I really since forever and always wanted to do some sort of martial. I think I might actually have a little bit of money for this now and need some guidance.
I'm not terribly interested in holds or grabs or throws. I want to be able to (after much guidance) be able to practice on my own, because I'm seeking more the inward strengthening that these disciplines can offer. I'm willing to put about an hour a day forward to get better. I really hope to enter into something that takes meditations or the ideas of the internal sharpening as a main component.
Here's the bit of a kicker though. I'm a musician and while these two things obviously don't go well together, I think with a smart teacher and smart practice no injury has to happen. I don't really want to compete with others , or just at a light contact level. I can't have bad things happen to my wrists : ( . I dont mind if it's armed or unarmed art.
Being a teacher myself, I'm a bit skeptical on group lesson things, but I understand this is different from music. How do most sort of group lessons work, is it better to seek out a 1 on 1 teacher?
any suggestions into what I should look into would be great. I'm in Ottawa, Canada if anyone knows anybody.
Can you explain why you want to pick up a martial art? Self-defense? Fitness? Just for the hell of it?
Capoeira and Parkour aren't exactly considered martial arts. Capoeira kind of is, but many people also do it just as a dance, and Parkour is really just running around in cool ways, but they're both contact free (at least from other people).
If you pick up Karate, there are plenty of aspects of it that don't involve sparring. Hehe, stay away from Muay Thai.
And group lessons are pretty standard for martial arts, I think. If you are really into the self-defense aspect of martial arts, look into Krav Maga (Israeli Commando Defense System Thingy).
No grabs holds or throws rules out judo and jui jitsu for sure. If you're looking for something practical that will get you into shape in addition to "mental discipline" I would try muay Thai, or something like karate or tae kwon do. Pretty much all martial arts run risk of injury but it should be minimal with proper instruction, conditioning, technique, and strength. And take group lessons or a university class.
taekwondo is a good one for getting into good shape and low risk of injury. i would say taekwondo is probably your best bet if you don't want any wrist injuries, seeing as tkd is about 80% legs/feet and only 20% arms/hands. i did it for about 7 years so i feel like i am somewhat knowledgeable about it. feel free to ask me more questions specifically regarding tkd if you're interested.
On August 03 2010 13:33 decafchicken wrote: No grabs holds or throws rules out judo and jui jitsu for sure. If you're looking for something practical that will get you into shape in addition to "mental discipline" I would try muay Thai, or something like karate or tae kwon do. Pretty much all martial arts run risk of injury but it should be minimal with proper instruction, conditioning, technique, and strength. And take group lessons or a university class.
I personally find judo very fun though :p
I would worry about something like muay thai, personally. I don't know much about this in detail, but I found when I tried boxing at my university club my hands would hurt. Oddly, they would hurt more while hitting with gloves on than with just wraps, so I would worry perhaps about something like arthritis cropping up in the future (a problem for musicians). There was actually a Sherdog article recently which claimed that the design of the boxing glove is not optimal for hand health.
I know that don't know much about boxing (or muay thai), and I don't know if there are alternate explanations for my pain, or how well founded the Sherdog article was (I will try to find it in a minute), but I think it is worth research on the part of the OP.
I also do Judo and like it quite a lot. (Although my fingers also hurt from so much gripping : / )
I would imagine that something like fencing or kendo would maximize the possibilities for competition while minimizing possibilities for injury (you are allowed to strike the gloves in kendo, so OP should obviously check that this doesn't frequently result in injury before sparring!). Good luck finding something you enjoy!
lol, musicians don't have to be scared of hurting their bodies. i'm a musician as well, and i'm not afraid to get in the thick of things, although i'm pretty gung ho i guess. if you want to teach yourself something, go krav maga. it teaches you how to react to real life situations, requires little flexibility, and is bad ass cause it originates in Israel and has no honour system (the balls are game). it's intense shit. lots of videos on it if you do a bit of searching.
On August 03 2010 13:33 decafchicken wrote: No grabs holds or throws rules out judo and jui jitsu for sure. If you're looking for something practical that will get you into shape in addition to "mental discipline" I would try muay Thai, or something like karate or tae kwon do. Pretty much all martial arts run risk of injury but it should be minimal with proper instruction, conditioning, technique, and strength. And take group lessons or a university class.
I personally find judo very fun though :p
I'm a little biased here but I agree. Judo is sort of a low contact "gentle" sport anyway. It's really fun. At my dojo we play basketball judo. It's pretty much like basketbal, except you don't bounce the ball, the ball is actually a tiny squishy ball the size of your hand and to get it out your opponent's hand you do judo/wrestling (Or whatever it takes). So it's pretty damn cool. Everyone's flipping everybody else, or rastlin' on the ground, or triple teaming the ladies.
I'm also a brown belt in Karate and I can tell you that if I had not taken any judo classes I certainly would've gotten my ass kicked by the average guy. If you want to learn something practical/self-defense oriented, whatever you choose make sure it involves full resistance "alive training". Because even krav maga that lacks "alive training" is just karate, with fancier Kata.
But one more sport I'd recommend besides Muay Thai (Which a good friend of mine does, but she does bag work only and no sparring) is boxing. It actually is a pretty engaging and strategic MA if you learn it the proper way. And it's something you can definitely hone in by yourself. After some coaching you can just hang a bag/slip bag from your ceiling and work on different drills/combinations/footwork or whatever. Granted, if you're looking to actually apply this stuff then nothing beats technical sparring, but if you do it properly like how it's laid out in this book or by your coaches then that's the closest way to do it by yourself. Lastly, there's definitely something therapeutic about murdering a heavy bag after a stressful day.
From what you're saying it sounds like you'd be most interested in some kind of Tai Chi. It focuses almost entirely on inner strength. Aikido also has a fair amount of inner focus, but there can be a lot of joint locks and throws.
Things I would recommend against (because of your preferences, not because they're bad) are: Jiujitsu (focuses on grappling) Kendo (lots of getting hit on the wrist with sticks) Tae Kwon Do (lots of sparring, can be competitive)
There are also tons of others you can look into. I don't know much about these, but you can read up on them and see if they interest you. Wushu (if you see Chinese martial arts performers, they're probably doing Wushu) Shotokan Karate (lots of hard power)
One on one lessons can be good, but they can also be more expensive. If you do end up doing a group class, and you really want personal guidance, just ask the instructor after class. Most would be happy to work with you.
Another thing to consider is cost doesn't equal quality. The most important way to see if a class is for you is to visit and observe. If you like what you see, try it out. If not, don't be afraid to walk away. Good luck with your training.
On August 03 2010 13:50 eLiE wrote: lol, musicians don't have to be scared of hurting their bodies. i'm a musician as well, and i'm not afraid to get in the thick of things, although i'm pretty gung ho i guess. if you want to teach yourself something, go krav maga. it teaches you how to react to real life situations, requires little flexibility, and is bad ass cause it originates in Israel and has no honour system (the balls are game). it's intense shit. lots of videos on it if you do a bit of searching.
Like, musician is my occupation. It's how I live and if I cant do it, I die, or work retail. It's a skill I train for about 5 hours a day when im in my prime and I wouldn't want to fuck up my wrist for the rest of my life when I don't need to. Cautious yes.
On August 03 2010 13:39 LosingID8 wrote: taekwondo is a good one for getting into good shape and low risk of injury. i would say taekwondo is probably your best bet if you don't want any wrist injuries, seeing as tkd is about 80% legs/feet and only 20% arms/hands. i did it for about 7 years so i feel like i am somewhat knowledgeable about it. feel free to ask me more questions specifically regarding tkd if you're interested.
I've always thought it would be fun to use the legs a lot. This seems like something that fits a lot with what I'm looking to get out of it.
I'm sure it varies gym to gym, but is the internal and mental a common part of this. I really want improved focus and calmness to be a component of this, which while surely is a part of all the fighting styles, I can't imagine it is a huge part of something like Krav Manga.
now i'm curious, what do you play/do for a living?
EDIT: and it almost sounds like you want to do yoga. mental and physical calm without bodily harm. i tried the p90x one this weekend and it was the hardest thing i ever did. i was sweating buckets 15 minutes in. it was pretty cool. the guy kept saying storm behind the calm. that'd be a good thing to look at if you want body / mental discipline, as well as martial arts. i'd also recommend TKD then. nothing like being able to kick someone in the face.
On August 03 2010 13:58 eLiE wrote: now i'm curious, what do you play/do for a living?
Play gigs in restaurants and weddings, festivals of varying sizes (corn stock this month.... oh canada, and in october in the back up band for a national spoken word festival) and teach privately. What I practice is primarily classical as it hones the technique and musical instincts and jazz . Basically, pure prostitution on an aural level.
On August 03 2010 13:55 ramen- wrote: From what you're saying it sounds like you'd be most interested in some kind of Tai Chi.
That might be the answer, at first I thought I might like something with some more direct physical component, but this certainly wont hurt to look into. Thank you.
Just to suggest something different... look up Wing Chun and see if you like that. I see you're looking into martial arts and fighting aspects as well as the focus and 'inner strength' stuff.
Oh, and since you say you wanna practice on your own after a while; after you get good, you get to practice on a wooden dummy, so you don't need a practice partner.
On August 03 2010 13:50 eLiE wrote: lol, musicians don't have to be scared of hurting their bodies. i'm a musician as well, and i'm not afraid to get in the thick of things, although i'm pretty gung ho i guess. if you want to teach yourself something, go krav maga. it teaches you how to react to real life situations, requires little flexibility, and is bad ass cause it originates in Israel and has no honour system (the balls are game). it's intense shit. lots of videos on it if you do a bit of searching.
Like, musician is my occupation. It's how I live and if I cant do it, I die, or work retail. It's a skill I train for about 5 hours a day in general and I wouldn't want to fuck up my wrist for the rest of my life when I don't need to. Cautious yes.
On August 03 2010 13:39 LosingID8 wrote: taekwondo is a good one for getting into good shape and low risk of injury. i would say taekwondo is probably your best bet if you don't want any wrist injuries, seeing as tkd is about 80% legs/feet and only 20% arms/hands. i did it for about 7 years so i feel like i am somewhat knowledgeable about it. feel free to ask me more questions specifically regarding tkd if you're interested.
I've always thought it would be fun to use the legs a lot. This seems like something that fits a lot with what I'm looking to get out of it.
I'm sure it varies gym to gym, but is the internal and mental a common part of this. I really want improved focus and calmness to be a component of this, which while surely is a part of all the fighting styles, I can't imagine it is a huge part of something like Krav Manga.
Krav Maga is more about making self-defense your natural response, or making your natural-response a good self-defense. If someone's trying to choke you with their two hands, for example, most people would immediately reach to the two hands that are grabbing their neck. Krav Maga's defense against this choke starts with the same action that people naturally do anyway. It's focused more on being instinctual, not necessarily calm or focused.
EDIT: It might not be what you're looking for, BUT IT'S SO COOL!!!! O_O
On August 03 2010 13:50 eLiE wrote: lol, musicians don't have to be scared of hurting their bodies. i'm a musician as well, and i'm not afraid to get in the thick of things, although i'm pretty gung ho i guess. if you want to teach yourself something, go krav maga. it teaches you how to react to real life situations, requires little flexibility, and is bad ass cause it originates in Israel and has no honour system (the balls are game). it's intense shit. lots of videos on it if you do a bit of searching.
Like, musician is my occupation. It's how I live and if I cant do it, I die, or work retail. It's a skill I train for about 5 hours a day in general and I wouldn't want to fuck up my wrist for the rest of my life when I don't need to. Cautious yes.
On August 03 2010 13:39 LosingID8 wrote: taekwondo is a good one for getting into good shape and low risk of injury. i would say taekwondo is probably your best bet if you don't want any wrist injuries, seeing as tkd is about 80% legs/feet and only 20% arms/hands. i did it for about 7 years so i feel like i am somewhat knowledgeable about it. feel free to ask me more questions specifically regarding tkd if you're interested.
I've always thought it would be fun to use the legs a lot. This seems like something that fits a lot with what I'm looking to get out of it.
I'm sure it varies gym to gym, but is the internal and mental a common part of this. I really want improved focus and calmness to be a component of this, which while surely is a part of all the fighting styles, I can't imagine it is a huge part of something like Krav Manga.
Krav Maga is more about making self-defense your natural response, or making your natural-response a good self-defense. If someone's trying to choke you with their two hands, for example, most people would immediately reach to the two hands that are grabbing their neck. Krav Maga's defense against this choke starts with the same action that people naturally do anyway. It's focused more on being instinctual, not necessarily calm or focused.
Just one thing, Krav Maga teaches you to turn your neck in such a way to make a choke less lethal, and to retaliate by doing a throw, strikes to your opponent's weak spots, or gouging his eyes out.
On August 03 2010 14:08 Severedevil wrote: You can center yourself without an instructor.
Practice abdominal breathing. Stretch regularly. Correct your posture.
And spend time in your body. Focus on the fluidity of motion, and your sensory inputs. Quiet your thoughts/observations/judgments, and flow.
I appreciate this perspective but I'd like to approach from as many ways as possible, and understand it with the body as well as the spirit. I have a decent experience with the (sorry for lack of a better word) "passive" grounding of yourself to focus on the task at hand, but would like some more.
Tae Kwon do is looking pretty interesting to me. I looked up some of the top Wing Chun guys and can not believe the speed and relaxation.
I've been doing Muay Thai for about two and a half years and never had an injuries from it (aside from black eyes). I'd definitely recommend it as long as you can actually find a good instructor.
Most gyms that claim they teach MT just have you hit a bag for an hour
So calming and meditative, extremely safe and very injury free (unless you get really hardcore), great exercise. Don't injure those wrists...strengthen them!
On August 03 2010 14:19 sob3k wrote: Rock climbing!!!!!!
So calming and meditative, extremely safe and very injury free (unless you get really hardcore), great exercise. Don't injure those wrists...strengthen them!
Goodbye fingernails : ( . I did it a few times with gloves and it wasn't quite as bad but it was such a drain on hands I was a bit turned off.
On August 03 2010 13:39 LosingID8 wrote: taekwondo is a good one for getting into good shape and low risk of injury. i would say taekwondo is probably your best bet if you don't want any wrist injuries, seeing as tkd is about 80% legs/feet and only 20% arms/hands. i did it for about 7 years so i feel like i am somewhat knowledgeable about it. feel free to ask me more questions specifically regarding tkd if you're interested.
I've always thought it would be fun to use the legs a lot. This seems like something that fits a lot with what I'm looking to get out of it.
I'm sure it varies gym to gym, but is the internal and mental a common part of this. I really want improved focus and calmness to be a component of this, which while surely is a part of all the fighting styles, I can't imagine it is a huge part of something like Krav Manga.
it really depends on the place you go to. there are different groups within taekwondo that all have slightly different philosophies, but i'm not very knowledgeable about those so i couldn't tell you which ones. i know mine did have us do some meditation but i don't know how common that is. mental strength is going to be there regardless of whatever dojang you decide to attend. beware of the pay-for-promotion places though. tkd has become very commercial within the last 10 years or so. if you see intermediate/advanced students (blue, brown, red, black belts) and their technique looks like crap, DO NOT GO THERE.
On August 03 2010 14:19 sob3k wrote: Rock climbing!!!!!!
So calming and meditative, extremely safe and very injury free (unless you get really hardcore), great exercise. Don't injure those wrists...strengthen them!
Goodbye fingernails : ( . I did it a few times with gloves and it wasn't quite as bad but it was such a drain on hands I was a bit turned off.
Thanks for the alternative solution though
yeah, if you really need long nails then thats probably not gonna work. The hands toughen up after 1-2 weeks and then its not a problem, plus tough hands are good for guitar too. Long nails are no good though.
On August 03 2010 13:39 LosingID8 wrote: taekwondo is a good one for getting into good shape and low risk of injury. i would say taekwondo is probably your best bet if you don't want any wrist injuries, seeing as tkd is about 80% legs/feet and only 20% arms/hands. i did it for about 7 years so i feel like i am somewhat knowledgeable about it. feel free to ask me more questions specifically regarding tkd if you're interested.
I agree with this, though in my personal taste, TKD is pretty useless. Been practicing on and off for four years. Only way to stop a guy about to bring a sword down on you? High block..
Other then that, I would go Kickboxing as it is also great cardio as well.
or anything chinese (even something like Tai chi), but it really depends on who you will be training with. 90% of things suggested have very little to do with meditation/mental strength.
Karate-do is very good, different schools too. Strong focus on spiritual aspect. Taekwondo is fun but it is definitely special and stands aside.
You should be looking for either japanese or chinese arts because this is something that fits your requirements.
Suggestions like "krav maga" are just comical, if I wanted to get into something like this I'd get into with sambo and judo (which it's based off anyways), it has very little of what the OP is looking for. Something pops up on youtube and next thing you know it's the deadliest martial art hahaha.
I've done muay thai for a few years, it's more about hard work and practice, you will definitely get hurt in process and you won't be able to do it on your own without a punching bag. If you can find a traditional school they might teach you how to prepare yourself for the fight and meditate but it is very unlikely outside of Thailand.
Wushu seems like the best idea for you, ella_guru!
A lot of martial arts places (here in Toronto anyway) allow like initial free lessons so that you can drop in and check out the place, the instructors and the style of martial arts they teach.
I say, you should take advantage of those free lessons and just go and see first hand what you're getting yourself into.
As informative TL.net members are, nothing beats just going and seeing the real thing.
If the place around you doesn't allow a free lessons or two; tell them they need to update their business skills lol because literally all Toronto places that teach MMA or martial arts try to pull you in with a couple of free classes.
I myself have done Karate (Kyokushin style) and Tae Kwon Do. But that was back when I was like 14-17.
These days I like to play music or dance. (By the way, martial arts training totally helps with dance lessons, no lies.)
From your description, I second the suggestion of tai chi. A good (or even halfway decent!) teacher will be able to impart the martial aspect as well.
Unlike muay thai or wing chun, it will take ages for you to use it effectively. However, if you are worried about injuries and physical contact, I suppose you are in no hurry to use this in a fight.
I studied Yang style for three years and if you would like to know more, PM me and I can talk to you about the basics.
What the hell? You want a martial art that isn't about throws or locks, yet also has no or light contact? Would be the principal goal of engagement? To blink at them? It seems like your goal is more to find a center then a martial art // self defense knowledge. It is not necessary to learn one to achieve what you are looking for. Yoga, etc will help you.
Sorry for being a little harsh, but there will need to be some physical effort put into learning a martial art. However, I would steer you towards some of the chinese TMA's. Tai Chi Chaun or Wing Chun in particular.
They do sparring, but it is not necessary, they do have forms that can be done solo. However WC does also have drills that may require a partner, as well as solo drills that can be done using a dummy.
Ahh this is great I'm learning a lot here with lots of kindness. I'm checking out the tae kwon do place and wushu place here this week, looks like whatever I choose is going to be loads of fun.
@ News , what do you mean by Tae Kwon Do is special and stands aside?
To be honest...there really is no point in learning any combat martial art without doing some type of sparring from time to time. Hitting a bag and pontificating the higher points of your art is fun and great exercise, but it's meaningless without practical application.
If all you're worried about is injuring your wrists, then just wear wraps. As long as you wrap your wrists properly, there isn't any way you'll hurt your wrists, especially if it's just some light sparring.
I couldn't imagine learning a combat art without sparring but to each his own. Maybe something like tai chi is good if you want "spiritual strength." I've never really delved much into that kind of stuff. Hell, maybe you can also try something like kendo.
On August 04 2010 03:32 lvatural wrote: To be honest...there really is no point in learning any combat martial art without doing some type of sparring from time to time. Hitting a bag and pontificating the higher points of your art is fun and great exercise, but it's meaningless without practical application.
If all you're worried about is injuring your wrists, then just wear wraps. As long as you wrap your wrists properly, there isn't any way you'll hurt your wrists, especially if it's just some light sparring.
I couldn't imagine learning a combat art without sparring but to each his own. Maybe something like tai chi is good if you want "spiritual strength." I've never really delved much into that kind of stuff. Hell, maybe you can also try something like kendo.
The wrist wraps are good help? I don't want to avoid it completely, but want to minimize my chances of something really bad happening. but my focus isn't to win competitions or what have you.
Right now it looks like Tae Kwon Do or Wing Chun , or Wushu would be the most enjoyable that seem to (depending) have a root in the spirit (the latter, at least). There are gyms for each of these all within about 30 minute bus ride, so I will be checking them out this week.
Any suggestions as to what to look for in a teacher? I'm sure I'll instinctually know if he/she is someone that will fit well with me, but there are some things a beginner just can't know to look out for
As a TKD instructor I agree that in terms of self-defense it's not the best selection (especially if thats primarily what you're looking for).
But by what you're saying, it's not. You're just looking for something that can keep you in shape, easy going-ish but still fun and focuses on 'inner spirit'.
While Taekwondo does put some emphasis on this, it will totally depend on the instructor/master/dojang. As well as the division/type of TKD. WTF (World Taekwondo Federation, lol) versus ITF (International Taekwondo Federation). Each have similar forms/principals but in terms of sparring and belts/testing they're different. Sparring is not mandatory (at my studio it isn't) but it can get awfully competitive depending on where you go. WTF TKD is the Olympic version, so a lot of studios may focus more strongly on sparring than others. Or offer it as a separate program.
POINT IS: Based on what you've posted, your TKD program choice sounds excellent (I've heard of Grandmaster Lee, he's a good guy). From just the site it's obvious that there is a strong focus on the more internal aspects of the martial art. Definitely go for a 'TRY ME' program and make it clear up-front what you're really hoping to get out of it.
also: If you go with TKD you can send videos and I'll critique you :p
I took TaeKwonDo for about 5 years, and it doesn't really teach you much about inner/spiritual strength, calmness, discipline, etc. Although I'm sure it depends on the teacher. We go to the lesson, stretch for like 30 minutes, do a couple warmup patterns of punches/kicks, practice patterns, then spar (the only fun part lol). Repeat. I definitely got a good workout everytime, and it was fun to spar (though I wish we didn't have to use such bigass gloves/footpadthings), but.... that doesn't seem like what you're looking for.
Do still go and check out what the place is like where you are though. Maybe you'll have a teacher who focuses more on the stuff you're looking for. I doubt it though. Pretty much all TaeKwonDo places teaches you: stretching, patterns, and scoring points when you land a kick on someone.
For the teacher, see if he or she actually loves teaching and improving the students. See if he focuses on details as well as the overall picture. Like if someone is throwing a straight punch, the teacher should not just watch them do it while counting; he should make sure everything is correct - stance, feet/leg position, posture, shoulder/arm/wrist, how you power your punch, etc. That stuff is important.
I'm a competitive tabletennis player, and I've taken lessons from 2 coaches before. My main coach, a Korean guy who used to play for the S Korean cadet national team, was an excellent teacher. He taught you the stuff you needed to know, focusing on footwork, form, and technique during the early stages. As I progressed, he added more stuff, like how I impacted the ball, where my power came from, ball placement. From a beginner to an advanced player, a good coach will ALWAYS find something for you to practice and work on, making sure you focus on what is appropriate for your level.
The other coach is a pretty good American player (for US standards, rated 2150), and I can tell he is not as passionate about teaching as the Korean guy. I personally think he's giving lessons to make money and become more influential in the club. He doesn't give private lessons (much better for the student), and in the group lessons he gives, he just sends off the students into pairs and has them do drills. I mean, they can do that without having to pay the coach. He doesn't analyze the student so that he understands what they need to be learning. He was teaching the whole group how to do hook shots (sidespin loopdrive) when the skill level of the group ranged from beginner to intermediate. Hell, these students don't even have the basic footwork and forehand/backhand strokes down.
I'm sure you can tell if a teacher is a good fit for you.
On August 04 2010 00:22 ella_guru wrote: Ahh this is great I'm learning a lot here with lots of kindness. I'm checking out the tae kwon do place and wushu place here this week, looks like whatever I choose is going to be loads of fun.
@ News , what do you mean by Tae Kwon Do is special and stands aside?
It's special in the regard that it is different from every other martial art, it concentrates almost strictly on kicks and it is neither very practical nor spiritual. You are taught to score points, it looks really fun but most of the flying kicks are only meant to touch that scoring spot on the body. Like the guy above said - it gets competitive and that's the main concept of it. I can imagine they have very good schools in Korea where they teach you everything, from it's philosophy to meditation. Everywhere else though - probably not, you are mostly looking to be exercising and trying to increase your flexibility and speed, not much thinking behind that. It is a cool sport though, always fun to watch TKD highlights.
Okay ieatkids5 just made a great post about TKD, good insight.
Ella, if you're worried about your wrists, stop playing BW. No carpal tunnel that way. :D
On a serious note - I did a form of Akido (shodokan) for years when I was younger. Most of it is conditioning, reflexes, balance, self-defense, and discipline. However, it still holds competitions on a regular basis (I qualified for a tournament where I would have had to travel to India to compete, with most of the expenses actually paid..... I should have went.....).
I also took side-classes for weapons training. From the bo to the katana. Both how to use and how to defend against. Some pretty cool stuff.
I can't remember, in any of the years I did this, that anybody got injured. And in those competitions, you can hit your opponent pretty hard (some types actually encourage grabs and throws, which is where wrist injuries would actually happen). I've had far worse injuries just walking around in my back yard..... No joke.....
On August 04 2010 04:43 ella_guru wrote: The wrist wraps are good help? I don't want to avoid it completely, but want to minimize my chances of something really bad happening. but my focus isn't to win competitions or what have you.
When you're practicing an art that focuses on striking, wraps pretty much ensure protection for your wrists. Always used 'em in boxing and continue to do so in Muay Thai.
The only problem is that you seem to be heading towards the TKD, karate, wing chun area where no one really uses precautions like wraps because it really isn't necessary (thin target pads instead of heavy bag, a greater emphasis on kicks and fancy handwork, etc...). So if you really want to protect your wrists you can wear 'em, but you'll probably stand out since you'll be the only one using 'em.
I don't agree that learning a martial art is meaningless without sparring/self defence. Different people get different things out of activities at different levels. While sparring will take your wushu/tai chi etc. to another level, there are plenty of people who do it for health and for fun. Just like there are people who get their kicks from playing money maps in bw.
On August 03 2010 13:39 LosingID8 wrote: taekwondo is a good one for getting into good shape and low risk of injury. i would say taekwondo is probably your best bet if you don't want any wrist injuries, seeing as tkd is about 80% legs/feet and only 20% arms/hands. i did it for about 7 years so i feel like i am somewhat knowledgeable about it. feel free to ask me more questions specifically regarding tkd if you're interested.
I agree with this. Been doing TKD since I was a been a little kid. Most of it is just kicking targets. If your instructor is good, then everything should be very safe. Sparring is pretty safe too, seeing as you wear a lot of padding.
If you're into just working out, I'd say cardio kick boxing or something along those lines.
On August 03 2010 13:39 LosingID8 wrote: taekwondo is a good one for getting into good shape and low risk of injury. i would say taekwondo is probably your best bet if you don't want any wrist injuries, seeing as tkd is about 80% legs/feet and only 20% arms/hands. i did it for about 7 years so i feel like i am somewhat knowledgeable about it. feel free to ask me more questions specifically regarding tkd if you're interested.
If you're into just working out, I'd say cardio kick boxing or something along those lines.
Your advice would be a lot more helpful if you read the OP : (
I think it's more important to find the local instructor/teaching style that seems to suit your needs rather than focus on the martial art's name brand itself. Most martial art instructors allow you to try or observe a lesson (and if they don't, beware!), so try a couple out and don't rush it.
A couple of pointers when looking where to start:
-Find out who's teaching the beginners. Make sure you're comfortable with the guy leading your class. In most of the judo/BJJ places I've been they have higher ranking students teaching, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Also some head instructors can be stuffy. -Less students per instructor tends to be better. Don't get lost in a crowd. Group instruction is standard, don't spend more for individual lessons. -Don't get over charged. You might reasonably expect to pay 100-180 dollars per month for quality instruction. However, be aware and ask about other expenses such as belt tests, sparring or other equipment, special sessions, etc. If they have a promotion system, ask how long it takes on average to get promoted between ranks. It's not always the case, but generally if you see kids with dark belts, they're probably accelerating them through quickly to get money for belt tests. -Beware of hokey claims. I see that you're thinking you want mental fortitude out of practicing martial arts, but that kind of fortitude is really only developed after years of training. Be realistic and make sure the instructor is as well. -Have fun and make sure the people at the studio look like they are too!
WTF TDK is much much more sporting. ITF is more practical, for as practical as TKD can be.
I'd recommend akido also. I know its not very very super practical, but it's better then nothing and there are very, very few if any injuries. The only thing it is primarily a standing locks/throws art.
Just came back from my first Wing Chun class and had a great deal of fun. All the teachers had good method in teaching and it was a good environment that had little focus on sparring.
Thanks for the help guys I'm really looking forward as to what will come of this.
WC is useful situationally. Be careful of application in real life. It only works after you have stresstested it and understand that a lot of what they teach does not work until it's become second nature // habit // instinctual reaction. It requires overriding natural reflex.
OTOH, it fits the bill of what you need perfectly, and does give a good base to proceed from in real life situations. WC in general does not do much sparring, and more drills to try to ingrain what they teach into you, but before you take it to streets, I would suggest atleast some sparring just to know how things might go.
And not necessarily sparring against other WC players, but other arts as well. I find that WC is very effective against WC, but pure WC is not as effective vs other arts without modification.
On August 05 2010 12:49 dogabutila wrote: WC is useful situationally. Be careful of application in real life. It only works after you have stresstested it and understand that a lot of what they teach does not work until it's become second nature // habit // instinctual reaction. It requires overriding natural reflex.
OTOH, it fits the bill of what you need perfectly, and does give a good base to proceed from in real life situations. WC in general does not do much sparring, and more drills to try to ingrain what they teach into you, but before you take it to streets, I would suggest atleast some sparring just to know how things might go.
And not necessarily sparring against other WC players, but other arts as well. I find that WC is very effective against WC, but pure WC is not as effective vs other arts without modification.
Sounds like almost all of these things would be true for pretty much any martial art that isn't designed as a street fighting tool. In that same respect, from what I gathered much of WC is about throat strikes or other incapacitating things, which does not make it spar friendly.
Either way, real life scenarios aren't really what I care about, though the tightness of this style seems to be pretty useful. I mean, learning any martial art is going to put you in a better position than just screaming and clawing at an attacker (unless you are trying to be a headstrong hero, or something)
It's truer then not for most TMA, because most TMA does not actually hold the whole curriculum from back when the art was developed.
Some arts like TKD(wtf) actually bill themselves are more for sport. While others such as aikido are useful situationally.
Martial arts that hold more true to their base or history tend to be better for self defense / street fighting, as are newer developed arts (as long as the guy inventing it isn't full of bs) FMA, kickboxing, are pretty good for street fighting.
WC tends to hold true to the basic principals, and could be good for self defense, however for it to be useful one has to understand the principals behind the art, and how they trained it in the past. Then it can be useful for the situations it was designed for. IE, jujutsu was developed for people in armor in combat. Strikes are not effective against somebody in armor obviously, so the art comprises joint locks, holds and throws. It's effective for what it is, but it isn't going to work as well now as then, because somebody could just punch you in the face while you are trying to grapple up.
The problem with learning many TMA's now is that they become noted for being good or popular or what-have-you for a specific thing. In TKD it would be kicking, and now many modern studios teach you kicking, and very little in hand forms. Yet TKD originally did contain hand forms, etc. WC was noted for trap distance fighting, and many WC instructors heavily emphasize trap distance fighting, yet original WC also comprised all ranges of combat (much moreso then they do now) as well as groundfighting.
If one wanted to be completely adept at self defense, i would recommend a blend of martial arts, but NOT MMA classes. Boxing or kick boxing, paired with WC. catch, or freestyle wrestling for positional control on the ground, enough JJ to know non-lethal subs and how to escape from them. MT / or greco / judo for the clinches.
The catch is, this is all what MMA classes teach. So why would I recommend against MMA classes? Because any time an art becomes constrained by sporting rules, or uses rules to protect the artist from certain situations, then that becomes dangerous. IE, strikes the the back of the head, stomps, neck cranks, throat strikes, etc. fishhooking, eye gouging, etc.
Why do I recommend boxing or kickboxing even though those are obviously sports? Best striking arts around, and the rules that make it ineffective in real life are covered by the other skillsets that you have. Pure boxers that get grappled up have no idea what to do. You would.
You have to blend all of the knowledge together, without being constrained by rules. MMA would be good if it had no rules, but then it wouldn't be a good sport.
On August 03 2010 13:39 LosingID8 wrote: taekwondo is a good one for getting into good shape and low risk of injury. i would say taekwondo is probably your best bet if you don't want any wrist injuries, seeing as tkd is about 80% legs/feet and only 20% arms/hands. i did it for about 7 years so i feel like i am somewhat knowledgeable about it. feel free to ask me more questions specifically regarding tkd if you're interested.
Maybe I've been doing some wrong TKD, but I have injuries all over my body. Broken hands/legs, noses - that's all the norm in TKD I train and participate in. Also due to a lot of power in TKD kicks there's a high risk of serious injuries. A 2 degree black belt I knew missed 1 hit into solar system and got his whole chest broken. Although that's ITF, maybe WTF is different seeing as it's more of a sport than martial arts. That said, I <3 TKD and think it's the best out there.
I'm sorry but your gym sounds like complete shit. Youre in a gym where broken hands/legs/noses are in the norm? Do you guys seriously expect to get better getting blasted and losing weeks if not months of time training due to injuries? You guys spar hard enough where 1 missed kick means a broken chest?
Ever heard of headgear? Gloves? Shinpads? Not sparring 100%?
My personal choice for you is capoeira. And let me say my reasons.
Well OP, as you're a musician, I don't think that capoeira would be bad for you, because there is so much music in capoeira.
As your wrists are important, i'd gladly say that capoeira doesn't hurt wrists at all and there is no wrist injuries in my group. But, it also strengthens a person's wrists. As you may know, capoeira mainly depends on kicks rather than punches and it helps you to get a better body coordination because of the fluidity and body movements called ginga.
3rd, you said you're looking for something light contact. Although people say that there is no contact in capoeira, it's actually light contact. At least in my group. You can freely throw light kicks in your opponent's face or body and it's not BM. Also you can throw the other person on the ground freely as well, it doesn't hurt wrists or arms, it's not BM either.
4th, different from all martial arts, capoeira gives you the opportunity to apply what you learn at practice in roda. In roda, everything is for real. It's not a practice. It's like fight club (of course no full contact, just light contact and no danger of serious injury) and you put all your effort in that place and use (or show) everything you learned in practice. Music is played by the battery, everybody that forms the roda sings the chorus parts together, only 2 people at a time are inside the roda for the fight (it's actually called jogo which means game in english, but believe me, it's not just an ordinary game), again light contact, no shoes, no socks, barefoot, but you're allowed to have a t-shirt in there .
5th, it doesn't require flexibility, you don't need to have a triangle-shaped body, you don't need to have a history with any kinds of sports, only thing you need is pure enthusiasm and energy (called axé in capoeira literature).
6th, capoeira teaches you cool things as well (all those flips, high kicks, striker kicks etc).
EPT
