What Is The Best Martial Art?

When people ask me, “What is the best martial art style?” I always answer with a question—

“The best martial art for whom?”

You mean for you? Your grandmother? An eight-year-old kid?

Is this person strong or frail? Aggressive or shy?

Is this person blind? Did they lose a leg in a bear attack?

How can I recommend something to you if I don’t know who you are and what you’ve been through? I can’t!

That’s why trying to rank martial arts styles is crazy. It’s like asking, “What’s the best movie?” Or, “What’s the best food?”

It all depends on the person!

But that’s not the end of the discussion. Let’s dig a little deeper into this question. Check out the video or keep reading below!

What is the Best Martial Art?

Once I know who you are and what you’ve been through, the next question to ask is, “What do you want?”

Are you interested in martial arts to get in shape, defend yourself, reduce stress, build discipline, have a fun night out, compete in tournaments, make it to the Olympics, handle weapons, grow spiritually, look cool, become a fight choreographer, earn a black belt…

WHAT DO YOU WANT?

It’s possible you don’t know what you want… and that’s okay! It’s okay because even if you figured out the best martial art style for you today, it may not be the best style for you two years from now or 10 years from now.

Personally, I started off in Tae Kwon Do. At the time, it was the perfect style for me because I was an arrogant jerk. I needed to learn how to shut my mouth, stand in line, and show some respect.

But once I figured out how to not be an arrogant jerk ALL the time, I realized there were new challenges I needed to face… and that required switching styles.

It’s also true that asking people what they want out of martial arts is unfair because in the beginning, it’s impossible to know how much the martial arts have to offer. To be honest, I didn’t know, either!

As I mentioned in “7 Lessons From Bruce Lee,” I started martial arts just to get in shape. That’s it. I had no idea I was an arrogant jerk in need of an attitude adjustment!

Once I started Tae Kwon Do, however, I could feel my ego under attack. I could feel how my attitude was holding me back. That awakening led to a string of new challenges to my body, and spirit. Today, getting into shape isn’t on my list of goals at all!

So, in the beginning, whatever you say you want out of martial arts is fine by me.

• Want to get in shape? Try kickboxing.
• Want down and dirty self-defense? Try Krav Maga or Jeet Kune Do.
• Want to move like a dancer? Try Capoeira.
• Want to be in the Olympics? Try Judo or Tae Kwon Do.
• Want to look cool or be in the movies? Try XMA or Wu Shu.
• Want to spar? Try Muay Thai or MMA.
• Want to spar on the ground? Try Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
• Want to handle sticks and blades? Try Arnis.
• Want joint locks? Try Aikido or Hapkido.
• Want to journey inwards? Try Tai Chi.

Wait—what about Karate and Kung Fu? Well, those are just general terms. There are so many styles of those arts, you’ll just have to investigate each one on your own.

So, now you know—the question isn’t, “What’s the best martial art style,” it’s, “What is the best martial art style for me today?”

To figure that out, I’ve got four tips for you.

How to Find the Best Martial Art Style for YOU!

TIP #1: Visit your local martial arts schools.

All of them.

Sign up for a trial class or just go sit and watch a class. Either way, go in and get the vibe. If you feel comfortable, sign up. If you see a bunch of reckless bullies and loudmouths, then get out of there and move on to the next one.

Unless you’re also a reckless bully and a loudmouth! In that case, welcome home!

Maybe you’ll get lucky. Maybe the school closest to your home will offer the best martial art for you. Maybe you’ll meet a great teacher on your first try. Maybe not! At least you’ll start figuring out what you don’t want.

The truth is that all paths lead up the same mountain. Whichever art you choose, consider it a starting point. Don’t overthink it. Trust your gut.

IMPORTANT!

Some people may try to bully you into choosing a specific style or school, claiming that it’s been proven on “the street”, or has the best competition team in town. Ignore them!

If you like grabbing people and rolling around on the ground, then don’t let a boxer or a Karate guy talk you out of it. If you like sparring and kicking people in the head, then don’t let a Judo or BJJ guy make you feel like you’re wasting your time.

This is your life. It’s your journey, not theirs.

TIP #2: Seek the best teacher, not the best style.

Choosing a style can be confusing. Maybe you’ve got a friend who takes Krav Maga classes, a family member who loves Tai Chi, and a co-worker who won’t shut up about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Who should you listen to?

None of them!

FreeImages.com/Adrian Boca

FACT: No matter what style you pick, someone will tell you it’s great and someone else will tell you it sucks.

Certain styles get made fun of all the time, like Aikido, or Systema, Karate, or my beloved Kung Fu… but I promise you, I’ve known guys in each one of those styles who you’d definitely want on your side if a fight breaks out.

That’s because, in the end, it’s not about the style, it’s about the person practicing the style.

So, even if we can’t say that one style is better than another, we can sure as heck say that one student or one teacher is better than another.

You may think Muay Thai is the best martial art ever created, but if you have a lousy teacher, you’ll never get what you want. On the other hand, you may walk into a school of a style you’ve never heard of and meet a teacher who understands exactly who you are and what you want.

Great teachers will not only guide you to what you want, they’ll open doors to rooms you didn’t even knew existed.

So, seek the best teacher you can, not the best style.

TIP #3: Observe the students.

If you’re not sure about the teacher or the style, then take a look at the people who have been training for a year or two. Ask yourself, “Is that what I want to be doing in a year or two?”

How about the people who have been training five years or 10 years? Think about it—your fellow students are a window to your future. If you want to do what they can do, well, then sign up and do whatever they’re doing!
Heads up, though… in almost every school, you’re usually going to find a couple of people who can really make their art work surrounded by a crowd of people who really can’t. But that’s not a reflection of the art! That just proves that we all want something different out of martial arts.

Most students don’t dedicate themselves to being great because they don’t want to great!

Some students just have more fun sparring than going to the gym. Some students just like telling their friends they take Karate. Don’t judge them! Just focus on achieving your goals.

TIP #4: Practice.

Even if you knew you had the best teacher of the best martial art style in the world, if you don’t practice, you will get nothing out of it! Just because your teacher is famous or your style is popular right now, that won’t make you bulletproof.

There’s a lot more to martial arts than walking around town in a hoodie with a famous person’s face on it!

To change your life, you must throw yourself into the experience of training wholeheartedly. That’s how you’ll learn more about your style and yourself.

Remember this—a style serves the student, a student doesn’t serve the style.

If you can’t shoot straight, it doesn’t matter what kind of gun you’re holding… you’re going to miss your target. If you’re a terrible driver, it doesn’t matter what kind of car you drive… you’re going to crash! If you’re lazy, you’re going to suck at martial arts and fail to achieve your goals no matter what style you pick.

Don’t be that guy! Whatever style you practice, practice!

One more thing…

If you already practice martial arts, then you know there’s a lot of trash talk out there between different martial arts styles… which is ridiculous! It’s ridiculous because we’re all on the same team.

The big difference isn’t between the people who practice this style and the people who practice that style, the big difference is between the people who practice martial arts and the people who don’t!

I got news for you—to the people who don’t study martial arts, we’re all a bunch of weirdos! That’s why we should stick together.

If you practice martial arts, then I’ll bet your life has gotten better. I’ll bet you also want your friends and family to share in that same experience, right?

So, instead of trashing each other’s arts, let’s start promoting them—all of them! Because I’d rather see my friends and family training in a style that I don’t practice than not training at all.

Wouldn’t you?