The real question any beginner should ask when considering a martial art is this. "How long will I have to train before I'm proficient enough to realistically protect myself?"

This time period can vary widely across disciplines. Some can have you practically proficient in 6 months, some take as long as 10 years. Sadly, some are never going to be practical for self protection, because they are based on sports and not what you are likely to encounter in a real life assault.

Also, being a novice, how do you sort out the real from the fake, the practical from the just plain silly? That's what we're here for.