Teach yourself?

[Empress Atagi]

I think a lot of repetition is very important at the beginning in order to create a "memory" in your body. Sparring is most practical after you have learned several types of techniques because it teaches you what works and what doesn't. You also learn your own weaknesses. I would not worry about the lack of sparring until you are a mid-ranked belt.

As for learn-on-your-own, books and videos are helpful in the introduction of technique but they cannot teach you the subtlties you will need to perfect them. This is where your Sensei comes it. He will show you what the video can't.

[unknownstyle]

i know of a book that teaches you alot about fighting and things for sword fighting, not really a guide to martial arts though. its called " A Book of Five Rings" its by Miyamoto Musashi

[Goju_boi]

You could learn a lot from books and videos , but there are a ton of exercises that you need a partner for(and not just sparring)

[KaratePballer54]

well theres (imo) a great book called "More Fighting Karate". It's by Hideyuki Ashihara and its centered around his form of karate, Ashihara Karate. I picked it up after about a month of starting martial arts and it was a great addition for me. The graphic supplements it provides make the visual learning fairly easy to grasp. Hideyuki Ashihara's main "theme" if you will of Ashihara Karate is learning how to deflect an opponent's attack so that you can attack him from the side or the back. i found it at borders.com just type in ashihara karate if you want to learn more about the book.

nick

[Goju_boi]

exactly, it's a supplement

[Why_Worry]

You shouldnt try to learn techniques from books or movies as thats almost impossible if you have no martial arts background already, so i would recomend sticking with history, philosphy and other thinks like that. A good author is Richard Kim and he has written a good book called "The Weaponless warrior" which tells about great okinawan masters.

YOu shouldnt underestimate how much you can learn form katas and repetition. If you repeat the basics over and over and over again they eventually become part of you and you automatically do them without thinking.

Also katas are very very useful. You repeat something over and over again until it is infused in your muscle memory and you just move without thinking and the moves become a part of you and you move iwthout thinking. Its osmetimes refered to as "Moving zen".

but if you still feel like sparing is the best way to learn then thats fine. But make sure you stay away from commerical/franchise schools or "mcdojos".

If what you want is a sparring style i would recomend goign with KyoKushin karate or muay Thai boxing although i recomend just finding a dojo that seems to be a nice place where the instructor seems to know what they're doing.

[P.A.L]

, i'm wary of schools in my area. Non of them teach martial arts in a...how could i put it....correct way. Sparring was non existent in that school i went to and minimal in others

empty you cup first.

this is what i like to read at home if i got a chance

Ninjitsu the compelet reference

Complete Guide to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu,

"We shall fight in the streets": Guide to street fighting : ground, defence, attack, use of explosives, arms and equipment, training, exercises

How to Fight Back: The Christian Street Warrior's Guide to Turning the Other Cheek

Real Ultimate Power: The Official Ninja Book

Eastman and Laird's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Collected Series, Vol. 1)

Martial Arts Home Training: The Complete Guide to the Construction and Use of Home Training Equipment

Taking It to the Street : Making Your Martial Art Street Effective ,

[tkdBill]

but if you still feel like sparing is the best way to learn then thats fine. But make sure you stay away from commerical/franchise schools or "mcdojos".

Why should he stay away from a commercial school?

Are you saying that commercial and/or franchised schools are the same thing as a "McDojo"?

--

[Why_Worry]

When i say commercial/franshice i mean places where the way the instructors got to their position is that they payed 10 thousand dollars, went to a few seminars then were handed their black belt and a certificate. You need to find somewhere with people who have actual experience. If it a school which has branches, thats perfectly fine i think its pretty cool cause you get to hear about other peopel and meet new people every onc ein a while. You just have to make sure the instructor got to their position from experience and not just money and a few extra hours.

[Adonis]

Idea of learning on your own is to take a planned out routine. If you want to learn from books thats fine, but you do need a partner to test them out on.

You don't necisarrily need a sensei just a good partner who offers good feed back to you and vice versa. Bring a note book and after each session write down details of techniques that you picked up on your own as to how to make them work better.

as well as writing down what you did good and what you need to work on. Then next training session pick one thing from the list you need to work on and drill it, drill it, drill it.

good luck in your training