I think learning martial arts and not training for self-defence and/or combat is a waste of time, because all martial arts stem from the need of defence or combat in the first place. I did Aikido for 10 years, and to a great degree I regret not taking fighting more seriously.
#1 to know what you want from your training is gold. Self defense is not combat sport is not health benefits, though one aspect can also support another. Rokas, what is your opinion about inner martial arts? You trained Aikido for so long but never mentioned such aspects as Chi Gung. I just read that ueshiba probably studied ba gua and therefore could do what he was able to do (but because of the history between China and Japan to that time nobody should know). Thanks! 🙏🙂
I think #3! Going around to "try before you buy" was my mentality. Since I'm starting martial arts late, I don't want to waste my years in a place I don't enjoy.
Agreed 100% on trying multiple gyms. I went to a bjj school which was clearly the biggest in the region. I threw up in 6 out of the 8 sessions I went and never came back after (I work out since 2016, I'm not sedentary, I just was suffering from spending too much energy during the roll and not enough cardio atthe gym). I recently decided to try bjj again on another gym and wow the atmosphere is so much better, people don't get offended/angry if I got into a good position and sometimes even let me for me to be able to train the positions correctly (during practice, not rolling). I like it so much now that I might even compete in the future
Quick correction on a great video: kendo is heavily combat oriented and pretty much not "solo practice" focused, so much that some will argue that it's so much of a competitive sport that it now looks very different from what a sword fight should. It's definitely not a good pick for self defense, and quite heavy on the cultural side, but it's definitely a combat sport. Iaido, on the other hand, is a kata-centric mostly solo focused MA. Cheers!
I want to add something to your comment: Kendo has nothing to do with Samurai swordfight...For example there are several videos wich show what happens if a Kenjutsu and Kendo fighter on the same level fight. The fighting style's doesn't match because it's a different context, for once because Kendo doesn't use a Katana shaped like sword, which would be heavier and would allow for different skills. Second, for whatever reason the japanese took everything apart in times of piece during their history, so you have kendo moveset, kejutsu moveset and Iaijutsu moveset, and everything is taught differently and in different seperate schools. All that stuff should be learned as one whole thing. But they don't do it, which has lead to an extreme specification of these singular movesets. Third: Rules to gain points. It's the same in HEMA and sportsfencing. If you bend your martial arts for the purpose to make points, it's watered down. Now hear me out: Kendoka and sportsfencer can be extremely skilled. They are athletes. No doubt about that. But they only interact in a specific set of sportrules to gain points, which is a disadvantage and leads to a different martial arts than what it was supposed to be. I don't say one is better than the other. I'm clearly outclassed by every sportsfencer who has some experience and trained since childhood. But i don't care about that because that's not the system and context i wanna use my martial arts in. On the other hand if you're a Kendoka or a sportsfencer and you're really into the system of sports, i highly encourage to continue with these martial arts because almost nothing will train your body better.
@@Blutroth I think "nothing to do with Samurai swordfight" is a bit too much, but I understand your point. I practice both kendo and iaido and, honestly, I don't care much about "real swordfight", self defense or anything like that -- I'm into the culture and self development bandwagon (and swords, of course). Sure I'd like to learn koryu kenjutsu if I ever have the opportunity, but mostly because I like Japanese MA traditions and paired kata.
@@luizgustavovasques4663 My "nothing to do with with samurai swordfighting" was related to the advertisment of many mainstream kendo schools nowadays which make their students believe they learn how to handle a katana and make them become Samurai. It's just a different kind of fencing and context than what Samurai would do with a Katana for example. Not saying better or worse, just a different context. I think this needs to be understood by the mainstream. Japanese are not so sure of their own history either sadly, a lot of it gets capitalized... take for example Shinobi, which never had a own martial art but were just Samurai specifically administered with espionage duties (and not assassination or with a martial arts). Despite the historical facts, Japan keeps on with the image of these fantasy figures for mostly tourists and money (and sometimes nationalism), and most of the japanese people don't know these history facts either, so they accepted it as part of their culture. If you train kendo for the cultural sport that it is, to sharpen your body and mind - that's great. But there's a lot of people out there training Kendo and think they'll become the next Musashi :/
As an ex kickboxer and sky scraper window cleaner I can totally appreciate the train hard rest hard mindset. I only wish that I learned it 20 years ago. Seriously people, you feel it later in life!
Quick comment on trying to push through fatigue: sometimes you feel too tired to train. I recommend doing the warmup before deciding. I find that 2/3 of the time, I'm good to go after the warmup. If I'm still tired after the warmup, I sit out or go home. Training fatigued can lead to injuries.
Great advice! I spent 20 years of my life in the Martial Arts and have come to the same conclusions you did. We both had to learn these lessons the hard way.
I've been training shorin ryu karate for many years and teaching it for the past decade. I realized long ago that there were holes in the style...at least as it is taught today in the US. Frankly, I believe a lot of styles have become watered down due to liability concerns. As an instructor, even with insurance, you're always considering the ramifications of injuries, etc. (let the lawsuits fly!) BUT, with that said, I am also cross-training in BJJ with Judo mixed in there, and I've been incorporating aspects of those styles into my karate classes. I do have to acknowledge that some of the students are in the class solely for a workout, but for those who are interested in stepping up their game, I'm up for it. I love working throws and grappling, and it helps me get better by teaching it to others.
Aikido was my first martial art too. I started training in it just cos there was a teacher along the road from me when I was a kid. After 8 years training in it I also became disillusioned by it when I realised it didnt really work. I've now bee trying Jiu-Jitsu which I'm really enjoying, but I am also coming back to Aikido for its philosophy for peace and finding the flow in everyday life. Something my Aikido teacher always said, but I just didnt understand cos i was too young. Thank you for sharing your learning journey with us! :)
I've not done aikido but this aikido bloke was a bouncer for many years and got into many fights. He slightly adapted his aikido and said it was very effective in the street. th-cam.com/video/HvK7aaKlJFE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=bylqG-Lfr6IEByyO&t=8
❤ my humility, neck, knees, hips and lumber totally appreciate your advice..I just wish you had been around with this advice in the 80's. You are doing martial arts a great service.
Great video, what I see as complete realistic self defense is much more that punch and kick. I see 8 elements: 1.Situational Awareness 2.Pre Attack indicators 3.Effective self defense tools (flashlight, pepperspray, knife, gun-training) 4.Sprint Interval Endurance 5.Grappling art (judo, BJJ, submission grappling, wrestling) 6.Striking art (Boxing, Kudo, Thaiboxing, etc) 7.Stop the bleed first aid 8.Knowledge of the self defense law and what elements in the law to adjust to Self defense is more a body guard mindset then a mma mindset, more about de-escalate, escape and evade then fight, confront and win
Nr 8 is something the whole world needs to hear, not just martial arts students. It's so easy to feel like you are able to take more stress when you are young, but it's still going to accumulate. I am so happy I've taken care of my body and stayed away from the craziest stuff.
Thanks so much! I took taiji to help me heal from MMA overtraining. I ended up falling in love with the soft practice and gave up fighting for healing. Happy to have found what works better for me! 👍🏻 Sending support to everyone hunting for the right path for themselves. Keep going! You got this!
I was by Bluue Sky (Chung Min BoupSa), originally healing, and fighting arts were taught together. As you age, the healing becones of greater importance. Many arts have separated over time, or the teachers withheld some knowledge. Acupuncturie and massage were included in sone arts, but the wide curriculum does not fit in many peoples modern world.
Today is exactly 1 year after I started my journey, started on boxing and now I am a Muay Thai practitioner that spars fighters and guys 10 years younger and its so much fun but I am 6ft and 210lbs and I did not loose any weight exercising every day for that year just toned my body into lean mean machine. Knees, Elbows and sweeps Love it.
I started training in martial arts (Shotokan karate) when I was seventeen years old, over forty years ago. If only I had had access to such excellent advice! To anyone looking to start training (or who feel that their training just isn't working for them), watch this video, and have a good think about what is being said.
This video should be called How to pick a martial art and school for beginners or something like that. It should reach more of the people who need it and it's a really good video that I had when I was starting out.
I can definitely relate to a good few of these - especially the treating your body well because if you don't, you will have to work a whole lot harder when you're older to offset those mistakes. Good tips and advice!
I read the Gavin De Becker book in the late 90s. I just recently bought another copy, it is a great read. My first karate teacher in the 80s, said “I do not teach self defense, I teach you how to fight”.
Cheers from Brazil Rokas! Great video btw. I've been studying Taekwondo for 21 years, and today i am 3rd degree black belt, and red belt on Hapkido. Since 2022, i've began questioning myself if all i've been trying for two decades was the right thing, based on what Taekwondo is today. So, for the last 8 months, i have studied everything i can about Taekwondo and korean martial arts. From what i've learned, Taekwondo was meant to be an effective martial art, even so i can say that if Kukkiwon and WT decided to, Taekwondo could be sort of a "Korean Kickboxing". Instead, for political influence, Taekwondo droped it's combative roots to be developed as a high-performance sports-based martial arts. So this is the point were i've decided do change things in my dojang. Instead of teaching only the common style of Taekwondo, i've decided to develop in myself what this style lacks: the effective system. So i will now learn both Muay Thai and Jiu-Jitsu, to develop myself as a more complete martial artist, and i will teach a more effective form of Taekwondo, based on self-defense and effective combat, not abandoning its traditional martial, mental and spiritual training. I know i can't change the world, but at least i will change something to my students lives with this. Your story with Aikido inspired me to do this, so keep up the good work man! And thanks for the tips on this video
Man as a Judoka and kickboxer, who has dabbled in just about everything and started as a kid with taekwondo I'd love to see more diversity in it's application and interpretation. I hope you have great success! One day I'd like to open my own judo, kudo, and no gi BJJ hybrid school I hope I can expand the arts in the way you are doing.
@@gajorg69 just keep going man, nobody can tell what you can or cannot do. Martial arts is about evolution through experience. You learn a fighting style from your master, but it doesn't mean you cannot learn others. All the teachings you have through your life in martial arts will develop your unique fighting style, that someday, you will teach others, that in the future will do the exact same thing. For comparation, it is just like the cicle of life itself: a single person, formed by the dna and teachings of its parents life experiences, that will have its own experiences through life and will teach these to its children, students, and the cicle begins again. I wish you success and a great martial arts journey for your life 🙌🏽
Which Taekwondo? ITF or WTF - if it is not ITF its not Taekwondo, the WTF Olympic style is not the original - Americans due to the conflict in South Korea got the watered down version of the real Taekwondo designed for soldiers.
@@DJ-st4rs not only this, but the fact that Kukkiwon and WT were created to form a sport-based style makes this point just worse. What i see is that martial arts evolve with the traditions and one's personal experiences through life, changing it's shape in the process. I do know that our taekwondo is just a sport and is not realy effective as a martial art, so, what i've learn for the past 22 years and what i am learning now will make my style unique, and this, my way of the taekwondo is the one that will pass to my students and will evolve through the next generations.
I started Judo almost a month ago, at 44. Best decision ever! The dojo is awesome as the people in it and every training is a wonderful exprience. It's challenging but the satisfaction I'm getting in learning new things every time is immense. The only thing I would change if I could would be starting judo before :) but everyone's path is different, I dedicated a lot of years to another passion of mine (volley) and other sports and I don't regret it, and maybe if my past had been different I wouldn't appreciated Judo so much now, who knows! But if you're struggling making the decision to start practicing a martial art, don't wait and just do it following the awesome suggestions of this video and you'll have the time of your life :)
Is Judo hard on the body? I'm 35 and considering starting. I've been active my whole life so I'm not in bad shape, just wondering if I'll break my head lol.
@@janzafar7577 Judo is amazing, go for it! They will teach you how to fall properly so no problem that side. It is a very technicallly demanding art but very satisfying
Hi, Rokas! I'm a brazilian guy who train Pa-Kua (or Bagua), and I identify a lot with your history. That's why I stared my own TH-cam Channel to "own my own journey", and you're a big inspiration to me. So thank you, Rokas, from the heart! Maybe one day we make a video together! 😁🥋
You know, I've though about Pa-Kua the instant he Said about searching It before joining in. I've did exactly that, and found things that made me reluctant to try Pa-kua. As a practicioner (or ex-practicioner) what are your thoughs about It?
@@WillTower19 I still pratice Pa-Kua and teach it. Honestly, I truly believe in the Knowlegde/Filosophy and some tecniques for self-defense (that I tried and tested myself in pressure tests), but like Rokas says in one of his video - some martial arts are like running a bike. That's ok, it's good for your health, but you can't win against a racing car. Pa-Kua is not entirely for self-defense. It's a Martial Art with some tecnique for self-defense (in my opinion). And I try my best to teach this for my students - what are for self-defense and what it's not. I also praticed other martial arts, combat sports and self-defense system, to learn and see other point of views. And from what I learn, Pa-Kua has great potential and concepts for self-defense and also for fighting, like Aikido and other martial arts, but the instructors aren't good. They don't seek for Excelence (witch I believe it's the essence of Martial Arts - The Seek for Excelence). I recently take a knive-defense course from a krav maga school that the tecniques were so bad... Bad instructors are in all Martial Arts, Self-defende system and Combat Sports. Sorry for the big text, but I couldn't express my toughts in just one paragraph hehe
Awesome video Rokas ! I'm an aikidoka for years now and I started taking boxing classes this month. I loved and still love the cultural aspect from aikido, but now at 30 I wanted to take a more "contact-oriented" art. Very extremely different vibes but I like it and I'll be practicing both arts in parallel 🙂
If I had it to do all over again.. Whatever I chose, I would learn grappling in a related setting first as my base. Before Karate, I’d have taken Judo. Before KungFu, I’d have found Shuaijiao, or at least San Da. Before Wing Chun, I’d have found a Muay Thai school with an instructor who is also particularly really good at the Thai Plum and preferably with BJJ in the same building. Before Boxing, I would get into Wrestling. Grappling gives you an entirely different appreciation and understanding for the Traditional Martial Arts / striking arts and grappling arts almost always have really widespread competitive opportunities. Also, I would have kept something on the side that I strictly do for fun. I probably would have went and taken Shaolin Kungfu.. not for fighting, but, because I got the book, “Supple Leopard”. Flexibility, athleticism, and natural strength are so important, especially as you age. Shaolin is like the most fun way of getting some stretching and cardio in, and hitting those full ranges of motion, without getting bored. With good flexibility, strength, joint health, and a strong grappling background… from that point, WHATEVER you decide to do, you are going to naturally elevate it. Even MMA has proven that a Wrestling / Grappling foundation, with strong striking added on, gives them the ability to dominate and dictate the fight with a high percentage of success and the longest list of champions.
This is so opposite to what I believed growing up wrestling while being very worried about getting into a fight with a boxer as that's what was considered the most effective martial art until BJJ and MMA became popular. For me, grappling is so easy and straight forward I really can't remember not knowing how to take people down and stay on my feet or how to never get into a position on the ground that I can't use intelligence to turn into a dominant position. But now that I've mastered boxing after 9 years, I am starting to question my grappling skills are getting rusty as it's been advancing so much in the last twenty years
Depends on what you want, sport/mental perspective it's good to try a lot of what you mentioned but MMA is still not the real world...on the street you dont want to be on the ground, you learn grappling/wrestling to get up soon as possible...striking is more useful in the street...BJJ is overhyped in the internet but it's just a tool, useful of course but you always want to know how strike (maybe kick), a good punch can save your life...the faster you handle the situation the better, you dont want to fight in the ground for minutes...believe me
@@quercusroburxthe three taps means your joint is braking or you are out of breath. It takes seconds if you are trained for that. Striking is a must but knowing how to fall and what to do in the ground is important.
I like that Rokas states that the best martial arts for you may depend on your personality (I’m like Rokas, I’m not the most aggressive person but I can be because I was trained to be); Goju Ryu works best for me because of the cultural experience and the continuative contact sparring. I love the Bajiquan kung fu style because it gives the cultural background, gives decent application and helps with health
Hi Rokas, I've been practicing karate for 10 years and aikido for 8 (where I highly appreciated the art of falling or ukemi), and I'm now looking for something new, at 59. I watched this video 5 times: it's very thoughtful and inspiring. Thanks! Samuele
Great advice came to the same answers after 43 years of mixed training and still able to say i enjoy it more now for following the same steps you talk about which i employed about 15 years ago after a serious injury.
Another great video! All good tips! I know that trying out multiple styles is very popular these days. There are two ways to do it: 1. Dabble, this is where you take multiple styles for 1-12 months, and 2. Extend, this is where you take a single martial art to Black belt and beyond and go to other schools to learn a specific set of skills to improve yourself and remove blind spots. It’s common for instructors to not like either, but the best instructors know that they can only keep advanced students engaged if they help them extend what they know. The very best martial arts organizations have extension of their art in the DNA of the organization. I would look for a school like this regardless of style! You find it by asking the senior students in the gym. If most have taken another style, that’s a good sign! If the people in the gym look like boxers when they punch and like BJJ / wrestlers on the ground that’s a good sign! I have seen this in JKD gyms, kali gyms, HEMA gyms, MMA gyms, Wing Chun etc. I am sure there are gyms in virtually every style that are like this; fighting is fighting and it all leads to the same place. People try to say “pressure testing” and sport is the ONLY way to achieve this outcome. That’s false, it’s necessary but not sufficient. Training is improvement through problem solving. Sparing is a simulator that can give you good data, what you do with that data is equally important. Also, how you collect the data, e.g. rulesets is equally important.
Great messages to be getting out to the community. I remember trying out several different karate schools and being able to tell the difference in quality as well as the difference in how the teaching style works for me. My initials school is still probably one of the best for me, I accelerated quickly through the lower ranks, because I was young and had nothing but time to dedicate to training. I remember when I moved away from that school, someone in my new location accused the school of just being in it for the money because I've gone through for belts in a relatively short period of time. The Sensei was my uncle's friend, I paid $35 a month and $10 a belt Canadian. For that I had a literal open-door policy to the dojo and went three or four days a week on top of my training at home oh to be that young. These days I have settled in at an Arnis school, where we regularly invite instructors of other schools and styles from other gyms to come and train with us and lead the class. I have attended classes now with guest instructors in American boxing, wing chun, judo, bujinkan, I'm sure you get the gist of it. Have fun, learn everything.
The sword and the boxing glove is a really good mix... You would learn striking in the grappling behind the sword (Jiu-Jitsu) you wouldn't be an expert on the ground, but you wouldn't be a pushover down there either. In the whole journey of Martial Arts soft styles are harder to learn than hard styles they become more valuable the more skilled you become.
@@brynjones3445 a soft-style is typically uses open hands and a parrying system and instead of a blocking and using the other persons strength against them. Some styles have both like Goju Ryu which means hard and soft or Hung Gar tiger is hard crane is soft. But depending on the person they may only focus on one over the other... Cobra Kai is hard Miyaigi Do is soft.. there is a karate movie called Kuro Obi that goes through the philosophy really well also. I think it's on TH-cam. One of the actors are on the Kuro Obi world channel. Most sports are hard because it's not entertaining to be defensive. There may be someone who can explain it better than I can but once you recognize that you can easily point it out
@@nebriancoleman4704 If you hear bullshit like "using someone's strength against them", you should be running from that place anyways. Strength never works against you, even if you have no clze what you're doing.
@@MrCmon113 yes and no. I agree tai chi and most these hand trapping systems have glaring forms but when it comes to close grappling systems( bjj or wrestling) u mainly do use ur opponents power against them, for instance the philosophy of push pull is very important. Or trying to time sweeps.
Thanks for the great advice! 26 year old from Turkiye here. I started practicing taekwondo in my childhood. Then, I did greko wrestling at university, then MMA practice as I believed it is the most practical branch. HOWEVER, fighting is not cost effective for a person who doesn't put martial arts at the center of his life. I got multiple broken ribs, a broken ankle during greko match and so on. Now, I decided to go for my black belt in taekwondo to age healthily and not to fight like a pitbull in octagon anymore. For young people reading this comment out there, do your best to protect your body as there might happen irreversible damage even in light sparrings in fierce fighting styles.
Watching your videos inspired me to get back into martial arts. I found my local bjj gym and today is my first class! 2 bbj classes a week and 2 mma💪💪💪
What I learned the hard way was you cannot rely on the quality of your teachers all the time. You need to get to the stage of learning by yourself as fast as possible.
I often think about what I would have done differently if I had the chance to do it over again, and that includes Martial arts. This was a truly great discussion of that topic. And I think tip #9 is the most important of all, and not just for martial arts, but for everything. I basically quit playing Golf because I got pretty good too quickly and started to put _way_ too much pressure on myself, making the experience more stressful than fun.
Hey. I've never done any martial arts. I want to learn boxing and wrestling. I don't want to become a specialist, I just want to be able to win fights. Can I teach myself at home these martial arts or do I need to go to a school? I am still studying so I don't have time to go to one. How should I teach myself boxing and wrestling this summer if I am only going to train alone?
@@bigchungus6496 it's best to have a trainer to at least learn the basics. It is good to have a training partner for bag and focus drills. Boxing is a great martial art for your intended purposes.
I'm not sure Kendo is mostly focused on tradition. I guess we could say that about Kenjutsu, but Kendo, not necessarily. It seems to me that what they did with Kendo is something similar to what Jigoro Kano did with Judo. It's still a modern form of fighting with samurai swords with a specific set of rules.
Experience with tip #8 - I trained Krav Maga for a year and absolutely loved it. However there was a female instructor who encouraged the students to hit the hard pads as hard as possible bare fisted, continually for most of the session. Even when we hit them real hard she said to do it harder! I ended up injuring my knuckles. Doctor recommended to just let them heal without treatment and it took several years until my knuckles stopped hurting. The bone is a different shape now. Now finally I'm going to enroll in martial arts again, this time probably in MMA (jiu-jitsu, kickboxing mix) but just for fun with more padding. Be aware that you can get injured more in martial arts training than from an actual attacker, if you give in to instructors who push you beyond your body limits.
That whole “don’t blindly take life advice from your instructor” bit is important. I’ve seen folks get wrapped up in treating their instructor like a mentor and get real messed up in the head. Adopting whatever weird personality traits and beliefs the instructor has like he’s their dad. Straight up Cobra Kai stuff. Much more common with teens being influenced by an adult but it can happen with grown men taken in by charisma too.
I don't think you wasted any time. I've never trained aikido. But from the outside looking in. It looks like a more cerebral style. The focus on flow, strategy, tactics with minimal effort is not something for a beginner to hone on. So I just think you started from the end. Now you are filling the gaps. In my case I'd like to try aikido and japanese jiu-jitsu after completing a deep dive in the 3 phases of unarmed combat and some degree of proficiency in armed combat. Thanks for the content 🙏
I can't speak for everyone who has done TKD, but based on my experience TKD is more focused on competition and fitness than cultural experience. The most culture I got from it was learning how to count to ten in Korean. I also never thought I was learning it for self-defense, and the instructor never gave me that impression.
There are a lot of videos popping up about BJJ injuries, A lot of people drop out after blue belt and did not reach purple belt because of the injuries. A lot of people talking in those videos saying that's their experience and the no.1 topic with BJJ or Judo. We screwed up our bodies and dropped out without learning any standup or takedowns even after doing BJJ for a couple of years, and this is for a Martial arts that's famous in MMA. If I could start over again, I don't have a good answer right now but it has to be some kind of no-competitive boxing/MT and watered down Wrestling/Greco that gives you longevity. Sounds like a stupid answer but I did boxing non-competitively for 2 years in my 40's without any injuries, granted I didn't get into any hard sparring but the cost benefit is high.
Agree... Well injuries are one off the reasons why I stopped MMA/BJJ (I do still little BJJ) and started to train more Aikido again. With Aikido I can still do Martial Arts and still maintain my physical condition and my skills (and even develope my older skills), but with less injuries altough our training is pretty hard.
@@ironjavs1182 In the 90's, Kyokushin, Muay Thai, MMA took over then scene. Point Karate went out of favor, but if you look at footage of Mikio Yahara in those Karate competition, these guy had speed, timing, balance etc, also their conditioning was also good, lean muscle everywhere. It won't take much to convert them into a ring fighter. Do we want to get punched in the stomach and head after 35 with our daily career and family schedule? We need something that's effective at fighting but train in a way that doesn't get us hurt.
I’m really passionate about martial arts and always dreamt of starting one. Now I have the time and money and I’m thinking about aikido or taekwondo (and maybe hapkido if there’s a great teacher/dojo in my city), but mostly aikido because it seems more light, and I’m truly afraid of getting an injury as I love playing music more than life itself, and so far every other dojo seems hella competitive in comparison
Very good video. Only did boxing for a couple of months, myself, but I want to try again, maybe with a different martial art. You're very straightforward and that's what I enjoyed most about your video. Honestly hadn't given some of these tips much or any thought until you mentioned them. Thank you for your advice! I wish you good luck in your journeys, in and out of martial arts!
What practical advice. I wish I knew these things when I first started martial arts. I also took aikido early on, and I was told it would take 15-20 years to learn to defend myself. I balked and only continued a little bit longer, but I became discouraged because I really wanted to learn how to defend myself. I grew up being bullied and physically assaulted, and I wanted to learn how to not be a victim when two or more people were ganging up on me. 1v1 wasn't so much of a concern because I could mostly psyche people out but the whole psychological/social dynamics are different when two or more kids egg each other on to increasingly higher levels of violence.
Kickboxing is a great martial art for self defense, staying in shape, and it's relatively able to be learned quickly. I recommend it amoung other arts except for Muay Thai.
I lucked out Rokas. I am in a small town - and my reason for joining martial arts was something different - while self defence and challenging myself etc are important reasons and nothing I would scoff at, I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I therefore needed to exercise to control my blood glucose and I've tried - I won't be caught dead in a gym.. D-E-D ded. My martial arts school happened to be two blocks down from my place. My studio focuses on both grappling (a combination of BJJ, judo and wrestling) and striking (boxing, kickboxing and Muay Thai.) and has a separate MMA class daily where they blend everything in. They spar and roll every day and this is what they say: "We have had constant success in producing proficient martial artists quickly. We measure our success with metrics including, how well we fight in competition and on the mats every day." The benefit of this kind of training is that my blood glucose is WELL under control. My concentration is SO much better and my sugar pains have gone away. This is like the elixir of life for me.
I've been wanting to get into a martial art for years, but I've always been full of excuses. Too scrawny, too inflexible, too old, etc. But understanding that my goal is TO get in better shape, learn more about myself, and feeling more competent in an area I've never felt competence, I'm trying to find a local boxing gym and see how I like that after a year.
I’m actually glad my father chose karate for me when I was young. He wanted me to defend myself and karate sure did that. I built strength, muscle, confidence, concentration AND fighting skills. Karate dojos differ. A few years later I decided that I also wanted to join the judo dojo right next to my karate dojo. So it was a great combo. Karate does sometimes get the ‘no contact’ rep but it’s not all like that. We do contact and non contact but judo was an amazing way to keep the balance. Overall, choose your dojo correctly but don’t stress too much.
I started for a fun different way of exercising. I do enjoy the addition cultural education. Have been training in Shito-Ryu Karate and BJJ for a long time.
I did a little wrestling in school, but i began studying 2 different Karate based systems on my 21st birthday in 97'. One had a strong Filipino influence and had lots of weapon work, and the other had no forms, and focused on body conditioning, sparring, and was influenced by Muay Thai. I did this for about 5 years, going 3-5 days a week and mae to Brown Belt, until i had surgery, and went back for my black belt years later. I had the luxury of seeing the whole rise of the UFC and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, and i have taken a bit of BJJ a bit, but injuries prevent real study. There were about a half dozen schools i tried for several months as well so i had plenty of exposure to different instructors. If i had to do it over again with hindsight, i would have still gotten my black belt in Karate. But i would have immediately started BJJ when i could find a school, and maintained realistic knife training. I would also focus on preserving my body more so i could be more effective later in life.
Love the video, just one thing as a karateca I can say that karate can offer both the cultural experience and the fighting experience you just have to find a good dojo and thats the hard part about it.
That's what I liked about my Guru. I sat in on a training session. one for my step son and one for me (Kids/adults) and we decided to join. He told me about the fee's and family plan (which isn't expensive) and decided to join. The following week I went in to pay for everything and he refused the money and only charged me for the shirts (We don't wear Gi's). Said to come the rest of the month for free (two full weeks), and if I enjoyed it and wanted to continue. I could start paying the following month.
A great example of questioning the instructor I heard of was there was a group of students that came from a related school but were not tucking their thumb in when doing open handed moves. Nobody really questioned it but apparently it was noticed by my teacher and others. It was just a thing. Then they met their sensei and saw he was doing it and asked him. He badly broke his thumb years ago.
Most important is WEIGHT TRAINING, regardless of what martial art you chose the physical attributes of strength and “pummeling through” or makeshift RAW grappling will balance out any learned technique or just simply getting winded
It won't balance out you not knowing what to do. But I agree that weight training is more profitable than any particular combat skill, because strength is so generally applicable. It helps in striking, all situations in wrestling and grappling, in moving a washing machine, climbing fences, carrying groceries...
Perfect advise. Thank you very much sir. That thing about different schools teaching the same thing in different ways, is so relatable to me. It happened to me when I changed from tkd ITF schools during a break in my official school. And there they made me fight against people twice my zise and age at full contact and no mercy (I was a 15 years old, skinny and without clue about nothing in life, fighting against brutes with steroids).
I'm just starting martial arts in general, trying to choose between Muay Thai and BJJ, and the various gyms for both. This is video is probably going to be my gold standard for beginner advice. I've recently been learning the hard way what Rokas is saying in this video! I think trying different styles and gyms is super important. One gym might be "good enough," but when you're new, you might not even know what you're missing!
Basically see what quality of gyms are available near you, let the quality of the training and the atmosphere of the gym be what makes your decision rather than the art.
Take my advice. You might not Believe me but START with freestyle Wrestling 6 months Daily for general confidence, fighter athleticism, grappling confidence plus scrambling mindset so you don't get used to being one on the bottom.. Then Dutch style Kickboxing daily for 6 Months to condition your Foundation footwork and aggressive mindset gained from previous wrestling. Then Learn Gi Jiu Jitsu until you achieve blue Belt from one of Danaher's schools right after than you learn your purple belt from a Highly respected No Gi specific gym like 10th Planet gyms. As you learn Jiu Jitsu you also add boxing and general kickboxing skills enough to maintain your general footwork rhythm. Once you're purple belt no Gi You jump to two martial arts very specific for high level all rounder fighter. Muay Thai and Greco Roman wrestling. Muay Thai so fewer but more powerful kicks get in strike arsenal. Plus elbows and knees. Also utilize upper-body clinche. Greco Roman for pure upper body manipulation. Jon Jones did it. Right after these skillsets. Join combat sambo tournaments to sharpen skills and leg lock attempts. Higher skilled russians with more competetive fights will sharpen and After that you can join MMA as very well balanced fighter. Thanks for reading Had to blurt it
When i said somethin in our messenger group and my trainer didn't agree i thought i was wrong... When he said He did research and admitted to be wrong in front of all his students i knew i'm in the right place with right teacher. He never said "you are doing it wrong" , he always says "as long as it works on Your opponent it's right, if it doesn't work, adapt". And i adapt and learn and i can see progress. I started my journey pretty late (in my early 40ties) but i'm sure i'm on the right path. I would like to add, that Your content pushed me on that path (i trained Aikido in my youth and became very angry with matial arts in general). Your Journey started mine. I started to watch Your channel, Icy Mike, Sensei Seth, Metrolina, Street Beefs, Jeff Chan, Ramsey, Wonderboy and more "no bullshit approach". Now, after 3 years of experience (i know it's nothing in martial arts) i know it was best decision i've made in my life. I'm training boxing, both my kids train Shotokan Karate. Ite became our lifestyle and i'm happy about it. Keep up good work, You are beacon of litght for many people.
I started out with TKD at about....12 years old. After 10-12 years I got in to boxing, kick-boxing and finally Thai. Now my halth have gone south. I don't really train anymore....but I'm going back to TKD. Just because I won't take any hard blows to the head. :)
traditional okinawan karate doesnt teach ground fighting 99% of the time. they just go to the ground to do finishing moves, not develop their grappling game
Defintely #6. I've been in a single art for 20 years, and my ability to walk away isn't there now that I've made it my occupation. I just don't have the time to train elsewhere, as the time of classes is always going to be in conflict with when I have to work with my own students. For someone learning as a student, you'll often ramp up to a certain level of proficiency and then plateau. When you hit that plateau, it's not a bad time to move to another art. Younger me would've disagreed and said that perseverance is everything but honestly you'll gain a lot more from doing that over fighting for the smaller gains you'd get sticking with it. The plateau hits a lot sooner in striking arts, so maybe start there, and then move on to grappling, which takes a lot longer to reach that proficient level.
I´ve tried 5 different martial arts in my life. Unless you are planning to become a professional mma fighter, a bodyguard or an instructor, there is no wrong martial art. Self defense might be a reason, but in the US most homeless will have a knife, most perps will have a glock with xtended magazine... best defense is not martial arts, it is being aware and know how to get out of situations. My advice to most people: do what you like, and it will follow you throughout your life. I started with karate as a kid. During my teens, saw tkd and fell in love with it. Went to tournments, lived the tkd life. When I got older, some of my friends said muay thai was more useful as a self defense tool. Enjoyed it for about a year, then went back to tkd. During the height and hype of bjj, tried it as well. After a few classes, figured I did not enjoy hugging sweaty man for long periods of time. Recently I´ve been trying boxing. Kinda like it, but still did not quit tkd. Gonna try keeping up with both and see how far my old body can take it. In the end martial arts is my stress reliever, my hobby, my physical health indicator.
Folks, I’ve been devoting a significant amount of time and energy to martial arts since I was a teen. I’m in my fifties now. Please keep this in mind: Your primary goal should be to seek truth and then to practice it. I absolutely love traditional arts, through which I’ve achieved not one, but two black belts. I still practice one of them. ☯️ However, please give this some “ego-less” thought: Without a minimum skill of BJJ and/or boxing; kickboxing (sanda, muay thai etc) your traditional style will not take you far. Again, they are excellent for health of body and mind, and a lifeline in a lockdown scenario! I spent the pandemic working on my broadsword! But if you truly wish to acquire realistic fighting skills, you also need to do what is best for that purpose… not try to protect your ego or that of your Teacher, however incredible they may be as an educator or person. Teachers and styles must serve the student, not the other way around. Power to you! 👊🏼🌍
The other goal of martial arts are: choreography fighting for stage performance, solo tricking, meditation & competition career. By having set clear goal, the students can achieve the target. Capoeira & taekwondo are best for solo tricking, Taichi are best for mediation, Boxing are best for competition career. But what is the best martial arts for stage performance?
Just one more thing you could add. Your reason for doing martial arts can change. Look at me i started karate because i wanted to be like an anime character (Yes I know karate’s not the right martial art for that but i was young). But now I keep doing karate because I love the challenge and I love practicing karate.
For what it's worth, one of the reasons I like your channel is because of your experience in the Aikido cult. I like it because I myself was part of a cult -- not a martial arts cult, but a bona fide religious cult! Your videos where you talk about your experiences in the cult resonate with my own experiences. If nothing else, your "wasted time" in Aikido allows people like me to relate to you on a deep level 😭😭
If you want to know self defence. You can have a part of these combat styles. Like wrestling, jiujitsu, judo, boxing, muay thai, karate, wing chun jkd and krav maga. Schools with sparring, situation imitading rhetoric teaching and show you how to fight against multiple opponents.
A big piece of advice I have for anyone is pick something that compliments your body type. If you are somewhat short and chubby then something like tkd or karate may not be the best for you but judo and BJJ you will probably do very well at. If you are tall and lanky it's the opposite, you will thrive being able to use that reach
Started from Shotokan and convert to full contact karate that introduce more of efficient striking and clinching, currently slowly diving myself in to BJJ to add grappling aspect.
I need so much rest, my coach often times called me if were to be back lol always came back better, faster, stronger, and waaay more technical. Listen to your body, but don't lose motivation!
My take over the years has become like this: Judo for the kids, teaches them throws and body control while benefiting flexibility. Boxing for the teens, teaches them the best upper body martial arts and teaches them to deal with taking damage and sparring heavily. A krav maga school that actually does high stress scenario training for the adults. To be fair, I have gaping holes in knowledge when it comes to kicking.
00:00:00 In this section, the speaker emphasizes the importance of deciding why you want to learn martial arts before choosing a specific martial art. They suggest that the three most common reasons for learning martial arts are self-defense, challenging oneself, and experiencing the culture. The speaker advises that if self-defense is the main goal, it may be wise to start with a self-defense course or read books on the subject. They then discuss different martial arts that are effective for fighting and self-defense, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and Judo. They also mention martial arts that focus more on cultural experiences and self-development, such as karate, Taekwondo, Kung Fu, Aikido, and Kendo. The speaker suggests trying out different schools or gyms to find the right fit, as teaching methods, atmosphere, and quality of instruction can vary greatly. 00:05:00 In this section, the speaker emphasizes the importance of researching and questioning martial arts schools before committing to one. They note that different schools have different focuses, with some being more competitive and intense, while others prioritize community and accessibility. The speaker advises visiting multiple schools, observing classes, and choosing the one that aligns with one's preferences. Additionally, the speaker warns against potential scams or questionable practices in certain schools, such as exorbitant fees or instructors without clear lineage or experience. They encourage researching the reputation of the martial art and specific school before making a decision. Lastly, the speaker advises questioning the instructor when necessary, while still maintaining a level of trust and respect. They caution against blindly following an instructor's advice outside of the martial arts realm, as they may not have expertise in other areas. Additionally, the speaker warns against instructors teaching unproven or dangerous techniques, stressing the importance of safety and proper guidance. 00:10:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the potential risks and unhealthy practices that can be present in traditional martial arts schools, such as sitting on your knees for hours and participating in exercises that may cause harm. They emphasize the importance of questioning instructors and refusing to participate in exercises that feel unsafe. Additionally, the speaker advises against getting stuck in a single martial art and encourages cross-training to learn different styles and practices. They highlight the benefits of being open-minded, learning new things, and developing humility. The section also cautions against overtraining, as it can lead to regression and negatively impact physical and mental progress. Taking care of one's body is emphasized, including stretching, mobility exercises, and avoiding reckless movements to prevent future injuries and maintain the quality of life. 00:15:00 In this section, the speaker emphasizes the importance of making the martial arts learning process enjoyable. While initially, learning a new martial art may be fun, it can easily turn into an obsession or habit that leads to burnout. Pushing oneself too hard and not taking breaks can eventually result in a loss of motivation and regret. It is crucial to find enjoyment in the training, invest in areas of the martial art that are enjoyable, and take adequate breaks to prevent hitting a wall. By doing so, one can sustain their martial arts journey for years to come.
I been in the martial arts for 23 years and im so prooud of it. I LOVE martial arts. My only complaint was that my teacher taught me speed and trchniques my first 2 years when i wanted to learn about power. I was barely 120lbs with next to no muscle mass except from the continious pushups and situps school had me do. I was picked on and i wanted power so i could bulk up and show some muscle while i learned the speed and techniques. Apparently my teacher never told me but he was hoping that i would go straight for power. He knew how thin i was but hoped i would find out on my own. When i did i hit the weights, i wouldnt stop training and working out and just let the years pass by as i got more and more experienced. The road to masterhood begins with a single punch or kick and gets shorter the longer you keep going
Okay, look... I have practiced karate, taekwondo, muay thai, and kickboxing, being more versed in the first two rather than the latter ones, and, sure, when I fought the way the muay thai and kickboxing practitioners fight, I had a hard time standing my ground against them, but when using my taekwondo footwork, and shotokan lunges, they had a hard time even touching me, and speaking from the perspective of self-defense, being able to dodge attacks and flee the scene sounds way better than standing around and inevitably receiving kicks and punches. I know, sometimes you can't do that because you are blocked on all sides, but good, fluent footwork will still give you a better chance of outmaneuvering your opponent and get to a safe place.
I wish I watched your video before I started by martial arts journey. I trained in 4 disciplines but ended up stopping due to injuries. I never realized that overtraining is not helpful.
@@MartialArtsJourney Thank you. I wanna get back soon when time permits. For now I am satisfied just watching your journey. Your videos on aikido hits hard.
Learn MA which fits your character, value and situation. If your believe prohibits to hit the face, boxing is perhaps not your first option. If you dont have much money, Krav Maga or BBJ are perhaps not in your top rank. If you have knee problem, Taekwondo or Karate are perhaps not the first you want to try. That says, practicing any MA is better than doing nothing.
Absolutely agree and that is why I chose to take a MA class in the evening a few days a week. I take ballet classes but still needed more exercise. A martial arts class provided the exercise and mental stimulation I wanted. As a woman it was important to find a school that had women in their classes and I was able to find a good school close by.
Which advice do you think is the most important?
#5. If the instructor's answer is, "Just do what I tell you. Once you develop the skill, you'll understand," then head for the door.
@@DagwoodDogwoggle Agreed!
I think learning martial arts and not training for self-defence and/or combat is a waste of time, because all martial arts stem from the need of defence or combat in the first place. I did Aikido for 10 years, and to a great degree I regret not taking fighting more seriously.
#1 to know what you want from your training is gold. Self defense is not combat sport is not health benefits, though one aspect can also support another.
Rokas, what is your opinion about inner martial arts? You trained Aikido for so long but never mentioned such aspects as Chi Gung. I just read that ueshiba probably studied ba gua and therefore could do what he was able to do (but because of the history between China and Japan to that time nobody should know).
Thanks! 🙏🙂
I think #3! Going around to "try before you buy" was my mentality. Since I'm starting martial arts late, I don't want to waste my years in a place I don't enjoy.
rokas we love you im sorry but the whoosh air sound is driving me absolutely insane
Haha, I'm always open to feedback! Thanks for letting me know. I'll lower its sound in the future, and potentially opt out of using it entirely
@MartialArtsJourney I genuinely didn't notice it until I looked at the comments
@@adamspiveysame lol
Lol, didn't even notice until I read it. Now it drives me crazy too. Thanks 😂
Thank you for the reply Rokas
Agreed 100% on trying multiple gyms. I went to a bjj school which was clearly the biggest in the region. I threw up in 6 out of the 8 sessions I went and never came back after (I work out since 2016, I'm not sedentary, I just was suffering from spending too much energy during the roll and not enough cardio atthe gym). I recently decided to try bjj again on another gym and wow the atmosphere is so much better, people don't get offended/angry if I got into a good position and sometimes even let me for me to be able to train the positions correctly (during practice, not rolling). I like it so much now that I might even compete in the future
That's really awesome to hear!
Happy for you!
Lulz I tore my ACL within 3 months, been recovering fine tho, will def come back
Quick correction on a great video:
kendo is heavily combat oriented and pretty much not "solo practice" focused, so much that some will argue that it's so much of a competitive sport that it now looks very different from what a sword fight should. It's definitely not a good pick for self defense, and quite heavy on the cultural side, but it's definitely a combat sport.
Iaido, on the other hand, is a kata-centric mostly solo focused MA.
Cheers!
Good point. I thought the same thing watching the video.
I want to add something to your comment: Kendo has nothing to do with Samurai swordfight...For example there are several videos wich show what happens if a Kenjutsu and Kendo fighter on the same level fight. The fighting style's doesn't match because it's a different context, for once because Kendo doesn't use a Katana shaped like sword, which would be heavier and would allow for different skills. Second, for whatever reason the japanese took everything apart in times of piece during their history, so you have kendo moveset, kejutsu moveset and Iaijutsu moveset, and everything is taught differently and in different seperate schools. All that stuff should be learned as one whole thing. But they don't do it, which has lead to an extreme specification of these singular movesets. Third: Rules to gain points. It's the same in HEMA and sportsfencing. If you bend your martial arts for the purpose to make points, it's watered down. Now hear me out: Kendoka and sportsfencer can be extremely skilled. They are athletes. No doubt about that. But they only interact in a specific set of sportrules to gain points, which is a disadvantage and leads to a different martial arts than what it was supposed to be. I don't say one is better than the other. I'm clearly outclassed by every sportsfencer who has some experience and trained since childhood. But i don't care about that because that's not the system and context i wanna use my martial arts in. On the other hand if you're a Kendoka or a sportsfencer and you're really into the system of sports, i highly encourage to continue with these martial arts because almost nothing will train your body better.
@@Blutroth I think "nothing to do with Samurai swordfight" is a bit too much, but I understand your point. I practice both kendo and iaido and, honestly, I don't care much about "real swordfight", self defense or anything like that -- I'm into the culture and self development bandwagon (and swords, of course). Sure I'd like to learn koryu kenjutsu if I ever have the opportunity, but mostly because I like Japanese MA traditions and paired kata.
@@BlutrothWhich videos do you refer to?
@@luizgustavovasques4663 My "nothing to do with with samurai swordfighting" was related to the advertisment of many mainstream kendo schools nowadays which make their students believe they learn how to handle a katana and make them become Samurai. It's just a different kind of fencing and context than what Samurai would do with a Katana for example. Not saying better or worse, just a different context. I think this needs to be understood by the mainstream. Japanese are not so sure of their own history either sadly, a lot of it gets capitalized... take for example Shinobi, which never had a own martial art but were just Samurai specifically administered with espionage duties (and not assassination or with a martial arts). Despite the historical facts, Japan keeps on with the image of these fantasy figures for mostly tourists and money (and sometimes nationalism), and most of the japanese people don't know these history facts either, so they accepted it as part of their culture. If you train kendo for the cultural sport that it is, to sharpen your body and mind - that's great. But there's a lot of people out there training Kendo and think they'll become the next Musashi :/
As an ex kickboxer and sky scraper window cleaner I can totally appreciate the train hard rest hard mindset. I only wish that I learned it 20 years ago. Seriously people, you feel it later in life!
Quick comment on trying to push through fatigue: sometimes you feel too tired to train. I recommend doing the warmup before deciding. I find that 2/3 of the time, I'm good to go after the warmup. If I'm still tired after the warmup, I sit out or go home. Training fatigued can lead to injuries.
Great advice! I spent 20 years of my life in the Martial Arts and have come to the same conclusions you did. We both had to learn these lessons the hard way.
Thanks! Hopefully the new people will take some of these tips and apply it. I really wish I did! (*says while massaging his hurting shoulder*) 😂
I've been training shorin ryu karate for many years and teaching it for the past decade. I realized long ago that there were holes in the style...at least as it is taught today in the US. Frankly, I believe a lot of styles have become watered down due to liability concerns. As an instructor, even with insurance, you're always considering the ramifications of injuries, etc. (let the lawsuits fly!) BUT, with that said, I am also cross-training in BJJ with Judo mixed in there, and I've been incorporating aspects of those styles into my karate classes. I do have to acknowledge that some of the students are in the class solely for a workout, but for those who are interested in stepping up their game, I'm up for it. I love working throws and grappling, and it helps me get better by teaching it to others.
I think most people in this channel have.
Aikido was my first martial art too. I started training in it just cos there was a teacher along the road from me when I was a kid. After 8 years training in it I also became disillusioned by it when I realised it didnt really work. I've now bee trying Jiu-Jitsu which I'm really enjoying, but I am also coming back to Aikido for its philosophy for peace and finding the flow in everyday life. Something my Aikido teacher always said, but I just didnt understand cos i was too young.
Thank you for sharing your learning journey with us! :)
I've not done aikido but this aikido bloke was a bouncer for many years and got into many fights. He slightly adapted his aikido and said it was very effective in the street.
th-cam.com/video/HvK7aaKlJFE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=bylqG-Lfr6IEByyO&t=8
❤ my humility, neck, knees, hips and lumber totally appreciate your advice..I just wish you had been around with this advice in the 80's.
You are doing martial arts a great service.
Great video, what I see as complete realistic self defense is much more that punch and kick. I see 8 elements:
1.Situational Awareness
2.Pre Attack indicators
3.Effective self defense tools (flashlight, pepperspray, knife, gun-training)
4.Sprint Interval Endurance
5.Grappling art (judo, BJJ, submission grappling, wrestling)
6.Striking art (Boxing, Kudo, Thaiboxing, etc)
7.Stop the bleed first aid
8.Knowledge of the self defense law and what elements in the law to adjust to
Self defense is more a body guard mindset then a mma mindset, more about de-escalate, escape and evade then fight, confront and win
Exactly. Very well explained👌
I cannot stress enough how dangerous overtraining is. For your body and your mind. If you feel like you need to slow down. Slow down.
VERY WISE!!! Run your own race, DON'T run somebody else's race.
Nr 8 is something the whole world needs to hear, not just martial arts students. It's so easy to feel like you are able to take more stress when you are young, but it's still going to accumulate. I am so happy I've taken care of my body and stayed away from the craziest stuff.
Thanks so much!
I took taiji to help me heal from MMA overtraining. I ended up falling in love with the soft practice and gave up fighting for healing.
Happy to have found what works better for me!
👍🏻
Sending support to everyone hunting for the right path for themselves. Keep going! You got this!
I was by Bluue Sky (Chung Min BoupSa), originally healing, and fighting arts were taught together.
As you age, the healing becones of greater importance.
Many arts have separated over time, or the teachers withheld some knowledge.
Acupuncturie and massage were included in sone arts, but the wide curriculum does not fit in many peoples modern world.
Today is exactly 1 year after I started my journey, started on boxing and now I am a Muay Thai practitioner that spars fighters and guys 10 years younger and its so much fun but I am 6ft and 210lbs and I did not loose any weight exercising every day for that year just toned my body into lean mean machine. Knees, Elbows and sweeps Love it.
I started training in martial arts (Shotokan karate) when I was seventeen years old, over forty years ago. If only I had had access to such excellent advice! To anyone looking to start training (or who feel that their training just isn't working for them), watch this video, and have a good think about what is being said.
🙏👊
Which one is better BJJ or Muy Thai? Personally I don't want to be on the ground in a bar. Lol but you guys know more..
This video should be called How to pick a martial art and school for beginners or something like that. It should reach more of the people who need it and it's a really good video that I had when I was starting out.
For me, tip 8 was by far the most important. I am recovering from a major back surgery because I didn't respect my deadlifts.
Thanks for the tips ! I've wasted 6 years in Aïkido and left for many reasons, and your youtube channel really helped !
I can definitely relate to a good few of these - especially the treating your body well because if you don't, you will have to work a whole lot harder when you're older to offset those mistakes. Good tips and advice!
I read the Gavin De Becker book in the late 90s. I just recently bought another copy, it is a great read. My first karate teacher in the 80s, said “I do not teach self defense, I teach you how to fight”.
Cheers from Brazil Rokas! Great video btw. I've been studying Taekwondo for 21 years, and today i am 3rd degree black belt, and red belt on Hapkido. Since 2022, i've began questioning myself if all i've been trying for two decades was the right thing, based on what Taekwondo is today. So, for the last 8 months, i have studied everything i can about Taekwondo and korean martial arts. From what i've learned, Taekwondo was meant to be an effective martial art, even so i can say that if Kukkiwon and WT decided to, Taekwondo could be sort of a "Korean Kickboxing". Instead, for political influence, Taekwondo droped it's combative roots to be developed as a high-performance sports-based martial arts. So this is the point were i've decided do change things in my dojang. Instead of teaching only the common style of Taekwondo, i've decided to develop in myself what this style lacks: the effective system. So i will now learn both Muay Thai and Jiu-Jitsu, to develop myself as a more complete martial artist, and i will teach a more effective form of Taekwondo, based on self-defense and effective combat, not abandoning its traditional martial, mental and spiritual training. I know i can't change the world, but at least i will change something to my students lives with this. Your story with Aikido inspired me to do this, so keep up the good work man! And thanks for the tips on this video
Man as a Judoka and kickboxer, who has dabbled in just about everything and started as a kid with taekwondo I'd love to see more diversity in it's application and interpretation. I hope you have great success!
One day I'd like to open my own judo, kudo, and no gi BJJ hybrid school I hope I can expand the arts in the way you are doing.
@@gajorg69 just keep going man, nobody can tell what you can or cannot do. Martial arts is about evolution through experience. You learn a fighting style from your master, but it doesn't mean you cannot learn others. All the teachings you have through your life in martial arts will develop your unique fighting style, that someday, you will teach others, that in the future will do the exact same thing. For comparation, it is just like the cicle of life itself: a single person, formed by the dna and teachings of its parents life experiences, that will have its own experiences through life and will teach these to its children, students, and the cicle begins again.
I wish you success and a great martial arts journey for your life 🙌🏽
Which Taekwondo? ITF or WTF - if it is not ITF its not Taekwondo, the WTF Olympic style is not the original - Americans due to the conflict in South Korea got the watered down version of the real Taekwondo designed for soldiers.
@@DJ-st4rs not only this, but the fact that Kukkiwon and WT were created to form a sport-based style makes this point just worse. What i see is that martial arts evolve with the traditions and one's personal experiences through life, changing it's shape in the process. I do know that our taekwondo is just a sport and is not realy effective as a martial art, so, what i've learn for the past 22 years and what i am learning now will make my style unique, and this, my way of the taekwondo is the one that will pass to my students and will evolve through the next generations.
I started Judo almost a month ago, at 44. Best decision ever! The dojo is awesome as the people in it and every training is a wonderful exprience.
It's challenging but the satisfaction I'm getting in learning new things every time is immense.
The only thing I would change if I could would be starting judo before :) but everyone's path is different, I dedicated a lot of years to another passion of mine (volley) and other sports and I don't regret it, and maybe if my past had been different I wouldn't appreciated Judo so much now, who knows!
But if you're struggling making the decision to start practicing a martial art, don't wait and just do it following the awesome suggestions of this video and you'll have the time of your life :)
Is Judo hard on the body? I'm 35 and considering starting. I've been active my whole life so I'm not in bad shape, just wondering if I'll break my head lol.
@@janzafar7577 Judo is amazing, go for it! They will teach you how to fall properly so no problem that side. It is a very technicallly demanding art but very satisfying
judo and jits are complementary, work on the breakfalls, balance and grip strength in judo, and BJJ seriously elevates your newaza for judo.
@@janzafar7577
yeah, but work the breakfalls, practice recovery and you'll adapt. i started in my late 30s.
Hi, Rokas! I'm a brazilian guy who train Pa-Kua (or Bagua), and I identify a lot with your history. That's why I stared my own TH-cam Channel to "own my own journey", and you're a big inspiration to me. So thank you, Rokas, from the heart!
Maybe one day we make a video together! 😁🥋
You know, I've though about Pa-Kua the instant he Said about searching It before joining in. I've did exactly that, and found things that made me reluctant to try Pa-kua.
As a practicioner (or ex-practicioner) what are your thoughs about It?
@@WillTower19 I still pratice Pa-Kua and teach it. Honestly, I truly believe in the Knowlegde/Filosophy and some tecniques for self-defense (that I tried and tested myself in pressure tests), but like Rokas says in one of his video - some martial arts are like running a bike. That's ok, it's good for your health, but you can't win against a racing car. Pa-Kua is not entirely for self-defense. It's a Martial Art with some tecnique for self-defense (in my opinion). And I try my best to teach this for my students - what are for self-defense and what it's not.
I also praticed other martial arts, combat sports and self-defense system, to learn and see other point of views.
And from what I learn, Pa-Kua has great potential and concepts for self-defense and also for fighting, like Aikido and other martial arts, but the instructors aren't good. They don't seek for Excelence (witch I believe it's the essence of Martial Arts - The Seek for Excelence). I recently take a knive-defense course from a krav maga school that the tecniques were so bad...
Bad instructors are in all Martial Arts, Self-defende system and Combat Sports. Sorry for the big text, but I couldn't express my toughts in just one paragraph hehe
Awesome video Rokas ! I'm an aikidoka for years now and I started taking boxing classes this month. I loved and still love the cultural aspect from aikido, but now at 30 I wanted to take a more "contact-oriented" art.
Very extremely different vibes but I like it and I'll be practicing both arts in parallel 🙂
Rokas you are a wealth of practical information. Thank you and God bless you and your wife!
If I had it to do all over again.. Whatever I chose, I would learn grappling in a related setting first as my base. Before Karate, I’d have taken Judo. Before KungFu, I’d have found Shuaijiao, or at least San Da. Before Wing Chun, I’d have found a Muay Thai school with an instructor who is also particularly really good at the Thai Plum and preferably with BJJ in the same building. Before Boxing, I would get into Wrestling. Grappling gives you an entirely different appreciation and understanding for the Traditional Martial Arts / striking arts and grappling arts almost always have really widespread competitive opportunities. Also, I would have kept something on the side that I strictly do for fun. I probably would have went and taken Shaolin Kungfu.. not for fighting, but, because I got the book, “Supple Leopard”. Flexibility, athleticism, and natural strength are so important, especially as you age. Shaolin is like the most fun way of getting some stretching and cardio in, and hitting those full ranges of motion, without getting bored. With good flexibility, strength, joint health, and a strong grappling background… from that point, WHATEVER you decide to do, you are going to naturally elevate it. Even MMA has proven that a Wrestling / Grappling foundation, with strong striking added on, gives them the ability to dominate and dictate the fight with a high percentage of success and the longest list of champions.
This is so opposite to what I believed growing up wrestling while being very worried about getting into a fight with a boxer as that's what was considered the most effective martial art until BJJ and MMA became popular.
For me, grappling is so easy and straight forward I really can't remember not knowing how to take people down and stay on my feet or how to never get into a position on the ground that I can't use intelligence to turn into a dominant position.
But now that I've mastered boxing after 9 years, I am starting to question my grappling skills are getting rusty as it's been advancing so much in the last twenty years
Depends on what you want, sport/mental perspective it's good to try a lot of what you mentioned but MMA is still not the real world...on the street you dont want to be on the ground, you learn grappling/wrestling to get up soon as possible...striking is more useful in the street...BJJ is overhyped in the internet but it's just a tool, useful of course but you always want to know how strike (maybe kick), a good punch can save your life...the faster you handle the situation the better, you dont want to fight in the ground for minutes...believe me
@@quercusroburxthe three taps means your joint is braking or you are out of breath. It takes seconds if you are trained for that. Striking is a must but knowing how to fall and what to do in the ground is important.
I probably would have *gone and taken Shaolin kung fu
I like that Rokas states that the best martial arts for you may depend on your personality (I’m like Rokas, I’m not the most aggressive person but I can be because I was trained to be); Goju Ryu works best for me because of the cultural experience and the continuative contact sparring. I love the Bajiquan kung fu style because it gives the cultural background, gives decent application and helps with health
Wait, do Goju Ryu guys actually spar?
@@Limemill yes we do. Spar, partner drills, pressure test techniques. The works
Hi Rokas, I've been practicing karate for 10 years and aikido for 8 (where I highly appreciated the art of falling or ukemi), and I'm now looking for something new, at 59.
I watched this video 5 times: it's very thoughtful and inspiring. Thanks!
Samuele
Great advice came to the same answers after 43 years of mixed training and still able to say i enjoy it more now for following the same steps you talk about which i employed about 15 years ago after a serious injury.
Fantastic advice right here! Train for longevity is what my instructor has told me countless times!
Another great video! All good tips! I know that trying out multiple styles is very popular these days. There are two ways to do it: 1. Dabble, this is where you take multiple styles for 1-12 months, and 2. Extend, this is where you take a single martial art to Black belt and beyond and go to other schools to learn a specific set of skills to improve yourself and remove blind spots. It’s common for instructors to not like either, but the best instructors know that they can only keep advanced students engaged if they help them extend what they know. The very best martial arts organizations have extension of their art in the DNA of the organization. I would look for a school like this regardless of style! You find it by asking the senior students in the gym. If most have taken another style, that’s a good sign! If the people in the gym look like boxers when they punch and like BJJ / wrestlers on the ground that’s a good sign! I have seen this in JKD gyms, kali gyms, HEMA gyms, MMA gyms, Wing Chun etc. I am sure there are gyms in virtually every style that are like this; fighting is fighting and it all leads to the same place. People try to say “pressure testing” and sport is the ONLY way to achieve this outcome. That’s false, it’s necessary but not sufficient. Training is improvement through problem solving. Sparing is a simulator that can give you good data, what you do with that data is equally important. Also, how you collect the data, e.g. rulesets is equally important.
Great messages to be getting out to the community. I remember trying out several different karate schools and being able to tell the difference in quality as well as the difference in how the teaching style works for me. My initials school is still probably one of the best for me, I accelerated quickly through the lower ranks, because I was young and had nothing but time to dedicate to training. I remember when I moved away from that school, someone in my new location accused the school of just being in it for the money because I've gone through for belts in a relatively short period of time. The Sensei was my uncle's friend, I paid $35 a month and $10 a belt Canadian. For that I had a literal open-door policy to the dojo and went three or four days a week on top of my training at home oh to be that young.
These days I have settled in at an Arnis school, where we regularly invite instructors of other schools and styles from other gyms to come and train with us and lead the class.
I have attended classes now with guest instructors in American boxing, wing chun, judo, bujinkan, I'm sure you get the gist of it. Have fun, learn everything.
The sword and the boxing glove is a really good mix... You would learn striking in the grappling behind the sword (Jiu-Jitsu) you wouldn't be an expert on the ground, but you wouldn't be a pushover down there either. In the whole journey of Martial Arts soft styles are harder to learn than hard styles they become more valuable the more skilled you become.
what do you mean by hard and soft styles?
@@brynjones3445 a soft-style is typically uses open hands and a parrying system and instead of a blocking and using the other persons strength against them. Some styles have both like Goju Ryu which means hard and soft or Hung Gar tiger is hard crane is soft. But depending on the person they may only focus on one over the other... Cobra Kai is hard Miyaigi Do is soft.. there is a karate movie called Kuro Obi that goes through the philosophy really well also. I think it's on TH-cam. One of the actors are on the Kuro Obi world channel. Most sports are hard because it's not entertaining to be defensive. There may be someone who can explain it better than I can but once you recognize that you can easily point it out
@@nebriancoleman4704
If you hear bullshit like "using someone's strength against them", you should be running from that place anyways. Strength never works against you, even if you have no clze what you're doing.
@@MrCmon113 If you punch as hard as you can and I move Your energy is going in the wrong direction. Don't try to make things too overly complicated.
@@MrCmon113 yes and no. I agree tai chi and most these hand trapping systems have glaring forms but when it comes to close grappling systems( bjj or wrestling) u mainly do use ur opponents power against them, for instance the philosophy of push pull is very important. Or trying to time sweeps.
Thanks for the great advice! 26 year old from Turkiye here. I started practicing taekwondo in my childhood. Then, I did greko wrestling at university, then MMA practice as I believed it is the most practical branch. HOWEVER, fighting is not cost effective for a person who doesn't put martial arts at the center of his life. I got multiple broken ribs, a broken ankle during greko match and so on. Now, I decided to go for my black belt in taekwondo to age healthily and not to fight like a pitbull in octagon anymore. For young people reading this comment out there, do your best to protect your body as there might happen irreversible damage even in light sparrings in fierce fighting styles.
Watching your videos inspired me to get back into martial arts. I found my local bjj gym and today is my first class! 2 bbj classes a week and 2 mma💪💪💪
That's awesome! I'm so happy for you
I appreciate that Rokus!
What I learned the hard way was you cannot rely on the quality of your teachers all the time. You need to get to the stage of learning by yourself as fast as possible.
We will support you all. Keep working hard.
I often think about what I would have done differently if I had the chance to do it over again, and that includes Martial arts. This was a truly great discussion of that topic. And I think tip #9 is the most important of all, and not just for martial arts, but for everything. I basically quit playing Golf because I got pretty good too quickly and started to put _way_ too much pressure on myself, making the experience more stressful than fun.
This is the best channel about martial arts I know, by far. Keep up the great work!
As a person who had trained for 38 years, I have to say you're right on point. So many rabbit holes you can go down.
Hey. I've never done any martial arts. I want to learn boxing and wrestling. I don't want to become a specialist, I just want to be able to win fights. Can I teach myself at home these martial arts or do I need to go to a school? I am still studying so I don't have time to go to one. How should I teach myself boxing and wrestling this summer if I am only going to train alone?
@@bigchungus6496 it's best to have a trainer to at least learn the basics. It is good to have a training partner for bag and focus drills. Boxing is a great martial art for your intended purposes.
I appreciate the book recommendations in this, mindset is a crucial yet often overlooked part of the equation...
I think this is my favorite video from you, solid advice all the way around and you articulated it all perfectly
I'm not sure Kendo is mostly focused on tradition. I guess we could say that about Kenjutsu, but Kendo, not necessarily. It seems to me that what they did with Kendo is something similar to what Jigoro Kano did with Judo. It's still a modern form of fighting with samurai swords with a specific set of rules.
Agreed! I just meant that it's not preparing people for physical combat outside of the Dojo, but that's my bad.
@@MartialArtsJourneya kendoka with a stic can be scary tho
@@MartialArtsJourneyI bet youll get your ass handed to you by an experienced kendoka with a stick
Experience with tip #8 - I trained Krav Maga for a year and absolutely loved it. However there was a female instructor who encouraged the students to hit the hard pads as hard as possible bare fisted, continually for most of the session. Even when we hit them real hard she said to do it harder! I ended up injuring my knuckles. Doctor recommended to just let them heal without treatment and it took several years until my knuckles stopped hurting. The bone is a different shape now. Now finally I'm going to enroll in martial arts again, this time probably in MMA (jiu-jitsu, kickboxing mix) but just for fun with more padding. Be aware that you can get injured more in martial arts training than from an actual attacker, if you give in to instructors who push you beyond your body limits.
That whole “don’t blindly take life advice from your instructor” bit is important. I’ve seen folks get wrapped up in treating their instructor like a mentor and get real messed up in the head. Adopting whatever weird personality traits and beliefs the instructor has like he’s their dad. Straight up Cobra Kai stuff. Much more common with teens being influenced by an adult but it can happen with grown men taken in by charisma too.
In my experience most people come to martial arts because it's fun, it's an excellent way to socialize and and to stay fit.
I don't think you wasted any time. I've never trained aikido. But from the outside looking in. It looks like a more cerebral style. The focus on flow, strategy, tactics with minimal effort is not something for a beginner to hone on. So I just think you started from the end. Now you are filling the gaps. In my case I'd like to try aikido and japanese jiu-jitsu after completing a deep dive in the 3 phases of unarmed combat and some degree of proficiency in armed combat.
Thanks for the content 🙏
I can't speak for everyone who has done TKD, but based on my experience TKD is more focused on competition and fitness than cultural experience. The most culture I got from it was learning how to count to ten in Korean. I also never thought I was learning it for self-defense, and the instructor never gave me that impression.
There are a lot of videos popping up about BJJ injuries, A lot of people drop out after blue belt and did not reach purple belt because of the injuries. A lot of people talking in those videos saying that's their experience and the no.1 topic with BJJ or Judo. We screwed up our bodies and dropped out without learning any standup or takedowns even after doing BJJ for a couple of years, and this is for a Martial arts that's famous in MMA. If I could start over again, I don't have a good answer right now but it has to be some kind of no-competitive boxing/MT and watered down Wrestling/Greco that gives you longevity. Sounds like a stupid answer but I did boxing non-competitively for 2 years in my 40's without any injuries, granted I didn't get into any hard sparring but the cost benefit is high.
Agree... Well injuries are one off the reasons why I stopped MMA/BJJ (I do still little BJJ) and started to train more Aikido again. With Aikido I can still do Martial Arts and still maintain my physical condition and my skills (and even develope my older skills), but with less injuries altough our training is pretty hard.
@@ironjavs1182 In the 90's, Kyokushin, Muay Thai, MMA took over then scene. Point Karate went out of favor, but if you look at footage of Mikio Yahara in those Karate competition, these guy had speed, timing, balance etc, also their conditioning was also good, lean muscle everywhere. It won't take much to convert them into a ring fighter. Do we want to get punched in the stomach and head after 35 with our daily career and family schedule? We need something that's effective at fighting but train in a way that doesn't get us hurt.
I’m really passionate about martial arts and always dreamt of starting one. Now I have the time and money and I’m thinking about aikido or taekwondo (and maybe hapkido if there’s a great teacher/dojo in my city), but mostly aikido because it seems more light, and I’m truly afraid of getting an injury as I love playing music more than life itself, and so far every other dojo seems hella competitive in comparison
I bet bjj is a lot less injurious than most popular sports like football, skateboarding and skiing.
I agree with number 6 a lot. Bjj really helped me in judo and vice versa.
Stretch MORE! The some of the best advice in my opinion as I sit here with a random Charlie horse from BJJ yesterday. Great video
Very good video. Only did boxing for a couple of months, myself, but I want to try again, maybe with a different martial art.
You're very straightforward and that's what I enjoyed most about your video. Honestly hadn't given some of these tips much or any thought until you mentioned them.
Thank you for your advice! I wish you good luck in your journeys, in and out of martial arts!
@bootlegmegaboss3304 Do you like to read books on martial art?😁
@@jagger_claw I enjoy reading books in general, but haven't read anything on martial arts yet. Anything you'd recommend?
@@bootlegmegaboss3304 It looks like my comments here are getting deleted for some reason! Can we talk somewhere else?
What practical advice. I wish I knew these things when I first started martial arts. I also took aikido early on, and I was told it would take 15-20 years to learn to defend myself. I balked and only continued a little bit longer, but I became discouraged because I really wanted to learn how to defend myself. I grew up being bullied and physically assaulted, and I wanted to learn how to not be a victim when two or more people were ganging up on me. 1v1 wasn't so much of a concern because I could mostly psyche people out but the whole psychological/social dynamics are different when two or more kids egg each other on to increasingly higher levels of violence.
After watching this video, i took your advice at 2:05 and read the book The gift of fear. It is an excellent read. Thank you for recommending!
Glad to hear it! I find that book so valuable
Kickboxing is a great martial art for self defense, staying in shape, and it's relatively able to be learned quickly. I recommend it amoung other arts except for Muay Thai.
I lucked out Rokas. I am in a small town - and my reason for joining martial arts was something different - while self defence and challenging myself etc are important reasons and nothing I would scoff at, I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I therefore needed to exercise to control my blood glucose and I've tried - I won't be caught dead in a gym.. D-E-D ded. My martial arts school happened to be two blocks down from my place. My studio focuses on both grappling (a combination of BJJ, judo and wrestling) and striking (boxing, kickboxing and Muay Thai.) and has a separate MMA class daily where they blend everything in. They spar and roll every day and this is what they say: "We have had constant success in producing proficient martial artists quickly. We measure our success with metrics including, how well we fight in competition and on the mats every day." The benefit of this kind of training is that my blood glucose is WELL under control. My concentration is SO much better and my sugar pains have gone away. This is like the elixir of life for me.
I've been wanting to get into a martial art for years, but I've always been full of excuses. Too scrawny, too inflexible, too old, etc.
But understanding that my goal is TO get in better shape, learn more about myself, and feeling more competent in an area I've never felt competence, I'm trying to find a local boxing gym and see how I like that after a year.
Awesome! Own that journey!
If you want to get in shape, lift weights.
@@MrCmon113 Yeah definitely.
And I am, but I wanted something more dynamic to go along with it.
I’m actually glad my father chose karate for me when I was young. He wanted me to defend myself and karate sure did that. I built strength, muscle, confidence, concentration AND fighting skills. Karate dojos differ. A few years later I decided that I also wanted to join the judo dojo right next to my karate dojo. So it was a great combo. Karate does sometimes get the ‘no contact’ rep but it’s not all like that. We do contact and non contact but judo was an amazing way to keep the balance. Overall, choose your dojo correctly but don’t stress too much.
He has all the points.
Practice what make u fell better both mental and physic. Wellbeing. Healthy life and long term commitment.🎉
I started for a fun different way of exercising. I do enjoy the addition cultural education. Have been training in Shito-Ryu Karate and BJJ for a long time.
I did a little wrestling in school, but i began studying 2 different Karate based systems on my 21st birthday in 97'.
One had a strong Filipino influence and had lots of weapon work, and the other had no forms, and focused on body conditioning, sparring, and was influenced by Muay Thai.
I did this for about 5 years, going 3-5 days a week and mae to Brown Belt, until i had surgery, and went back for my black belt years later.
I had the luxury of seeing the whole rise of the UFC and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, and i have taken a bit of BJJ a bit, but injuries prevent real study.
There were about a half dozen schools i tried for several months as well so i had plenty of exposure to different instructors.
If i had to do it over again with hindsight, i would have still gotten my black belt in Karate.
But i would have immediately started BJJ when i could find a school, and maintained realistic knife training.
I would also focus on preserving my body more so i could be more effective later in life.
Love the video, just one thing as a karateca I can say that karate can offer both the cultural experience and the fighting experience you just have to find a good dojo and thats the hard part about it.
The only life advice my instructor gave me was to shower before a date xD
Wise instructor
That's what I liked about my Guru. I sat in on a training session. one for my step son and one for me (Kids/adults) and we decided to join. He told me about the fee's and family plan (which isn't expensive) and decided to join. The following week I went in to pay for everything and he refused the money and only charged me for the shirts (We don't wear Gi's). Said to come the rest of the month for free (two full weeks), and if I enjoyed it and wanted to continue. I could start paying the following month.
A great example of questioning the instructor I heard of was there was a group of students that came from a related school but were not tucking their thumb in when doing open handed moves. Nobody really questioned it but apparently it was noticed by my teacher and others. It was just a thing. Then they met their sensei and saw he was doing it and asked him. He badly broke his thumb years ago.
Most important is WEIGHT TRAINING, regardless of what martial art you chose the physical attributes of strength and “pummeling through” or makeshift RAW grappling will balance out any learned technique or just simply getting winded
It won't balance out you not knowing what to do.
But I agree that weight training is more profitable than any particular combat skill, because strength is so generally applicable. It helps in striking, all situations in wrestling and grappling, in moving a washing machine, climbing fences, carrying groceries...
Perfect advise. Thank you very much sir. That thing about different schools teaching the same thing in different ways, is so relatable to me. It happened to me when I changed from tkd ITF schools during a break in my official school. And there they made me fight against people twice my zise and age at full contact and no mercy (I was a 15 years old, skinny and without clue about nothing in life, fighting against brutes with steroids).
I'm just starting martial arts in general, trying to choose between Muay Thai and BJJ, and the various gyms for both. This is video is probably going to be my gold standard for beginner advice. I've recently been learning the hard way what Rokas is saying in this video! I think trying different styles and gyms is super important. One gym might be "good enough," but when you're new, you might not even know what you're missing!
If you are a beginner, start with both muay thai and bjj. They go hand in hand.
@dowtingtomas.695 Thanks for the advice. I think I will, because they are both incredibly fun. Both have great communities where I live as well.
@@liamwashington6841 that's awesome dude. No doubt that you will enjoy it. 👉🍻🍻
Basically see what quality of gyms are available near you, let the quality of the training and the atmosphere of the gym be what makes your decision rather than the art.
Take my advice. You might not Believe me but START with freestyle Wrestling 6 months Daily for general confidence, fighter athleticism, grappling confidence plus scrambling mindset so you don't get used to being one on the bottom..
Then
Dutch style Kickboxing daily for 6 Months to condition your Foundation footwork and aggressive mindset gained from previous wrestling.
Then
Learn Gi Jiu Jitsu until you achieve blue Belt from one of Danaher's schools right after than you learn your purple belt from a Highly respected No Gi specific gym like 10th Planet gyms.
As you learn Jiu Jitsu you also add boxing and general kickboxing skills enough to maintain your general footwork rhythm.
Once you're purple belt no Gi
You jump to two martial arts very specific for high level all rounder fighter. Muay Thai and Greco Roman wrestling.
Muay Thai so fewer but more powerful kicks get in strike arsenal. Plus elbows and knees. Also utilize upper-body clinche.
Greco Roman for pure upper body manipulation. Jon Jones did it.
Right after these skillsets. Join combat sambo tournaments to sharpen skills and leg lock attempts.
Higher skilled russians with more competetive fights will sharpen and
After that you can join MMA as very well balanced fighter.
Thanks for reading
Had to blurt it
Great advices Rokas! Thank you!
When i said somethin in our messenger group and my trainer didn't agree i thought i was wrong... When he said He did research and admitted to be wrong in front of all his students i knew i'm in the right place with right teacher. He never said "you are doing it wrong" , he always says "as long as it works on Your opponent it's right, if it doesn't work, adapt". And i adapt and learn and i can see progress. I started my journey pretty late (in my early 40ties) but i'm sure i'm on the right path. I would like to add, that Your content pushed me on that path (i trained Aikido in my youth and became very angry with matial arts in general). Your Journey started mine. I started to watch Your channel, Icy Mike, Sensei Seth, Metrolina, Street Beefs, Jeff Chan, Ramsey, Wonderboy and more "no bullshit approach". Now, after 3 years of experience (i know it's nothing in martial arts) i know it was best decision i've made in my life. I'm training boxing, both my kids train Shotokan Karate. Ite became our lifestyle and i'm happy about it. Keep up good work, You are beacon of litght for many people.
This video was really helpful. Thank you so much.
I started out with TKD at about....12 years old. After 10-12 years I got in to boxing, kick-boxing and finally Thai. Now my halth have gone south. I don't really train anymore....but I'm going back to TKD. Just because I won't take any hard blows to the head. :)
Japanese Jiiujutsu and traditional okinawan Karate are great choices as they're well rounded styles that teach striking grapling and ground fighting.
traditional okinawan karate doesnt teach ground fighting 99% of the time.
they just go to the ground to do finishing moves, not develop their grappling game
That's complete bullshit. Most Jiujitsu and Karate gyms will teach you no grappling and you won't spar there.
Number 8 is my bane and just now took up my first martial art at 42.
Defintely #6. I've been in a single art for 20 years, and my ability to walk away isn't there now that I've made it my occupation. I just don't have the time to train elsewhere, as the time of classes is always going to be in conflict with when I have to work with my own students. For someone learning as a student, you'll often ramp up to a certain level of proficiency and then plateau. When you hit that plateau, it's not a bad time to move to another art. Younger me would've disagreed and said that perseverance is everything but honestly you'll gain a lot more from doing that over fighting for the smaller gains you'd get sticking with it. The plateau hits a lot sooner in striking arts, so maybe start there, and then move on to grappling, which takes a lot longer to reach that proficient level.
I´ve tried 5 different martial arts in my life. Unless you are planning to become a professional mma fighter, a bodyguard or an instructor, there is no wrong martial art. Self defense might be a reason, but in the US most homeless will have a knife, most perps will have a glock with xtended magazine... best defense is not martial arts, it is being aware and know how to get out of situations.
My advice to most people: do what you like, and it will follow you throughout your life. I started with karate as a kid. During my teens, saw tkd and fell in love with it. Went to tournments, lived the tkd life. When
I got older, some of my friends said muay thai was more useful as a self defense tool. Enjoyed it for about a year, then went back to tkd. During the height and hype of bjj, tried it as well. After a few classes, figured I did not enjoy hugging sweaty man for long periods of time. Recently I´ve been trying boxing. Kinda like it, but still did not quit tkd. Gonna try keeping up with both and see how far my old body can take it.
In the end martial arts is my stress reliever, my hobby, my physical health indicator.
Folks, I’ve been devoting a significant amount of time and energy to martial arts since I was a teen. I’m in my fifties now. Please keep this in mind: Your primary goal should be to seek truth and then to practice it. I absolutely love traditional arts, through which I’ve achieved not one, but two black belts. I still practice one of them. ☯️ However, please give this some “ego-less” thought: Without a minimum skill of BJJ and/or boxing; kickboxing (sanda, muay thai etc) your traditional style will not take you far. Again, they are excellent for health of body and mind, and a lifeline in a lockdown scenario! I spent the pandemic working on my broadsword! But if you truly wish to acquire realistic fighting skills, you also need to do what is best for that purpose… not try to protect your ego or that of your Teacher, however incredible they may be as an educator or person. Teachers and styles must serve the student, not the other way around. Power to you! 👊🏼🌍
The other goal of martial arts are: choreography fighting for stage performance, solo tricking, meditation & competition career. By having set clear goal, the students can achieve the target. Capoeira & taekwondo are best for solo tricking, Taichi are best for mediation, Boxing are best for competition career. But what is the best martial arts for stage performance?
Stage performance... Maybe Kung-fu animal styles?
Kungfu animal style may work in theatre, especially if the actor need to perform animal movement. @@MartialArtsJourney
Just one more thing you could add. Your reason for doing martial arts can change. Look at me i started karate because i wanted to be like an anime character (Yes I know karate’s not the right martial art for that but i was young). But now I keep doing karate because I love the challenge and I love practicing karate.
great video Rokas; your journey has given you some real wisdom. wish you all the best 🤟🔥
I have just restarted in my 40s, I used to train Judo for several years getting to 2 kyu. But right now started Kyokushin Karate which I really enjoy.
For what it's worth, one of the reasons I like your channel is because of your experience in the Aikido cult. I like it because I myself was part of a cult -- not a martial arts cult, but a bona fide religious cult! Your videos where you talk about your experiences in the cult resonate with my own experiences. If nothing else, your "wasted time" in Aikido allows people like me to relate to you on a deep level 😭😭
After watching Baki I’d just learn Yujiro Hanma fist or Ameridote
If you want to know self defence. You can have a part of these combat styles. Like wrestling, jiujitsu, judo, boxing, muay thai, karate, wing chun jkd and krav maga. Schools with sparring, situation imitading rhetoric teaching and show you how to fight against multiple opponents.
A big piece of advice I have for anyone is pick something that compliments your body type. If you are somewhat short and chubby then something like tkd or karate may not be the best for you but judo and BJJ you will probably do very well at. If you are tall and lanky it's the opposite, you will thrive being able to use that reach
I took a couple of kickboxing classes & realized what I want is some foundations in self defense first. So I'm picking up those books recommended.
Started from Shotokan and convert to full contact karate that introduce more of efficient striking and clinching, currently slowly diving myself in to BJJ to add grappling aspect.
I need so much rest, my coach often times called me if were to be back lol always came back better, faster, stronger, and waaay more technical. Listen to your body, but don't lose motivation!
Absolutely great call out on Meditations on Violence book.
Thanks that video helped me a lot on choosing a martial art
Awesome!
What did you choose
@@olleolausson Taekwondo
@@AnonymousDude.0_0 Why did you choose it?
@@olleolaussonbecause its fun and challenging at the same time
Always nice to see another Lithuanian martial artist
My take over the years has become like this:
Judo for the kids, teaches them throws and body control while benefiting flexibility.
Boxing for the teens, teaches them the best upper body martial arts and teaches them to deal with taking damage and sparring heavily.
A krav maga school that actually does high stress scenario training for the adults.
To be fair, I have gaping holes in knowledge when it comes to kicking.
Good advice hoss. Some of that won’t click with people until they’ve matured but those who use it early will appreciate it later.
00:00:00 In this section, the speaker emphasizes the importance of deciding why you want to learn martial arts before choosing a specific martial art. They suggest that the three most common reasons for learning martial arts are self-defense, challenging oneself, and experiencing the culture. The speaker advises that if self-defense is the main goal, it may be wise to start with a self-defense course or read books on the subject. They then discuss different martial arts that are effective for fighting and self-defense, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and Judo. They also mention martial arts that focus more on cultural experiences and self-development, such as karate, Taekwondo, Kung Fu, Aikido, and Kendo. The speaker suggests trying out different schools or gyms to find the right fit, as teaching methods, atmosphere, and quality of instruction can vary greatly.
00:05:00 In this section, the speaker emphasizes the importance of researching and questioning martial arts schools before committing to one. They note that different schools have different focuses, with some being more competitive and intense, while others prioritize community and accessibility. The speaker advises visiting multiple schools, observing classes, and choosing the one that aligns with one's preferences. Additionally, the speaker warns against potential scams or questionable practices in certain schools, such as exorbitant fees or instructors without clear lineage or experience. They encourage researching the reputation of the martial art and specific school before making a decision. Lastly, the speaker advises questioning the instructor when necessary, while still maintaining a level of trust and respect. They caution against blindly following an instructor's advice outside of the martial arts realm, as they may not have expertise in other areas. Additionally, the speaker warns against instructors teaching unproven or dangerous techniques, stressing the importance of safety and proper guidance.
00:10:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the potential risks and unhealthy practices that can be present in traditional martial arts schools, such as sitting on your knees for hours and participating in exercises that may cause harm. They emphasize the importance of questioning instructors and refusing to participate in exercises that feel unsafe. Additionally, the speaker advises against getting stuck in a single martial art and encourages cross-training to learn different styles and practices. They highlight the benefits of being open-minded, learning new things, and developing humility. The section also cautions against overtraining, as it can lead to regression and negatively impact physical and mental progress. Taking care of one's body is emphasized, including stretching, mobility exercises, and avoiding reckless movements to prevent future injuries and maintain the quality of life.
00:15:00 In this section, the speaker emphasizes the importance of making the martial arts learning process enjoyable. While initially, learning a new martial art may be fun, it can easily turn into an obsession or habit that leads to burnout. Pushing oneself too hard and not taking breaks can eventually result in a loss of motivation and regret. It is crucial to find enjoyment in the training, invest in areas of the martial art that are enjoyable, and take adequate breaks to prevent hitting a wall. By doing so, one can sustain their martial arts journey for years to come.
hey, I respect you, but as a taekwondo black belt, the frequency of combat training depends on the club. for example, we did a lot of sparring.
I been in the martial arts for 23 years and im so prooud of it. I LOVE martial arts. My only complaint was that my teacher taught me speed and trchniques my first 2 years when i wanted to learn about power. I was barely 120lbs with next to no muscle mass except from the continious pushups and situps school had me do. I was picked on and i wanted power so i could bulk up and show some muscle while i learned the speed and techniques. Apparently my teacher never told me but he was hoping that i would go straight for power. He knew how thin i was but hoped i would find out on my own. When i did i hit the weights, i wouldnt stop training and working out and just let the years pass by as i got more and more experienced. The road to masterhood begins with a single punch or kick and gets shorter the longer you keep going
Okay, look... I have practiced karate, taekwondo, muay thai, and kickboxing, being more versed in the first two rather than the latter ones, and, sure, when I fought the way the muay thai and kickboxing practitioners fight, I had a hard time standing my ground against them, but when using my taekwondo footwork, and shotokan lunges, they had a hard time even touching me, and speaking from the perspective of self-defense, being able to dodge attacks and flee the scene sounds way better than standing around and inevitably receiving kicks and punches. I know, sometimes you can't do that because you are blocked on all sides, but good, fluent footwork will still give you a better chance of outmaneuvering your opponent and get to a safe place.
You have just reinforced my choice in my local Akido school.
I wish I watched your video before I started by martial arts journey. I trained in 4 disciplines but ended up stopping due to injuries. I never realized that overtraining is not helpful.
Sorry to hear about that. I'm hoping you'll still find your way back to martial arts
@@MartialArtsJourney Thank you. I wanna get back soon when time permits. For now I am satisfied just watching your journey. Your videos on aikido hits hard.
Learn MA which fits your character, value and situation. If your believe prohibits to hit the face, boxing is perhaps not your first option. If you dont have much money, Krav Maga or BBJ are perhaps not in your top rank. If you have knee problem, Taekwondo or Karate are perhaps not the first you want to try. That says, practicing any MA is better than doing nothing.
Absolutely agree and that is why I chose to take a MA class in the evening a few days a week. I take ballet classes but still needed more exercise. A martial arts class provided the exercise and mental stimulation I wanted. As a woman it was important to find a school that had women in their classes and I was able to find a good school close by.
@@candycottrell6469 i wish the best for you and happy to hear that you can find a MA which can complement your ballet.