Everyone always asks me, “David, what is the best fighting art?” Or similarly, “What is the most effective martial art?” Although these are legit questions, the answer is not so straight forward.
First off, let’s define “fighting/martial art.” A fighting/martial art is simply a codified system of combat practices for a variety of reasons: ranging from exercise and mental/spiritual development to street fighting and self-defense to law enforcement and all out warfare. It has a broad scoping range. And this is fundamentally what we need to understand to answer the question above.
You see, there is no, ONE, best art. The best art for you may not be the best art for me. We have to consider why we are practicing in the first place Then we have find out what art best suits our body type and peaks our interests. For me, early on, I knew I wanted something that was self-defense/reality based. But that is me. You may want focus and calmness - that would lead to a different practice. Both are good. Both are correct. But they are very different. In either case, nothing will happen if you don't go out and try something. Ya gotta get started to find what you like. Remember, the journey is the fun part.
TIP: When considering an art and you find a school, always ask to observe a class or see if you can take a free intro class. Also, ask the students in the class why they like it. Are they having fun? Are they learning what you want?