Monday, June 15, 2009

What to Look for when Learning Martial Arts by DVD!

By Al Case

It is possible to learn the martial arts by DVD. There are, however, several things you should be aware of when shopping for a DVD. These items can make the difference between a learned art, and something laying on the sidewalk that you shouldn't touch.

First you have to decide which martial art you wold like to study. This is easy if you have a little experience, pursuing something you already have experience in is always going to be easier. You need to consider several things, however, if you don't have experience.

One, is the art one that you can study alone? Or, do you have a work out partner you can study with if it can't be studied alone. Martial Arts showing forms are easily studied alone, and can be perfected in your living room, with the occasional help of a friend, but Aikido, on the other hand, demands a partner for nearly every single move.

Pay attention to the instructor when you are looking for a martial arts DVD. I know he's famous...but can Mr. Action Star get his idea across on video? Does he present the ideas in concise method and show you what they really mean?

When inspecting the DVD, whether on line or in a store, take a look and see what, exactly, is being offered. There are many different formats for teaching, and when dealing with a whole art, you must be careful. Obviously, look for beginner, intermediate, or advanced, depending on what you are.

Now, does the fellow offer just forms? It would be better to have some applications, and even a few minutes of fighting to see the progression of application, from forms, to applications, which are pieces of the forms, to applications in the real world. Forms are great, but without some example of what they really mean, they can be next to worthless.

Take a close look at how the course is arranged. If he has the proud claim that one form is being presented from eight different angles so that you can see the master's every move in slow mo...pass on it. If he has a selection of forms, and he shows two angles and then goes through the form while going over every point, this is a whole heck of a lot better.

In summation, let me say that you might waste a buck or two when pursuing the martial arts through video, but is something you risk as you sample through various styles and interests. Still, one of the greatest deals in town is the price of instructional DVDs. The doors of perception are going to open when you find what you want, and you will become more fit and better able to defend yourself, and, ultimately, the answer is that you will be able to learn quality martial arts from DVDs.

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