Which One?

[jerrythunder]

hi there, im not shure if this is the right place to put my question but here it goes anyways. I'm looking for a martial art to learn and im not shure which one will suit me. i want to be able to take the tecniques i learn on a tour of i ever go and also apply it into my civvie life if i ever should need to use it. i just dont want to spend good money on a martial art that will only focous on defence against purse snatchers. im looking for something like Krav maga except i live near Cornwall ON and there is only Akiado, Jujitsu,Karate, Kung FU and i think another which i cant remember, so if anyone could please tell me which of those is the best i would be much obliged, thanks

 

[paracowboy]

so if anyone could please tell me which of those is the best i would be much obliged, thanks

oh, God, my head hurts.

Okay, this has been dealt with many times, but I'm gonna go over it again.

There is NO "best" martial art. Anyone who tries to tell you different is an idiot, or trying to sell you something. Usually classes to his martial arts school. They all have strengths and weaknesses. They all have morons teaching them, and they all have geniuses teaching them. Some styles will work better for YOU than others, because of your body type and your mentality. If you are tall and lanky, you may do better with something like Tae Kwan do. If you're short and stocky, you may do better with judo or wrestling. If you're an aggressive person, kickboxing or boxing may suit you better. If you're a defensive fighter by nature, you may want to go with aikido or hsing i/pa kua.

My advice to you is to try every school in your area, to include plain ol' boxing (a highly under-rated martial art system), and discover what styles you prefer, what techniques work better for you, and which school you enjoy most. That is highly important as you have to enjoy the atmosphere, or you won't want to go.

Some folks like to go to cookie-cutter McDojos, because they dig running around in white pyjamas, learninghow to be Japanese. Others want only schools with muscle-headed neanderthals wearing baggy sweat pants and wife-beaters practicing "real-world" techniques.

Try every school you can for a month. That should be enough time for you to decide if you dig the system taught, and the way it's being taught. Then move on to another school for a month. Once you've decided what you like the most stick with that school for a while, until you have a firm understanding of the system's basics. Then, branch out a bit, and find a completely different system, that complements the one you're in.

You want to find a personal style that lets you be comfortable with kicking, punching, throwing, grappling, and hand-held weapons. And you want to learn how to both use all of the above, and defend against them.

Some styles will teach you how to do all of that, others will claim to, and most will say you don't need anyting else. Trust me, you want two different systems under your belt: one that specializes in striking, and one that specializes in grappling. But that comes with time. First, find a school you dig, dude.

 

[Kat Stevens]

I suggest you take up Billingsgate Fish Market Herring Slapping.  Absolutely devastating in close quarters.

 

[big bad john]

Paracowboy's got it right.  But be careful out there.  There are a lot of dubious schools and teachers.  I notice that you are near Ottawa, and I can personally recommend the Ottawa Jeet Kune Do school and teacher if it is the style that you are looking for.  He does offer a look see first leason free.  But make up your own mind if it is for you.  It is an offensive style of martial arts.  The URL is:  http://ottawajkd.com/home.html

Remember on this subject, everyone has an opinion and the only right one is the one that works for you.

 

[paracowboy]

Remember on this subject, everyone has an opinion and the only right one is the one that works for you.

my Truth is not your Truth, my Way is not your Way.

 

[pronto]

Try Ecky-Thump. The ancient welsh art of self defense.

(anyone out there remember "the Goodies"?)

 

[Journeyman]

Try Ecky-Thump. The ancient welsh art of self defense. 

Heathen. Ecky-Thump is an ancient Lancashire martial art. Kids these days  :

 

[BernDawg]

Goodies...goodie,goodie yum, yummmm  ;D

 

[Kat Stevens]

Wouldn't be effective over here.  There isn't a decent black pudding for miles.

 

[17thRecceSgt]

The other thing you can do is take more than one style.  When I was going to judo, lots of karate guys came to our club as it covered different areas.

And then some of the judo guys ended up going to karate too.  Not one style teaches "everything", so when you find favorite, you can still pop into another dojo to train in other styles and techniques.  Its a nice change sometimes too.

MMA is big these days, although I would have no idea to know what "clubs" are legit and which ones should be avoided.

And what Paracowboy said, with a nod and a "ya, ya!" to it. 

 

[pronto]

Damn... Y'all are right! Should have been Llap-Goch... I must be getting old....EVERYONE knows Lancastrians can be well and truly beaten by a welsh Llap-Goch Master with a Leek belt.

By the by - Black puddings available in Ottawa, for those Ecky-thump practitioners....

Bill Oddie Rules

 

[paracowboy]

Then, branch out a bit, and find a completely different system, that complements the one you're in...Trust me, you want two different systems under your belt: one that specializes in striking, and one that specializes in grappling.

The other thing you can do is take more than one style. 

seein' a trend?

 

[Kat Stevens]

Or, you could try combining a few different styles, I guess.