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With all of the different martial arts styles out there, it can be hard to chose which form to study. People spend hours and hours talking about the different forms of martial arts and their advantages and disadvantages, but all that talk can be pretty nonconstructive. The most important thing that you can do is to find a style that works for you and study it.
There are a lot of different ways of looking at the martial arts forms. Some people like dividing them into internal and external styles, while other people talk about grappling versus striking styles. Basically, it depends what you want to get out of your martial arts studies. Although internal arts will eventually teach you how to fight very well, if you want quick results you should take a more external style to start with. If, on the other hand, you want a more meditative style that will help you learn how to relax, internal forms of martial arts are probably the best place for you to start.
In terms of grappling versus striking arts, the distinction only really matters if you are into external arts. Arts like Kung Fu, Karate, and kick-boxing are all about striking your opponent as hard as possible and using that power to stop him. On the other hand, grappling forms of martial arts like Judo, Aikido, and Jiu Jitsu are more geared towards pinning your opponent or getting him in some kind of hold to disable him. Nowadays, however, more and more forms of martial arts integrate both aspects. Both striking and grappling have their advantages, so knowing how to combine techniques will really make you a more effective fighter in the real world.
Of course, it is important to not get too caught up in all of the discussions about forms of martial arts. No matter what you study, you will learn effective self-defense. Unless you are a serious competition fighter, you don't have to worry about being the most deadly person out there – just knowing how to defend yourself is enough to dissuade most would-be attackers. The best way to choose a form of martial arts is simply to try out a couple gyms. Most dojos will let you take a single class or two for free, so you can get an idea of what they are about before committing to study their courses.
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