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Personal Evaluation

Before you decide which martial art to study, it is important to realize that you will be the one making the final decision. This is because the "perfect" or "best" martial art is the one that best fits your physical abilities, goals, and preferences. Therefore, you should review these things before you start.

Checking your health is a first priority. You should visit the doctor for a physical check-up to determine if there are any health problems that might affect which martial art you study. Cardiovascular health and the function of your back, joints, and limbs are essential to training in most martial arts. If you have problems in these areas, you might want to consider studying a low impact martial art that will develop the same physical and mental strength without requiring as much stress on the body. It is also important to consider your lifestyle-do you smoke? Do you eat a lot of junk food? As in most sports, your diet ultimately determines how your body performs during practice.

Another point to consider is what you intend to gain from martial arts training. For instance, if your focus is to attain self-defense training, Jujitsu, Hapkido, Karate, Taekwondo, and Kung Fu may be the way to go. On the other hand, Tai Chi, Aikido, and Kendo are good choices for meditation and relaxation. And Judo, Okinawan Karates, Taekwondo, and Capoeira offer intense physical activity. Keep in mind that these are only general emphases and that it also depends on the instructor and school you attend as to what will be learned in a style. If you want to improve learning any style of martial art will help you.

Preferences Chart

Still a little unsure about what your personal needs are? To assist you, we have created a chart that evaluates the martial arts featured on this website by three criteria: the availability in terms of schools worldwide, fitness demands and focus on the spiritual/mental component. These are fairly general descriptions, so keep in mind that the levels (low, moderate, or high) may vary according to school, instructor, and most importantly, yourself.

Martial art	*Availability of Schools*	*Fitness Demands*	*Focus on spiritual/mental component*
Aikido	High	Low-Moderate	High
Capoeira	Low-Moderate	High	Moderate
Hapkido	Low-Moderate	Low	High
Judo	High	High	Moderate
Jujitsu	Moderate	Moderate-High	Moderate
Karate	High	High	Moderate
Kendo	Low*	Moderate	Moderate
Tai Chi	High	Moderate	High
Taekwondo	High	High	Moderate
Wing Chun	Moderate-High	Moderate	Moderate

*Availability is measured in terms of worldwide. There is a high availability of schools in Japan.