Can one learn how to fight at home?

[Rasheed]

Can one learn how to fight at home? 

I do not mean to become elite professional fighter...I mean amateur, normal, average-level like learn how to punch, kick, doing basic combat moves at home alone, by oneself? 

And If yes, what to do and how many times per week and how long? 

[Ulax]

@Rasheed No, I don't think so.

You would need proper reference experiences, imo. For example, MMA training.

Edited January 2, 2023 by Ulax

[Michael569]

Depends on for what purpose and how much you want to know. Also depends on if you value correct technique and have patience to learn each move properly or just want to know bits and pieces.

For purpose of fitness, to do some bag work, burn some calories and tone up, you can learn solo. Get a skipping rope, some basic gear and pay for some online thingy to guide your workouts.

For everything else including making sure you learn how to move and balance your weight before even learning how to punch, learning how to breathe before learning to roundhouse kick and to ensure you don't break your wrist or something like that, you may consider getting a coach or joining a club.

As a personal story I practiced judo (14yrs), boxing (3 yrs) muay thai + kick box (3yrs) + many years of solo training. But I'd never assume to be proficient in any of those. Mainly because i only train solo since my mid 20s and that way the progress is the slowest compared to having a coach or being part of a club and actually getting beat up a bit. 

So I'd say, if you are serious get a few months with a professional, learn the basics and then carry on on your own. Without the solid base you'll risk learning incorrect technique and hurting yourself.

The benefit is that you'll also learn how to drill, how to do proper conditioning to improve your speed and power during bag work.

 

Edited January 2, 2023 by Michael569

[spiritual memes]

Its better than absolutely nothing but you won't be very good compared to pretty much anyone that trains.

[King Merk]

Yea I suppose it depends on what skills you’re trying to develop.

Obviously you can work on striking solo with a bag but to think you can achieve any sort of grappling proficiency without a training partner is silly.

You’re severely handicapping yourself by only training alone and I would encourage you to investigate why you don’t want to train with other people.

The group camaraderie I get from spending time with my training partners is one of the best benefits I receive from training martial arts 

[Rasheed]

I just want to know how to punch, kick, move for self-defense purposes. That's why I asked but at the same time I still want to know how to attack, I don't want it to be just defense-focused. (My understanding of combat sports is quite limited that's why my question and answer as well is quite silly) 

Thanks everyone for answers, it was really helpful. 

Edited January 3, 2023 by Rasheed

[SourceCodo]

I don’t think the people commenting here have ever trained? 
 

A lot of learning happens on the bag, through instruction or repetition. 
 

You can learn the basics of striking, body control, momentum, mechanics, etc. and practice them all… Solo, with YouTube and a bag or even just thin air. 
 

You’re not going to develop a fighters toughness or response times, but you’ll know your body and how to use it. 

Edited January 3, 2023 by SourceCodo

[John Paul]

You may gain some confidence and get lucky learning one or two things properly- but no, realistically you cannot. You need to spar and do drills to really learn how to fight. And if you learn something like punching incorrectly you can hurt your shoulder if you ever throw a wrong punch with no experience in a real situation. 
 

im not trying to discourage you, do whatever ya like 

[Rasheed]

Yeah I want to know self-defense but sparring problem is, head damage. I seriously don't want to get head-kicked in the head, I am not an athlete, I am into knowledge work like Peter Drucker would say and getting head-kicked during training couple times per week would negatively impact my performance in my life purpose and career...  So, what should I do? By the way thanks everyone for answers. 

Also, I wanted to ask: Is shadow boxing good for learning how to fight? 

Edited January 4, 2023 by Rasheed

[John Paul]

@Rasheed you will eventually hit a plateau that you cannot overcome without sparring (there is probably some special technique you’ve heard of that costs thousands of dollars in training monthly). you can get way way better at fighting through basic drills and training though but without a trainer at a gym… idk I’m still not a believer 

[Michael569]

15 minutes ago, John Paul said:

you will eventually hit a plateau that you cannot overcome without sparring

^ agreed. 

I think I've been in this state for the past 3 years because I only train solo. I feel like i stopped improving in terms of technique and now it is just cardio training. 

Definitely worth getting some practice, even if it is an occasional one-off with a coach. 

[John Paul]

3 hours ago, Michael569 said:

^ agreed. 

I think I've been in this state for the past 3 years because I only train solo. I feel like i stopped improving in terms of technique and now it is just cardio training. 

Definitely worth getting some practice, even if it is an occasional one-off with a coach. 

Yes. And your technique that you’ll learn from a coach without sparring and the physical stuff that it puts you through will make you less prone to injury and more lethal than an average joe who has similar height and muscle mass than you- that being said physical violence is the most obvious opposite of embodied compassion which is the main goal of this teaching 

[UDT]

@Rasheed Only if you have a slightly larger big brother at home. 

[mmKay]

On 7/1/2023 at 1:55 PM, UDT said:

@Rasheed Only if you have a slightly larger big brother at home. 

Or wife

 

JK obviously

[StarStruck]

You don’t learn fighting until you get punched in the face

 

[Leo Gura]

Why not just sign up to a local gym?

Edited January 23, 2023 by Leo Gura

[vindicated erudite]

Buy 2 pairs or gloves and headgear and practice with a friend.

[UDT]

@Rasheed NO

On 22/01/2023 at 9:26 PM, StarStruck said:

You don’t learn fighting until you get punched in the face

 

YES