Martial arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of combat. They can be practiced for a number of reasons, including self-defense, competition, and physical health and fitness, as well as mental, physical, and spiritual development.
Martial Arts Stack Exchange is a site for students and teachers — beginners, experts, professionals, and enthusiasts — of all martial arts. If you have a question about…
- Characteristics, regimens, history, and culture of martial arts systems worldwide
- Execution, instruction, and practice of techniques (with or without weapons)
- Martial arts equipment (including use, maintenance, and construction)
- Analysis of tactics and strategies from historical competitions, tournaments, and sparring matches
- Evaluating and choosing martial arts given specific criteria. When asking for a martial art recommendation, please include in your question:
- What are your goals? (Fitness, self defense, spiritual growth, ...)
- What is the timeline for your goals?
- What style(s) interest you? Or alternatively, what appeals to you (striking, kicking, grappling, MMA, weapons, ...)?
- What instruction is available in your area (if known)?
- What is your previous experience, if any?
- Do you have any constraints (time, transportation, $$, physical, ...)?
- Conducting or teaching martial arts classes, workshops, or seminars
- Injury prevention within the context of martial arts training
…then feel free to ask. Please do a search to check that no one else has asked first, though.
Questions that should not be asked on Martial Arts include:
- Recommendations for schools or teachers in area X (too localized)
- What martial arts system is "best", or whether art A is better than art B (not constructive)
- Theatrical or stage combat that focus more on theater or entertainment (for role-playing, re-enactments, etc.) (off-topic)
- Fitness issues unrelated to martial arts (off-topic; please ask on Physical Fitness instead if appropriate)
- Martial arts movies, comics, science fiction, or fantasy (off-topic; please ask on Movies or Science Fiction & Fantasy if appropriate)
- Business aspects of running a martial arts school (legal advice, retention, location, advertising, etc.) (off-topic)
- Legalities of martial arts (off-topic)
- General injury treatment or medical advice (off-topic)
- Whether martial artist A would beat martial artist B (not constructive)
Above all, remember that your question should have a clear answer. It should not prompt extended debate or invite opinion. If your question is not related to an actual problem you face or trends away from martial arts to a different subject, it probably does not belong on this site.
If you are unsure whether the scope of your question is appropriate for the site or not, feel free to bring it up on the Martial Arts Meta for discussion.
Please look around to see if your question has been asked before. It’s also OK to ask and answer your own question.
If your question is not specifically on-topic for Martial Arts Stack Exchange, it may be on topic for another Stack Exchange site. If no site currently exists that will accept your question, you may commit to or propose a new site at Area 51, the place where new Stack Exchange communities are democratically created.
For more help, see "What types of questions should I avoid asking?"