hahhaha, you don't need to know martial arts. most people are afraid of you in the first place to even think about picking a fight with you. shoo, i'll run if i see you....for real.
I have a group of friends - two of them well over 6'3" and 250LB.. that get fights started with them ALL the time. They never try to initiate the fights either.
And this isn't in some ghetto area, it's right around UCLA.
For big guys pure old pugilism (boxing / fist fighting) works wonders. With the size advantage and some strength one solid punch to the face will put down most people who'd step up to you.
Seriously, research the schools and see which one you like. Most have some kind of trial program so you can get a good feel for the school. But there is no "best" martial art, despite what some people say. I think Karate/TKD may have a bad reputation because it is very popular and of course there will be some bad instructors out there just because there are so many of them.
First off, it depends on why you want to learn martial arts. If it's for exercise, then any of them will fit the bill. You will get muscles in places you didn't even know you had
Same with "showing off", all of 'em look pretty cool.
If it for self defense, again I don't think it really matters. There is an ongoing argument of Intel vs AMD size between the various styles, but I'll be honest with you. Unless you train for years and years and are fighting someone else who has trained for a very long time, the style differences won't matter. Most martial arts train you how to punch correctly and build up muscles for punching and kicking. That fancy sh!t (from any style) is worthless in a real fight. If you can punch and kick with power and speed and do it correctly, you'll be able to beat 99% of the people out there in a fight.
So just look at some schools and pick one you'll like going to because chances are you'll never have to use your stuff in a real fight, so you might as well pick one that's fun.
First off, it depends on why you want to learn martial arts. If it's for exercise, then any of them will fit the bill. You will get muscles in places you didn't even know you had
Same with "showing off", all of 'em look pretty cool.If it for self defense, again I don't think it really matters. There is an ongoing argument of Intel vs AMD size between the various styles, but I'll be honest with you. Unless you train for years and years and are fighting someone else who has trained for a very long time, the style differences won't matter. Most martial arts train you how to punch correctly and build up muscles for punching and kicking. That fancy sh!t (from any style) is worthless in a real fight. If you can punch and kick with power and speed and do it correctly, you'll be able to beat 99% of the people out there in a fight.
So just look at some schools and pick one you'll like going to because chances are you'll never have to use your stuff in a real fight, so you might as well pick one that's fun.
Muay Thai or do a combo of mixed martial arts.
A friend told me that Krav Maga wasn't as good as it was hyped up to be, so I don't know about going into that.
A friend told me that Krav Maga wasn't as good as it was hyped up to be, so I don't know about going into that.
- Aug 22, 2001
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Actually I had surmised the answer to that question as well from your earlier posts and was just confirming. You are entitled to your opinion but I respectfully disagree with your assesment of karate and Kung Fu as being unfit for real self defense. As I stated previously, it's not the martial art, it's the martial artist that matters the most
My point is you may find no system is up to the task if your adversary physically overmatches you enough and has skills of their own :Q That is why I think people who train to be a "bada$$" are silly. I say do it for the love of doing it and for the physical conditioning it offers and if someone tries to attack you use that conditioning to out run them I couldn't imagine throwing down unless someone attacked my family or a defensless person in my presence at which point I would hope my skills and the good karma would be enough to prevent it. For anyone who cares to read this, don't prejudice yourself against any system as you are just limiting yourself and possibly denying yourself the opportunity to acquire something worthwhile This of course is just my opinion, do as you will 
StageLeft
No Lifer
- Sep 29, 2000
- 70,150
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Jiu jitsu. I've tried several and it is the only one in which a very short period of time makes you significantly more competent in a fight. The average TKD artist would be a joke in a fight unless they got the first punch in because it's so structured and impractical the way most people teach it.
of course if he overpowers you and knows some stuff himself, then you're gonna be in a disadvantage...it's obvious. what i'm saying is if you put me up against someone that knows karate/kung fu and has trained the exact same time and same effort, then i will dominate the fight. now if you put me up against someone that's bigger than me, then i won't dominate. he will probably jack me but i'll probably phuck him up pretty good too.
I want to get back into shape and be able to jump though. [homer simpson dancing voice] Juuuummmmmmp [/homer simpson dancing voice]
Maleficus
Diamond Member
- May 2, 2001
- 7,682
- 0
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Boxing I think has to be one of the worst suggestions :\
also all these people talking bad about TKD how many fights have u been in with someone who knows TKD?
I practiced TKD for about 2 years or so and i believe i could hold my own in a fight, more so then, then now because i am so out of shape
there were a lot of people in my class though could not because they had no power and trained all "technique" if that is what you talking about then i agree that is stupid.
also all these people talking bad about TKD how many fights have u been in with someone who knows TKD?
I practiced TKD for about 2 years or so and i believe i could hold my own in a fight, more so then, then now because i am so out of shape
there were a lot of people in my class though could not because they had no power and trained all "technique" if that is what you talking about then i agree that is stupid.
boxing rocks. bruce lee said teach a boxer how to kick and he's gonna be a bada$$.
btw, i've fought with tons of tkd guys in pankration. guys that wins tkd nationals and all that junk. they suck. baddddddd. i don't even bother taking them to the ground. they can't handle muay thai kicks.
Schadenfreude
Lifer
- Dec 28, 2001
- 11,391
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Hmm . . . and how does "Wing Cheung", let alone Kung Fu, suck again, iloveDivX? Have you met all the kung fu fighters and beat all of them? Do you even know how many different styles of Kung Fu there is in China alone?
You're making yourself look pretty stupid right now, if you ask me.
ANd granted, a lot of TKD schools are gravitating towards the sports aspect of martial arts, but not all of them - have you fought against people from the ITF branch? Can you even name the five schools of TKD?
Same thing with Karate - wow, you must be well-traveled if you can dismiss all the diffeent styles of Karate at once - what style is your friend in? Kyokushin-Ryu, Wado-Ryu, or Shotokan-Ryu? Do you even know?
(Sorry, it's a personal peeve of mine [as well as a lot of other people's] when I see some idiot boasting about their style and especially bashing other styles . . ..)
And Jero, your decision on a school depends on what you're aiming for and your personality - like the others have posted, are you looking to fight, get into better shape, enlighten yourself spiritually, go into competition, or shoot lightening out of your ass and fly like little fairies? (A lot of poeple say that it's a combination, but weight out what you'd want most out of all the traits) - if you're a tall, skinny guy, grappling probably isn't your best suit, nor would kicking be if you were a 5', 200-pound man. I'd say go talk to someone, a close friend preferably, who is experienced in martial arts, and weigh out the pros and cons of each stlye AFTER you've seen them. A lot of schools offer free trials - check it out.
And the school's atmosphere matters as well - are the other students people you can work out with? Would you disagree with the way that the instructors teach/treat their students? Does the instructor force you/pressure you into joining (in that case, I'd advise you to leave)? These are all important factors in joining a style. I'd also advise looking into your local community colleges and universities on clubs/classes they offer credit for. They teach just as well as private dojos (well, most of the time - that's why I'm advising you to look first), and charge a mere fraction of what the private dojos charging.
And one last thing - don't walk around all the places calling them "dojos" - that's a japanses term, and some instructors (esp. the ones from the country that it originated from AND if it's not Japanese) frown upon that. Call it a "gym", and they can correct you later into calling it a Dojo/Dojang/Kwoon/etc . . ..
This is my personal opinion, but since it seems like you have had no experience in martial arts whatsoever, I'd recommend Judo or TKD for casual students of the martial arts - it's not too hard to grasp, like Wing Chun Keun, nor does it require you years of practice for practical use, like Hapkido, nor does it flood you with "spiritual jibber-jabber" like some other styles . . .. But beware. Judo and especially TKD are notorious for "McDojos" - places that sell you their ranks.
Lastly, remember that YOU're the one paying to go to the school, so it should fit your needs, not the other way around.
Good luck, and I hope you find a school that suits your needs!
You're making yourself look pretty stupid right now, if you ask me.
ANd granted, a lot of TKD schools are gravitating towards the sports aspect of martial arts, but not all of them - have you fought against people from the ITF branch? Can you even name the five schools of TKD?
Same thing with Karate - wow, you must be well-traveled if you can dismiss all the diffeent styles of Karate at once - what style is your friend in? Kyokushin-Ryu, Wado-Ryu, or Shotokan-Ryu? Do you even know?
(Sorry, it's a personal peeve of mine [as well as a lot of other people's] when I see some idiot boasting about their style and especially bashing other styles . . ..)
And Jero, your decision on a school depends on what you're aiming for and your personality - like the others have posted, are you looking to fight, get into better shape, enlighten yourself spiritually, go into competition, or shoot lightening out of your ass and fly like little fairies? (A lot of poeple say that it's a combination, but weight out what you'd want most out of all the traits) - if you're a tall, skinny guy, grappling probably isn't your best suit, nor would kicking be if you were a 5', 200-pound man. I'd say go talk to someone, a close friend preferably, who is experienced in martial arts, and weigh out the pros and cons of each stlye AFTER you've seen them. A lot of schools offer free trials - check it out.
And the school's atmosphere matters as well - are the other students people you can work out with? Would you disagree with the way that the instructors teach/treat their students? Does the instructor force you/pressure you into joining (in that case, I'd advise you to leave)? These are all important factors in joining a style. I'd also advise looking into your local community colleges and universities on clubs/classes they offer credit for. They teach just as well as private dojos (well, most of the time - that's why I'm advising you to look first), and charge a mere fraction of what the private dojos charging.
And one last thing - don't walk around all the places calling them "dojos" - that's a japanses term, and some instructors (esp. the ones from the country that it originated from AND if it's not Japanese) frown upon that. Call it a "gym", and they can correct you later into calling it a Dojo/Dojang/Kwoon/etc . . ..
This is my personal opinion, but since it seems like you have had no experience in martial arts whatsoever, I'd recommend Judo or TKD for casual students of the martial arts - it's not too hard to grasp, like Wing Chun Keun, nor does it require you years of practice for practical use, like Hapkido, nor does it flood you with "spiritual jibber-jabber" like some other styles . . .. But beware. Judo and especially TKD are notorious for "McDojos" - places that sell you their ranks.
Lastly, remember that YOU're the one paying to go to the school, so it should fit your needs, not the other way around.
Good luck, and I hope you find a school that suits your needs!
Ok, I gotta jump in with my $0.02 here, too
I study in a style called Karatedo Doshinkan - same basic ancestry as Shotokan Karate, but it's diverged & gone it's own way. It has elements of a lot of different styles - we do basic karate moves, we do some judo grappling, various kicks & throws & both hard & soft movements. But unlike some of the others in this thread, I actually train *for* the spiritual aspect of it - I wanted that, and in Doshinkan, I found it. As others have said - decide why you want to train. For me, I wanted solid self-defense with a spirituality and meaning behind it. If that's the route you want to go, I'd say take a look at the more "traditional" styles. My personal bias is against styles that have competition. My personal belief is that if the style has turned to "sport", it's going to lose much of its effectiveness in real-world situations. (Again, I may not be accurate in that belief - I don't have vast knowledge of different styles). My reasoning is that the sport-aspect removes a lot of the randomness & freedom of a real-world situation. In our style, we train for defense, with strong technique & full-power. But we also train for health, for vitality & energy. I may never be in a fight (here's hoping I won't), but with my training in throws & falling, I have less chance of being injured if I slip on ice or trip over something on the sidewalk - my body is learning how to fall in a controlled manner.
And, as others have said - find someone you like to train with, because that will make all the difference. I like the idea of "there are no great martial arts, just martial artists" - I think that's very true.
I'm glad you decided to take up training, and I hope you stick with it - good luck to you!
I study in a style called Karatedo Doshinkan - same basic ancestry as Shotokan Karate, but it's diverged & gone it's own way. It has elements of a lot of different styles - we do basic karate moves, we do some judo grappling, various kicks & throws & both hard & soft movements. But unlike some of the others in this thread, I actually train *for* the spiritual aspect of it - I wanted that, and in Doshinkan, I found it. As others have said - decide why you want to train. For me, I wanted solid self-defense with a spirituality and meaning behind it. If that's the route you want to go, I'd say take a look at the more "traditional" styles. My personal bias is against styles that have competition. My personal belief is that if the style has turned to "sport", it's going to lose much of its effectiveness in real-world situations. (Again, I may not be accurate in that belief - I don't have vast knowledge of different styles). My reasoning is that the sport-aspect removes a lot of the randomness & freedom of a real-world situation. In our style, we train for defense, with strong technique & full-power. But we also train for health, for vitality & energy. I may never be in a fight (here's hoping I won't), but with my training in throws & falling, I have less chance of being injured if I slip on ice or trip over something on the sidewalk - my body is learning how to fall in a controlled manner.
And, as others have said - find someone you like to train with, because that will make all the difference. I like the idea of "there are no great martial arts, just martial artists" - I think that's very true.
I'm glad you decided to take up training, and I hope you stick with it - good luck to you!
Search is your friend:
Most Dangerous Form of Martial Arts?
What Kind of Martial Arts Have You Learned?
Does anyone here train in Brazzilian Jiu-Jitsu/Mixed Martial Arts?
martial arts:which one is the most useful? karate vs judo vs tae kwon.......(UPDATE NEED MORE OPINIONS FROM YOU GUYS)
Do any of u people participate in any kind of martial arts?
need help choosing a martial art to take up
Almost any martial art is good jot join, because it gives you exercise & discipline. It is best to stay away from martial art that uses weapon other than your hands & feet, because of the added cumbersome dangerous practice that accident can happen more readily when sparring. Another benefit with the use of your limbs is that it makes you stronger & faster when need to take down or get away from an assailant (it is often that you will not have much more than your keys & pocket change when the need to defend yourself arise).
Choke hold types martial arts is only good for a one to one combat, but it is almost useless if there are multiple targets. You might want to look into Karate or Kung fu if you are looking for a martial art as a self-defense and a little more than just self-discipline.
Schadenfreude
Lifer
- Dec 28, 2001
- 11,391
- 3
- 0
well, let me explain my "spiritual jibber-jabber" stuff . . . I'm not against the bushido/mudo/martial spirit, but what I stand against is preaching it to people who have trouble understanding the basic concepts of throwing a simple punch.
I think that poeple who will get it, or who are willing to learn, will learn by training . . . their devotion will lead to our brand of "truth" by the actions we take in our training halls, not by a simple speech - maybe it helps, but to me, that "truth" comes to me only when I'm fighting/trading hands/whatever/with someone else.
Then again, with people like Mike Tyson, a little preaching does help . . .. :frown:
And one more thing iLoveDivX, what's wrong with Wing Cheun being developed by a woman? You sexist? I know plenty of women that are ballbusters (notably my mother) but merely choose not to, out of curtesy (or bushido, whatever). And you're wrong on that fact too. WC was conceived by masters of different styles of Kung Fu, adding in the advantages of their varied styles, and Mg Nui, the nun you're referring to, was the only one that survived out of the ones that knew the full system. Get your facts straight.
WC was also designed specifically to fight against other martial artists - notably the Shaolin styles. If it was designed to fight against the Shaolin styles and it survived for more than 250 years, wouldn't you concede that WC has some merit? And if you're calling WC weak, then by association you're calling Shaolin Kung Fu weak? Are you that stupid?!
Man, if that guys posts anymore, I'm afraid that he might call Tai Chi weak . . ..
*EDIT*
(If you guys are wondering why I'm overracting to his comments on Kung Fu, most notably "Wing Cheung", yes, as you guys probably guessed, I'm in Wing Tsun.)
I think that poeple who will get it, or who are willing to learn, will learn by training . . . their devotion will lead to our brand of "truth" by the actions we take in our training halls, not by a simple speech - maybe it helps, but to me, that "truth" comes to me only when I'm fighting/trading hands/whatever/with someone else.
Then again, with people like Mike Tyson, a little preaching does help . . .. :frown:
And one more thing iLoveDivX, what's wrong with Wing Cheun being developed by a woman? You sexist? I know plenty of women that are ballbusters (notably my mother) but merely choose not to, out of curtesy (or bushido, whatever). And you're wrong on that fact too. WC was conceived by masters of different styles of Kung Fu, adding in the advantages of their varied styles, and Mg Nui, the nun you're referring to, was the only one that survived out of the ones that knew the full system. Get your facts straight.
WC was also designed specifically to fight against other martial artists - notably the Shaolin styles. If it was designed to fight against the Shaolin styles and it survived for more than 250 years, wouldn't you concede that WC has some merit? And if you're calling WC weak, then by association you're calling Shaolin Kung Fu weak? Are you that stupid?!
Man, if that guys posts anymore, I'm afraid that he might call Tai Chi weak . . ..
*EDIT*
(If you guys are wondering why I'm overracting to his comments on Kung Fu, most notably "Wing Cheung", yes, as you guys probably guessed, I'm in Wing Tsun.)
uhhh, okay dude, keep believing your martial arts work on the street. go to bars and get into fights and you'll see what happens. you can seriously tell me that a kung fu guy can handle a jujitsu guy???? come on......get a grip on reality. kung fu (and even muay tai and any other stand up fights) can't handle jujitsu. and when it comes to kung fu/whatever/shaolin vs muay tai, muay tai dominates completely. ever been kicked to the thigh by a muay tai fighter? ever feel what that felt like? none of that lotus blosom cr@p is gonna do jack when you can't feel your legs. i've seen tapes after tapes after tapes of muay tai vs kung fu fighters. those chinese guys goes to thailand thinking their chi can help them out....please. i haven't beaten them all but i've beaten all the ones i've been matched up against. so there you go. kung fu is cool for the discipline and all that good stuff, but if we're talking about fighting, then muay tai or jujitsu all the way. if you dont' believe me, just enter a pankration tournament. you'll see what happens. or if you have more balls, go into a cage match....use your wing tsung and see how effect it is when a guy goes brawling at you and takes you to the ground. have you ever seen any ufc (ultimate fighting championship...no holds barred stuff) fighters say they have kung fu back ground? the guys that have taken tkd are embarassed to admit they have done it. when they're ask what background they have, they either say, jujitsu, muay tai, boxing, wrestling, or karate....never tkd and definitely not kung fu (and when i say kung fu, i'm talking about tai chi, northern shaolin, all of them). don't read your freaken books and learn your histories and think you know everything. go out and try it for yourself. i've done national karate tournaments and all that junk. i've done pankration matches, street fights, all that stuff. i have enough experience with actual fighting involving gloves/fists. no need for any more arguments, just enter a pankration tourney and then talk to me some more. if you kick the cr@p out of the other guys, send me a pm and i'll apologize sincerely.
Schadenfreude
Lifer
- Dec 28, 2001
- 11,391
- 3
- 0
Listen, "oh-almighty-authority because I've been in a couple of fights" . . . if your example is muay thai, go look at Cung Le - he does Kung Fu, and guess what? He kicks ass in muay thai tournaments. And your "experience" isn't impressing anyone right now, just makes you look foolish.
Well, I won't make excuses - I haven't entered pankration matches or UFC or whatever matches, but I have . . . well, experience. Don't tell me all that crap about "efficiency on the street" and whatnot. Juijitsu and Muay Thai are hard styles, and if you think that it's the best style for you, fine, think that - but don't go around and tell everyone that their styles are weak because it's not Muay Thai or Juijitsu. Tell me, have you gone up against any Wing Tsun Practitioners at all? I can't say anyhting about Wing Tsun, but if you tell me about a fight with a Wing Tsun student, I can find out pretty quick and I'd be damn suprised if any of us lost to you. DAMN suprised.
Listen. I don't want this to end up as a flame topic and getting it closed. It would be rude to Jero and I'm tired of all these idiots floating around on the web. If you want, PM me, but all I'm saying is that some people do not like to be ragged on by another person because of their limited experience. And I'm going to post nothing more on the matter as of now.
:frown:
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