How To Choose The Best Martial Art For You

There are dozens of different martial arts and combat sports you can choose between. In fact, finding a motivation to train seems to be much easier than finding the best martial art that suits your age, preference, physical attributes, and other factors.

Do you like grappling more than striking? Are you more into oriental martial arts that embrace traditional methods of teaching, or you would like to compete against other athletes? What about self-defense, which martial arts teach the most practical fighting skills?

In this article, we are going to provide you with a comprehensive guide on how to pick the right martial art. Without further ado, let’s dive right into it.

Different Types Of Martial Arts

Over the course of history, humans have created hundreds of different martial arts. All the present martial arts can be categorized based on the concept, orientation, and techniques they are teaching. Later in this article, we will bring you some of the best martial arts from each style so that you can find which one suits you the best.

Orientation

• Traditional (oriental) — are martial arts usually have a long history and tradition of teaching. The learning curriculum is composed of different combat and non-combat elements, including different philosophies, religions, belt ranking, kimono uniforms, standardized techniques, and forms, and is heavily focused on self-improvement. Some of the most popular are Taekwondo, Karate, Aikido, Judo, etc.
• Modern — martial arts are considered to be the ones developed primarily in the 20th century. These systems are a bit different because traditional principles of teaching are left out of the learning curriculum. Instead, the focus is on the practical application of techniques and sparring. The majority of these systems have both self-defense and sports variations where athletes can compete, and win titles and money. Some of the popular are Sambo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Boxing, and many others.

What Style should I start with?

• Grappling  martial arts are the ones that focus on hand-to-hand fighting where the main goal is to take the opponent down without any type of striking. The majority of these also include limited or unlimited ground fighting where athletes subdue each other with pins, holds, chokes, and joint locks. Due to the lack of striking, which causes most injuries, grappling arts tend to have a low injury rate and are among the safest to train in. The most popular ones are BJJ, Wrestling, Judo, Luta Livre, Jujutsu, etc.
• Striking — are martial art that primarily emphasizes striking on the feet. Some systems like boxing limit athletes to using their arms only to throw punches, while some like kickboxing include both striking with legs and arms. There are also more versatile options like Muay Thai which includes striking with all limbs, including knees and elbows. The injury rate is quite high in the majority because striking, in general, is the most common way people get hurt in training or competition.
• Hybrid—martial arts are the ones that mix different elements of combat together like grappling and striking. These systems are also among the most effective in terms of self-defense because they cover most aspects of combat: on the feet, in the clinch, and on the ground. The most popular ones are Mixed martial arts (MMA), Combat Sambo, Krav Maga, and Jujutsu.

Intensity and contact

• Semi/Light Contact — are martial arts where students do not use excessive force during sparring or competition. The focus is on the execution of techniques in a proper form, and landing a strike on the specific part of the body like the head, body, or leg. Combined with protective gear that covers all the sensitive body areas, these martial arts are known for having a really good effectiveness/risk ratio as the injury rate is quite low.
• No contact — are martial arts that do not include any type of physical hand-to-hand engagement between two students. In other words, there is no sparring or other teaching methods where students strike, take each other down, or fight on the ground. The majority of these arts emphasize forms (katas) where students practice techniques alone by doing pre-arranged moves.
• Full contact — are group of martial arts where students can strike or grapple using full force. At first glance, these arts are more dangerous than the ones where there is no contact. However, intense sparring is proven to be the best method one can physically and mentally prepare for real combat so these martial arts are among the most effective.

Effectiveness

• Low efficacy — are usually the ones where the learning curriculum doesn’t include sparring and practical application of techniques against the resisting opponent. This includes certain styles of Kung Fu like Tai Chi and Aikido. Although you will learn how to execute certain techniques, you typically won’t learn how to apply these in real life and this lack of realism within the teaching methods is what makes these systems not that practical.
• Medium effective — are generally martial arts that include semi or full-contact sparring and competition, but they emphasize competition and point fighting which have a negative impact on the overall effectiveness. Some good examples are the modern practice in Taekwondo and Karate. Both of these arts are known as effective self-defense systems as far as traditional methods are concerned. But in reality, modern practice primarily relies on competition and point fighting. And these rules are not in line with the type of fighting you may encounter in real life.
• Highly effective — are combat systems where teaching methods emphasize full-contact sparring and also include competition or advanced self-defense tactics. Students learn how to apply all of the moves and tactics against the full-resisting opponent which helps them learn how to stay calm in a stressful situation, make rational decisions, and execute techniques to protect themselves.

How To Choose Martial Art Based On Your Age

In this day and age, most martial arts that are well-established worldwide include different training groups where people of all ages can train according to their goals and pace. However, it is crucial to know that certain martial arts are focusing on a specific age group and if you make a wrong decision, you might end up in a school where you will have a hard time fitting in because of the age difference.

For example, Taekwondo and Karate are very popular among kids as their first introduction to the world of martial arts. As a result, you won’t see many 20–30–40-year-olds joining the classes because they usually enroll in conceptually similar systems where the learning curriculum is in line with their age group. The majority of adults you see in traditional arts are black belts who have been training since a young age. Of course, as we said, there are exceptions where these schools offer classes designed for adults and older people, but these are rare exceptions.

Here is a detailed explanation of how to choose martial arts based on your age group.

Kids (7–13 years of age)

Most parents prefer to enroll their kids in martial arts that are safe in the first place and where the injury rate is not that high. They also choose the ones that put a lot of emphasis on discipline, and respect between the students, and where their kid can learn how to respect authority, improve working habits, socialize, and of course, have a lot of fun and meet new friends.

Some of the most popular martial arts for this age group are Taekwondo, Karate, various forms of Kung Fu (Wing Chun eg), Judo, and wrestling. There is also a rising trend in kids joining Brazilian jiu-jitsu classes so that’s a great option too.

Wrestling, in particular, is very popular among kids because it is a part of the educational system in a lot of countries both in the East and in the West. For example, high school and collegiate wrestling is very popular in the US and it is even considered a national sport.

Overall, kids between 7 and 12 years of age rarely go into more intense martial arts such as Boxing, Thai boxing, or Combat Sambo. Instead, it is a much better and safer road to first develop a basic understanding of what fighting is all about through traditional principles of teaching. They learn how to execute techniques in a safe environment and adopt strong values that will shape them as a person later in life.

After a few years of training and when they reach teenage years, the majority of traditional martial arts students start switching over to more intense martial arts.

Best martial arts for kids:

• Taekwondo — Korean martial art that primarily focuses on kicking techniques.
• Karate — has dozens of different styles like Shotokan, Wado-Ryu, and Shorin-Ryu with most emphasizing striking over other aspects. But some old school dojos focusing on grappling and wrestling as well.
• Aikido — focuses on various types of throws and joint manipulation. 
• Judo — entirely focuses on grappling utilizing throws and trips, and limited ground fighting.

Teenage and Adults (20s and 30s)

The majority of people from this age group are looking for martial arts where they can learn how to fight to improve their self-defense skills, get in shape, and release stress from their minds.

Beginners that belong to this age group usually want a good workout and to experience most of the benefits.

This age group can be further split into people who want to compete and pursue a career in combat sports, and the ones who are into amateur training. The ones who want to compete usually go into combat sports that have a strong community such as boxing, kickboxing, MMA, or jiu-jitsu. These are all well-established and regulated sports that include different levels of competition.

The ones looking to improve fighting skills and experience many physical and mental health benefits usually train in the same martial arts but in a different group. All of the combat systems listed above have an amateur group where you can adapt the training and intensity according to your needs.

Best martial arts for adults include:

• Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu — highly effective, low injury rate, no striking, judgment-free atmosphere, supportive community.
• Krav Maga — practical for any type of combat situation, entirely focuses on self-defense, intense and realistic teaching methods, and no rules or competitions.
• Boxing — relatively easy to learn, simple, and highly effective, spread worldwide, adaptable. 
• Muay Thai — is a versatile martial art known as the best and most effective striking system. 
• MMA — is the most complex combat sport, and the hardest one to learn. It is a hybrid mix of striking and grappling put into one system.

Elderly

In this day and age, we can see more and more elderly joining martial arts classes to improve their health and lifestyle. They usually choose the ones where there is no physical contact like Tai Chi for example, or Aikido for a bit younger ones.

The last thing you need in your late 50s, 60s, or even 70s is to put a lot of stress on your body. You are probably already dealing with some type of chronic pain and injuries so putting more pressure on the body can only make the situation worse.

At this point in life, you can’t expect to win competitions, become an elite athlete, or reach a high level of proficiency. So be wise and choose a type of martial art you can benefit the most from while not exposing yourself to a high risk of injuries.

Tai Chi, for example, is known as a low-impact martial art where the focus is on forms and executing techniques in a soft, focused, and relaxed manner. There are also a lot of breathing exercises and other workouts designed to improve mental health, mobility, agility, flexibility, muscle strength, and cardiovascular health. As a result, this Chinese martial art is very popular among the elderly worldwide.

Best martial arts for the elderly:

• Tai Chi — a slow and graceful martial art that focuses on gentle movements, deep breathing, and meditation. It is excellent for improving balance, and flexibility, and reducing stress.
• Qigong — Similar to Tai Chi, Qigong emphasizes slow, flowing movements and deep breathing exercises. It is known for promoting physical and mental well-being.
• Aikido — Aikido is a non-aggressive martial art that emphasizes redirecting an opponent’s energy rather than confronting it with force. It can be adapted to suit different fitness levels.
• Hatha Yoga — While not a traditional martial art, yoga offers many benefits, including improved flexibility, balance, and strength. Hatha yoga, in particular, focuses on gentle physical postures and breathing techniques.

How To Choose The Best Martial Art School

Let’s assume you have found the martial art that suits you the best. The next task is to find a legitimate school that includes a high-quality coaching staff where you can develop proper skills. Although this may sound easy at first glance, it’s actually quite a challenge considering how many fake experts and gurus are there these days.

• Check the online reviews, or in the best case, find someone who used to train there or knows someone who is. Get as much information as possible online and from first-hand.
• Attend a trial class to check the school in person. Do not sign any papers or give any money. Most schools include a trial class or a trial week where you can attend a regular class and see what it all looks like.
• Use trial a class to learn more about the instructors’ credentials, membership deals, and other costs, does the facility has all the necessary equipment, and pay attention to the atmosphere. Look if the instructor is leading the class the right way, how disciplined the students are, whether are there any bullies, and do students respect the authority.
• Check the hygiene in the gym. Pay close attention to how clean the mats are, the dressing room, and the toilet. Skin and various types of infections are common in martial arts dojos and each one needs to maintain a high level of hygiene.
• Have a small talk with the head instructor and ask them more about the classes and the facility. A good instructor will be more than happy to give you all the information and show you why you should be their student.

Martial Arts With The Highest Injury Rate

Training in martial arts carries a high risk of injuries. If you commit yourself to classes and stick with it long enough, you will, almost certainly, suffer some type of injury on your journey, hopefully a minor one.

Following is a list of martial arts with the highest injury rate, that are also considered “the most dangerous ones”. If you want to learn more about this, be sure to check our two articles “Which martial arts have the most injuries” and “Most dangerous combat Sports”.

• Boxing — is among the most dangerous sports because the entire focus is on full-contact striking with punches targeting the head and upper body. The worst part is that the most common injuries are severe ones like concussions and fractures.
• Muay Thai/Kickboxing — is a sport that involves full-contact striking with punches, kicks, knees, and elbows (Muay Thai). The injury rate is quite high because striking in general is the direct cause of most injuries in martial arts training and competition. Do not join Thai boxing or kickboxing thinking that you won’t get hurt. 
• Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) — has an injury rate of 228.7 per 1,000 athlete exposures which makes it the martial art with the highest risk of injuries of them all.

Hopefully this helps you choose your next life changing habit. Let us know if we didn’t cover something you would like us to.