Search for a dojo in your local area; dojos provide karate and martial arts lessons in styles such as Bando, Aiki Bujutsu, San-Jitsu-Ryu, Kung Fu, Judo, Shotokan and Taikyoku-Ken. Dojos offer private and group classes and sell packages of lessons, with one or more lessons in your preferred fighting style per week.
Enroll in a private fighting school specializing in the style of lessons you’re looking for. People interested in Krav Maga, the Israeli military’s style of fighting defense, will find fighting lessons Monday through Saturday at the Raleigh Krav Maga Martial Art School in North Carolina, with different levels including high school, kids, beginner and mixed.
Join a fighting-sponsored gym, such as the UFC Gym, which has two locations in California. As a member, you can participate in mixed martial arts private training with lessons on kickboxing, jiujitsu, Muay Thai and wrestling. Group training is also available.
Watch fighting skills DVDs, which you can pause and rewind to follow along, such as “Gracie Jiu Jitsu,” “Kenpo Total Fighting System” by Master JamesJames Bouchard and “Combat Sanshou: The Punishing Chinese Fighting Art.”
Attend scheduled fights, often put on by promoters such as Fight Night Events, at local bars, arenas and schools. At events, you’ll often find fight training schools displaying information and recruiting new students. You can also inquire about getting a mentor who can work with you one on one.