suggest a Martial Art

[DaRkOwNs]

I've been wanting to take a martial arts course, and the training thread got my determination back up, but i cant really decide which one would be useful and usually devoid of the "McDojo", as Cuc put it.

the options i have are:
Kung Fu - a number of styles
Kick Boxing
Muay Thai
TKW
Karate of course

along with one of those im gonna take a weapons training course. which one do you think would be best?

 

[MC]

Which organization does the Taekwondo school belong to? What type of Karate does the Karate school teach? And how about posting links to these schools websites (if they have them that is)?

 

[DaRkOwNs]

i would have to go into the TKW dojo, as it doesnt have a site.

as for karate, it says Tang Soo Do, which ive taken before, and could swear is a style of TKW, and Seido

 

[MC]

It's my understanding that Tang Soo Do is usually referred to as "Korean Karate" or simply "Karate".

 

[DiebytheSword]

Tang Soo Do is not Karate. It is a korean art that is closely related to Tae Kwon Do, and it's the actual martial art that Chuck Norris knows. People will call it Karate. Even my own Tae Kwon Do school did this. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tang_Soo_Do

My suggestion to you is that you find a style that fits you personally well. Tae Kwon Do was good for me because I had powerful legs, and it took advantage of my body's strongest part, my natural agility with my feet, and advantage of my greater than normal mass.

What kind of build do you have? Are you fast with your hands or feet? Flexable? Tall?

Another factor is the teacher. Ask if you can sit in on a session before deciding to buy his course, if it seems like something you'd like to do, then by all means join the class.

Some things to watch out for: high belt ranks that look off balance and uncomfortable doing what they are doing (Belt Mill McDojo), Young western masters (I quit at green belt and formed my own school!), A school that requires $100 of gear to start in, bought from the masters gear shop.

Don't be afraid to ask students leaving the school what they think of it.

 

[DaRkOwNs]

Tang Soo Do is not Karate. It is a korean art that is closely related to Tae Kwon Do, and it's the actual martial art that Chuck Norris knows. People will call it Karate. Even my own Tae Kwon Do school did this. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tang_Soo_Do

My suggestion to you is that you find a style that fits you personally well. Tae Kwon Do was good for me because I had powerful legs, and it took advantage of my body's strongest part, my natural agility with my feet, and advantage of my greater than normal mass.

What kind of build do you have? Are you fast with your hands or feet? Flexable? Tall?

Another factor is the teacher. Ask if you can sit in on a session before deciding to buy his course, if it seems like something you'd like to do, then by all means join the class.

Some things to watch out for: high belt ranks that look off balance and uncomfortable doing what they are doing (Belt Mill McDojo), Young western masters (I quit at green belt and formed my own school!), A school that requires $100 of gear to start in, bought from the masters gear shop.

Don't be afraid to ask students leaving the school what they think of it.

im about 5'7", im good with both my hands and feet, but im not THAT flexible. im certain i could be though, if i were to work on it. i am quick on my feet but im also really good with my hands, thanks to welding and the guitar. im about 150 and very well balanced. so, strong chest, quick hands, strong legs, balanced, and pretty agile. what would you think?

i was leaning towards either Kung Fu or Muay Thai.

 

[MC]

What Kung Fu styles are offered?

 

[DaRkOwNs]

the little booklet here says wing chun, wushu, and tai chi

 

[DiebytheSword]

You don't have enough mass to make Muy Thai really effective, but you are just right, by your description, for kung fu. Wing Chun is a very solid and fast style, Wushu is like saying Kung Fu, it's a blanket term for Chinese Martial Arts, and Tai Chi is good only after LARGE amounts of study and time.

 

[MC]

Wushu is usually nothing more than form work, though I believe a handful of them do sanshou. Doesn't sound like this school does, but that would be a good question to ask the instructor.

Also, here's some things I'd like to add on what to look out for:

If a school requires a contract, read it thoroughly. Or, you can simply ask if you can take it home and look over it. You'd be surprised at how powerful reading a contract can be. Not only can it keep you from being legally binded to a ****ty school, it can expose an instructor's true character. I've heard many a time when someone asked to read the schools contract, the instructor would become impatient and try pressuring them into signing.

Whenever the instructor isn't busy, take the opportunity to ask them questions - treat it like an interview. Ask questions about the style, him or herself, their focus, his or her reason for teaching, etcetera.

 

[DaRkOwNs]

ah, thanks. kung fu it is.

@MC, why would a school have a contract?

 

[MC]

It varies between schools. It can range from not being liable for any injury you may sustain, or simply because they wish to make money.

 

[DiebytheSword]

The interview is a very valid point: you are hiring this person to teach you! Make sure he is someone you can mesh with, your judging not just his school, but his character as well.

 

[DaRkOwNs]

ill remember that. im gonna go check out the school later today.

 

[Grega]

Id say Karate or Muay Tai

 

[DiebytheSword]

You need mass to make Muy Thai effective. Not so much with Tang Soo Do (the Karate Option) or Kung Fu for that matter.

 

[F-Man]

you don't have to have a lot of mass to be effectve at muay Thai. go to thailand and check out who's doing must thai...:most of them really aren't big at all.

 

[DiebytheSword]

Compare them to the average Thai person, they are quite a bit larger I assure you. I've seen the style close up, and have freinds who study it. You need to have a powerful trunk, and muscular limbs to really make the blows work at peak. Kung Fu in his case, will take more advantage of what he has, and how he's built. This is an inalienable truth, some martial arts work better for some people. I don't think Muy Thai will work for him nearly as well as Wing Chun or their Wushu will.

 

[Grega]

Well its true that for Muay Tai you need mass. I personally like the fact that it allso incorporates ellbows and knees into the sprot and not just fist and feet.

But if id be choosing for myself id probably go with Judo

 

[DiebytheSword]

It's also not the only style that does so, many Korean martial arts lean heavily on the knees and elbows in real fight situations. Tae Kwon Do, known for it's kicks, trains pretty hard in the use of both knees and elbows.