I need help choosing a Martial Art Style.?

Question

Ok I live in North Carolina and i was wondering if someone could help me decide witch style would be best for me I am 16 now but i wouldn't be able to do anything now i am trying to find a style for a couple years from now when i am out own my own i have always been interest in martial arts mainly in japanese sword styles like Kenjutsu , Iaidō or Kendo or even Aikido or even a Chinese style like Tai chi chuan but i am a large guy i am 6 feet tall about 300 pounds and a little over year ago i had back surgery because i was injured and i want to learn discipline and get my stamina back because since the surgery i can not stand more than 25-30 minutes now there are 2 martial art schools in my area there is a Tai Chi Chuan school witch i was kinda leaning to because i get very stressed someti and i thought it would help with my stress but can someone give me some opinions to witch style i should choose out of the style i have listed or you can suggest some others answers will be appreciate

ps i have never participated in any martial art style

Answer 1

Muay Thai

Answer 2

Since you have a bad back I recommend the Tai Chi Chuan school. It will probably help strengthen your back over time. And Tai Chi Chuan IS a martial art. Chuan means 'fist' or 'fist boxing' Why would they call it that if it wasn't a martial art? All of those moves that are practiced in slow motion can be applied combatively. It just takes a long time to learn to use Tai Chi in a combat situation. Plus not all who teach Tai Chi actually know the applications. Aikido is great too but they do a lot of rolling and break falling, which probably won't help your back any.

Answer 3

The style is far less important that the quality and knowledge of the instructor, and the atmosphere in the school that you will train in.

When you are ready to begin training, visit all of the local styles you are interested in, and perhaps some you have not really considered before. Talk with the head instructor/s, talk with the students, and observe a class or two. If you are serious about training, you'll be spending quite a bit of time, and perhaps money, at the school, so you need to feel welcomed, comfortable, and encouraged.

Any decent instructor will be able to work with any energetic and enthusiastic student, no matter what physical or other limitations exist.

Good luck with your search when you are ready. Martial arts training can be a very positive, life changing experience when you find the right instructor and the right atmosphere.

Ken
9th Dan HapMoosaKi-Do
8th Dan TaeKwon-Do
5th Dan YongChul-Do

Answer 4

When it comes to choosing a martial art, I'd focus less on the name and more on your local dojos. Go talk to the sensei at all the dojos you are considering. Explain your health problems and ask if they will pose a problem. Ask to watch a class or two.

When watching a class, look at the sensei/student dynamic and see if it is one you are comfortable with. Be sure to note who is taking the class - If it is composed entirely of musclebound guys in top shape, that probably means that they have injured out anyone who isn't muscular and fit to begin with. If it is comprised of a range of ages and body styles, you have a better chance of being able to train long enough to learn something before you injure yourself.

Pick a dojo that you feel comfortable in, with a sensei and students that you think you'll enjoy training with. Once you've trained in a style for a year or two, you'll probably have a better sense of whether it fits you or whether you need to look for something different. You have a whole lifetime to explore the martial arts; the best way to figure out what suits you personally is to give it a try. Remember that there is no such thing as the perfect martial art - only the martial art(s) that is/are right for you.

Answer 5

i think the tai chi would be great for you. that will help you get some basic physical training, maybe lose a bit of weight and stand longer. that will help with stress and will be a good start. then try some other style, such as the kendo you mentioned or aikido ( a defensive art ) or some japanese sword style or even karate, or pretty much anyone you want after that. the tai chi sounds like it would be great for you though.

Answer 6

A good well rounded style would be freestyle Karate.You will learn stand up,ground,grappling and weapons.What a lot of people don't understand is that freestyle Karate is about practical street defence not who can kick the highest or punch a pad the hardest.It's definitely not a sport martial art like TKD or BJJ.The motto of my style is the best of everything in progression.Basically that means we don't care where the technique comes from we improve it and integrate it into our style while still maintaining tradition as do most freestyle Karate's.
The hardest thing is finding a good experienced instructor.I would recommend Bushi Kai or Zen Do Kai, but if your not in Australia or New Zealand you may have some difficulty finding some one who teaches these styles.These styles also usually have separate classes available to everyone in Muay Thai and BJJ/Submission/Shoot wrestling.If you can't find one of these i would suggest Kempo or Enshin or another freestyle Karate.
http://www.zendokai.com.au/countries2/USA/index.htm

Answer 7

Tai Chi is a good martial arts. I dont know anything about it. Since I am not in that kind of martial arts.

I tore my Left ACL and MCL about 5 years ago. And I just got back in TaeKwondo last month. My knee is stronger than ever.

And now my knee is stronger than ever.

Answer 8

Keichu Do is a good martial art,but you do have to do Judo throws so I'm not sure with your back..Keichu Do's main focus is self defense but there's also great katas (sort of like pre-choreographed fight scenes with just the defender-it's a training exercise) and weapons katas(katas with weapons such as the bo -a long,big stick-and kamas-like small sickles-also there's a ton more weapons like the sword -which is more advanced).

Answer 9

Since you are into sword and stick styles you might enjoy the Filipino arts. Arnis or Filipino stick fighting is a style that empasis rythm and timing and it can be very soothing. It is also one of the best self defense trainings you can undergo. You can study these through videos and there are lots of traveling seminars and workshops out there. Some excellent masters are Dan Insanto and his prodiges and the off the charts wild, "dog brothers."

Good luck

Answer 10

Tai Chi is not a martial art, it is like Chines yoga, but less useful. Sword fighting arts are now utterly useless, since it is now illegal and impractical to carry around a sword, not to mention the lack of usability against a gun. Aikido is even less useful, at least they spar in Kendo.

What you need is a sport that will regain your mobility, something like swimming which exists in North Carolina (where is Kendo even offered, if at all, in your state?). Swimming will make you more limber, up your cardio, relieve stress, and is non-weight bearing, so it won't aggravate your back. Hell, it'll even make you a better fighter, probably more than Aikido or Taijiquan.