what style should I try?

[joesteph]

It's impossible to learn any martial art from a Web site without leaving your house. You need a good teacher and good training partners, full stop. Find local places to learn grappling arts, don't just YouTube individual techniques and say you know judo.

True, but it has videos on how to do the takedowns and someone explains on how preform them

I think YouTube is a great research source for the martial arts, and I feel that seeing a judo throw performed, and with an explanation, is definitely a supplement to what was learned in class.

To me, grappling arts are not only contact, they cannot be learned without a partner and a knowledgeable instructor. Take Osoto Gari for example. Consider that you and a friend (it's necessary for one to be tori and one to be uke, then switch) watch a video, listen to its explanation, and then decide to take turns performing it. What is the surface you're falling on, since Osoto Gari can be quite a violent throw? Do you and your friend know how to fall without encountering injury? Do you know how to break your uke's balance and control your body to cause him to go down? Do you know how to execute the takedown without causing injury to uke?

I think Toptomcat is giving you great advice, Austin. I come from a striking art background, and in the new art I'm studying I'm discovering how what seems so straightforward on a judo video is the academic; actually performing the move is the real challenge of learning--and acquiring proficiency.

Here's a site of forty judo moves, all demos:

http://www.judoinfo.com/gokyo1.htm

You can see they're executed smooth as silk, and you can also see the Japanese names for each on the menu, so you can enter those names into YouTube and bookmark videos with explanations. But in no way can what you see demonstrated, even demonstrated and explained, take the place of a partner and being taught by a qualified instructor.

Find a good school and I'm sure you'll enjoy your classes with your sensei.

[AustinG010]

It's impossible to learn any martial art from a Web site without leaving your house. You need a good teacher and good training partners, full stop. Find local places to learn grappling arts, don't just YouTube individual techniques and say you know judo.

True, but it has videos on how to do the takedowns and someone explains on how preform them

Who will be your partner, though?

If my brother will agree to it then him. Even though he hasn't ever done anything as far as Judo or any other style like that, we would be able to practice one specific takedown in various postitions

[AustinG010]

It's impossible to learn any martial art from a Web site without leaving your house. You need a good teacher and good training partners, full stop. Find local places to learn grappling arts, don't just YouTube individual techniques and say you know judo.

True, but it has videos on how to do the takedowns and someone explains on how preform them

I think YouTube is a great research source for the martial arts, and I feel that seeing a judo throw performed, and with an explanation, is definitely a supplement to what was learned in class.

To me, grappling arts are not only contact, they cannot be learned without a partner and a knowledgeable instructor. Take Osoto Gari for example. Consider that you and a friend (it's necessary for one to be tori and one to be uke, then switch) watch a video, listen to its explanation, and then decide to take turns performing it. What is the surface you're falling on, since Osoto Gari can be quite a violent throw? Do you and your friend know how to fall without encountering injury? Do you know how to break your uke's balance and control your body to cause him to go down? Do you know how to execute the takedown without causing injury to uke?

I think Toptomcat is giving you great advice, Austin. I come from a striking art background, and in the new art I'm studying I'm discovering how what seems so straightforward on a judo video is the academic; actually performing the move is the real challenge of learning--and acquiring proficiency.

Here's a site of forty judo moves, all demos:

http://www.judoinfo.com/gokyo1.htm

You can see they're executed smooth as silk, and you can also see the Japanese names for each on the menu, so you can enter those names into YouTube and bookmark videos with explanations. But in no way can what you see demonstrated, even demonstrated and explained, take the place of a partner and being taught by a qualified instructor.

Find a good school and I'm sure you'll enjoy your classes with your sensei.

LOL! That's the I found that website earlier

[Toptomcat]

It's impossible to learn any martial art from a Web site without leaving your house. You need a good teacher and good training partners, full stop. Find local places to learn grappling arts, don't just YouTube individual techniques and say you know judo.

True, but it has videos on how to do the takedowns and someone explains on how preform them

Who will be your partner, though?

If my brother will agree to it then him. Even though he hasn't ever done anything as far as Judo or any other style like that, we would be able to practice one specific takedown in various postitions

You will not learn anything useful, and you will have a high chance of hurting either yourself or your brother. I cannot stress this enough- find a place to train. There really is no other way. Find a dojo, please.

[JAKEHE3078]

Stay away from videos. You need a live instructor for feed back, as well as class mates to work with, and to help each-other. For what art to take try all the arts you are interested in, then decide which one you like best, and are the most comfortable with.

[Jay]

It's impossible to learn any martial art from a Web site without leaving your house. You need a good teacher and good training partners, full stop. Find local places to learn grappling arts, don't just YouTube individual techniques and say you know judo.

True, but it has videos on how to do the takedowns and someone explains on how preform them

Who will be your partner, though?

If my brother will agree to it then him. Even though he hasn't ever done anything as far as Judo or any other style like that, we would be able to practice one specific takedown in various postitions

You will not learn anything useful, and you will have a high chance of hurting either yourself or your brother. I cannot stress this enough- find a place to train. There really is no other way. Find a dojo, please.

To the OP I think you should do whatever you feel happiest with and what satifies your goals best. Why are you doing it? Competition? Defense? Fitness? These will help you narrow your choices a bit.

In terms of video instruction, its harder than being taught live and in the beginning its best to get some knowledge. But once you have the basics down there is no reason to learn from videos. I do it alot, again it depends what technique. For example I taught myself an ankle lock the other day didn't know how to do it before. I just played around with it until I got it down(Good Partner is needed). If you do this you must be precise. Filming yourself performing is a good way and then checking it to the original video.

Good Luck

[Toptomcat]

But he has no grappling background and no training partners with a grappling background. Attempting video learning in that position is begging for a serious injury.

[Jay]

But he has no grappling background and no training partners with a grappling background. Attempting video learning in that position is begging for a serious injury.

I agree to a certain extent, hence why I thought it was better he got a little bit of instruction first. I don't particularily have a grappling background either, its just about being sensible with your partner. Don't go over the top when appling locks when it hurts you listen the other guy taps no problem. Plus you can usually feel when you are about to break something, its a good medium to learn from as long as you progress slowly. But he should at least get some training first to start with.

[AustinG010]

But he has no grappling background and no training partners with a grappling background. Attempting video learning in that position is begging for a serious injury.

This goes for this post and the last one you wrote. I want to go to a judo or BJJ dojo, but I don't have any access to a one yet so videos is as good as I can get for now. And I'm not sure if this counts or not but me and my brother used to MMA fight where we do grapples and takedowns only, like I said I'm not sure if it counts for something as a little grappling experience.

[Toptomcat]

You're 13, which means that you almost certainly have access to your school's wrestling team if nothing else. If you have no access to BJJ or judo, use that.