Martial arts as learning a style, or martial arts as learning self-defense?

Everybody learns a martial arts style when they go to a martial arts class. Some styles may be more combative than others but it still is not a guarantee to every individual that they will actually be able to use it to defend themselves no matter the style. You learn this real quick at the latest when you are looking at a guy with a gun robbing you. No situation ever presents itself like it is made out in the movies. Real self defense is much more about survival than it is beating the crap out of an attacker.

Something to think about self defense. I real deep traditional Japanese martial arts the concept of 'mugo' (no self) is taught meaning nothing you have is yours including your life. It is all to be given for a greater purpose. With that sense of having no self to defend there is no self defense.

generally martial arts isn't free, some instructors own full time dojo's so there costs need to pay for the upkeep of that gym and for them to attain a living wage, others do it part time and their costs will only cover the cost of the overhead of where ever you are training, This varies from place to place and prices could range from £3 a session to £70+ a month. Teaching yourself, whether it be from books, dvd's or the internet, is not a good idea. Books and videos make a great addition to attending a class once you start having an understanding and can take the things you see in these books and videos and discuss them with your instructor. But without the class all it leads to is misinterpretation/misunderstanding of techniques, bad habits and more questions. As for where to start, have a look at whats on offer in your area, go down to the classes, many have a first lesson free offer so just try them out, see what you enjoy most and what is taught well and go with that one. Stay away from any club that has black belts under 13/14, has black belt academies, looks to tie you in with long contracts, offers birthday parties, makes you grade every few months (grading should happen as you are ready), promises black belts in a certain time frame. These are generally the attributes of a McDojo, and they are just out to make money and won't help you in anyway, the ATA (american taekwondo association) is a prime example of this

Whenever you learn martial arts you should be learning self defense. Every style was created for self defense. This should be the focus of any martial art class unless they are teach a sport.

If the only thing I was teaching you in my school was my style you will not b prepared to defend yourself if attacked. Meaning I would teach you nothing but kata. But I would never teach you how to apply what is in the kata. You must learn how to apply what you are learning. If not IMO you are basically wasting your time.

I teach Shorin Ryu. Kokoro teaches Shotokan. We many of the same kata in our styles. There are small differences. We may have a couple of kata that are not in each other's style. But the techniques are still there. We may teach them in a differnt order but we are still teaching the same things. Now Kokoro may have had a few of instructors that may have taught him some things that I didn't learn. He may have read some books that I haven't. Therefore he has more knowledge than I do and will share this knowledge with his students. So you could possibly learn more from him than me. It would not be because of style. It would be because of the instructor. I might have some experiences that he doesn't and I can share those things with my students.

I think you learn a martial arts style or styles that you can use for self defense. For me personally self defense is secondary. Sometimes I feel like there is too much emphasis on self defense. Realistically and statistically most of us will not ever used it. Including myself. I've been robbed 4 times, I've gotten my @ss kicked in a bar but not once would self defense have helped. It did help me in the sense that I kept calm and I knew what a punch felt like.

Funny story actually. I was robbed in Miami. Me and my drunken friend got lost. We stop at a gas station and ask for directions. My Spanish is not good but he basically told us that we had to go the long way around to get to our hostel. He pointed at a direction that was closer and basically said that we, white boys shouldn't go there. My friend and I look at each other and say "Ah, f**k it". 20 min passes and we find ourselves surrounded by 7-8 Cubans. We knew what was going to happen. We just started handing over our stuff, we talked like normal, they asked us where we are from and all that. One of them looked at my friend and said that he likes his shoes. The guys walked away and I ended up saying "Gracias, buenas noches".

What was I suppose to do? Fight 8 guys? Please....Martial arts for me is a routine, a way of life, a great way to socialize. Self defense comes out of it but not the way people think.

There are martial arts that have lost essentialy all elements of practical combat. For instance, Kyudo, or ceremonial Japanese archery which is almost entirely a meditative practice, or contemporary Tai Chi which in most forms is considered a gentle form of exercise.

There are forms which have self-defense elements but which are thougth of as being primarily sporting, like tae kwon do or judo.

and there are forms which remain largely combat-oriented, like Kenpo or Goju-Ryu Karate.

Finally, there are modern "combatives" like Krav Maga which have no "art" elements at all and are taught simply as practical fighting techniques.

Essentially everything we think of today as a "martial art" originated as a fighting style.... "Martial" means "warfare" or "military" after all. The above-mentioned kyudo was at one time kyu-jutsu, the Japanese combat use of the bow by Samurai warriors in the feudal period. Tai Chi was once primarily a combat form.

People study for different reasons.

i don't agree with self defense courses, in most cases they are just a crash course for a few weeks. and you just learn the basics. there is no way you can be prepared for all scenarios

with martial arts as a self defense you constantly grow and learn more as you train and become more adaptable to various scenarios.

self defense should not be a crash course, it should be something you constantly train for and improve upon.

What is your actual question?