I'm thinking of taking a martial art...?

Question

I'm 16, i was wondering from people who take them, what are ur martial art's advantages, and y do u think i should take it up?
..thanks!.....keep the peace..

Answer 1

1st, thinking about it isn't enough, you actually have to do it. :)

There are many good styles, each with its advantages & drawbacks. There are basically 2 broad catagories, striking & grappling. The name of the style is far less important than the quality of the school. Here is a brief survey:

Striking: Tae Kwon Do. Karate, Shaolin boxing
Good: Can handle multiple attackers, can engage at long range, enables you to be pro active when necessary.
Not so good: Ground, hard to control an attacker without inflicting serious injury.

Grappling: Hapkido, Judo, etc.
Good: effective in close, good on the ground, can control an attacker without inflicting serious injury.
Not so Good: Not good at long range, you must wait for the attacker to make the 1st move. Not effective against multiple attackers.

Answer 2

Why should anybody care if your brother is a celebrity? And what does that have anything to do with your thinking of taking martial arts? I would recommend martial arts to folks for many reasons - including health, discipline, and self-defense. Visit the different martial arts studios in your area to get a feel of what they're about - most will probably let you watch (and possibly attend) one or a few classes for free. You can chose the one that best fits your goals and abilities.

Answer 3

I have studied several and have been currently studying Isshinryu Karate for over ten years along with some MMA work. Here are some points to ponder:

1) What are your goals? Fighting skill, conditioning, flexibility, acrobatic moves, strength, inner peace? All these can be attained from very different arts.

2) What is nearby you? Local availability is a factor because you CANNOT learn an art from the internet, someone has to watch and correct you.

3) Cost factor. What are you willing to pay for your training?

4) With the school you find
-What does the instructor do for a living? If they teach for a living, guess where their money comes from.....YOU. There a lot of organizations out there where the teacher is high quality and has a job too. However, there are also teachers that JUST teach and will not rip you off, but give you quality instruction. Takes some research but you can find out.
-What kind of shape is the teacher in and will they teach the class or have their students teach it?
-Who taught the teacher, what is the teacher's background?

You have to do a little homework or you might just find yourself being very disappointed from a smoke and mirror job. I have had that done to myself with an eclectic Chinese art, paid waaaaaay too much for not much substance I could use for practical purposes.

Answer 4

Hey
I am 13 i have been doing Ketsu-ka Jujit-su about 5 years
and i am a 3rd degree brown belt
I love it!!!!!!!!
in choosing a martial art for yourself is your decision.
were only giving you suggestions
NO one martial art is better than another they are only different

I have stayed with martial arts so long
because
I LOVE KARATE
i like being around other people that have the same intrest and drive as myself
i love my teacher
I enjoy having confidence knowing that whenever the times comes i can protect myself , my family and my friends
I enjoy sparing ( fighting)
I enjoy learning new techniques
and the exercise
i do martial arts for:
Self Confidence
Self Control
Self Respect
Self Discipline
And the drive to be the best me I can ever be

i just LOVE the martial arts
hope this helped

And i hope that you enjoy entering the world of martial arts as much as i did and still continue to do today

Sadie

Answer 5

I can't really describe my answer, since I don't take any martial arts, but my friends seem to like T'ai Chi and Karate.

Answer 6

Martial arts not only teaches self defense techniques, but will also teach self control, self discipline, and confidence. A good instructor will teach the art of inner peace and harmony. And how to successfully deal with intruders and obnoxious people. Also, the exercise and boost in self confidence and esteem help to make you strong and healthy, which in turn improves not only your physical body but your mental awareness also.

Answer 7

The easiest way to learn golf like a pro is by following "The Simple Golf Swing" program. It's primarily a 31 page eBook that teaches golfers how to make solid contact with the ball, how to avoid hitting fat, how to avoid slicing, how get more power, accuracy, and consistency in your swing. Consistency being the number 1 golf skill.

You not only get the eBook though, you also receive a ton of extra material including video, lessons on putting, driving, chipping, sand play etc. Here is their official site: http://www.golfswingguru.net

Answer 8

If you like weapons go for kendo. (ken=sword do=way of) It is invigorating, easy to practice on your own as well as with a peer, and if you have a less traditional, but still good, sensei you can learn weapons besides the katana. (ie. naginata- a bo staff with a sword blade at one end; wakisachi- short sword, companion blade, VERY FUN; kamas- useless and hard to use; tonfas- make you feel like you are a droid from star wars) Now I know that none of this helps you in a real fight, but, for those of us that have seen Karate Kid, it is a well known if not accepted fact that one takes martial arts not to fight, but to not have to fight. Meaning that once you respect yourself you will be willing to ignore your ego and won't fight outside of competition and training. One last note, in case you don't like the idea of fighting with swords for safety: In kendo it is customary to use shinai, or bamboo practice swords in training and for some occasions to use bokken, or hardwood practice swords.

Answer 9

READ THIS: b for u start make sure u want an instructor who is cool and isnt an asshole. Next- u want a sensei that teaches good stand up and ground. sure u do different martial arts. IF HE KNOWS WEAPON DEFENSE_ DO IT!! cuz if u go for a pure standup dojo then if u fight a grappler and he is REALLY good n he takes u to the ground- u wont last long. TRUST ME: VISE VERSA!!!! cuz bruce lee explains the perfect style is a mix off STYLES to have THE PERFECT BALANCE for ALL SITUATIONS> TAKE MY ADVICE CUZ I FIGHT ALL TYPES OF OTHER STYLES.

Answer 10

Self disipline, and you will learn alot of respect.. What Bruce Lee said "Martial arts is a way expressing yourself"... GOOD LUCK!!