I don't think you're well served punching someone unless you have a coach critiquing your form. I think you could read or watch a video about a trip and have pretty good success with it. I think if you got somebody with a punch while you're untrained, you were going to get them with anything. I would rather you try to imitate an osoto gari than a punch. I feel like a whole lot can go wrong if you're not being conscious of your distance. You'll stay in the pocket and suddenly you wake up with a bunch of stitches.

If you're actually going to study, you should go for something that's a combat sport so that you spar and pressure test your art. Otherwise, you should be aware that your ability to fight is 20% of what you think it is and you get to keep 20% of that 20% when all the adrenaline dumps and your mind starts reacting in weird ways. I did muay thai for years and I doubt I get to keep any of it in a dishonorable fight.