Just about anyone can get involved with martial arts, but it does require a certain amount of dedication and devotion. But despite the amount of time that it takes to get good at a particular type of martial arts, most practitioners can agree that it’s worth the time for the many different benefits that it offers.
Before starting down the path of martial arts, it’s worth keeping in mind that it will require a fair amount of practice, which can be done both solo as well as during classes. Not only is it about the conditioning of the mind, but also of the body, and once a person has become fully initiated with martial arts, it’s something that they can follow for the rest of their lives.
Boxing
Boxing is perhaps one of the best choices for martial students that want to start something that’s extremely simple to learn and much easier to master when compared to other types of martial arts. Over time, students can expect to become stronger, more agile, more disciplined, all with the added benefit of keeping their bodies in excellent shape. Another appealing aspect of boxing is that it usually requires little more than gloves, but some practise without any kind of boxing at all.
Similar to karate, boxing is all about stances, with the fighting stance being the primary kind of stance used in boxing. Beginner boxers will have to learn about the different boxing stances, choose one that fits their style of boxing, and work on it until they achieve the level of skill that they desire.
Karate
This type of martial art is extremely diverse, and is learnt for a number of different reasons, with the main focus generally being on self-defence for most people. It’s suitable for people of all ages, which is a large part of the overall appeal of karate – a practitioner doesn’t need to be at their physical peak to practise it.
On top of that, it’s also among the safest martial arts, and doesn’t include any of the risks that are usually associated with certain kinds of martial arts, like MMA.
Karate is considered to be very adaptable and is extremely approachable for most people, similar to cycling or starting out with horse race odds. The best way to get started with karate is by finding a local karate teacher that offers classes.
Muay Thai
Muay Thai originates from the country of Thailand and is a specialised kind of fighting style that emphasises the valuable skills of self-defence. Sparring is important in Muay Thai, which doesn’t make it a great choice for those that want to practise on their own, but perfect for practitioners that have willing partners to spar with. Certain pieces of equipment will be necessary for practitioners wanting to hone their skills, including a punching bag, shin guards, as well as boxing gloves. There are several techniques to learn and master, and while difficult to learn at first, they become much easier with time.