Before the first class, the same questions come up almost every time. Which martial art suits me? Am I too old, too unfit or too inexperienced? What happens in the first session, and what do I need to bring? This guide answers such questions before you commit to anything.
The texts grow out of everyday training at a martial arts school in Aachen. They explain how the individual martial arts differ, which training suits which goal and what a start really looks like. Nothing is sugar-coated: martial arts are demanding, progress takes months rather than weeks, and not every sport suits every person. That is exactly why it is worth reading first.
The five sections of the guide
Getting started is for everyone without prior experience: how the first session goes, equipment, realistic expectations. Comparing martial arts puts boxing, kickboxing, MMA, grappling and Wing Chun side by side without crowning a winner. Martial arts for ... sorts the classes by life situation: women, children, teenagers, adults and late starters bring very different starting points. Goals starts from your reason, be it self-defence, fitness, building muscle or relieving stress. Knowledge explains the terms and rules behind it all, from sparring and safety to gradings.
Who the guide is for
First and foremost for beginners who have not yet decided. Equally for parents looking for suitable training for their child, and for anyone who wants to return after years away. If you already train, you will mostly find background here: why one class is practised with full contact and the next is not, what lies behind technical terms and how injuries can be avoided.
Try martial arts in Aachen
Reading does not replace training. If you want to know how a martial art feels, take a look at it directly at the Shouraki martial arts school and fitness centre in Aachen: Kickboxing in Aachen, Boxing in Aachen, MMA in Aachen or BJJ, grappling and ground fighting. For younger people there are the kids' classes Panda and Ninja and the youth training of the Samurai group. What runs when can be found in the timetable.
The matching classes: Martial arts in Aachen, Kids' and youth training in Aachen and Fitness in Aachen.
