Learning martial arts online or from a book... I want to know...?

Question

Where does the belief that someone can learn martial arts online stem from?

Logic disproves this hypothesis.

If anyone has successfully learned from an online or strictly written source with no real life instructor, I would be most interested. If you have successfully learned online, what is your experience when you fight a traditionally trained martial artist?

The portrait in myself is of me, myself, and I.

I am of Romanian descent (parents Romanian) and I am of Rromani ethnicity (that is "Gypsy"). :)

For those who answer that it IS possible to learn martial arts online, please tell me if you have actually used your skills on a traditionally trained martial artist and the result.

Forgot something... eyes are not green, they are light lavender. No I am not vain.

Really.

My Rromani Vitsa is known for the occasional lavender eyed person and there is only ONE Rromani Vitsa known for it.

I just wish to remark that I am pleased that, so far, the general consensus matches my own: martial arts cannot be learned strictly online or from a book.

A competent instructor is needed. The online or written resources are good instructional aids.

I am hoping that all of the people in this forum who are asking for help learning martial arts online are reading my question. I wrote this because I am fatigued with the spate of them.

Answer 1

I think you can only learn so much online about martial arts because you need someone to look at your form and correct things you are doing wrong. Its like If I told you how to do an axle in figur skating, eventually you could land one from learning online however your form and your landing would be, medicore at best. ( If I told you to bend your leg with the landing to soften the impact ( its figure skating not hammering a nail) So I believe one could learn the principales but I believe that the true mastery ( including self mastery) in martial arts must be taught by someone qualified.

Answer 2

Trying to learn martial arts online or from a book is like trying to find love by reading romance novels. Yes, you'll get an idea of it but in real practice it falls far short. There are people who are self starters, they can push themselves to great lengths and only need someone to point them in the right direction to learn things. They will do better then most with video or book lessons, but there are still small things they will miss. It's the details in the stance, the move, the strike that will make a huge difference. Without someone watching you and telling you where to improve you will think you are doing the move just fine but you are not.

I would only use books and videos to add to an existing martial arts base from real in the dojo training.

Answer 3

The belief probably comes from authors who want royalties and publishers who want sales profits.

IMO: You can not learn the fundamentals, but you can use a book to review after you have learned the fundamentals.

If the book is well written, you might also be able to learn a new form within your own discipline after you already know the mechanics (how to do ALL of the basic moves properly,) the principles and the philosophy of your martial art discipline.

In order to do this the book would have to be VERY well written and illustrated.

Books can also be used to learn the history and philosophy of your chosen discipline. Although this will not teach you the HOW, it may give some insight into the WHO, WHEN, WHY and WHERE of your martial art.

IMO: this insight is just as necessary as the mechanics if one is to learn the "ART" part of any martial art.

This is what differentiates learning a martial art from learning how to fight!

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE: I am currently learning a very rare Tai Chi form from DVD. The DVD shows and explains the form step by step as well as showing the whole form at the beginning and at the end of the DVD. My instructor came across the form when it was demonstrated at a Martial Arts Expo held in Singapore in 1986 by a Master from the remotes of China. The person teaching it is a 4th Degree Senior London Instructor in the WTBA and is head of the College of Chinese Medicine in London.

Answer 4

What if you already knew some form of martial art, but you wished to study a similar, but different one? Do you not think it is possible to be able to understand the text based on your previous training? There are a couple of arts that I have studied only academically because a suitable instructor could not be found. I have to admit that I have not had to fight a traditionally trained martial artist using strictly these skills, so I cannot validate the quality of my training.

I do agree that someone who has absolutely no training would have a hard time learning just from a book or video, but everyone has a fighters chance in a fight.

Answer 5

It is NOT possible to learn martial arts on line or from a book without a frim background IN the martial arts. As an example, acocording to one of my Kung Fu instructors, it was not unusual for one of the masters, at need, to go itno the library of the Shaolin Temple and learn a new form from the scrolls they had there in times of need. HOWEVER, this was done by someone that had a very firm grounding in the style and knew the mechanics, the philosophies and was able to understand exactly what they were reading. For the average person, they don't have the time or experience in training to be able to assimilate or put to use what they have read. You can learn the movements sure...but NOT how to use them properly, or well.

Answer 6

Although I think its possible to learn history, meaning behind some of the styles rituals if there are any, terminology and some mental/philosophical principles from the web or a book, you can't really learn technique without actually doing it and getting feedback from a qualified in instructor.

Its a physical activity and at a point, your mind sort of becomes an observer to what your body is doing - that takes physical activity that can't be archived through purely mental exercises.

Can you learn to drive from watching movies?
Can you learn to ride a horse from watching the Kentucky derby?
Can you learn to shoot a gun from watching hunting shows?
Can you learn guitar by watching people solo?

Can you know what Emiril's food tastes like by looking at it?

In all cases, you can get a slim idea, but its never going to be as effective as actually DOING it as far as training. Another poster pointed out what I think is the best reason - we live in an instant gratification/easy road world. Martial arts are anything but instantly gratifying and easy - but we WANT it to be so so badly that we delude ourselves.

Answer 7

Personally, I think this belief comes from our dependence on computers. We have become so dependent on computers that we can do almost anything from our home. Shop, pay bills, buy a car, work and more all from the comfort of our home. I think the mindset of people has changed from hard work and sacrifice to lets stay at home and do it. If it can't be done at home, then why do it at all. Lets face it, people are getting more lazy every day.

With that factor we also have the issue of how it is easier for people to be mean than supportive. There is still the group mentality around. The "lets be the same and not an individual" thought. Almost daily I see people on the sidewalk making funny faces at our students training. It might be wrong, but I tried to invite some of these people in for a personal demonstration. As of yet, no one has decided to join me. It really is a shame that our society has come to this.

If a computer trained person goes up against an actual student from a dojang, the student would win. There is no substitute for experience. You can't get that from trying to teach yourself.

You won't have the benefit of other people watching and having their input to learn and grow. Only in sparring with other people would you gain the experience of watching body language for an attack or for defense. Working with partners gives every one the opportunity to fix their own technique also.

Answer 8

I believe it should be used to support traditional training rather than in lieu of it. I have read many martial arts books and while they do have some useful info I'm not delusional enough to think they take can place of actual instruction.

Answer 9

I agree with you on this, I think it's just because they don't want to have to pay for learning something. Even Royce Gracie states in his Brazilian Jujitsu self defense techniques book that there is no substitute for an instructor.

it's just like going to public or private school or even college, You have to pay for it, teaching is a service not something that's just given, of course the teacher or instructor should have a love of teaching, but they should also be given something more for their time. and paying them to provide the service of teaching is just the best way to learn Martial Arts.

people want to find the shortest and cheapest way, which just tells me that they're gonna wind in the hospital or worse, but hey if they wanna take their life in their own hands in that manner, well that's their business, but I prefer to have a better understanding of what I'm doing rather than trying to wing it.

but the problem is that there's just NO substitution for a trained certified Martial arts instructor to show someone the proper way to study Martial Arts

Books, and videos are only good as reference material to those who already study Martial Arts in a class setting for inspiration or fresh ideas or perspectives to train with.

Answer 10

Do you believe that there is no learning online? Do you not think there is some form of transmission other than words, pictures and emfs?

No it won't make anybody into a master, but it might make them understand enough to try. I know I am inspired by the moves I have seen online. Isn't inspiration why we do this?

I think in many cases it certainly elevates the conversation, dear friend.

Blessings to you.