Self taught martial arts

[Sensei Rick]

Sensei say's...... book only imitation. besides..... what are you wanting to get nto MA for.... this isn't about fighting. This is about changing your life..... this is about seeking perfection of character. You expect to learn THAT from a book? only if your book is a bible...... When I go to the dojo, it's almost a religious experience for me. I release all my demons and confront life with renewed vigor and optomism. You can't...... and i repeat.... CAN NOT learn from a book. Now go pay for lessons. and do yourself a favor, pay twice as much as the sensei asks..... I want you to really listen. Seek perfection of character......

[Kajukenbopr]

Does anyone out there know a good martial art to learn on your own, from a book? I know most people frown apon any self taught martial art, but I'm desperate here! Any help is a preciated!

___________________

I wish I knew a martial art.... ANY martial art...

look for the book " the way of energy" and the book "the way of power" both by Master Lam Kam Chuen

it is not easy material, it can take you years to master, but it should keep you busy until you find an instructor

[TangSooDoGuru]

i hate to suggest any 'self training' stuff but i do believe the 'idiots guide' authors makes an idiots guide to either karate or tkd. and if you look online theres a bunch of, get your karate ranks online, but you are right those are extremely frowned upon, youre probably going to get more respect just going to a mcdojo.

[Takusankage Soke]

Do not let anyone discourage you my friend. When martial arts was originally created, did they have teachers. No. At one point the art was invented by many years of training and contemplation. Also necessity. If you wish to lean a martial art from a book then i encourage you to go for it. Know however that it will take much more work than taking classes. Talking to an instructor every now and then would help greatly too. If you have any questions feel free to ask.

[username8517]

Do not let anyone discourage you my friend. When martial arts was originally created, did they have teachers. No. At one point the art was invented by many years of training and contemplation. Also necessity. If you wish to lean a martial art from a book then i encourage you to go for it. Know however that it will take much more work than taking classes. Talking to an instructor every now and then would help greatly too. If you have any questions feel free to ask.

Going to have to disagree with you here. First, when were martial arts created? Was it the first time someone showed another a fighting technique or when the terminalogy needed to be created to define it?

If you want to learn a martial art, then find an instructor to teach you. How can a book or video correct your bad technique? Nor can a book or video provide you a safe place to exercise these moves on a resisting opponent. Yes you could self-train with a friend but you would rather do so under the direct supervision of someone you can can see and speak to or someone who the only thing you know about them is what is given to you in print format?

If you want to suppliment your training with information gathered from books or videos then that's fine as you can always run by what you pick out from someone who knows what's practical and effective.

[YoungMan]

Well said. A book should only be used to supplement what your Instructor teaches you, and then only at the black belt level.

A book can't answer questions, give feedback or encouragement, point out strengths and weaknesses. It's just words on a page.

[bushido_man96]

Well said. A book should only be used to supplement what your Instructor teaches you, and then only at the black belt level.

A book can't answer questions, give feedback or encouragement, point out strengths and weaknesses. It's just words on a page.

You guys make very valid points. However, if there is no other option, reading a book is better than nothing. Aside from that, what is the alternative? Going out and starting fights? Not a good alternative.

[mantis.style]

I'm not sure I agree with that. Everytime I've come across a book "student" I found them to be the hardest to train. If I had the choice of untrained student, I'd choose the un-read to the read any day. While there are things you can learn from a book, it isn't training. You can copy what you see in the books but that isn't training either. Put it this way, forms and drills are a part of the training package. If you are "training" from pictures and doing everything by yourself, you are in effect doing a part of a part of a process, not to mention one that requires at least two people for effective progression.

[bushido_man96]

You make a valid point, mantis.style.

I would say that today, with access to tools such as books and things like YouTube, you can get much better quality feedback using these tools than was available in the past. It isn't the best idea, but it is feesable, to an extent.

I am not going to argue that someone training in such a way is going to have the high quality and results that training at an accredited Martial Arts facility, with a credible instructor, would render. Far from that, I believe, would be the case.

As for forms training, that is its own monster. Many could argue that one could learn an art/style without learning the forms. In that case, one is just learning technique, which there is nothing wrong with.

All I am saying is that if there is no other option available, it is easier to do today, with better results.

[mantis.style]

But how often is there really no other option? Let's be honest here, most of the time, when you have no other option it is because you can't afford it; either because you are a kid/student who has no proper income, or you are a kid/student whose parents are against it or the classes that are in your area are too expensive. Put in that context, do you think that the person in any of those situations should be attempting to learn from a book?

The problem with learning third hand, which is essentially what you'll be doing because after all, even from video you are going to have to make a lot of assumptions, is that there is just so much you cannot see or more importantly feel. Let's take wing chun because it is the most accessible one out there that I know. You can pretty much learn and copy a version of the form from the videos that are available. You can even learn to perform it to the extent that it looks 100% of what you see in the video. You can even learn how to use the separate movements that make up the form. Pit that person who has learnt and practiced his form from video against the guy who has spent twice the time in a class learning a quarter of that form but with proper instruction. Who will you put your money on?

Don't forget that what is being asked here is not if one can learn how to fight from books. What is being asked is if one can learn a martial art from books.