When looking for martial art styles, there are almost too many options

At one point in his life, a young man dreams of fighting in the cage for the UFC championship belt. But this dream doesn’t have to stay a dream. MMA fighting is made up of many different styles and skill sets. With famous names like Conor McGregor, who started in boxing, or Jon “Bones” Jones, who began his martial arts career in Muay Thai, the martial arts can be more than a road to fame. It can keep you physically and mentally fit.

The most brutal fighters like Jon Jones and Jose Aldo, Muay Thai trains fighters to give and take hits. The “Art of Eight Limbs” focuses on normal punching and kicking but is well known for knees and elbows. The fact that the style is big on sparring prepares students for real-world situations.

One of the flaws of Muay Thai is that it’s too two-dimensional, with almost no angle change. Another con is that it doesn’t deal with groundwork and submissions at all, so in a real-world scenario, if the opponent is bigger and they take you to the ground, you are in trouble.

When you think of karate, you think of Mr. Miyagi, “wax on, wax off.” Karate became popular because of media like Karate Kid and the more recent Kobra Kai. One of karate’s pros is that it’s very focused and traditional. It depends on the dojo, but sparring is part of the culture. The style of MSJ’s karate club incorporates both traditional and modern parts of fighting. Like Muay Thai, there is an intensity during sparring. There is also an emphasis on defense and getting offline.

But every good thing (yes, I’m biased) has its flaws. Fewer and fewer karate schools are teaching it for the traditional style, but they are focusing more on family and kids’ classes. There are also critiques about how most karatekas don’t have training in grappling or takedowns.

Arguably, the most popular and famous sport is boxing. As most people know, it is combat only using your fists and strikes above the belt. Right away, you could probably already see the cons of limited combat and lack of utilization of the limbs.

Although very entertaining, people often criticize boxing for this and say grappling/wrestling would give boxers some struggle because it is just using fists and would leave you unprepared to protect yourself against other styles of fighters. With the pros, it is evident that boxing will give great footwork, quick speed, and cat-like reflexes. Punching power and cardio are also massive gains of boxing, a lot of time it does just take one punch.

Taekwondo is famous for its powerful kicks, and agility, flexibility, and balance are big pros as well. Taekwondo also teaches situational awareness, making it useful for defending against real-life threats. As far as the cons, there can be an overemphasis on kicking, which is kind of like the opposite of boxing. There are almost no short-range fighting skills in it. Grappling and other forms of striking would be a great deal of difficulty for someone who only practices Taekwondo.

Jiu-Jitsu is an incredible martial art that teaches you how to use technique and leverage to overcome opponents, making it great for self-defense and accessible to people of all shapes and sizes. Along the way, you’ll get stronger, more flexible, and mentally tougher, all while building a sense of community with others who share your journey. But it has its challenges. Progress can be slow, the training can be tough on your body, and there’s always a risk of injury if you’re not careful. Plus, the costs for classes and gear can add up. Still, for those who stick with it, Jiu-Jitsu offers lessons and rewards that will leave you versed in the style of grappling and wrestling.

Martial arts are composed of many different fighting styles; it’s important to be familiar with at least some of them. Only sticking to one could leave holes in your fighting career or a self-defense game. One of the cons of specific martial arts is that it leaves you unprepared to go against another type of material art. Also, be sure that the martial arts you’re practicing aren’t detrimental to your health and safety; they take a serious toll on your body. Safety is the primary concern when practicing these styles of fighting and self-defense.