What are some martial arts styles that are fairly easy to learn? (details)?

Question

I'm 14 and I'm thinking of doing martial arts to become more healthy and be able to take care of myself in bad situations if need be. Here's the tricky part, I STINK at coreography and could hardly ever remember the moves at my old place. So what would be a relativly easy and effect style to learn?

I'm tall and lanky and not too aggressive unless I'm angry. If that helps any.

Answer 1

Keichu Do
Karate
Escrima
Krav Maga
Capoeira

Answer 2

Honestly, no-one on here can really answer that question for you, but you yourself.

It does sometimes take time to find the discipline, the instructor, or the circumstances that suit the indiviudal. You may have experienced difficulties at your prior school for any number of reasons including poor instruction, lack of focus in classes, or lack of maturity on your own part. That may not be the case now.

Best thing to do is take your time and don't rush the decision. Go to all the schools in your area and check them out. Talk with the instructor/s and explain your concerns and just listen to them. Watch some classes and chat with students in the classes you would attend. Ask if the schools you are interested in will allow you to train in a couple of classes as a guest to "try it out."

Once you find somwhere you want to train, and an instructor you want to learn from - expect some up's and down's :) Some things will come easy, and others will be difficult. That is what makes the journey worth while. If it was easy all the way, would anyone really be interested. It's actually the stuff that is tough, that teaches you the most and generally advances you the farthest.

Good luck in your search!

Ken C
9th Dan HapMoosaKi-Do
8th Dan TaeKwon-Do
7th Dan YongChul-Do

Answer 3

Being a taller and lanky person that wants to be able to defend themselves if need be..I would probably recommend Wing Chun. It's probably one of the easiest to learn and most efficient martial arts there are.

Unlike a lot of other martial arts, a lot of Wing Chuns moves make sense when they're explained to you. They don't leave you with many questions or doubt of the way things are in Wing Chun. It's simple and straight to the point.

The punching system in Wing Chun is a little bit different to get used to, since they throw their punches with the bottom of their palm pointing towards the ground, but it also allows for a much smaller combat area (Closer combat) and punches can be thrown with a much more rapid succession.

On top of that their kicks very rarely go above the waste, this requires you to have very little flexibility to be able to perform this style. Plus kicks below the waste are less likely to be blocked. On top of this you can perform majority of their kicks while locked in a clinch or in an extremely tight space (say a phone booth).

The fighting style itself is relatively easy to learn, there aren't many moves invovled in it, however a lot of the training involves conditioning the body and strengthining all associated muscles. Any good school will work you really hard and send you home with bruises on your arms, shins, and just about anywhere else.

It's a street lethal way of fighting, it wont' conform to the rules of the ring (hence no Wing Chun competitions), and easy to learn not train.

Unlike other styles mentioned like Askrima you won't be required to use a stick while training. Even though Askrima claims that most of their moves are doable without their weapon, the associated muscle groups and lack of conditioning will eventually catch up to you as your body will not be near the condition it needs to be to get the effectiveness you desire.

Krav Maga is an option, however I believe that this style is less effective than Wing Chun in a one on one unarmed fight. If the opponent has a gun Krav Maga will provide training on how to disarm your opponent. Same thing with a knife. However in all actuality if your opponent has either a gun or knife and is half way competent, then you've already lost. Your best course of action at that point would be to give them what they want and be done with it.

Karate is a decent martial art. The Katas are a waste of muscle memory and good conditioning training time. Elaborate kicks and average punches that don't' transition well into blocks or don't flow well with one another are a problem.

Muy Thai would be good. though if the fight goes to the ground you have less to go on then you would with other martial arts. Muy Thai is a deadly standing art. The only reason why I give Wing Chun the edge is because Wing Chun does not prevent you from groin kicks, pressure points, eye gouges, or even biting like Muy Thai.

The list goes on and on, but I recommend Wing Chun heavily!

Answer 4

Please do not listen to these people who claim there is a "best" martial art. Finding a good teacher who will stick with you through tough training is exponentially more important than an individual style. "Complicated" arts -- I think you mean Brazilian Jiu Jitsu or traditional Jujutsu, and Jeet Kune Do -- are really not any more or less complicated than any other form. Combat is complicated, no matter which way you cut it, but not much will be expected of you as a beginner. If it is most convenient for you to attend a school or club that teaches Tae Kwon Do, and the instructor seems reliable, go for it. Martial arts are a great asset throughout life. Good luck.

Answer 5

I'd recommend Arnis/Eskrima for you since it's a dynamic martial arts that's fairly easy to learn and, most importantly, practical in situations against multiple attackers. Traditionally, it was taught without katas and choreographed moves are frowned upon although you might see some groups who perform exhibitions that badly stink of choreography. By the way Arnis/Eskrima is just what it is commonly called in the Philippines where it originated but it is also internationally called FMA or Filipino Martial Arts and Kali in the US and Western countries. Arnis/Escrima is a stick and blade based martial arts where training basically starts with the stick and progress to unarmed combat. One reason for this is for the student to overcome his fear of weapons thus effectively preparing him for the situations where the enemy has a weapon and he himself has not. The armed and unarmed aspect of this art are based on almost the same techniques thus it is easy to learn and fun. Go to the URLs in my source list for more insight.

Answer 6

All martail arts require experience and perseverence. If you want to know what type of martial arts would be easiest for you, then being lanky and tall i would suggest striking over grappling. Not being aggressive you may enjoy a more traditional art over a more combat/sport focused art, Kung fu may suit.

Answer 7

I feel strongly that if taught right, my styles, Isshinryu is easy to learn. This is because of how few kata the style has, and how straight forward/linear the system is. It has fewer kata than all other karate styles I know of (except To'on ryu, and try to find one of those dojos in America) and doesn't practice the Pinan Kata. (Timely beginner Kata added to Karate in the early 1900s by Great Karate Master Anko Itosu)

Answer 8

I think the most important thing to find is a good instructor. I studied Kung Fu for a year, I felt I was fortuanate to find an instructor that helped me and was very sympathetic to my limitations. Unfortunately, he had to close his school. I go to Tang Soo Do. I find it easier, but I believe that may be because I have gained in knowledge and skill because of the Kung Fu. I do find the Tang Soo Do forms easier to learn though.

Answer 9

Wing chun is a fairly easy art to learn though hard to master. It's so streamlined and straight to the point. But you'll still have to train hard to be good at it.

Answer 10

This would depend on what's available. What schools/styles are there for you to choose from? It'd do us no good to recommend something if you don't have a studio by you to train in.