention to regain your posture and check the movements while practicing martial arts. ^{[11] X Research Source}
Learn new techniques. Once you have mastered the basic movements, you can practice more complex techniques. However, do not forget what you have learned. Develop your martial arts level by practicing every technique of your chosen martial art. ^{[12] X Research Source}

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Find partners. It’s hard to develop all the skills needed as a fighter if you’re training alone. The best way to improve is to find someone to practice with. ^{[13] X Research Source}

Your partner doesn’t have to learn the same martial arts as you.
Invite people with similar interests to learn martial arts to practice with you. Practicing martial arts with friends is easier than practicing alone.
If you have friends who also practice martial arts, ask them for advice, or ask if they want to practice together.

Practice punching the wind. You can practice punching if you can’t find a partner. The wind punch technique requires you to imagine the opponent in front of you and keep moving at the same time. You have to visualize your movements and your opponent’s. ^{[14] X Research Source}

Start exercising at a quarter of your actual speed. If you want to perform the movement correctly at a realistic speed, you must first practice slowly. The purpose of punching the wind is accuracy, not speed. ^{[15] X Research Source}
When practicing wind punches, pay attention to the tempo of the movement. All elements of combat have to be done at the right time. If you feel the exercise is too fast, you should relax and reduce the speed. ^{[16] X Research Source}

Physical health training

Perform the necessary exercises for your martial art. Each type of martial arts will use different muscle groups. Some sports focus more on the legs, while others focus on the hands. While it’s a good idea to train your entire body, prioritize certain exercises that benefit your martial art.

If you’re into wrestling, look for exercises that develop your core and back muscles. ^{[17] X Research Source}
If you mainly fight, choose exercises that help develop your arms.

Incorporate cardio into your workout. Don’t just focus on building strength. If you want to be a good fighter, you need endurance. Practice jogging, cycling outdoors or cycling indoors. Do whatever it takes to get your heart rate up. ^{[18] X Research Sources}

Another method to get your heart rate up is to do a series of weightless exercises without rest. For example, try doing push-ups, sit-ups, or jumping jacks. ^{[19] X Research Source}
Find lots of exercises to incorporate into your workout if you don’t want to get bored. Do a variety of exercises to target different muscle groups.

Muscle relaxants. Flexibility is an important factor in most martial arts. When learning martial arts, you will have to use muscle groups that are often overlooked. Stretching is the only way to increase body flexibility. ^{[20] X Research Source}

Stretch during exercise, before and after each martial arts session. ^{[21] X Research Source}
Standing leg raises is a good exercise to increase leg flexibility. Raise your legs in front of you, maintaining control throughout the exercise. Slowly raise your leg, don’t kick it. Practice lifting your legs to the sides and back to cover the full range of motion. ^{[22] X Research Source}
Don’t worry if you can’t stretch your muscles all the way. There are times when your body will be more flexible than usual, when you can stretch your muscles to the fullest. You need time to make progress.

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Your body needs time to recover. Learning martial arts requires you to endure pain, because you will often fall and suffer collisions. Build a suitable exercise regimen for you to be healthy enough to exercise for a long time. ^{[23] X Research Sources}

Weekly massage is a great way to restore muscles, especially for older athletes. ^{[24] X Research Source}
Remember, learning martial arts is a lifelong journey. If you miss a day without exercise, that’s okay. Consciously practicing is better than quitting altogether. ^{[25] X Research Sources}

Make sure the training session is effective. You don’t have to spend all day in the gym to be a good boxer. To balance training time with life outside the gym, you need to make sure each workout will bring the most effective. ^{[26] X Research Sources}

Each session should last about 40 minutes to an hour. If the session is longer then you are probably wasting your precious time. ^{[27] X Research Source}

Change your diet

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Choose the diet that is right for you. Learning martial arts requires you to exercise a lot. You need to provide enough energy for your body if you want to stay healthy. Find delicious and healthy foods to incorporate into your diet. ^{[28] X Research Sources}

The most important thing when designing a diet is to ensure balance. You need to get enough protein, carbohydrates and vegetables. ^{[29] X Research Sources}
Besides basic nutrients, the body also needs many vitamins and minerals. A balanced diet will provide enough of these substances, but you can take supplements. ^{[30] X Research Source}

Advice

Has iron grinding makes perfect. Practice for about 30 minutes a day.
Pursue weekly goals. After each week, you can increase the difficulty of the workout.
When you’re new to martial arts, don’t try to overdo it on the first day.
Do not practice when you are tired, or you will do the wrong movement.
The best way to learn martial arts is to go to school and practice with a teacher. Although you can learn some basic moves on your own, if you want to become a true martial artist, you have to go to school.
You should study with a teacher at first if self-study is too difficult for you. Then you can self-study at home.

Warning

Learning martial arts is inherently dangerous. When practicing or competing, avoid hitting hard and always be safe.

Steps