What's the best martial arts style? How do I decide which martial arts style to study?
These questions come up time and time again, yet there are no black and white answers. There are so many potential variables an individual should take into consideration before dedicating themselves to a particular martial arts style.
From a purely physical standpoint, how tall are you? Are you slim or heavier set? Someone who’s 5’4 and 120lbs may find themselves at a disadvantage if they decide to get into wrestling, a style that relies much more on weight and raw power.
What is your pain threshold? Can you take a hit? Kickboxing or Muay Thai, for instance, generally require a higher tolerance to pain since there’s much more striking involved, often requiring you to be able to take several hits before your opponent presents an opening for an attack.
Aikido, on the other hand, is much more passive, relying on your ability to re-direct an opponent’s energy using fluid motions.
It’s not an easy task deciding on a martial arts style. Nobody knows your body, your lifestyle, and your own commitment, better than yourself. Through careful analysis however, you’ll eventually make up your mind as to which martial arts style is best for you, and you alone.
In the meantime, here’s a chart that compares the most modern, well-known, and practiced styles of fighting.
As you can see, Jujitsu seems to offer the most variety with regards to martial arts training, as it encompasses the vast majority of these various techniques. However, nowadays many martial arts instructors are skilled enough in various styles that you’ll often learn an aikido-like takedown, even if you’re studying kung-fu.