Which Martial Arts Should You Learn? A Beginner's Guide

With over 180 martial arts styles, each with its own unique history, techniques, forms, and purposes, choosing a style to learn (and sticking to it) can be a challenge.

As everyone’s goals, abilities, interests, and commitment are different, there is no right answer to “which martial arts should you learn?”. By understanding the various types of martial arts styles, you can determine which style may suit you best.

Types of martial arts styles

Kung Fu

Kung Fu is a style of martial arts balancing physical fitness, self-defence, meditation, mental discipline, and spiritual connection. Kung Fu is one of the world’s oldest forms of martial arts, and over time, various styles of Kung Fu have developed, each with its own philosophy, techniques, and history. The most well-known styles of Kung Fu include Shaolin, Tai Chi, Hung Gar, Xingyiquan, and Wing Chun. 

UMF Academy is deeply rooted in the Wing Chun Kung Fu practice, with a direct lineage tracing back to Ip Man, through Grand Master William Cheung, and Sifu Pablo Cardenas. Wing Chun Kung Fu focuses on close-range combat, moving with purpose, self-defence, and attack. Wing Chun Kung Fu offers a range of benefits for beginners - teaching the importance of adaptability and flow while improving cardiovascular health, balance, and coordination.

Muay Thai Kickboxing

Muay Thai kickboxing is a popular form of martial arts derived from Thailand, dating back to the 13th century. Muay Thai focuses on striking eight points across the body: two fists, two legs, two elbows, and two knees. As Muay Thai is designed to be applied in close proximity to an opponent, this style of martial arts conditions the body for strength, flexibility, and agility.

While Muay Thai kickboxing techniques can be challenging to master, classes can be beginner-friendly. At UMF Academy, our Muay Thai kickboxing trainers will take your current condition and abilities into consideration, helping you build a solid foundation for Muay Thai progression.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) focuses on practical self-defence, providing students with the coordination and agility to control confrontations with larger, more vigorous opponents. BJJ techniques include grappling, joint locks, escaping wrestling holds, utilising leverage to overcome opponents, and transitioning between positions. 

Aside from the physical benefits, BJJ also emphasises character-building elements, such as respect, self-control, resilience, and humility - essential qualities in real-world self-defence scenarios. UMF Academy's Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu trainers aim to enhance physical fitness, mental well-being, self-confidence, and overall well-being, equipping you with practical self-defence skills for real-world scenarios.

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is one of the fastest-growing combat sports in the world. MMA incorporates a range of martial arts techniques, including boxing, Judo, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai kickboxing, and more. MMA techniques involve pinning, clinching, and submission holds, punches, kicks, takedowns, and sweeps.

Beginners can greatly benefit from MMA, regardless of their fitness level, prior knowledge, or training experience. UMF Academy’s MMA classes improve fitness, increase self-confidence, enhance concentration skills, provide stress relief, and offer self-defence.

Krav Maga

Krav Maga is an Israeli style of martial arts, developed for the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) for hand-to-hand self-defence. The principles of Krav Maga include stopping immediate threats, counterattacks, disengaging, de-escalation, and monitoring possible threats. During a Krav Maga class, students learn a range of kicks and strikes, with a focus on blocking attacks and counterattacks.

Krav Maga is one of the more challenging martial arts to master - even its fundamental techniques take time to feel natural. Progressing to an advanced level requires several years of consistent training and dedication.

Boxing

Contrary to what it may appear, boxing is an intricate, disciplined, and controlled form of martial arts that offers more than just a way to de-stress. Commonly referred to as the ‘sweet science’, boxing is a refined martial arts style, where every jab, hook, and uppercut is part of an overall strategy.

Boxing instils essential life values, including persistence, dedication, and accountability. UMF Academy offers beginner boxing lessons, teaching the foundation of boxing and guiding steady progression.

Which martial arts should you learn?  

Choosing the right style of martial arts ultimately depends on your goals, available time, and physical abilities. Each style of martial arts emphasises factors, such as fitness, coordination, dedication, and discipline, to varying degrees. For example, if you can only attend up to three classes a week, a style like boxing may be more suitable than Krav Maga, which typically requires more time commitment.

UMF Academy is Townsville’s leading martial arts academy, offering classes in Wing Chun Kung Fu, Muay Thai Kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, MMA, Krav Maga, and boxing for children aged 6-14 and adults over 15. If you want to start your martial arts journey, contact UMF Academy and join one of our classes.