Do you remember that one particular knockout punch of your favourite fighter, that particular kick of a certain Bruce Lee in mid air or the roar of the crowd as the wrestlers engage on the floor? Didn't we all at some point in our youth want to be the next Ali or Lee or be able to pull off impossible triple kicks like Keanu in the matrix? Whilst they have their own style and may be beyond the reach for some, there is nothing to say that you cannot adopt the martial way.

In fact for a health and fitness point of view martial arts / boxing and combat sports offer many benefits: increased cardiovascular fitness, better flexibility, enhanced self image and confidence, improved speed and power and a better looking leaner athletic shape. After all have you ever seen and out of shape fighter?

When first starting there are some important considerations to take into account: The first is why do you want to do it? If like many people you want to because it looks good, it's the next best thing or a friend does it then you may wish to reconsider as it takes a lot of patience and dedication. However, if you have a genuine reason such as fitness, health, flexibility, social, enjoyment, etc.

The next question to ask would be what style?

Martial arts are sometimes divided into two sections of hard and soft; the hard styles such as Boxing, Kick/Thai boxing, Taekwando and certain types of Kung-fu and Karate are more aggressive in the way they are taught and can focus more on attacking. The soft side such as Aikido and jiu-jitsu focuses more on the defence and using your opponent against them and some such as Tai Chi focus more on relaxation and spiritual side of the arts.

The next thing is availability, it's all well and good finding a club that does what you want if you can't make it at their times or it's too far away. Do some research around your local area, see what's available, contact the instructor beforehand to ask what it's about then go along and try. Have a look at the instructors qualifications as well, national registration with certain boards are necessary in certain types of arts and lend credibility to the club.

Most clubs will allow you to try a few sessions to see if it's for you before you decide to commit. Your safety and enjoyment should be paramount with any style that you take up, make sure you are comfortable with the class, the instructor, the environment and the method of teaching being used. Also consider when you decide to join as some clubs do have timetables that they run to and you may not be able to sign up at certain points in the year, this is something to ask the instructor.

After that there is the cost issue; this includes the sessions itself, any registration or licensing fees that may be needed, special uniform that may be needed, which can cost large sums of money in some cases. There may also be an equipment issues, footwear, mouth guard, protective equipment and so on. This may be where you really decide what am I doing this for and is this club for me as this is where that commitment issue may come in.

Remember the main factor is your safety and enjoyment before committing to your new found ability to fly like a butterfly and sting like a bee, it is important to get the all clear from your GP, and by following the guidelines above we can take the first steps to unleashing the warrior within.