Pretty much everyone out there is awed by the techniques adopted by legendary martial artists such as Bruce Lee, Takeshi Kaneshiro and Jackie Chan. These stars make it look easier than it is while in fact, they have dedicated their entire lives learning and practicing the art. Most people want to learn things like Taekwondo, and while there are training schools and professional instructors out there, some of us wonder whether it is possible to self-train.
So, is it possible to teach yourself martial arts?
Ideally, yes. You can train yourself on anything these days, but the real question is whether you can acquire any level of skill through teaching yourself this intricate hand-to-hand combat skill. People resort to self-training for a number of reasons. If you do not have the money or the time to dedicate to training, then you might be inclined to go it alone. And while this is not the worst idea you could ever come up with, it is not an advisable course of action, because of the reasons outlined below;
Real chance of self-injury
The movies make martial arts moves look smooth and flawless, and that is not entirely true. There are very intricate patterns and angles involved here, and some manoeuvres can only be achieved by a professional or someone training under the watchful eye of an instructor. Trying these moves on your own can twist you in all kinds of angles, and that is a recipe for disaster. Hip, leg, back, arm and neck injuries are common for people who decide to self-train.
You will have trouble landing a sparring partner
Martial arts students spend a lot of time sparring with opponents or instructors. The spurring process is essential to the development of a learner because it teaches them to be prepared for real-life combat scenarios. If you are self-training, then you really won’t have someone to spar with. The sheer amount of time required to become good at sparring is insane, and even if you have a friend willing to help out, it is highly unlikely that they will be able to dedicate all that time to you.
There is no professional feedback
Martial arts is complex, and that is why there is always a lot of communication between the student and the instructor. Self-training deprives you of that feedback. You won’t know what you are doing wrong and what needs tinkering with. Eventually, while you might acquire passable skills, they won’t be enough to equip you with the knowledge you require to fight professionally or defend yourself safely.
Professional training is the way to go
The only way you can become good at martial arts is by engaging a professional instructor or joining a bona fide training institution. Here, the professionals can dedicate their time to helping you learn, and you will get all the feedback you need. You will also gain access to a number of sparring professionals, and this allows for vast improvements. Professional training also means that you spend a lot less time trying to figure out your moves because you have someone who knows everything in the field to fall back on. It is also the best way to learn the latest moves in the field.
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