What's the phrase/expression for practising martial arts?

Recently, I took up Taekwondo and ended up with a question: How can I say I practise a martial art in English? Is it just practise or is there another verb for it? In my mother tongue I say (roughly translated) "I fight Taekwondo" or "I train Taekwondo", but it sounds kind of weird in English.

Solution 1:

You've answered the question yourself and I believe there's no other verb for it. The meaning of the word 'practise' implies engaging oneself in a rehearsal.

The word 'training' at the end of the day, implies repetitiveness (with the aim of getting better and better).

Solution 2:

I would venture that you 'study' taekwondo.

As @choster indicates these oriental martial arts are not simply about fighting. They work within philosophical systems that involve to some degree 'mind over matter'.

So I think you are a 'student of taekwondo', and that even the higher 'dans' still regard themselves as 'students'.

Solution 3:

You could do taekwondo, as pointed out in Doc's comment, but more formally we would say

I practice taekwondo. (American English)

I practise taekwondo. (British English)

While you could say you fight taekwondo and be understood, as it is indeed a martial art, a practitioner would point out that it is not just fighting, but also practice patterns and forms, all within the framework of a larger philosophical system— a trait it shares with many other East Asian martial arts and their derivatives. To say he fights as a competitive sport suggests boxing, though I have heard people say things like he fights MMA.