Can you really learn martial arts by watching videos? Yes, I think so!
But there’s a right way to do it and a wrong way. So, here’s a quick tip to make sure you’re learning the right way!
If the video doesn’t play, you’ll find a loose transcript below. Hope it helps! 🙂
How to Learn Martial Arts from Watching Videos
First off, let’s be honest…
You will never, ever become a great martial artist just from watching videos!
To become a great martial artist, you need a real-life teacher and real-life training partners. Especially training partners.
Yes, getting in shape and practicing on your own is important, but there’s a lot more to learning martial arts than just jogging, lifting weights, or hitting a bag.
Martial arts is also about controlling yourself while someone else is trying to control you. To learn that, you have to get out of the basement, get out of the bedroom, and go make some friends.
Okay. Back to the subject of videos…
Videos are a gold mine of information and inspiration. They are a learning tool that no other generation of martial artists has ever had access to. But here’s the wrong way to use it.
You have a question. Let’s say you want to learn how to escape a rear naked choke…
So, you do a search. You find an video. You watch it. You learn something.
Now you watch another video. And another. And another. And another.
Suddenly, it’s four in the morning, you’re halfway through a bag of chips, and somehow you’re now listening to the isolated vocal track from Ariana Grande’s Dangerous Woman.
WARNING! Watching videos is more addictive than heroin. The problem for a student is after a six hour video bender, that lesson you learned in the first five minutes of your search has been wiped from your brain. You end up crashing into bed no smarter and no better than you were when you started.
So, here’s how to learn martial arts from a video…
The first video you find that makes you say, “Ah, that’s cool,” stop. Put down the chips. Get up and go try it.
Yes, even if you’re watching one of my videos. As soon as you learn something that makes you say, “Ah,” get up and do whatever it is you’re supposed to do.
If you have a training partner or a training dummy, great. If you don’t, practice on a pillow or in the air. Do what you have to do! But here’s the important thing.
The secret to learning martial arts from a video is to turn viewing into doing.
The goal as an online student is to have a new experience. But that doesn’t happen in a chair. It happens on your feet.
Final thought. The only reason a teacher makes a video in the first place is to help you get better. Presumably, the only reason you watch a martial arts video is to get better. But if you don’t get up and practice what you see in the video right after you learn it, then I fail as a teacher and you fail as a student!
So, if you want to learn martial arts by watching videos, ask a question, find an answer, then turn your viewing into doing. Don’t worry— you’ll still have plenty of time to watch Ariana Grande.
This is a topic that is near and dear to my heart. The instructor for one of the arts I study is in a different country (OK I’m in Canada and he’s in the States – it’s a four hour drive but still…) But the entire curriculum up to black belt is on DVD – clearly explained, excellent production values. Even if I could train in that dojo every day I would still want the DVD. It can be such an excellent teaching tool. BTW I still have to train at the dojo from time to time and am held to the same standards as all the other students. Go me.
Many people frown upon videos. I’ve had instructors who stated that they wouldn’t put anything on video because it would somehow weaken/cheapen the art or…whatever. Old-fashioned thinking. Video is such an excellent learning medium.
You are a visual learner. Dojos are critical, tactile experience is critical. What you are doing is perfect for you! To be able to see the moves in your mind is the best way for you to learn of course adding in the tactile. You’ll be fine. You’ll practice what you were taught and with the DVD even more clearly see the nuances. Most others just go through the motions. You want to learn and I’ll bet you learn faster than others. For one thing you are practicing out of the Dojo…wait for Sensai Ando’s advice of course but he is spectacular with correct body movement and focusing on THE student, their needs, their weaknesses and their strengths. He truly gets the mechanics of individual students to bring them up to speed. I had to drive 4 hours to and from class every night 6 nights a week. 4 classes per night training to be an instructor. Arghhhh. At the time I was more than fit and needed a positive outlet for some very horrific stuff I was going through. Saved me from KILLING a couple of certain people, grins Life can be so tough…GO YOU! You will do very very well…don’t let anything get in the way of your training. The value of achieving martial arts is so priceless, I can not tell you…oh, and Black Belt is the beginning. Getting to black belt takes a while (took me 2 1/2 months)…but you are only starting when you get to black belt…
Sharon!
Thanks for jumping in with your encouragement and positive vibes. Now–what the heck is stopping you from starting a blog or a podcast?? 🙂
Hi RoseAnne!
Four hours away… I admire your dedication!
I completely agree that looking down on videos is old-fashioned thinking. Actually, I’d say it’s ridiculous! If the old masters had access to the same technology, they would have used it. Books like the Bubishi prove it.
You just keep doing what you’re doing! Go you! 🙂
Nice topic sensei Ando! I totally agree with you. Practice is the one thing in karate that every person I talked to indicated as the most important thing. But given the sad fact that we all have limited time the problem is then how to make the best out of it and in that listening to people who practiced their whole life and carry the knowledge of a few centuries of trial and error can be a big time saver 🙂 and that is why we read your very interesting site is it not 🙂
Hi Alessandro! Exactly. We have the good fortune to have access to the greatest teachers in the world. Now, it’s our duty to take what they have given us and make it our own. And that means SWEAT!
Happy training to you!
Excellent video (as always), but what kind of chips?
HA! The best chip is the one you’re eating! 🙂
Hi Sensei- I am 62 yrs old and have some knee issues (most of my life), but I still continue to work out and still dream of getting my karate black bel at this age. I started training Shotokan Karate when I was 11 yrs old and I earned green belt before I stopped training. I encouraged my daughter to learn taekwondo and she earned her black belt. Now my question is if I choose to learn martial arts right now, what’s the perfect fit for me, maybe karate will be too much.
Thank you.
Hi again! I think I just emailed you.
I think it’s great that you’re on the mats at any age. I can’t recommend any art or teacher… that’s a personal decision based on your goals, capability, and personality. The way I see it, if you stop training, you’ll get weaker joints. If you keep training, you’ll keep wearing down your joints. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. There is no cure for getting old! Just do what you can.
By the way, I think it’s GREAT that you got your daughter into TKD. I hope she still practices!
Keep fighting!