Can Someone Learn Martial Arts From A Book?

Well that’s a complicated question that deserves a thorough answer.

In short, it’s a yes and no question. Books can be very helpful for learning martial arts, but they’re not for a beginner and definitely don’t replace proper lessons with a trained instructor. Even this blog, though I strive to give you the best knowledge possible, doesn’t replace proper training.

That said, books (and excellent blogs like this one) can be very helpful for learning the information one doesn’t learn in class, or reminding oneself of what one did learn in class. One of my favorite books is "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu. I know, rather cliché, but it's very useful in learning to handle conflict and learning strategy!

That’s a lot of books to carry!

So what is a “good” martial arts book?

Well, there are lots of different kinds of martial arts books. Much like any other types of books, you want one from someone who has experience, education, and authority on a topic. You can check on this through the biography or about the author section. Depending on what information you want, you can discern whether this person is a good fit.

As an example, if you want a good book on sparring strategy, you probably want a book from a known champion. Perhaps someone with a few trophies or, better yet, Olympic medals. These tell you that the author has experience in sparring, so they'll be able to tell you information about sparring.

On the other hand, if someone has experience in poomse or, at the worst, no experience in Tae Kwon Do at all, they might not be your best source for information on sparring. A poomse expert will probably be very helpful for learning about poomse though!

In Conclusion...

Books are an excellent way to learn information. In martial arts they can be very helpful for becoming a better martial artist. Of course, they don't replace class by any means, and some aren't very good. The trick is to know what you're reading, and who you're reading from. Once you know that, you can discern from your book the best information. The better you get at this, the more you can learn. Good luck on your learning journey!