All martial arts can be taught many different ways and for many different reasons even though they may be the same styles. The key is to be more specific to determine why you want to learn martial arts. To gain strength, confidence, and agility is too general. All martial arts will give you that. Sports/competition, fitness, self defense is what you need to figure out as the training with any of these varies greatly. Sports and learning how to score points in a tournament is not self defense. Fitness does not serve self defense or sports and is really just for fun.

Unfortunately in the end you will have to do your own home work. You need to go out there and visit all the schools in YOUR area regardless of style and see what is being taught. Watch the students and see what they know because that is what you will know when you train with that teacher. After you have watched several schools you will get a better feeling of which school are serious about teaching and which ones are just in it for the money and give out belts regardless if the student learned anything. Imagine none of the students in the class wore a belt for you to tell the difference in their skill. Could you still tell the difference? If the brown belts only know and look like the yellow belts then there is a problem.

I have long quit worrying about what style I train in. I look at my abilities, see where I need work and then find a teacher who can fill in the holes. I have trained in styles I never dreamed I would train in but that teacher just happen to know what I did not and be very good at it and then style does not matter. In the beginning it is important that you pick ONE teacher and school that you really like and then stick with it for about 10 years before going off and cross training with other teachers and in other styles. This will give you a good solid foundation and an understanding of what will go with what you already have so you can build on that. It is different from starting many styles and only learning basics in all styles and never knowing any more advanced techniques in any style. The really fun part starts after about 10 years of training. That's when your martial art becomes art and more than just swinging and hitting. Once you get there you will understand what I am talking about. So find a good teacher and be patient in your training. Don't worry so much about style and above all don't let others deter you saying this style is good or bad. If they do not know the teacher and/or what is being taught they have no real knowledge or understanding to judge.

Confidence is mental thing you can gain that in any martial art if you set your mind on it.

The other two take a long time to develop don't expect to learn strength and agility right from the start. Just remember it doesn't matter how strong you are form is what put you on top. If you are sting and have no form your force would not be distributed right and you won't get the extra torque from pivoting and such.

I would suggest starting with something basic like Tae Kwan Do. After you get your black belt in that you can start with more advanced martial arts like krav maga and kick boxing.

You can study any art you want. They are all effective and all work. The only thing that matters is that you have a good instructor and train correctly. Look into the schools in your area and pick the one with the best instructor.

Tae Kwon Do all the way. It's more defensive, there are no weapons, it trains your body phenominally well, and a lot of it is centered around kicks (which I LOVE) I've done Tae Kwon Do for 10 years and it has helped me so much in life. Hope you try it out :)

I have wanted to study martial arts for the longest time now, and I might have an opportunity in the next couple of years as I'm living in new cities. But how do I know which kind to pursue classes in? I want to gain strength, confidence, and agility. Anyone have some experience in different forms of martial arts?