Any martial artists in here? Any recommendations on what to pursue?

[IEC]

Tae Kwon Do

 

[Skyclad1uhm1]

Originally posted by: irishScott
Can't speak for much else, but I've got a decent bit of Krav Maga under my belt. It's the official MA of the Israeli Military, and elements of it have been blended into US military MAs. In short, it's no shit kick-the-groin-gouge-the-eyes-break-the-collarbone combat. Also focuses on knife/gun/club/weapon defense. If you ever have to use it for some reason, it WILL be useful. The training is intense if you find a good school. Doesn't really focus on flexibility though, although the training will make you flexible if you keep it up.

The idea is to teach you useful skills in as little time as possible.

Edit: Also, there isn't much emphasis on form. The point is to train you to defend yourself effectively. Whether you look good doing it is irrelevant. Good form is obviously needed, but if you can accomplish the same thing with lesser form than it doesn't matter as much as other MAs. Likewise, there are very few preset moves and no kata. It's designed to be improvised and to fit the practitioner.

Some more info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krav_Maga

Training Center Locations:
http://www.kravmaga.com/locations.asp (Ignore the red dots on the map. Most are extremely inaccurate)

And the big advantage is that you actually learn useful stuff. With normal martial arts you have to train for years before you have learned to defend a bit against basic, controlled attacks.
With KM within the first years you will learn to defend yourself (and others) against knife attackers, people with baseball bats, being strangled, being attacked while on the ground, etc. It focusses on real life situations, on dirty fighting where you don't stand prepared to fight, rather than on controlled fights between two people.

 

[manowar821]

Originally posted by: Skyclad1uhm1

Originally posted by: irishScott
Can't speak for much else, but I've got a decent bit of Krav Maga under my belt. It's the official MA of the Israeli Military, and elements of it have been blended into US military MAs. In short, it's no shit kick-the-groin-gouge-the-eyes-break-the-collarbone combat. Also focuses on knife/gun/club/weapon defense. If you ever have to use it for some reason, it WILL be useful. The training is intense if you find a good school. Doesn't really focus on flexibility though, although the training will make you flexible if you keep it up.

The idea is to teach you useful skills in as little time as possible.

Edit: Also, there isn't much emphasis on form. The point is to train you to defend yourself effectively. Whether you look good doing it is irrelevant. Good form is obviously needed, but if you can accomplish the same thing with lesser form than it doesn't matter as much as other MAs. Likewise, there are very few preset moves and no kata. It's designed to be improvised and to fit the practitioner.

Some more info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krav_Maga

Training Center Locations:
http://www.kravmaga.com/locations.asp (Ignore the red dots on the map. Most are extremely inaccurate)

And the big advantage is that you actually learn useful stuff. With normal martial arts you have to train for years before you have learned to defend a bit against basic, controlled attacks.
With KM within the first years you will learn to defend yourself (and others) against knife attackers, people with baseball bats, being strangled, being attacked while on the ground, etc. It focusses on real life situations, on dirty fighting where you don't stand prepared to fight, rather than on controlled fights between two people.

Yeah, you have no idea what you're talking about.

 

[antyler]

Kenpo. A nice aggressive form, and it makes alot of sense, once you learn it.

 

[Skyclad1uhm1]

Originally posted by: manowar821

Originally posted by: Skyclad1uhm1

Originally posted by: irishScott
Can't speak for much else, but I've got a decent bit of Krav Maga under my belt. It's the official MA of the Israeli Military, and elements of it have been blended into US military MAs. In short, it's no shit kick-the-groin-gouge-the-eyes-break-the-collarbone combat. Also focuses on knife/gun/club/weapon defense. If you ever have to use it for some reason, it WILL be useful. The training is intense if you find a good school. Doesn't really focus on flexibility though, although the training will make you flexible if you keep it up.

The idea is to teach you useful skills in as little time as possible.

Edit: Also, there isn't much emphasis on form. The point is to train you to defend yourself effectively. Whether you look good doing it is irrelevant. Good form is obviously needed, but if you can accomplish the same thing with lesser form than it doesn't matter as much as other MAs. Likewise, there are very few preset moves and no kata. It's designed to be improvised and to fit the practitioner.

Some more info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krav_Maga

Training Center Locations:
http://www.kravmaga.com/locations.asp (Ignore the red dots on the map. Most are extremely inaccurate)

And the big advantage is that you actually learn useful stuff. With normal martial arts you have to train for years before you have learned to defend a bit against basic, controlled attacks.
With KM within the first years you will learn to defend yourself (and others) against knife attackers, people with baseball bats, being strangled, being attacked while on the ground, etc. It focusses on real life situations, on dirty fighting where you don't stand prepared to fight, rather than on controlled fights between two people.

Yeah, you have no idea what you're talking about.

I've done Karate in the past, but in one year of Krav Maga I learned far more than in all the years of Karate.

What martial art do you think is more useful then?

 

[Synomenon]

Tell him to go to China and join a Shaolin Monastery. They can train him in Shaolin kung fu. Or he can ask someone on AT. After all, we're all 9^9th degree black belts here on AT.

 

[Spineshank]

Take Tai Chi. In this instance though not for other reasons.

 

[alkemyst]

I know Gunfu

I have a gun so FU!

 

[ivan2]

wrestling can burn major calories and helps his endurance thus increasing stamina.

 

[ScottFern]

Yeah, the fighting style used in the Bourne movies. good stuff! practical too! Pens and magazines are excellent weapons!

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

Care more about finding a good place to train than about the particular style. In different places, I've taken Shorinryu (with some other styles mixed in) and Tae Kwon Do. Both were significantly better than any other style because the places that taught other styles in my area weren't very good schools. Look for places that have a lot of days of training and care more about it than about pulling 80+ dollars a month out of it's members. In fact, the best places I've seen were generally the cheapest as well.

 

[CPA]

Ju Jitsu. Just find a club that spars as part of their practice routine. 3-5 minutes of full-out sparring, 3-5 times during practice, can wear you out.

 

[waggy]

OP the best thing is swimming as baked mentioned. the local Ymca has a class where you do exercises in the water. its a hell of a work out. I have been in wrestling from 6-28 and hapkido from 12-25 and a good workout in water is leaves me exhausted and little joint pain.

 

[SaoFeng]

where do you live Descartes? That may limit your choices on what to take, since you may only have certain schools in your location.

I take Shaolin Kempo -- very fun and practical (for me at least)!

 

[Gooberlx2]

Originally posted by: Spartan Niner
Tae Kwon Do

seconded. I know it's mostly just a showy, competition martial art; not as street effective as the MMA/jujitsu stuff...but damned if it's not the most fun of the styles I've tried.

I imagine Capoeira would be pretty fun as well.

But then, I think the TKD was the most fun because the master, instructors and other advanced level people were all good people and kept things interesting. So yeah, really it probably depends more on the place/people than the style.

 

[DefDC]

Originally posted by: Gooberlx2

Originally posted by: Spartan Niner
Tae Kwon Do

seconded. I know it's mostly just a showy, competition martial art; not as street effective as the MMA/jujitsu stuff...but damned if it's not the most fun of the styles I've tried.

I imagine Capoeira would be pretty fun as well.

But then, I think the TKD was the most fun because the master, instructors and other advanced level people were all good people and kept things interesting. So yeah, really it probably depends more on the place/people than the style.

Same with me. This was the only MA that I could take for college credit. It was very fun, and got me in the best shape of my life.

If you have options, usually, you can sit in a class or two for free. Shop around and see what looks good.

 

[shikhan]

Originally posted by: dbk
I wanna do Kendo but I heard it's pretty expensive.

Kendo is one of the cheaper martial arts assuming you don't go to a "McDojo" The good places charge you just enough to cover rent, the teachers won't make any money off it. You can find dojo's associated with the AUSKF at http://www.auskf.info/dojo/index.htm

For example, I pay around $30/month, and entering tournaments is anywhere from free to maybe $20 or $30.

 

[meltdown75]

hap ki do

 

[CaptainGoodnight]

Judo

Video 1
Video 2

 

[hunewbie]

Originally posted by: Descartes
Long story short: A great friend of mine had a heart attack about 2 years ago, though despite that he's in great shape. His doctor recently told him that he actually needs to take off some of the muscle and work more on stamina, aerobics, etc.

One of the doctor's suggestions was martial arts. Being the good friend that I am (right), I offered to pursue it with him so that I can take a few swings/kicks at him in a controlled setting.

So, any ideas given the above? We're both in good shape overall, so no physical limitations aside from his heart attack.

Thanks.

if you can find a good master...try:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choy_Li_Fut

Also...look up Wing Chun and Jeet Kune Do.

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: Descartes

Originally posted by: Baked
Swimming. /thread

That's probably the better idea actually. I'll throw that idea by him.

:thumbsup:

as for martial arts:
My bro took Aikido many years ago. He had much fun coming home and beating on my much smaller and younger self at the time.

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: robphelan

Originally posted by: TallBill

Originally posted by: Baked


I recommended swimming because it works muscles on the entire body, improves blood circulation, stamina, breathing, helps the heart, and it's a non-impact exercise which means your friend can't injure himself.

Er, there are plenty of injuries that you can get swimming.

ha.. including drowning

lol.
injury.

 

[yours truly]

i got my 1st degree black belt in shotokan about 20years ago

looking back, as self defence is was pretty worthless

kempo jitsu on the other hand was immense

 

[alkemyst]

I have studied a few arts...it really comes down to what you are looking to do and who your instructor is.

I studied more or less street fighting back in the 80's/90's...typical guy is out drinking and trying to just get laid. Dumbasses get pissed the chick isn't talking to them.

As a blue belt young man, I was competing against black belts mens and doing ok. I got absolutely fucked up in one match.

Kenpo / Kempo...yadda yadda yadda is actually a good art for therapy...it's well mixed so you can focus on lesser intensity.

Unfortunately today martial arts are hit or miss...they are insanely popular and every half-assed guy was opening studios during the subprime lending fiasco.

 

[ModerateRepZero]

I used to study karate years ago, and was fortunate enough to read some Black Belt magazines and watch "Budo: The Art of Killing"
http://www.amazon.com/Budo-Art...i-Nemoto/dp/B0006SSQNE

that documentary is an excellent primer on *Japanese* martial arts.

To answer your question OP, you'll have to consider (at least) 3 things in picking a martial arts....

1) What your goal(s) are.
If the intent is simply to exercise, almost any martial arts will do. Tai Chi for example, is practiced by alot of elderly people primarily for spiritual reasons, although it can also be used in self-defense.

2) Whether the martial art suits your fighting style / philosophy
Brazilian Ju-Jitsu emphasizes ground fighting / grappling. Karate is an offensive martial art with hand strikes / leg kicks in contrast to say, Aikido or Judo. Jeet Kung Do practictioners tend to

3) Is the martial arts studio/school/instructor a good place to learn? You obviously have to be able to understand and practice, but you also need to be able to have fun and not suffer from boredom.

For a listing of martial arts, see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martial_arts