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Martial arts have always intrigued me. I think all little kids (especially boys) have at least that fleeting fascination (more so among devotees of certain kung fu terrapins). Mine has remained. I think that few other practices have that fine balance between a physical and meditative aspect. I would argue that yoga contends, but few others.
Of course there are better ways to learn than others. If it’s like tai chi, something that in today’s practice is mostly based in performing forms (kata in the Japanese traditions), then rote memorization through a digital video disk might just get you a decent foundation, if falling short of combative applications. At a certain point, however, it’s like trying to learn tennis solo: it’s an activity that requires an opposition, another human component.
The big impediment at this juncture to pursuing such activities “on the real”, as the kids say, is money. If you think just joining a weight lifting gym is pricey, try looking at the martial arts counterparts. You can pay top coin for some of this training. I’d even go so far as to wager that some of the places are worth it. When you’re a student, though, you tend to be a bit more concerned with buying food than with your acuity in a hand to hand scenario.
For now, I must simply continue polishing my secret Milquetoast Draws Your Attention to His Glasses technique.