yo
I registered just to post a reply to this. Seriously speaking, I think the spread of mixed martial arts changed what we all think of in terms of effective fighting arts. Now, at some schools, people have been training so hard, and for so long that they will dispute the truth. Despite the fact that mixed martial arts events (where early on anything went, and now certain events still allow nearly everyhing) have shown a bias towards certain arts, and despite the fact that MMA is the closest simulation you will get to real fighting, traditional martial artists have found ways to not have to admit that their long-loved art is just not as useful in a real combat situation.
Common things you will here are: “But my martial art trains eye gouging, or groin kicks which are not allowed in MMA,” or “my martial art trains deadly pressure point attacks that cannot be safely or ethically be practiced in MMA,” or “you have never seen this (obscure) style compete in MMA,” or “the punching or kicking is very similar to arts in MMA that have found success.” I for one do not believe these denials.
The fact is, if you want an effective fighting art, you do not want to do praying mantis style, or tiger style, or drunken boxing style kung-fu. You do not even want to do wushu or cardio kickboxing or even shotokan karate or most arts of kempo/kenpo. If you are smart, you will find a way to pick out something from ANY martial art and use it to your advantage; HOWEVER, some arts will fill you up with 97% of what you need, and other arts can only offer you marginal advantage for real subtle points.
Take muay thai for stand-up. If you really like chinese arts, go to extreme kungfu in chicago for some Sanda/San-shou. Sanshou training in most places mimics muay thai training except they have a straight side kick (that I think is effective) and they have throws (in the competitions they disallow knees and elbows). If you really want to get fancy, kyokushin karate is as far as I will go with the striking (and kyokushin hasn’t fared as well as muay thai in K1 which has rules purposely designed to limit the power of muay thai). That says one thing when a muay thai fighter can’t throw elbows and can only attack once with a grabbed leg and cannot throw multiple head knees and STILL becomes champion (Buakaw and Semmy Schilt trained mostly in Muay Thai). It means that Muay Thai is on the whole more effective. The longest reigning middleweight champion in Pride fighting was muay thai. So is current middleweight UFC champion Anderson Silva. Mirko “Cro cop” Filipovic the top ranked heavyweight MMA fighter in the world spent a considerable amount of time in Branco Cikatic’s old gym in Croation (a Muay Thai gym), and although his high kick is no longer purely a muay thai style, he certainly did benefit positively from Muay Thai training.
If you want to learn ground fighting, take brazilian jiu-jitsu. If you are not really the biggest guy around, you can make up for some of that with technique in BJJ. If you really dislike brazilian jiu-jitsu (which 99% of MMA fighters have some knowledge of), do high school wrestling (freestyle or Roman-greco). The only other effective art in my opinion for clinch to ground is judo (useful against people with coats on the street). All other arts are relatively unproven (I would maybe venture to try traditional jiujitsu-- but even that is only marginally proven). The fact is, if a fight goes to the ground, nothing will teach you how to stay in control of the most important factor, position, like BJJ will.
Seriously, I was never good at sports, but eventually I picked up Western boxing (which is great for straight punching BTW and can complement Muay Thai), and it has improved my coordination tremendously. I then did a style of kenpo, wushu, white crane, praying mantis, TKD, muay thai, JKD, judo-- then BJJ, and muay thai again. And let me tell you you get weird feints from different kung fu styles, and you can pick up fast kicks from tae kwon do, and you can pick up a pretty decent cross from kenpo (and some wrist grab escapes-- still useful now in my MMA), but overall 97% of my technique comes from boxing, muay thai, wrestling, and brazilian jiu jitsu. Judo is biased against in MMA, but is very useful in real life (where people actually do have coats on similar to training ‘gis’).
In summary if you want to learn how to do cool stuff, you can do gymnastics. Or I know jackie chan did ballet. Practice jumping tumbling, flying, stretching, twirling, etc. I have nothing against that and I think martial arts that are more art have a place. But if you are talking about the most useful arts to really defend yourself, or to just be the best fighter possible-- I would start with Muay Thai. There is a gym called Toro Muay Thai. There is also Team Oyama’s gym a little outside of Chicago. I would start with the stand-up fight game because it ‘looks cool’, and because in real life against multiple attackers, learning how to strike will be of more use. Then I would learn how to defend a leg pick, or a double leg takedown or a tackle, or better yet I once I learned enough of Muay Thai, I would switch or add Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. Both arts can be adjusted for short stocky fighters, as well as tall fighters, as well as flat footed, less muscular, too muscular, any kind of build really. The more important thing is desire and dedication.
If you just want to get fit, I would start with boxing or kickboxing which gives one a hardcore cardio work out. If you think spiritual growth is important, I would look into Judo perhaps (most gyms emphasize inner-peace and spiritual growth as well as competition).
Anyhow my recommendations to you if you really want to learn something that will help you fight if necessary are:
1.) Muay Thai or San Shou
2.) Brazilian jiu jitsu/wresting/judo
Later if you feel the boxing from muay thai is lacking, you can learn more advanced movements from western boxing gyms.
Anyhow goodluck. Starting at 16 is pretty good. If you were dedicated, you could with persistence and thoughtful training be the few toughest fighters in the world if thats what you wanted. Maybe you’re not that hardcore. Even still, getting mugged and beat up on the street when you tried to attack someone’s pressure point, or when you started doing a kung fu dance, or when you slapped someone with a tae kwon do kick can be avoided if pick up an art that will get you 97% of self defence. Trust me, if your goal is to learn to fight (most people who start in martial arts have this goal), then when you are older you’ll thank me for not easily allowing you to go the animal kungfu route.
), and I wanted to ask the users here (since I see they know their stuff) a couple of questions.
Maybe i should just choose another style, and maybe with time i’ll get lucky or something. But finding a school is not that easy too. :rolleyes: I have 2 dojos near me one on 1 mile other on 0.7 mile, the closest it a brazilian dojo, and other is 20$ for one day per week…
Oh and since i go to fitness (for the last 2 months) is that good or bad for any future martial arts? And since i can use a small area for practice (with mirrors