19 Male - Which martial art/school should I choose?

Discussion in 'General Martial Arts Discussion' started by Jaccob, Oct 21, 2014.

  1. Jaccob

    Jaccob New Member

    19 Male - Which martial art should I choose?

    Hello! I'm a 19 year old male, and I'm looking at training for self defense and fitness. I don't know if I'd particularly like competitions for this, unless it was after I felt competent.

    I'm currently 5 10' and 140 pounds. I feel healthy (my family engrained healthy eating into me), but I'd like to feel fit too. My weight is a little too low for me, and although I have a membership at a gym it's hard to find the motivation to go. I think it's because I'm not going for any specific goals, it's just "going to the gym to stay healthy". Plus I'm in university and work. With a martial art I can work towards mastering techniques, and I think it would be a better experience for me.

    That being said, I found a couple of schools I was interested in. I'm not sure which MA takes the most time to progress in (I understand something like this will be a commitment, but since I'm a beginner I figure I'm more likely to stick to something that makes me feel like I'm progressing fast).

    I did take karate when I was age 7-11 or so. I liked it for a while, but I think I felt like I was progressing slowly. The katas and tournaments got annoying to me too, I think, because my dad said I started to hate it and quit right when I could. But I was young. I would prefer to choose something without katas though, it was nice and I like learning about history, but I'm more concerned with self-defense.

    Lastly, I have a few female friends in karate and taekwondo, but no one I know has tried anything else. Every guy I know hasn't ever tried any MAs. My mom was in taekwondo for a few months and loved it, but hurt herself badly doing some high kick and has to wear a brace on her knee on occasion now, years later. I don't think she'd approve of me starting taekwondo.

    There's a lot of martial arts places around here, and there's 3 or 4 within 5 minutes from me. I'd like a short drive, it would probably help me go more often. :)

    EDIT: By the way, I'd like opinions for hapdiko, Judo, BJJ, karate and taekwondo.
     
    Last edited: Oct 21, 2014
  2. Dave76

    Dave76 Valued Member

    Try them all out! Most places will give you a free lesson or two, see which one you like the most.
     
  3. matveimediaarts

    matveimediaarts Underappreciated genius

    This^^ All those arts are good workouts, but karate and TKD are typically more cardio intensive, if that's what the OP looking for. Since the OP doesn't like kata, it will be difficult to get into all the karate styles I know of. Perhaps someone else knows a type of karate that isn't kata-heavy? :eek:
     
  4. Jaccob

    Jaccob New Member

    Well I don't have much fat on me right now, but I also don't have much muscle. I'd like to become more muscular and gain weight. I think that I'd get more of an appetite if I was training hard in something, so I could eat more and hopefully gain some muscle while I'm at it.

    I don't like the flashy kicks too much (I don't think I'd be a kicking person, but I could be wrong), but I REALLY like the idea of learning some useful throws. I love watching throws/takedowns, and I can see the self-defense application of something like that. If someone threw a punch at me and I used his/her momentum to throw them or take them down, they'd be stunned and I could probably get away.

    Is that mostly Hapkido/BJJ/JJ/Judo? I have a few places picked out, you don't think they'd mind if I went to each of them and just watched practice sessions? Then took a free class or two to see what I'd like?

    There's a few places I'm looking at. We have a TON of schools around where I live in almost everything!!! :eek:

    I'm liking the idea of throws/takedowns. Grappling seems interesting to me too.

    PS: I just found the katas made me feel like I was dancing for someone who was grading me, and assigning belts based on that. I'd like something more practical for me that I could use, it felt like a lot of time wasted learning kata techniques that I could've just been using in sparring or in more practical settings. Nothing against you guys who practice with it!
     
    Last edited: Oct 21, 2014
  5. Pretty In Pink

    Pretty In Pink Moved on MAP 2017 Gold Award

    Pfffft, try rolling for three minutes, you'll be breathing out your butt!

    Judo and BJJ are both good, judo doesn't take long to advance and actually favours beginners IMO. BJJ is excellent and has made me MUCH stronger and fitter. I was similar to you, we're probably the same bmi! Although I had always been unhealthy and unfit. BJJ changed me a lot. It's also very honest. As in you're only as good as you are and you can't "fake" like you know what you're doing, so if any other beginners join with you you really are at the same level.

    Halkirk I don't know much about. Good luck with the search!
     
  6. rne02

    rne02 Valued Member

    Try everything that is available in your area, and pick the one you enjoyed the most. If you pick the one you enjoy the most you are more likely to stick at it, and hence become good at it.

    Couple of considerations though if your primary purpose is SD. If you train in a predominantly striking art you will need to supplement that with some form of ground game and vice versa.

    Also, I would recommend you read Dead or Alive: The Definitive Self Protection Handbook by Geoff Thompson if you are in the UK, or The Little Black Book of Violence by Lawrence Kane & Kris Wilder if you are in the U.S. These will teach you useful SD techniques that don't appear in most martial arts classes on such things as how to avoid potentially dangerous situations, or should they start how to de-escalate them before it gets to the stage were violence s necessary.

    Hope this helps.
     
  7. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    If you're at university, start by looking at the university clubs. You'll never get training as cheap as a uni club can offer, ever again.

    Judo and BJJ are both great arts, Karate and TKD can be too. Don't discount boxing either.

    If you want to put on some weight and muscle your best bet is weight training, though the workouts of most arts will certainly help.

    As folks have said, the best way to find out is to go along and try, so I'd ge a list of all the Uni clubs and go do a taster session at each. Have fun! :)

    Mitch
     
  8. Jaccob

    Jaccob New Member

    Thanks everyone! I'll definitely pick up that book, and I've been looking around at the different options I have around here

    The U offers Aikido, Karate (closed), Taekwondo, and Wing Chun Kung Fu.

    The fees for these are about $40, and for that fee you get access to a class once a week until December. That'd usually be a good deal, because some of these started at the beginning of September. If I join now I might be behind though.
     
  9. Johnno

    Johnno Valued Member

    Don't worry about being 'behind'. It's easy to make something like that an excuse not to get started at all! And you'll find that everyone learns at different rates anyway. Don't compare yourself to other people, just focus on yourself and ENJOY learning.
     
  10. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    Hmmm, worth checking out but perhaps not what you're after.

    I don't know about the US, but in the UK judo is usually cheap and BJJ usually expensive, at least in part because the former tends to be taught from leisure centres and the latter from full time facilities. So if cost is factor, it might be worth seeking out judo. That's a broad generalisation of course.

    Mitch
     
  11. Jaccob

    Jaccob New Member

    You have a good point. I'll look into it. :)
    I've been told that BJJ is better than Judo for someone with my build. I'm wondering how big the difference is. I've found 3 BJJ places around here and they're a longer commute than most of the Judo places, but if it's worth it I'd try. I guess I get a free trial either way.
     
  12. Jaccob

    Jaccob New Member

    Well I have a job and have money saved up. But it looks like BJJ around here is ~$120 a month, and Judo is almost half that.
     
  13. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    In your shoes I'd go for judo and maybe give BJJ a try when you've got a bit more disposable income. The judo experience will help BJJ if you opt for it later anyway.

    It's still worth checking them both out though, you might just not get on with one instructor, or prefer the atmosphere of one class, or whatever.

    Let us know how you get on whatever you chose to do :)

    Mitch
     
  14. Pretty In Pink

    Pretty In Pink Moved on MAP 2017 Gold Award

    BJJ is a good neutraliser of size, being a good boxer is pretty good too though.
     
  15. Mangosteen

    Mangosteen Hold strong not

    Go with what's close and cheap - closer it is the more likely you'll go, the cheaper it is the less excuses you can make to yourself about training.

    See what you enjoy after 6 months and decide then
     
  16. Giovanni

    Giovanni Well-Known Member Supporter

    try them all, see what you like.
     
  17. Jaccob

    Jaccob New Member

    Thanks! I'm happy that I got some replies for advice!

    I talked to a few people:
    1. A friend recommends me to try karate at the place I used to go to, since she went there
    2. Another friend let me know of a couple good karate places, and a judo place that a family friend owns. She's been doing karate for 10 years so I trust her.
    3. Someone mentioned my name to her friend, and this friend wants to talk to me about BJJ since she's in it (blue belt I think?).

    My dad used to take karate, and he brought up a point: Are a lot of dojos filled with people who are full of themselves? He said he noticed that when he went, the experienced male students treated the new guys badly and never treated the girls badly. I can't really ask my friends this, because I won't get any male opinions.
     
  18. matveimediaarts

    matveimediaarts Underappreciated genius

    I've never seen newbies and/or females treated badly in my dojo. IMO, senseis should be teaching the etiquette/"do" aspect of karate as well-and this is lacking in most McDojos and some traditional dojos. :(
     

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