This is definitely a touchy subject that many people have very strong opinions on, so this article comes with a caveat- this is all very much up for debate and a personal opinion!
In short, there are a lot of opinions on this topic, and of course, like any skill, you have to put in the work to become a true master. But I’ll do the best I can with the knowledge I have!
Studying any form of martial art will require a significant amount of time and discipline to gain skills of any level.
So, if you’re looking for a training or exercise program where the main aim is for it to be �?easy’, martial arts training may not be the right fit for you.
But, if you are looking to invest time and energy into a discipline, you can reap the rewards of martial arts through many different avenues.
Like any hobby, training within the martial arts will take discipline and regular training.
Here are a few martial arts disciplines that are easy to pick up, but of course, bear in mind that to become a professional or veteran in any of these practices takes years of hard work and constant training, so easy is a pretty loaded word.
1. Karate
Karate is seen as the safest and easiest martial arts to learn as a beginner because it is seen as both a form of meditation, self-defense, and an art form.
Rather than focussing on cutthroat attacks, karate focuses on self-defense. But, we’ve all seen Cobra Kai, right? There is great power in defending yourself well.
Karate is extremely popular across all age groups and is often taught to children from a young age as it focuses on discipline, good form, and well-executed moves built up over time.
Karate is a highly adaptable sport, it is easy to learn, and is an incredibly effective form of self-defense when performed correctly.
Whilst this discipline is definitely considered an easier one to learn, it requires patience and practice to get the form correct, and like any other sport or practice, you are at risk of injury if you don’t handle your body properly.
The main techniques integral to karate include:
Punching – straight punch and elbow strike
Kicking – round kick and front snap kick
Sparring with a partner
Sparring with another student is a brilliant way to build up your stamina when fighting, and is good for learning the various karate moves, along with how to successfully transition between moves without causing injury to yourself.
The main elements that karate teaches are balance, speed, and power. There are several different stances that build up the foundation of karate. They are:
Front Stance
Walking Stance
Ready Stance
Back Stance
2. Basic Boxing
If you are looking for a martial art that you can practice by yourself, basic boxing is a great way to learn a sport and test your own stamina without the need for a partner.
Basic boxing builds upon many of the same elements as karate, you need to invest time and energy into your training to build upon your skills.
In terms of defense, being able to throw and block a punch are excellent skills to have in your arsenal if you ever need them.
As with karate, you will have to learn different stances in order to progress with basic boxing.
The main stance that you will need to learn is the fighting stance. This will allow you to use the weight of your body when throwing a punch without injuring yourself in the process.
A good stance is essential for maintaining your balance when sparring.
As you continue to progress, sparring with a partner is a great way to see what techniques you have learned and how you could improve when attacking and defending.
Basic boxing techniques are used in many other styles of martial arts as well, so having a good knowledge of your own technique and improving your balance can be very beneficial to other disciplines.
3. Muay Thai
Muay Thai is seen as an incredibly dangerous sport, but it is also easy to pick up and gives students valuable self-defense skills to use in real-life situations if need be.
Muay Thai relies on using the whole body as a weapon to disarm and attack your opponent.
Sparring is at the center of this style of martial arts, so having a willing partner to train with you are essential if you want to build up your skills and progress within the discipline.
Saying this, however, you can learn many elements of it alone, though it’s hard to practice them without a partner as this is a contact sport after all.
With the help of boxing gloves, a punching bag, and shin guards specifically made for Muay Thai, students can learn valuable moves that could save their lives when confronted with an attacker.
These moves include:
Knee strikes
Punches
Kicks
Grapples
With practice, these moves become easier to learn to do, along with learning how to block these moves as well.
4. Jiu-Jitsu
Jiu-Jitsu is another powerful martial art form designed for even the smallest of opponents to be able to attack and defend themselves easily, even against much larger opponents.
It’s much better to practice Jiu-Jitsu with a partner, as you’d better be able to determine how to anticipate others’ reactions.
Having a partner also lets you know whether the techniques you are using are successful in taking them down.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu uses ground fighting techniques in order to bring down larger opponents and use their weight and size against them.
Techniques learned in Jiu-Jitsu include:
· Choke holds – guillotine choke hold and triangle choke
· Joint-Lock manipulations
· Takedowns – single and double leg takedowns
Final Thoughts
That’s a round-up of a few of the easier martial arts you can get into for beginners. Like any discipline, with time and motivation, you can excel and see a lot of progress within these practices.
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