Why dont more people learn martial arts?

unmitigatedbadassery

I love martial arts. I did some as a kid. I've been into them ever since. I didn't want to get back into it before because, basically, I was too fat and unhealthy. The main reason I don't pursue it now though is because I simply can't afford it.

mamagooskie

I don't like the clothing and sound effects......that is the only reason I don't do it.

rdunlap81

I love martial arts... but I can't kick....

My genes have more dancing style and kicking *kitten*... :laugh: not your stereotypical asian.

Pick one without kicking!

(Like Aikido -- hint hint )

Or Judo???

latinabubbles

If I had the money I would get back in. My son made it to black belt in kung fu. I made it halfway to purple. We both took krav maga as well. I LOVED every minute of it. it was awesome. One day I hope to be able to train again. It was wonderful the things we learned and pushing our bodies to learn.

Anomalia

I have a black belt in American karate and a black belt in Kenpo karate and it didn't help me.

Takes2long

I used to take kickboxing at the local Y. It was fun, and the instructor took the time to show us proper form. It was a good workout, but more aerobic then anything else. A few years later, a friend was talking about kickboxing, how she got in shape, and it got me interested in taking it up again. This time, it was at an actual dojo, with real 'blackbelt' instructors. We hit the pads, kicked the bags, broke boards. I LOVED IT!! They would have karate classes, and I'd get a glimpse of what they were doing. Always looked like fun. There was a few women(morning kickboxers) that were also doing karate, and they'd talk about this kata, or the next testing cycle. It seemed very involved, not for me. Ok, 18 months later, still kickboxing with my morning regulars and the instructor asks us if we'd be interested in an adults only class, offered in the morning. Most of us said yes, and we all gave it a go. 18 months after that first class, I'm on my 7th belt, testing in a week for my 8th belt! It looked intimidating, and sounded very complicated. Lots of movements that you have to memorize. And I cetainly didn't want to be in a class with a 12YO that would put me to shame!! I tried it because I liked our instructor, I liked the other people that were starting with me. We were all "older". Self defense wasn't the reason I tried it, but after 18 months, I do feel more confident that I could defend myself if necessary. Oh, and it IS a great workout!!! especially when it's sparring day:bigsmile:

inetgirl

To expensive! Also, which this is only in my area, the beginner classes are a mix of adults and kids. I don't want to be around them when I have my legs going. lol

rdunlap81

My boys do karate, wrestling, and jiu jitsu. I love to watch them but don't feel comfortable in doing it myself. It is a great way to learn self defense and also burn calories. I just have a fear of exercising or doing anything with people watching.

Captain_Tightpants

My old tongbeiquan instructor (Ma Yue: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovbGFPvks9o&feature=related) used to tell us "If you learn karate, kung fu or taekwondo or taiji for 5 years and try to use it in a street fight, you will get your *kitten* handed to you but if you learn it for 15 years you will probably win. Judo, Aikido, Krav Maga, Ju Jitsu... you'll probably do better earlier on in your learning.

30yearssincebikini

It's expensive. Not only the monthly costs, but the gear, and every time you have to go to a tournament or try out for a higher belt, it's more money. I took it with my kids in the nineties and besides the money factor, we kept getting hurt. Even in no touch sparring, there were always accidents where people got hurt. In one no touch sparring episode, I got paired with a six foot male and he kicked me in the back. It still hurts.

beyg

Being doing MMA for a while now, and went I was a younger did tae kan do. I guess is in the blood. When I first gotten married taught some take downs to my bride. I latter taught some fighting to my kids.
I hope I never have to use it but I feel the same way about insurance have it hope never needed. LOL It is a good way to get in shape fast.

zorbaru

I don't like the clothing and sound effects......that is the only reason I don't do it.

hrm.. this just sounds like an excuse to me. The clothes may look funny, but everyone else wheres them, so that isnt a real issue. you can (and should) get changed at the dojo, not wear them out in public.

and the "sound effects". they are breathing exercises. they are there to serve a purpose. and again, everyone else is doing it.

not to mention there are schools that dont have the uniforms or the shouting. a lot of MMA gyms will just teach in standard street clothes.

Pebble321

I don't like the clothing and sound effects......that is the only reason I don't do it.

hrm.. this just sounds like an excuse to me. The clothes may look funny, but everyone else wheres them, so that isnt a real issue. you can (and should) get changed at the dojo, not wear them out in public.

and the "sound effects". they are breathing exercises. they are there to serve a purpose. and again, everyone else is doing it.

not to mention there are schools that dont have the uniforms or the shouting. a lot of MMA gyms will just teach in standard street clothes.

Maybe it's an excuse - but it's a free world.....why SHOULD everyone have to enjoy the same thing you do?

zorbaru

My old tongbeiquan instructor (Ma Yue: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovbGFPvks9o&feature=related) used to tell us "If you learn karate, kung fu or taekwondo or taiji for 5 years and try to use it in a street fight, you will get your *kitten* handed to you but if you learn it for 15 years you will probably win. Judo, Aikido, Krav Maga, Ju Jitsu... you'll probably do better earlier on in your learning.

an excellent point. some of the basic skills in the regimented arts such as tkd and "traditional" karate can take quite a while to perfect and wouldnt be effective immediately.

in the style i am doing now, we teach based on principles, not specific applications. (ie, how to handle a movement rather than "this block is for this type of attack". for example, in reality, there is no difference between a straight punch, a poke to the eyes or a push, they are all a straight attack and can all be handled the same way). we like to think our students can have something they can use immediately from class 1.

thefuzz1290

Lets be honest, most dojos out there don't teach you much that's applicable to real world threats. If you're educated enough to study a useful martial art, most people don't practice it enough to use it reliably in a high stress situation, or learn the right mindset to actually use what they learned to its fullest extent. Also, most martial arts confine someone to rules, where as on the street, there are no rules.

I've done much research on martial arts, but I haven't found any that have suited me (except Krav Maga, but the only legit Krav instructor teaches over an hour away). I briefly took Tracy's Kenpo, which basically taught to end the fight in the most violent way possible, as quickly as possible, but I couldn't afford it anymore. I also took Aki-Jujitsu, which was more geared towards police work and the types of encounters (and legal limitations) a police officer goes through. I enjoyed both the Kenpo and Aki-Jujitsu, but I wasn't into the traditional martial arts (wearing the gi, learning history/culture, etc.).

In a street situation, I believe Krav Maga is the most useful, since it teaches you to quickly disable your opponent and move onto the next one. Its also the only martial arts I've found that teaches you to fight multiple opponents (individual dojos of other arts may, but as a whole I have found no others).

zorbaru

Maybe it's an excuse - but it's a free world.....why SHOULD everyone have to enjoy the same thing you do?

im not saying that everyone SHOULD. my point was that people view things like Swimming an essential skill that everyone SHOULD learn as a valuable life skill.

where as people view martial arts as a hobby such as dancing, when i believe that it is also a valuable life skill.

the point of this thread is to try to help people that would like to do it, but have some reservations about it for one reason or another.

Pebble321

Maybe it's an excuse - but it's a free world.....why SHOULD everyone have to enjoy the same thing you do?

im not saying that everyone SHOULD. my point was that people view things like Swimming an essential skill that everyone SHOULD learn as a valuable life skill.

where as people view martial arts as a hobby such as dancing, when i believe that it is also a valuable life skill.

the point of this thread is to try to help people that would like to do it, but have some reservations about it for one reason or another.

Fair enough - but the way this is coming across in writing is that everyone else is just full of excuses and only you are doing the right thing. That may not be your intention, but it's how it reads to me, and just makes me want to say "bugger off, you can't tell me what to do".
And as I said before - I think the odds of me drowning, being attacked by a shark or being run down by a car when I'm running are much much higher than the chances of me being attacked on the streets and being able to use martial arts to successfully defend myself.

zorbaru

i didnt mean it to come accross that way. the post i refered to mentioned that the ONLY reason they didnt do it was the uniform and shouting.

my post was trying to illustrate that they really arent things that should put you off doing it, if they are infact the only reasons.

thefuzz1290

i didnt mean it to come accross that way. the post i refered to mentioned that the ONLY reason they didnt do it was the uniform and shouting.

my post was trying to illustrate that they really arent things that should put you off doing it, if they are infact the only reasons.

I don't like the uniform or traditions of most martial arts, which is why I don't take them. Plus, most are useless anyways.

Pepper2185

My husband trains in kickboxing and ju jitsu at a dojo nearby. The cost doesn't deter him. He doesn't do MMA to learn how to defend himself in a streetfight. His primary motivation is learning a challenging skill from a sensei who is much wiser and experienced than himself. He believes MMA training extends beyond the dojo, and that self-discipline is an amazing skill to learn and grow with. The workout is incredible, too. He is in fantastic shape. He also enjoys the social aspect of interacting with guys who share the same values and commitment to health as he does.

Me: I have no interest in martial arts, I don't consider it an essential skill. If I was ever mugged on the street I would throw them my purse and be done with it - I'm not into black eyes and cauliflower ears.