Can I do martial arts as a dentist?

Question

Need help here. I am thinking between a couple of professions in uni, and just need to ask a couple of questions. If I were to pick Dentistry, could I still engage in the full contact type martial arts, or any for that matter without risking a short career as a dentist?

I'm afraid I may injure my hands or even develop problems with it which may force me to stop my potential career. If it's possible, what arts would be best? If I can still do any full contact martial art, that'll be preferred, thanks.

Answer 1

why would you need to? do you not know enough ways to inflict terrible pain in your job already LOL

Seriously though I think that there is little to worry about. If you check the statistics about most injuries in sports you'll find that martial arts are waayyy down. I've studied aikido, an art that really work hands and arms, over the last 10 years I've had a few bruises, and sore muscles and that is about it. I've never had any injuries that stopped me from doing my job. I've only seen two serious injuries happen and both times they were the fault of the ejured being careless or over confident to try stuff that was to difficult for them. I'd like to see the amount of football players or squash (yes it's one of the worst sports for injuries) that can say that.

Answer 2

I think you can but not without assuming some risk. Any martial art from the full contact type to the regular light-to-medium contact that you see in many schools carries with it some element of risk and hand injuries are not uncommon. Special care and attention will have to always be given to your hands, wrapping them, wearing the correct type of glove for what it is that you are doing and also what you are hitting. Even with that there is always the chance of a freak type injury occurring.

I have known two dentists that have done the normal type martial arts and never had a hand injury that stopped them from performing their chosen profession. One ended up retiring in his 50s due to back problems and a forearm problem as a result of a car accident and the other was older when he started martial arts. I also know several doctors and surgeons that do martial arts but all are very careful with what they do, where and when they work out, and honestly, there are some things that they avoid. I think you have to really look at it a little further and think also about how good of a fighter you could be while carrying on another profession like denistry. The amount of time and energy that training would require along with the injury factor probably not make the two very compatible.

There is an alternative and that is to do it now while in school and you are younger and heal better and more quickly if you do get injured and then once you have your license to practice you retire from fighting and competition. That is what Dr. Eddie Andujar did and he was very competive in first Olympic type sparring and later full contact before retiring during the late 70s-early 80s.

Answer 3

Everyone on here hates TKD (Tae Kwon Do), but part of he philosophy behind all the kicking, is the hands are much too valuable to risk injury from striking someone.... Man really any Martial Art is "safe" and it is up to you how hard you want to push yourself... The level of instruction you get from any art is also an important factor in the level of risk involved... No reputable instructor is going to let you take any unnecessary risks.. as your skill level increases, so does the level of your training... I have only seen one serious injury (where surgery was required) and it was a freakish accident... the guys still practices, but can never compete again... not trying to scare you but the possibility is there, but more likely that you will get hurt in some other activity, than practicing any Martial Art.... But expect bruises sore or strained muscles, and a cracked rib is not out of the question... I would refrain from "heavy board or brick breaking"... Not that I have caused myself any permanent damage, but my middle knuckle has been broken or cracked on many occasions, leaving my hand useless for a week or so.... but in sparring (I'd suggest Muay Thai if you want full contact), that's what the gloves are for.... in short, you can be a dentist and a Martial Artist, can you be a dentist and a world class fighter, nah prolly not, but you can be damn good at both... good luck man

Answer 4

Your concern shouldn't be physicality- it should be time. Dentistry, along with all the other health professional schools, take up A LOT of your time. That means, when your friends get to go to that cool seminar, you have to stay home and study. When your training buddies are all in class on monday night, you have to skip because you have lecture the same time. You have to ask yourself, am I willing to stagnant in my training at the cost of my education, or vice versa? Will I be okay getting passed in rank by people who don't work anywhere near as hard?

Some people can do martial arts and higher education successfully. A lot of people can't. At my martial arts school, you can count everyone in the 18-24 age bracket that practices regularly on one hand. Stats are not in your favor, but consider this- if you can find the balance between work and school, you will be a better person for it. You will have a high paying job that will ensure you won't have to quit martial arts later because of finances.

I am starting chiropractic college (the first year here is identical to med school) and I am prepping for black belt. Some days I feel like dying. Other days I'm okay with it. If it comes down to a choice between martial arts and your education, pick your education.

Answer 5

Of course you can! Even some handicapped people took martial arts. You can take it as a sport of your own or as a hobby (like doing it during Saturdays). It's good exercise.

Now, I can recommend various martial arts for you since I think your eager and healthy and fine.

1.) Judo
2.) Kendo
3.) Arnis
4.) capoeira (if this is a martial art)
5.) Taekwondo
6.) karate

Answer 6

Well if you become a dentist I guess you wont have too worry about the cost of dental work if you get your teeth knocked out. Just kidding. You take a chance of injury in any full contact art. Training that requiers gloves still leaves you open to hand injury even if you tape up and use wraps. If your hands are your career then you need to weigh all the circumstances. Because even with all the precautions accidents can,do, and will happen in MA training. It comes with the territory. I had a surgeon whos son trained at my school for while and the father wanted to train and love to watch..but his hands were his livelyhood and means of family support. So like I said before you have to consider your options carefully.

Answer 7

Thing always is, you might cross the street tomorrow and get hit by a truck, that´ll shorten your dentist career considerably, imho. Just kidding.

Taking the additional risk is up to you. However, if you´re worried, take on some non-additional weapons arts, stay away from the swords and knives etc. You need to consider that your hands, arms and general coordination are necessarry for your aimed profession - weighing the risk though is really up to you. Sorry I can´t be more precise. :)

Answer 8

You seem like an intelligent person.

"Full contact" martial arts careers are almost always short lived, unless one has dedicated their life to the necessary conditioning and training needed to extend this punishing profession into a lifestyle.

If a Dentistry career is in your horizon, then you understand that your "image" as a dentist may impact your success. For example, if I learned that my dentist were a cliff jumper, I might wrongfully construe that person as wreckless or daring, and willing to chances with their own life. I may not trust them in the chair as much as if I learned they were a baseball coach.

The risk you mention is a difficult decision. Can you do both? YES. Is this a risk worth pursing? That, my friend is ultimately your decision. Good luck in your future career and in your personal training.

~Train well; Live well

Answer 9

If you need steady hands you should avoid punching arts and do something like TKD, if your really passionate about MA you can still do full contact, not that many people get injurys but i can understand why you would want to avoid it since your hands will be your lively hood

i think if you do kickboxing you will be ok because they wear gloves and if you wrap properly everything should be fine, but maby TKD is the way to go if you want to be a surgeon

Answer 10

Asslam o Alaekum,

Risk is every where, at home, on the road and as well as in they playing area, like indoor gymnasium or taekwondo club. So dont worry and let start playing taekwondo. I suggest you to learn and play Taekwondo because its martial arts plus sports and it has less danger due to safety equipment. It has chest guards for your chest, abdomin, back and shoulders. It has head guard for your face and head. It has Arm pads for your blocks and shin pads for your legs. It has aslo a groin guard.

So join taekwondo and enjoy this olympic sports.

take care