DescentBB

Recently, a martial arts instructor opened his business here recently and has invited me to learn. I have the option to learn, self-defense, karate, tai kwon do, or jujitsu.


My goal is to improve my overall focus, strength, and reflexes. I also want to limber up a bit and if I take something like this, at least some of the idiots I know will stop telling me could beat me up because he took wrestling in high school. I'm 23 and tired of hearing this crap. I think this would also help build self-confidence. I have reached a such a low that I'm nervous to get in an arm wrestling contest. I discovered this last Summer that I had a calcium deficiency and I wasn't getting enough sunlight. I was at at about 145lbs. I now weigh 169lbs and it isn't blubber. My appearance now fits my age. I couldn't figure out why I wasn't building more muscle or gaining any weight for about a year now.

Anyway, I was wondering what you guys would recommend. As I understand it, some people on this board take martial arts.

Jujitsu and Tai

Tai to put them on the ground, Ju in case they get you on the ground.

I'm 36, 6'5 and weigh 180lbs. I can't for the life of me gain weight. I used to rollerblade 100KM a week but my legs never got bigger. Just more defined. I'm not disciplined enough to lift weights at a gym and my set I have at home I haven't touched in ages.

I agree with Testi's opinion that you should learn both a striking and a wrestling art, but I might recommend karate over tai kwon do, depending on the type of karate he offers. I've taken kenpo karate, small circle ju jitsu, and tae kwon doe and found the third the least practical. In my experience, tae kwon doe is biased towards kicking and in particular high kicking, while karate has a better balance with punching. The problem is that kicking isn't nearly as important as punching in actual fighting.

Also keep in mind that most of these classical martial arts won't be very useful to you in a real fight until you've been at it for a few years. This time can be lowered to just a year or two if your instructor/school lets you do open fighting with other students (not just light sparring), but the vast majority don't offer this, I assume due to insurance reasons.

I'm not sure what your guy means by \"self defense,\" but I suspect it's the woman classes about using car keys and knees to the groin to fend off rapists.

Whatever you do, the instructor should allow you to observe his classes to see what's involved before making a decision. I've seen a number of schools and instructors and there is a lot of variation in quality out there. The problem is, an inexperienced martial artist can't tell the difference between a good and bad school, and often forms an incorrect opinion, choosing flash over substance.

The problem is that kicking isn't nearly as important as punching in actual fighting.

exactly.

Though there are many paths
At the foot of the mountain
All those who reach the top
See the same moon.
-aikidofaq.com

I'd pick the martial art that's best for you. By how tall you are, how much you weigh, and most importantly how you see your self years from now.

I'm studying aikido and kungfu. Since im 5 foot 8 inch, aikdio would teach me how to control someone taller and stronger than me. Kungfu taught me how to be stronger, work on my balance, and learn basic combat skills.
My sifu was interested in how i mixed aikdo in my kungfu sparing. And Aikdio comes more naturally in me against some one larger than me. I think i've found a good mix of martial arts. Figure out what you want and please post why!