There are four mediums that enable you to learn some aspect of your language.
They are:
• Direct explanation — It is helpful to have aspects of language explained to you. Beginner courses usually do this.
• Drilling — Drilling is the act of isolating some specific weakness in your learning and doing an activity that only focuses on that. These are also often called “exercises” by language textbooks.
• Encountering in your content — By encountering forms and words in context, you eventually come to understand how they are used.
• Language output — Speaking and writing your language will reinforce your knowledge and help you get feedback.
In learning your language, you should naturally move down the four mediums and come to apprehend most grammar and vocabulary you need.
The most important medium is Encountering in your content. Remember the principal basis of language learning: “Use the language in order to learn it!”
While direct explanation can be very useful, learning only happens once you use the language.
The main way you learn grammar and vocabulary is by being prompted to remember or otherwise extract meaning from the language. This is why using comprehensible input is key.
You also need both input and output to learn a language. You should try and focus on both of these to get a good well rounded balance in your learning and your skills, but so long as you focus on something this will be a massive help to your learning.
If you want to try one and then try the other, that’s fine or maybe do both at the same time.
You just need to remember that language learning is difficult and slow. There is no right or wrong way to learn a language.
You need to find a way you enjoy and stick at it, the language will come eventually, it’s not a race.
