This article was co-authored by Derrek Hofrichter. Derrek Hofrichter is a Self-Defense Specialist and the Founder of EVKM Self Defense & Fitness in Tempe, Arizona. Derrek specializes in Krav Maga, Personal Safety, and Boxing. Derrek is a Krav Maga Third Degree Black Belt, a Senior Certified Krav Maga Instructor, and a Krav Maga Alliance Executive Board, and Training Team Member. EVKM Self Defense & Fitness was named the 2014 Krav Maga Alliance School of the Year and the 2017 Best Gym/Workout Studio in Phoenix. Derrek was named as one of the top 30 Health and Fitness Leaders in Arizona under the age of 40 by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com in 2018. He also holds a BA in Government Public Policy from Patrick Henry College.
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Have you ever wanted to practice a martial art, but it was too out of your grasp? Do you want to create a fighting style of your own? This excellent guide will show you how.
Steps
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Take a moment to search yourself before creating your fighting style. This can include how you kick, your throws, punches, ducks, etc. Try to focus more on them.
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Get a willing sparring partner, preferably of similar ability and similar size. Then practice until you get a feeling of which moves work for you and until they come out naturally.Advertisement
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Begin molding your personal fighting style. Be sure to make the moves yours and not something you saw off of Naruto or something.
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Apply a moral to be perfectly confident in your fighting style. In order to be balanced, you must have a lighter side. A perfect example is Yin and Yang.
Community Q&A
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QuestionCan I start my training young?Community AnswerYes. In fact, you should start as young as you can.
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QuestionCan I start my style at age 13?Community AnswerYes! You can start at any age, although I recommend not before 9 years of age.
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QuestionI am creating a unique way of fighting called clavus gladii, which means nail swords, for this screenplay I'm writing. Do you have any recommendations on whether I should use sword techniques or karate?Community AnswerYou should try to make a mixture of both if you are not sure. Since it has the word "swords" in the title many people would expect you to be using swords at some point.
Tips
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Imagine developing your own Skill Tree is like Bonsai Tree Trimming. Let the Branch grow freely, then trim off unnecessary branches.Thanks
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If you can, use rattan or boffer or other safe weapons. Never train with a steel blade unless its master to upcoming master; even then use an un-sharpened training blade.Thanks
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First, learn as vast as possible, as free as possible, as much as possible; grow your knowledge, you never know which knowledge is useful until you mastered it (how would you know something is not worth knowing when you haven't understand it? hmmm... :) ).Thanks
Tips from our Readers
- It's best to learn from example. Watch fights using different styles and see how you can improve your own technique.
- Try weight training to practice your basics. This really helped strengthen my strikes.
Warnings
- Don't be a show-off, don't just start showing your moves out of nowhere.Thanks
- When you're training, be sure there are no furniture or objects in your way.Thanks
- Do not have the illusion that having made up a fighting style means you're particularly good at fighting now, or that your own style is on par with serious martial arts that have stood the test of time. Stay out of trouble if you can avoid it.Thanks
- Feeling a bit of soreness? Don't overdo your training! This would be a perfect time to meditate and unwind.Thanks
- Avoid the thinking that you will automatically jump into a fighting stance; your brain will always resists the urges of muscle memory.Thanks
- Avoid focusing too much on one aspect; for example karate focuses too much on boxing techniques and possesses no speed in reversing back attacks.Thanks
Things You'll Need
- First-aid
- Dummies/pads/cushions/etc.
- Bandages (for your arms, ankles, and wrists)
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about self-defense, check out our in-depth interview with Derrek Hofrichter.
About This Article
Reader Success Stories
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"This site really helped me. I have been thinking about creating my own fighting style for a while and it has been a little challenging to find the right site. It is hard to get tips you need. So this site really helped me, finally I perfected my fighting style."..." more