Martial arts styles: choose a program for your goals and age

Compare the training focus

Boxing centers on punches, footwork and defense. Dutch kickboxing combines punches and kicks. Muay Thai includes punches, kicks, knees, elbows and clinch work. These describe the disciplines; they do not establish the format or contact level of an introductory session.

Wrestling focuses on grappling, positions and control. Submission grappling includes ground positions and submissions. MMA connects striking, takedowns and ground skills. Ask the academy what its program covers and how newcomers are introduced.

Read our boxing, Dutch kickboxing and Muay Thai comparison or grappling and MMA guide for more questions to ask. A style’s name alone does not tell you whether a particular class suits you.

Check programs at your academy

Forest Hills: Boxing, Dutch Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Submission Grappling, MMA. Brazilian jiu-jitsu and wrestling are taught within Submission Grappling. Confirm placement and current class times with the academy.

Brewster: Boxing, Dutch Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Submission Grappling, MMA. Brazilian jiu-jitsu and wrestling are taught within Submission Grappling. Confirm placement and current class times with the academy.

Bushwick, Brooklyn: Boxing, Dutch Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Submission Grappling, MMA. Brazilian jiu-jitsu and wrestling are taught within Submission Grappling. Confirm placement and current class times with the academy.

Choose the right age pathway

The children’s pathway is ages 4–8, and the kids’ pathway is ages 9–12. At Forest Hills, Brewster and Brooklyn, boxing, kickboxing and Muay Thai are taught within regular children’s martial arts classes. These are not separate children’s discipline classes, and this does not mean every lesson covers all three. Read our children’s striking guide.

For ages 13–17, a parent or guardian should contact the academy about placement and suitable sessions. Do not apply the children’s class arrangement to teens without confirmation. Our Forest Hills teen guide offers preparation questions.

Adults should describe their experience and interests and confirm the appropriate regular program. General age pathways do not establish eligibility for every discipline. In particular, the children’s age bands do not determine Brewster wrestling eligibility.

Ask about instruction and contact

Ask what a new student does during the session, how instructions are explained, how partners are selected and what contact is involved. Confirm required protection and how to pause an exercise or ask for help. Do not assume a class includes sparring or is contact-free.

Self-defense skills are taught within regular martial arts classes. Ask how they are covered in the program you would join. This does not advertise a separate self-defense course or guarantee protection outside class. Our self-defense guide explains questions about scope and expectations.

Competition, promotion and instructor development are separate conversations. An introductory appointment does not enroll you in a fight team or promise a qualification. Ask the academy about any pathway that interests you.

Prepare and evaluate your first visit

Confirm clothing, footwear, equipment and whether anything is supplied before buying gear. Check the address, appointment time and arrival arrangements. A parent or guardian should arrange a child’s or teen’s visit. Our equipment guide and first-class guide provide more preparation questions.

After the session, consider whether the teaching was understandable, whether you could ask questions and whether the program matched your interests. Ask about the member timetable and membership arrangements before committing. Introductory calendars are not the full class schedule.

Set expectations around learning

You may value understanding a movement, following a correction or developing a routine. Progress differs between people and programs. Do not choose based on guaranteed weight loss, a fixed promotion deadline, promised school results or claims of preventing bullying.

For children and teens, discuss their experience with them and the instructor. Adults can review their own goals and questions. Training does not guarantee physical or mental health changes. Use coaching feedback and your actual experience to assess the fit.

Our fundamentals guide explains the starting skills, and our routine guide helps you plan questions about attendance.