Tips on How to start learning any Martial Arts

[Northern Man]

A good instructor will teach you how to spar properly and help you work out to do better. I'm not in favour of places that just throw you in and tell you to get on with it, sparring like everything else has to be taught, a certain amount of instinct is good but on the whole people do need to be taught how to fight effectively.

That depends what they teach you in classes. For example in our classes before sparring we practice few techniques in a response to other technique the opponent performs and we can try out these in free form sparring during that class. It's kinda fun that way to me and feels natural.

 

[Tez3]

That depends what they teach you in classes. For example in our classes before sparring we practice few techniques in a response to other technique the opponent performs and we can try out these in free form sparring during that class. It's kinda fun that way to me and feels natural.

It's the places that throw beginners in without teaching them how to use techniques that annoy me to be honest, often the beginner ends up very confused and sometimes put off sparring at all. I think at the very beginning you should be taught basic sparring then shown how to use techniques against an opponent. It should be a progression, even if you use almost choreographed sparring with a beginner at first and then move onto free sparring, it may take a bit longer but you do end up with better fighters. If they are taught that then as you say they can learn how to resist, turn techniques against opponents, duck, dive, dodge and whatever else your style teaches you.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Number 1 tip. Keep training.

 

[pgsmith]

Number 1 tip. Keep training.

I agree completely!
Had an older Japanese instructor tell me quite some time back ... "The hardest part of learning any art is to make it to the dojo regularly. If you can do that part, everything else will resolve itself."

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I agree completely!
Had an older Japanese instructor tell me quite some time back ... "The hardest part of learning any art is to make it to the dojo regularly. If you can do that part, everything else will resolve itself."

Over time, I have made a couple observations myself.

1) Beginners with no apparent talent but who persevere do far better over time than beginners with loads of 'natural talent' who quit.
2) For whatever reason, the 'naturally talented' ones seem more prone to quitting.
3) If I can learn, anyone can learn. You would not believe how uncoordinated, unbalanced, out-of-shape and generally talentless I am when it comes to martial arts.
4) Quitting is easy. You only have to do it once. Persevering is hard, it's a choice you make every training day.
5) Habits, good and bad, once established, are hard to break.
6) Your choices in continuing to train will influence other parts of your life. Perseverance is a pattern that repeats itself, generally for the betterment of one's person.

 

[geezer]

Number 1 tip. Keep training.

Good, but in my book that's tip number 2.

Number 1 is Start training!

 

[BraxLimbo]

Agreed, plus be prepared to get your *** kicked in sparring.

Most definitely. Be ready and be a sport. Experience is a great teacher.

 

[Chris Parker]

Hip Throw = Seoi Nage. That's the technique meant, right?
Side Kick = Yop Chagi.
Just for some proper names of the techniques. The more you know, the better.

No… that's not a "Judo hip throw"… the more you know, and all…

 

[lklawson]

No… that's not a "Judo hip throw"… the more you know, and all…

Well, it's true that Judo has segmented hip-tosses into different subdivisions. Seo is a "Shoulder Carry" or "Shoulder Throw." And Judo segments into Te Waza and numerous other subdivisions where Kano and/or the source art wanted to emphasize or focus on a particular mechanic. But when you look at many of these from a bio-mechanical viewpoint, it's clear that the fundamental principles are the same or so similar as to deem grouping together logical; what you do with your feet, hips, and torso positioning is essentially the same with Seo Nage, Koshi Guruma, and O Goshio. The real fundamental difference in these is how Kazushi is achieved. At some point, a hip-toss is a hip-toss.

To explore a little bit, I think that this division is both genius and limiting. What I mean is that, in 19th Century western boxing and wrestling, all of these and 6 or 8 more would have just been labeled as variations of the Cross-Buttock or maybe a Flying Mare. But Japanese arts in general and Judo in this particular instance wants to get down into the weeds differentiating the many various permutations. This is a marvelous training tool and allows a great deal of specificity when discussing or teaching exactly what kind of Cross-Buttock was used. However, at some point the practitioner had darn well better start thinking in terms of principles rather than trying to sound out the words of the throws: "A turning hip throw works like this basically, now what can I do to take the balance so that I can achieve a turning hip throw?"

So yeah, Te Waza is (ahem) "different" from Koshi Waza, but the difference is a training mechanism, not a crutch or point to argue. Gads, how I HATE quoting Bruce Lee, but, you know, a punch really IS just a punch.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[Koshiki]

Over time, I have made a couple observations myself.

1) Beginners with no apparent talent but who persevere do far better over time than beginners with loads of 'natural talent' who quit.

If there's one thing I wish every new student absolutely believed, and I mean "absolutely" as in, "completely, unrestrainedly, unadulteratedly, and perfectly," this would unquestionably be it.

Being naturally adept at something is great, and it will take you far. For the first couple years. Past that, you need a desire to improve, and you need diligence, and an understanding of how to teach your brain and body. That comes from having to consciously teach your brain and body.

When I started as a kid, that mindset was beaten into my brain by endless repetition. "The student who sucks but trains eventually surpasses the student who just gets it."

Natural talent is great. If you have it, you have a leg up. But that's all it is, it's a boost up so you get to skip the first few rungs of the ladder. But everyone's climbing the same ladder, and it's a tall one. People who start at the bottom know they have a long trip. People who get to start ten feet off the ground frequently don't realize that they need to climb. Now if you get that head start ten feet up, and you make sure you keep climbing, great. But everyone's got to climb.

For example, two brothers at my school who've been around for a good four or five years now. The younger brother has immense natural talent. Like, he's freaky good. The older brother, well, not so much. The older brother keeps plodding along, training, showing up, trying his best, occasionally getting utterly disgusted with himself. The younger brother shows up when he's in the mood, breezes through class, and leaves as he entered, naturally talented, having bypassed detailed understanding with intuitive skill.

At some point, the older brother started to pass the younger, in physical skill and in understanding. If there's one lesson I wish every student learned, whether naturally talented or naturally abysmal, that's it. If you don't learn the lesson that you have to try to learn to learn, you'll never learn the later lessons. Say that quickly.

It's not where you start on the ladder, it's how methodically and diligently you reach for the next rung.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

If there's one thing I wish every new student absolutely believed, and I mean "absolutely" as in, "completely, unrestrainedly, unadulteratedly, and perfectly," this would unquestionably be it.

I have zero natural talent for martial arts. However, growing up, my intellect was such that I never studied for tests, always got straight A's, was the teacher's pet, etc, etc.

It really helped me out until I got to college. Then I finally started getting into seriously difficult things that I could not just breeze through. And I did not know how to study, take notes, review for tests, etc.

Things went very badly for me until I learned to do the things that everyone else had learned long ago.

And that is what I have noticed about martial arts training as well. You hit the nail on the head.

 

[jks9199]

Hip Throw = Seoi Nage. That's the technique meant, right?
Side Kick = Yop Chagi.
Just for some proper names of the techniques. The more you know, the better.

Ah... but what if someone's art is not Japanese? Or Korean? Gotta be careful with that word "proper" there....

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[Chris Parker]

Well, it's true that Judo has segmented hip-tosses into different subdivisions. Seo is a "Shoulder Carry" or "Shoulder Throw." And Judo segments into Te Waza and numerous other subdivisions where Kano and/or the source art wanted to emphasize or focus on a particular mechanic. But when you look at many of these from a bio-mechanical viewpoint, it's clear that the fundamental principles are the same or so similar as to deem grouping together logical; what you do with your feet, hips, and torso positioning is essentially the same with Seo Nage, Koshi Guruma, and O Goshio. The real fundamental difference in these is how Kazushi is achieved. At some point, a hip-toss is a hip-toss.

To explore a little bit, I think that this division is both genius and limiting. What I mean is that, in 19th Century western boxing and wrestling, all of these and 6 or 8 more would have just been labeled as variations of the Cross-Buttock or maybe a Flying Mare. But Japanese arts in general and Judo in this particular instance wants to get down into the weeds differentiating the many various permutations. This is a marvelous training tool and allows a great deal of specificity when discussing or teaching exactly what kind of Cross-Buttock was used. However, at some point the practitioner had darn well better start thinking in terms of principles rather than trying to sound out the words of the throws: "A turning hip throw works like this basically, now what can I do to take the balance so that I can achieve a turning hip throw?"

So yeah, Te Waza is (ahem) "different" from Koshi Waza, but the difference is a training mechanism, not a crutch or point to argue. Gads, how I HATE quoting Bruce Lee, but, you know, a punch really IS just a punch.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

Sure… but my point is that "Seoi Nage" isn't a hip throw… it doesn't translate to "hip throw"… and it's not performed like one (although it can look very similar). A hip throw is, as you said, Koshi Nage (although there's no specific throw called that in Judo, there is the categorisation of Koshi Waza, and throws such as Harai Goshi, Ogoshi, and so on). Seoi Nage is often translated as "shoulder throw", but I'm not so fond of that… the literal translation of seoi (背負い) is "to bear upon the back"… which gives a different set-up to a koshi nage… mainly in how you position yourself in relation to the opponent.

Ah... but what if someone's art is not Japanese? Or Korean? Gotta be careful with that word "proper" there....

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

I think the reason for those specific terms was Kung Fu Wang's reference to a "Judo hip throw" and a "TKD side kick" specifically…

 

[Emilee <3]

Hmmm...find a good school (not a mcdojo), be open to trying new things / adopting a new mindset (ex: don't feel awkward when learning basic moves or yelling after each movement), ask questions, and pay attention to everything your instructors tell you. By listening to them and learning the correct way to do things, you create a strong foundation of basic knowledge that you can build upon as you move up belt ranks and learn more advanced techniques. And the most important thing: don't quit the martial art halfway. In my experience, I've only grown to love taekwondo more and more the longer I practice it! Good luck!

 

[Kwon Bup]

Concentrate on Relaxing, Breathing, Grounding, Body alignment and of course coordinated body motion. The martial arts instruction should be progressive, if its a good school.

I try to get students to understand this simple formula

Speed+ignorance=injury

 

[Ironbear24]

Coming from a kenpo guy going into a new art. It can be discouraging to be at the bottom again in the class. It can be discouraging to mess up a lot and not do things as smoothly as the others.

But it is important to remember that new style means nearly the same for a new martial artist. Everything is new to you. It takes time to learn these things, martial arts is not easy and it is not supposed to be.

Expect to fail, failure is part of the learning process. It tells you what you are not doing right, from there you can work the mistakes and perfect yourself.

With no patience you will get nowhere.