Martial Arts Advice

Can anyone recommend a good martial art to take up for a total unfit beginner?

I want to start something, but start slowly with something that won't kill me just yet.

:feedback:

haven't taught much of that lately. except the "be prepared to run" bit.

teching tantric sex now.

breathe in. hold ittttttttttt. let it out .............(and bang it in)

:p

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capoeira

I did a bit of this in college, my suitemate was well into it. It's a lot of fun and as you get more fit, and more adept at doing the moves it's a lot like dancing.

Seriously cool.

Smurfy wrote: Can anyone recommend a good martial art to take up for a total unfit beginner?

I want to start something, but start slowly with something that won't kill me just yet.

:feedback:

It all depends on what you're looking for. What's your motivation for studying a martial art? What do you hope to get out of it?

Also, how big or small are you? How strong?

Let me know and I can recommend something.

ChrissMari wrote: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capoeira

I did a bit of this in college, my suitemate was well into it. It's a lot of fun and as you get more fit, and more adept at doing the moves it's a lot like dancing.

Seriously cool.

Definitely, Capoeira is a must-know. You won't regreat. I also find Wing Chun interesting, if you're into oriental stuff.

f you're trying to learn self-defense, don't waste your time with Capoeira. If you want to learn to dance to African drums, go for it.

turn it in you lot.

she won't be doin any martial arts.

marital aids maybe. but not martial arts.

Comrade Shampanyov, Gentleman wrote: f you're trying to learn self-defense, don't waste your time with Capoeira. If you want to learn to dance to African drums, go for it.

Very true...

but.. who learns martial arts for self defense?

It's better to take a self defense class (which is largely a mix of different kinds of martial arts anyway) because it's a bit more practical.

I love my self defense class

Spider Kombat wrote: I also find Wing Chun interesting.

Didnt they do Dance Hall Days? I didnt know it was about a fight at the school disco.

That Miagi-Do is the dogs bollocks,wax on wax off and all that. Genius!

ChrissMari wrote:

Comrade Shampanyov, Gentleman wrote: f you're trying to learn self-defense, don't waste your time with Capoeira. If you want to learn to dance to African drums, go for it.

Very true...

but.. who learns martial arts for self defense?

It's better to take a self defense class (which is largely a mix of different kinds of martial arts anyway) because it's a bit more practical.

I love my self defense class

It all depends on what she's looking for. People who don't intend to spend any time training are best off in a self-defense class, because they'll learn some practical tips that will leave them better prepared in an emergency. People who are serious about self-defense train in a martial art.

If you just wanna kick the crap out of someone try Krav Maga.

A mate teaches it, he can kill with his hands

EDIT: just had another look at his website http://www.kmnw.co.uk/

He's the one in the cap getting battered

looks like he got his own back here go on Tony lad

[orange]steve[/orange][black]one[/black] wrote:

Spider Kombat wrote: I also find Wing Chun interesting.

Didnt they do Dance Hall Days? I didnt know it was about a fight at the school disco.

Oh, dear... :\ohwell: Everybody have fun tonight!!

Comrade Shampanyov, Gentleman wrote: f you're trying to learn self-defense, don't waste your time with Capoeira. If you want to learn to dance to African drums, go for it.

I wouldn't be so sure of that, Richard. I've seen some good butt-kicking from Capoeira dudes. The most notorius was on an International Freefight Championship held here in Rio, when a capoerista won a jiu-jitsu fighter in the first round with a kick on his face.

Of course, it isn't as efficient as many other martial arts, but is specialy recomended for gringos who need a hand on groovin'.

Steady on peeps.

When Smurfy talks about starting something, it means i'm going to get dragged to this too.

Not very good at tatical fighting, much better at just wading in guns blazing and facing the consequenses after.

:violent2:

Maybe Pilates????

Blimey, been away for a few hours and got loads of ideas already - thanks. I'll look at some links when I get ten mins.

LOL - too right Bonz. We can learn how to kick the butts of misbehaving men and boys, just incase the little angels misbehave.

By the way, the description strong,big,and unfit might help any advice. I did self defence some years back still have the moves - well sort of.

So I'll soon become a fit, more flexible woman - well maybe in a year or two

Spider Kombat wrote:

Comrade Shampanyov, Gentleman wrote: f you're trying to learn self-defense, don't waste your time with Capoeira. If you want to learn to dance to African drums, go for it.

I wouldn't be so sure of that, Richard. I've seen some good butt-kicking from Capoeira dudes. The most notorius was on an International Freefight Championship held here in Rio, when a capoerista won a jiu-jitsu fighter in the first round with a kick on his face.

Of course, it isn't as efficient as many other martial arts, but is specialy recomended for gringos who need a hand on groovin'.

that's why I recommended it.. it seemed like she was concerned with getting fit

it's fucking fun

[orange]steve[/orange][black]one[/black] wrote:

Spider Kombat wrote: I also find Wing Chun interesting.

Didnt they do Dance Hall Days? I didnt know it was about a fight at the school disco.

:\pimp: agree with C Nash that Tai Chi has lots going for it. There is a D-black belt in the building here, speaking with him a while back his recommendation was that before you ( I ) make any commitment to a years' program of any of the deciplines it's worth checking out what the community centres offer. Most of the Kung Fu/ Tai Kwan Do / Tai Chi outfits in the city offer a few week intro. course of sorts. Plus most of the Thai Kick boxing and whatnot arrangements might be a bit dogdy to go into solo.

Spider Kombat wrote:

Comrade Shampanyov, Gentleman wrote: f you're trying to learn self-defense, don't waste your time with Capoeira. If you want to learn to dance to African drums, go for it.

I wouldn't be so sure of that, Richard. I've seen some good butt-kicking from Capoeira dudes. The most notorius was on an International Freefight Championship held here in Rio, when a capoerista won a jiu-jitsu fighter in the first round with a kick on his face.

Of course, it isn't as efficient as many other martial arts, but is specialy recomended for gringos who need a hand on groovin'.

I know there are martial applications-- I know the history, how the black slaves developed a self-defense system and disguised it as dance so that the slaveowners wouldn't suspect.

But as you said, it's inefficient. EXTREMELY inefficient. And if somebody is spending all her time trying to learn how to balance on her hand while spinning around to the beat of music, then she's not learning self-defense. It takes longer to learn, and it's still inefficient at the end.

It still boils down to what Smurfy's needs are. if she wants an aerobic workout to music, then Capoeira would be fine. if she wants to spend years learning a system that will eventually provide her with some inefficient fighting capabilities, then Capoeira would be fine. If she wants to train in a system of self-defense, she should look elsewhere.

ChrissMari wrote:

Spider Kombat wrote:

Comrade Shampanyov, Gentleman wrote: f you're trying to learn self-defense, don't waste your time with Capoeira. If you want to learn to dance to African drums, go for it.

I wouldn't be so sure of that, Richard. I've seen some good butt-kicking from Capoeira dudes. The most notorius was on an International Freefight Championship held here in Rio, when a capoerista won a jiu-jitsu fighter in the first round with a kick on his face.

Of course, it isn't as efficient as many other martial arts, but is specialy recomended for gringos who need a hand on groovin'.

that's why I recommended it.. it seemed like she was concerned with getting fit

it's fucking fun

Cardio kickboxing gets you fit too, and you can actually use what you practice for self defense.

So CM, when you're walking down some dark alley, and the Microwaved Baby Liberation Front Ninjas attack, you gonna drop to your hands and spin around for "self-defense"?

I didn't think so.

FUCK

WHAT A TOP COUPLE OF NIGHTS OUT!! SEE MY POST IN THE SHED

Everybody was kung-fu fighting

C'mon, we were all thinking it :p

Smurfy wrote: By the way, the description strong,big,and unfit might help any advice. I did self defence some years back still have the moves - well sort of.

OK, then you're not limited by strength considerations. As I said above, if your main interest is fitness, but you also want some self-defense benefits, look into cardio kickboxing. If you want to put more emphasis on self defense, there are hundreds of martial arts systems out there. Of course, you're limited by what's available in your area. Here's a very generalized breakdown:

Chinese systems (Gung Fu):

Gung fu is the ancestor of most Asian martial arts, and has been developed over thousands of years. Consequently, it is more diverse than systems from other nations.

There are "hard" systems and "soft" systems, "internal" systems and "external" systems, "southern" systems and "northern" systems. Hard systems emphasize strength and linear movements, soft systems emphasize flow and internal power.Internal systems are Taoist in origin, external systems are Buddhist in origin. Southern systems emphasize the use of the hands (for close-in fighting) and low kicks, northern systems emphasize wide sweeping hands and high kicks.

Examples:

Wing Chun is a southern external system. Tai Chi is a soft internal system.

One caveat about Tai Chi, not everybody who teaches Tai Chi understands that it is a martial art; many who teach do it for its health benefits. Simply practicing the Tai Chi form won't help you learn self-defense, and it won't give you the fitness benefits you're looking for. The health benefits of Tai Chi stem from your cultivation of Chi (internal energy), not from a cardiovascular workout. You can learn self-defense from Tai Chi, but only from a martial artist whose art is Tai Chi. Complementary systems are Ba Gua (Pa Kua) and Xingyi (Hsing I). If you find a school that teaches these three Taoist arts, you've found a school that teaches the martial applications of Tai Chi. These are the three "internal" systems; all other Gung Fu systems are "external," or Buddhist in origin. Incidentally, the reason the systems are complementary is because Ba Gua uses soft circular techniques, while Xingyi uses hard linear techniques. Tai Chi is soft, and can be used for self defense even in old age.

There are literally hundreds of Gung Fu systems, so don't feel limited to the ones mentioned here.

Korean systems:

Korean systems tend to be hard and linear, and emphasize kicking. Punches and kicks emphasize strength and follow a straight line. A weaker person would counter this hard linear fighting style with a soft circular style that would control the power of the stronger person.

Styles include:

Tae Kwon Do: Emphasizes kicks, hard and linear, emphasizes sport fighting. Tang Soo Do: Very similar to Tae Kwon Do Hapkido: An interesting blend of Japanese soft circular systems with Korean kicking systems.

Japanese systems:

Japanese systems include both soft circular sytems and hard linear systems. Styles include:

Karate-do: A number of systems are included under Karate-do, all of which were developed on Okinawa, and were influenced by Gung Fu. Examples include Shorinji-Ryu, Isshin Ryu, and Shotokan. These tend to be very hard, very linear systems.

Ju-jitsu/Judo: These are native Japanese systems, and emphasize joint-locking, throwing, sweeping, and grappling. Ju-jitsu is the fighting application, Judo is the sport application.

Aikido: A modern Japanese system, soft and circular, it is purely defensive, using the attackers force against him.

Taboo # 7 wrote: Everybody was kung-fu fighting

C'mon, we were all thinking it :p

Smurfy wrote: Blimey, been away for a few hours and got loads of ideas already - thanks. I'll look at some links when I get ten mins.

LOL - too right Bonz. We can learn how to kick the butts of misbehaving men and boys, just incase the little angels misbehave.

By the way, the description strong,big,and unfit might help any advice. I did self defence some years back still have the moves - well sort of.

So I'll soon become a fit, more flexible woman - well maybe in a year or two

Smurfy, everybody you talk to will tell you their martial art is the best. So here's what you do.

Read the generalized description of various arts above. Think about what sounds most appealing to you: Cardiovascular workouts with some self-defense benefits, self-defense training with some cardiovascular benefits, a mix of the two...

Then think about what self-defense philosophy sounds most appealing to you: Hard linear fighting, soft circular fighting, emphasis on puching, emphasis on kicking, emphasis on joint locks and throws, emphasis on deadly attack, emphasis on pure self-defense, emphasis on sport....

Then go to some studios, and talk to some instructors, watch some classes. EVERYBODY will tell you their style is best. Whatever. You have to go with gut feeling on this one. If you know what you're looking for, and you visit some schools, you'll get a gut feeling about which school you should train with.

Good luck.

By the way, this is THE BEST book I've ever read on the subject. It's about Chinese Buddhist martial arts, but it's the only book I've ever come across that gives you an understanding of the real deal.