Joining a martial arts class. Which one should I join?

Discussion in 'General Martial Arts Discussion' started by AlfonsoGrey37, Jul 23, 2018.

  1. AlfonsoGrey37

    AlfonsoGrey37 New Member

    Since I’ve met her and we’ve been together, it’s really turned my life around. It all started when I begrudgingly joined a meet Latin tours trip with my brother, and she just walked up to me. We started talking and immediately clicked. Since then, I’ve quit drinking, started caring more about my health, and have rebuilt my relationship with my stepdad. One thing that my gf and the experience has taught me is to stop being afraid of trying something now, and to initiate change when it’s needed.


    Now I’m thinking of enrolling in a martial arts class, but I’m unsure on which one to try. I’m a little overweight and I’ve never trained for anything physical in my whole life. Can anyone who works as a professional trainer give me some advice on which one is most suitable for someone like me?
     
  2. aaradia

    aaradia Choy Li Fut and Yang Tai Chi Chuan Student Moderator Supporter

    Hi,

    I am not a professional trainer but,

    First, look around your area and see what is available. No point in picking a particular style if there is no school within acceptable traveling distance. Same if their open hours are not compatable with your work/ school/ family schedule. If you have a list of choices, you can post links on here and the more experienced people can give you feedback on them.

    Also, think about what you like. Are you into traditional approaches or not? Do you like striking, grappling or a mix of the two? Are you only interested in hand techniques and/ or forms or do weapons have appeal to you? Does the idea of doing forms/ kata seem like something you want in your training or not? Does a particular culture have appeal to you? Why do you want to do Martial arts?

    Let us know some of the above and people here can help you better.

    And Welcome to MAP. :)
     
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  3. Pretty In Pink

    Pretty In Pink Moved on MAP 2017 Gold Award

    All of this information. What is available and what fits your schedule. After that it's what style.
     
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  4. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    After that it's, "what will you actually enjoy and stick with," then it might be, "what style." :)

    I've told this story before, but I'm old and therefore am allowed to bore people with stuff :D

    Guy turned up at my TKD class talking about all the MMA he had done. Early 20s, wanted to train.

    I welcomed him, pointed out that we might not be a good fit for him given our use of patterns etc, and put him in my class of 13+ year olds.

    He did maybe 6 lessons in all.

    He would always be paired up for padwork with one of my blackbelts, and whilst, during sparring class, he was busy telling them that what we were doing "would never work on the street," he would also complain about how hard they were kicking

    After a couple of weeks we did a slightly more physical warm up, 5/10/15/20/15/10/5 of press ups, star jumps, sit ups, squat thrusts, punctuated by jogging. Nothing unusual, but I try to give new members time to acclimatise before we start to stretch them.

    He complained afterwards, claiming the number of press ups was excessive and not needed to,"fight in the cage." I pointed out that the 14 year old girl in front of him had coped just fine.

    Hi didn't come back.

    The point is that he didn't want a class that was a challenging workout, he wanted something else and I hope he found it. He had tried MMA and presumably found it too much hard work, so he'd decided to try his local TKD as the internet told him it would be dead easy, and found it too much hard work again. Not because my club is aces, just because any martial art or sport, taught properly, is hard work.

    People should just be honest about what they actually want to do, not what they want to be, and factor that in straight after what's available. I might want to be Fedor, but am I committed enough to regularly do the things to achieve that? So find what is in your area, find the schedule, pick something that fits, but then find out if what they do, day in, day out, is what you actually want to do.

    As Smitfire often points out, the greatest danger faced by most people in most developed nations is not violence, it's inactivity. So finding an activity that will make you move your body is most important. Don't kid yourself that it's MMA just because you like the image, find the thing you will keep going to.
     
    Last edited: Jul 24, 2018
  5. AlfonsoGrey37

    AlfonsoGrey37 New Member

    I'm actually interested with traditional kinds of martial arts. The one that best interests me are judo and taekwondo. I like the discipline they apply when teaching. The sparring sessions also seem so much fun. Hand techniques and leg formations are so what intrigues me. How one simple formation of the leg can change the course of the battle excites me! I'm not generally fond of one that involves weapons since I'm afraid to have those things lying around the house for any of my future children. Hope this sheds some light for you guys!
     
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  6. AlfonsoGrey37

    AlfonsoGrey37 New Member

    That was
    that was actually very helpful. I'll definitely keep that in mind!
     
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  7. Hannibal

    Hannibal Cry HAVOC and let slip the Dogs of War!!! Supporter

    Where do you live? General area is fine but it gives an idea of what's available
     
  8. Dead_pool

    Dead_pool Spes mea in nihil Deus MAP 2017 Moi Award

    If you have any recreation centres nearby, have a look and see what's taught, it'll give you a easy and cheap way to try a few arts out!

    Judo is great, and TKD is fun, so find a few classes and go try them out!
     
  9. Smitfire

    Smitfire Cactus Schlong

    Look Mitch...I was tired that day from all the UFC and Valid Tudo I'd been doing. And for the record that 14 year old girl was nearly as tired as me at the end.
     
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  10. Pretty In Pink

    Pretty In Pink Moved on MAP 2017 Gold Award

    Honestly I couldn't do that warm up. I sick at push ups.
     
  11. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    I think you'll find TKD is both great AND fun :D
     
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  12. Dead_pool

    Dead_pool Spes mea in nihil Deus MAP 2017 Moi Award

    Hell I loved playing Tag as a child too!

    ;) I jest, kiss chase was more my scene, which wasn't popular in an all girls catholic school.........
     
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