Want to start new Martial Art

[farkwad]

Hey Guys,

I am soon to be 43 and want to start a martial art. Any recommendations? Jujitsu? Karate? Kung Fu? Thanks in advance

[JonRubio]

I did northern shaolin eagle claw (kung fu), wushu, muy thai and some BJJ.
If your looking in for more of the art, I'd go with Kung Fu or wushu.
If your looking for more of a contact sport, go with muy thai.
And if your looking for more of a all around defense program, I'd go with BJJ.

[JonRubio]

And I honestly don't like karate or tae kwon do, its an art with stiff movements and alot of yelling which i think is unnecessary.

[hvactech]

it depends on your goals for it....

[farkwad]

Thanks for the replies thus far... My goals are to find something that is exercise and self defense at the same time. Something effective in a real world situation but something that would be a bit taxing in regards to training.

[JonRubio]

Thanks for the replies thus far... My goals are to find something that is exercise and self defense at the same time. Something effective in a real world situation but something that would be a bit taxing in regards to training.

You could always just enroll into a MMA school. Do a mix of standup and ground techniques.

[napalm]

Thanks for the replies thus far... My goals are to find something that is exercise and self defense at the same time. Something effective in a real world situation but something that would be a bit taxing in regards to training.

Krav Maga

[Mr.Sinister]

BJJ. Thai is great if you just do padwork and stuff. At 43 though it's tough to start and be able to hammer away with the kids. BJJ you can still roll and even compete. They level the field a bit with belts and age groups.

[GO_OUTSIDE!]

Krav Maga is very effective but not much fun and harder to practice unless you like bar fights. I have studied a style that is very simple and brutal with an emphasis on creating as much damage as possible in as short a time as possible and continuing until the threat is eliminated. Problem is its hard to spar that way, so your always wondering if it would really work.
I have also studied Muay Thai and BJJ, I would suggest Muay Thai first and BJJ second. Muay Thai is a great way to finish a street fight quickly, both can practiced in real time without much risk of injury. They will both get you as sweaty as you want and you will know your capabilities. Also, you might want to look at Japanese Juijitsu, it is more usefull on the street because it incorporates more standup than BJJ, but thats all I know about it.
The most important thing is to find a good school that is right for YOU and YOUR pace of learning. It might not be your first choice of style, but a bad school will only frustrate you. You will need to dedicate some time to trial and error, so dont sign any long contracts for the first month or two.
As for my 2cents: run from any instructor who claims his style is the only way. Every martial art has its strengths and weaknesses, and different people will excel at different arts. Find your match.

[GO_OUTSIDE!]

Wow, just saw your stats. If that avatar is you at 300lbs I would be surprised if at 43 you ever need to fight again.

[Swanson52]

Krav Maga

Beat me to it!

[farkwad]

Ha! Thanks for the advice. I am eating pretty clean and trying to get down to 225 while retaining that old powerlifting muscle. I am training with some buddies for the Warrior Dash in October - we are representing Special Ops Survivors. Have a Navy seal traing us old dudes tomorrow with a log, I am a bit terrified. Anyway, I am kind of reinventing myself and have always wanted to learn a martial art. I think, based on the advice I have reieved, that I will start with Muay Thai. Glad I found this board.

[GO_OUTSIDE!]

good luck!

[DetroitHammer]

Ha! Thanks for the advice. I am eating pretty clean and trying to get down to 225 while retaining that old powerlifting muscle. I am training with some buddies for the Warrior Dash in October - we are representing Special Ops Survivors. Have a Navy seal traing us old dudes tomorrow with a log, I am a bit terrified. Anyway, I am kind of reinventing myself and have always wanted to learn a martial art. I think, based on the advice I have reieved, that I will start with Muay Thai. Glad I found this board.

I fought as a professional kick boxer for 10 years, lived in Thailand and fought before Muay Thai became a household name. "True" Thai boxing is brutal and I would never recommend it for anyone your age. It's way too hard on the joints and in all honesty, it's a tough sport to master. The American version is like Thai food in America; toned down to suit our bland taste buds. I also have a 3rd degree black belt in Shorin Ryu, Shorinkan, which is basically worthless unless you progress into a more realistic martial environment.

I would find a good MMA studio, which is easier said than done. Considering your size, you may want to try regular boxing. I boxed while taking karate because I wanted to know how my hands compared to that of a boxer and I learned a lot. Boxing is exhausting (great cardio) and no false sense of skill, as in karate.

[DetroitHammer]

I did northern shaolin eagle claw (kung fu), wushu, muy thai and some BJJ.
If your looking in for more of the art, I'd go with Kung Fu or wushu.
If your looking for more of a contact sport, go with muy thai.
And if your looking for more of a all around defense program, I'd go with BJJ.

I was active when Chuck Norris was still in competition and there was a no contact rule in karate tournaments. Funny how Chuck left the sport when it became full contact. Very, very few made the transition from karate champion to full contact champion. I think of Monster Man Eddie, a terror in no contact, but a glass jaw in full contact. He lost every fight in full contact. Benny Urquidez made the transition and was a very good full contact fighter. He's one of the very few.

When I lived in Thailand, it was a yearly tradition for the Chinese to pit their top kung-fu masters against the Thai boxers. No eye gouges, but the kung fu master could go bare handed, while the Thai boxers always wore gloves. The Thai boxers were never defeated.

When Bruce Lee hit the scene, there were kung fu schools popping up all over the place and none were worth a d amn. Same as BJJ. When whatshisname from Brazil won the initial UFC fights, everyone started to open up schools and teach BJJ, with no decent training in the art.

So I agree that if you had the proper instruction, your list is pretty accurate, but finding proper instruction is harder to find than Cheque drops. Boxing is pretty straight forward; it's either producing champions or it's not.

[irone]

Bjj is amazing, its like a universe of angles contorcions and endless martial possabllities opens up which you previously could not see. plus you can spar at 100% evrery session. My wife does Krav Maga, the pholosophy behind it is solid but you cant really spare which I belive limits its potential effectivness.

[Josann]

it depends on your goals for it....

Agree with this. I have studied uechi ryu karate steadily since 1991. Goal has never been conditioning (better ways to get that) but self defense, attitude, longetivity, flexibility, and health have been goals. I was 36 when i started and it was one of the best decisions I've ever made as far as a physical discipline. I'd find something you'll be able to stick with over the long haul. If you go the karate, kung fu, traditional martial art route steer clear of a school where there ware a lot of kids and teens in the classes. look for a place where the teacher and the students are older, and have some time in the system. Have fun, good martial arts are a lifetime study, not something you did for a few years after college. Good luck in your search.

[SeniorXJ]

I am 35yrs old & both me & my 6yr old son are enrolled in a Renzo Gracie academy for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & having studied it for some time now & watching every UFC event, i can honestly tell u that BJJ is the way to go for ground fighting. It allows u to control ur opponent in ways that if he resists, its tap or snap baby!! Since theres no kicking or punching, Jiu Jitsu is extremely effective to anyone who doesnt know the art of submission fighting & he can be defeated without throwing a single punch, simple as that. Having a wrestling background will help in learning BJJ.

Now for the standup game, look no further then Muay Thai commonly known as the sport of 8 limbs. When knees & elbow strikes are allowed, the potential for serious injury to ur opponent is substancial. A boxing background is good for the basics of Muay Thai & the sport should not be taken lightly because a single well placed elbow strike to the forehead can open up a 2 inch cut deeper then the grand canyon!!

[SeniorXJ]

And I honestly don't like karate or tae kwon do, its an art with stiff movements and alot of yelling which i think is unnecessary.

Karate & Tae Kwon Do are for kids, plain & simple, lol!!

[Soulpatch]

Karate & Tae Kwon Do are for kids, plain & simple, lol!!

Spoken from someone who obviosuly knows nothing about them.