# What is a good Martial Art for a Beginner to Learn?



## WhisperingButterfly (Jul 18, 2017)

Please explain.


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## kuniggety (Jul 18, 2017)

Whatever you have the most fun with and will stick with.

Are there ones that you might see faster results with? Sure, arts like boxing you'll get the fundamentals down relatively quick compared to other arts. But the best one for a beginner is the same as the best for an intermediate or advanced martial artist.


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## WhisperingButterfly (Jul 18, 2017)

Thanks.


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## Jenna (Jul 18, 2017)

WhisperingButterfly said:


> Please explain.


Perhaps some martial arts might indeed suit your physical skills or attributes better than others would.. Likewise, you might have preferences in your mind already? Or there might be certain arts that are available to you in your area? If you specify some of these things, people can know better how to advise  In any case, welcome along and wishes to you


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## pgsmith (Jul 18, 2017)

The best martial art for any beginner, in my experience, is the one that they like going to and practicing. As was explained to me many years ago by one of my senior instructors in Japan ... "The most difficult part of any martial art is going to the dojo regularly. If a person can master that single thing, everything else will be easily mastered over time."   My advice is always the same ... look at what is available in your area, go and visit as many of the available dojo as possible. Ask lots of questions, talk to lots of students, try a couple of classes if possible. Then try out whichever dojo you happened to like the most. The actual martial art itself is actually less relevant than whether you like the dojo enough to go regularly.


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## Bill Mattocks (Jul 18, 2017)

Sinanju


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## Steve (Jul 18, 2017)

Isn't someone who is new to any art a beginner, by definition?  That's literally the meaning of the word.


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## Touch Of Death (Jul 18, 2017)

Bill Mattocks said:


> Sinanju


You beat me to it. I had it in mind that everybody begins, and the best school is probably the one just down the road from you.


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## WhisperingButterfly (Jul 18, 2017)

Thank You all so much for your kindness. I have always loved the martial arts. I think of myself as a student of martial philosophy. .I do possess a passion for history. However, it has become apparent to me that--in order to find truth in art--it ultimately must be revealed in a physical process; a process of communication that must exact reality between between two (or more) human beings.  Are we all not a "reality" within ourselves?  If so, it seems to ne that ww could easily be decieved.  I am not interested in hurting people, only protecting myself and those whom I love. I am not interested in competition.  I AM interested in your thoughts on the subject of Martial Arts. What do you think it means?


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## Touch Of Death (Jul 18, 2017)

WhisperingButterfly said:


> Thank You all so much for your kindness. I have always loved the martial arts. I think of myself as a student of martial philosophy. .I do possess a passion for history. However, it has become apparent to me that--in order to find truth in art--it ultimately must be revealed in a physical process; a process of communication that must exact reality between between two (or more) human beings.  Are we all not a "reality" within ourselves?  If so, it seems to ne that ww could easily be decieved.  I am not interested in hurting people, only protecting myself and those whom I love. I am not interested in competition.  I AM interested in your thoughts on the subject of Martial Arts. What do you think it means?


Like dancing, martial arts are a fun way to learn how to move for future combat, and avoidance of combat.


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## drop bear (Jul 18, 2017)

WhisperingButterfly said:


> Please explain.



Ok. Where do you see yourself after ten years of training?


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## WhisperingButterfly (Jul 18, 2017)

Married hopefully.


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## WhisperingButterfly (Jul 18, 2017)

Married hopefully...


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## drop bear (Jul 18, 2017)

WhisperingButterfly said:


> Married hopefully...



Do capoeira then. At the very least it will help you on the dance floor.


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## WhisperingButterfly (Jul 18, 2017)

Touch Of Death said:


> Like dancing, martial arts are a fun way to learn how to



I never said I was a dancer.


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## Jenna (Jul 19, 2017)

WhisperingButterfly said:


> Thank You all so much for your kindness. I have always loved the martial arts. I think of myself as a student of martial philosophy. .I do possess a passion for history. However, it has become apparent to me that--in order to find truth in art--it ultimately must be revealed in a physical process; a process of communication that must exact reality between between two (or more) human beings.  Are we all not a "reality" within ourselves?  If so, it seems to ne that ww could easily be decieved.  I am not interested in hurting people, only protecting myself and those whom I love. I am not interested in competition.  I AM interested in your thoughts on the subject of Martial Arts. What do you think it means?


If it would be your concern for not harming an opponent, there is no art more apt than Aikido  yet finding a true Aikido sensei is not always so easy alas.. however any Aikido techniques from any school can facilitate this idea  Good luck


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## Reedone816 (Jul 19, 2017)

Interesting thought, because what handed down in my case is that in order to know not to hurt we must know how to hurt, so we can know when to stop, but still able to neutralise the threat.
Just like what the famous rikidozan applied to the journalist after being told fake.

Sent from my Lenovo A7010a48 using Tapatalk


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## Jenna (Jul 19, 2017)

Reedone816 said:


> Interesting thought, because what handed down in my case is that in order to know not to hurt we must know how to hurt, so we can know when to stop, but still able to neutralise the threat.
> Just like what the famous rikidozan applied to the journalist after being told fake.
> 
> Sent from my Lenovo A7010a48 using Tapatalk


Unless you are certain you can take any and every necessary violent action, you cannot be certain any and every physical threat can be neutralised.  To talk of neutralisation dictate and limit your own defensive actions.. to think instead of restoration of balance permit every party to leave intact..


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## Reedone816 (Jul 19, 2017)

That is coming with experience, that is why there is a saying about our art, the one who master the art able to diffuse threat without threatening the wellbeing of the target.
The key word here is mastering, which even the late grandmaster who had learned the art most of his life said himself unable to claim he mastered the art 100%.
In my pov, the thing is simply like how choke has been banned for cops, because of deaths. Now compare it to a bjj or catch wrestling practitioners, they surely know when to release roughly, because of experience.

Sent from my Lenovo A7010a48 using Tapatalk


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## Jenna (Jul 19, 2017)

Reedone816 said:


> In my pov, the thing is simply like how choke has been banned for cops, because of deaths. Now compare it to a bjj or catch wrestling practitioners, they surely know when to release roughly, because of experience.
> 
> Sent from my Lenovo A7010a48 using Tapatalk


Yes that is true in training and fair-rules competition where the mindset is friendly and is unlikely that partners would intentionally seek to hurt the other.. To see the vitriol in the eyes of someone trying intentionally to harm you.. that is concomitant with a suspension of empathy and basic humanity in that person, any call to reason -whether through logic or physical 'neutralisation'- can be counter-productive and prolong the altercation.. Having the intent of restoring balance on the other hand, can occur primarily in a radical yet quick altering of mindset regardless of the level of mastery


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## WhisperingButterfly (Jul 19, 2017)

Jenna said:


> Yes that is true in training and fair-rules competition where the mindset is friendly and is unlikely that partners would intentionally seek to hurt the other.. To see the vitriol in the eyes of someone trying intentionally to harm you.. that is concomitant with a suspension of empathy and basic humanity in that person, any call to reason -whether through logic or physical 'neutralisation'- can be counter-productive and prolong the altercation.. Having the intent of restoring balance on the other hand, can occur primarily in a radical yet quick altering of mindset regardless of the level of mastery



Wow! There are some great minds here--in my opinion,of course. I've always liked the Idea of training in Aikido. I like Jujutsu, too. But I really don't watch MMA--I find it distasteful, although I respect and appreciate the fighters. It's the commentators and promotion that bothers me most. I have studied them some though--in slow motion so I don't have to hear them! I would like to train one on with a personal trainer. I've studied some; however, I'm more interested in what I don't know--which is a lot!


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## Buka (Jul 19, 2017)

Welcome to MartialTalk, WhisperingButterfly.  Hope you enjoy it.


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## WhisperingButterfly (Jul 19, 2017)

I enjoy reading about Martial Arts--My favorite subject! And this forum is perfect, because of the variety of intelligent minds--quite informative--and they are blended. It is a more rewarding experience than reading a book that focuses on one single subject. I have to be careful though, I may develop a dopamine response which would definitely obstruct my physical training. On the bright side, it might also prevent an injury, as long as I maintain proper ergonomic form while operating this keyboard.


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## Jenna (Jul 19, 2017)

WhisperingButterfly said:


> Wow! There are some great minds here--in my opinion,of course. I've always liked the Idea of training in Aikido. I like Jujutsu, too. But I really don't watch MMA--I find it distasteful, although I respect and appreciate the fighters. It's the commentators and promotion that bothers me most. I have studied them some though--in slow motion so I don't have to hear them! I would like to train one on with a personal trainer. I've studied some; however, I'm more interested in what I don't know--which is a lot!


How do you perceive Aikido and JJ that cause you to like the idea of training these? What are those like to you?


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## Steve (Jul 19, 2017)

WhisperingButterfly said:


> Wow! There are some great minds here--in my opinion,of course. I've always liked the Idea of training in Aikido. I like Jujutsu, too. But I really don't watch MMA--I find it distasteful, although I respect and appreciate the fighters. It's the commentators and promotion that bothers me most. I have studied them some though--in slow motion so I don't have to hear them! I would like to train one on with a personal trainer. I've studied some; however, I'm more interested in what I don't know--which is a lot!


Training with an instructor one on one will certainly improve your chances of being married if that's your goal. Might not be the best way to learn a martial art, though.


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## WhisperingButterfly (Jul 19, 2017)

Jenna said:


> How do you perceive Aikido and JJ that cause you to like the idea of training these? What are those like to you?


I like the idea of non-resistance and understanding force without necessarily the psychological attachment to the concept of "power." And of course the restoration and maintaining of balance. This is the impression I get from what little I know of Aikido and Jujutsu. I would rather not study them from a book though, and I agree with what others have posted regarding instructional videos. The worst thing about these videos is that many of them corrupt the perception of the art for which they are trying to communicate. I doubt their motives--especially when they get into the "this is right" and "that is wrong" game. It seems their motives are ego-driven; it is easy to detect with their obsession with "power" and sloppy form (even I can detect that sometimes).


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## WhisperingButterfly (Jul 19, 2017)

Steve said:


> Training with an instructor one on one will certainly improve your chances of being married if that's your goal. Might not be the best way to learn a martial art, though.


That was a bit of a joke on my part, but I agree wholeheartedly!


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## Steve (Jul 19, 2017)

WhisperingButterfly said:


> That was a bit of a joke on my part, but I agree wholeheartedly!


I was joking too.


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## drop bear (Jul 19, 2017)

WhisperingButterfly said:


> I like the idea of non-resistance and understanding force without necessarily the psychological attachment to the concept of "power." And of course the restoration and maintaining of balance. This is the impression I get from what little I know of Aikido and Jujutsu. I would rather not study them from a book though, and I agree with what others have posted regarding instructional videos. The worst thing about these videos is that many of them corrupt the perception of the art for which they are trying to communicate. I doubt their motives--especially when they get into the "this is right" and "that is wrong" game. It seems their motives are ego-driven; it is easy to detect with their obsession with "power" and sloppy form (even I can detect that sometimes).



Do you care if the training is hard or physical?


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## hoshin1600 (Jul 20, 2017)

Steve said:


> Training with an instructor one on one will certainly improve your chances of being married if that's your goal. Might not be the best way to learn a martial art, though.


a class setting will increase the selection pool.  But the instructor would most likely be the alpha at the top of the dominance hiarchy.


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## WhisperingButterfly (Jul 20, 2017)

drop bear said:


> Do you care if the training is hard or physical?


Not at all! The harder the better. I've learned the value of discipline.


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