Martial Arts Fitness (((AND I DONT MEAN TAEBO!)))

I do not understand the question. If you are looking for a generic fitness class that uses moves from martial arts, then something like tae bo, tae box etc is the answer. If you are asking which actual martial art to look into learning, that is personal preference, all are going to give you a good workout.

mahoganybrowne wrote: »

Does anyone know any good Martial Arts Fitness?

Yes.

For self defense and fitness I would recommend either MMA or Krav Maga. If those aren't available, Sambo, Judo, Pancrase, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai are also very good styles. Check out several schools and watch to see which schools train the hardest and have the best students. Also remember that the practitioner is more important than the style.

I second Krav Maga. I used to practice at a Martial Arts studio that offered kickboxing, krav maga, and every type of MA. Different classes on different days. There was a program where you pay for 33 sessions and you could mix match. Show up for Krav one day, TKD the next, and so forth. I found that I liked Krav and kickboxing the best and used the rest of my sessions on those. Many MA studios work like that -- at least in my area. I'd say go to a studio, talk with the instructors, have them work you into a couple of trial sessions so you can see what type of moves/sequences you like and then go from there.

Any martial art will give you skills for self defense, and if you train daily any will help you get in shape. The style you choose is all about personal preference. Do you want to build speed and agility? Taekwondo is all about that. Do you want to learn moves that promote strength and precision? Judo or karate are excellent choices. Do some research, watch some YouTube videos of spars, and most importantly, go observe a dojo/dojang. A good school will let you watch a class before signing up to see if it's something you're interested in. Some schools use padding to spar. Some don't. You may be more comfortable with those that do. Or, like me, you may hate all that bulk around you and appreciate schools that teach and enforce control.

Honestly, most martial arts aren't going to give you the skills you need for self-defense unless you study them for many years. A common misconception is that a few months in the dojo will give you mad ninja skills, and it doesn't work that way. If you want self-defense, buy a gun and learn how to use it.

Having said that, if you want to study martial arts for their own merits, I'd recommend Tae Kwon Do, Karate, or Ju Jitsu. All are good styles for general fitness and to help improve strength and flexibility. TKD is a bit more kicking-oriented than karate, while JJ is, as previously, primarily grappling and throws. Which style you choose is strictly personal preference. Pick the one that appeals to you for its type of movement versus self-defense capabilities.

Disclosure - I study Okinawan karate because its traditional style appeals to me. But I harbor no illusions about my ability to use it to defend myself. With luck, I might be able to get in a good punch or block, but the best defense is to avoid situations where you might be in danger, if at all possible. I have a concealed carry permit, and I use it.

Good luck, and I hope you decide to study martial arts. The benefits, physical and mental, are tremendous. Just be realistic about the practical uses.

For quickly learning some self defence, an art with an emphasis on a lot of practical sparring from the get go will be good.

MMA studios can give you a good mix of arts that can get you out of trouble: something for groundwork, some striking, kicking, locks, throws. And they have an heavy emphasis on getting in the ring and putting stuff to use.

Having said that, sometimes it's not a particular art. More the atmosphere/culture at a school, how good the teacher is and whether you enjoy it enough to keep showing up and getting better.

Best to try out a few free tasters here and there and see how things are. You may end up learning traditional family-style Tai Chi or something more exotic and weapons orientated like Indonesian Silat. Or something more nuts and bolts like good old fashioned boxing. Until you try a few, you won't know what you like.

Adherence trumps everything at the end of the day. People endlessly say that art X is better than art Y. But the person who gives a decent effort over a couple of years to Y will be far superior as a martial artist than the person who gave 3 lessons worth of effort to X. And all such comparisons are ultimately meaningless. Good martial artists and teachers are good because they are genuinely interested in getting better and put in the effort over a long enough period to make it so.

mahoganybrowne wrote: »

So what about some good stretches? I'm always doing the normal stretches before I workout... I'd like to do some martial arts stretches as well... any suggestions? Like... any basic martial arts stretches before I start?

I don't know that there are any specific MA stretches but my self, I don't typically stretch unless I'm feeling sore or stiff in a particular joint. I like a bit of a run or even a walk to loosen up and if needed I will do lighter variants of whatever movements im doing that day. I don't do yoga either but it seems like a good choice for improving your mobility before a strenuous exercise.

I will say, that as far as fitness in the martial arts, it is up to you as the student, not so much the art, though I do believe that some schools will have a stronger emphasis on fitness than others. I have studied everything from TKD, Kenpo, Togakure Ryu Ninjutsu, Aikido, several different styles kung fu, Krav Maga, and finally, my current love Kuntao Silat. So far , Kuntao Silat, is the art that has forced the largest change in my body, both in weight loss, strength, flexibility, as well as mental and physical toughness. This could be due to my mental focus, the class dynamics or just where I am in my life, or the teacher and the art, or some combination of the above. I train in my teachers garage, not a school, and it has been some of the best training I have ever done, as far as actual effectiveness for my body and mindset. I would highly recommend trying multiple arts/styles and teachers, and there are so many variables involved when choosing an art/teacher/school. I have truly enjoyed training in the many and various arts I have tried over the last couple of decades, for different reasons for each art. I am at a place in my life where, I feel that, besides concealed carry, which I am a huge fan of, I want the biggest bang for any movement that I have to make in a combat situation. It could be maturity, or possibly a mental defect, but the Kuntao Silat that I do now, has helped me feel like I could end a life threatening situation quickly and efficiently, in a more decisive manner than any of the other arts thaI have studied.. That is not to discount the other arts I have studied, as I may have just been a poor student or was lacking understanding, as for my teachers, their art was the most effective for them, and I would not give up the time I spent training with them for anything. Sorry for the long post, in short, you can learn some amazing things from martial arts, but martial arts are about helping you become a better and more well-rounded person, and they give you tools and support that you can use to accomplish your fitness/life goals, but ultimately it is up to you to use what you are learning, to accomplish your goals.

Lofteren wrote: »

For self defense and fitness I would recommend either MMA or Krav Maga. If those aren't available, Sambo, Judo, Pancrase, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai are also very good styles. Check out several schools and watch to see which schools train the hardest and have the best students. Also remember that the practitioner is more important than the style.

This is excellent advice. All great schools/teachers I have encountered first informed me of their teaching line before anything else. They also introduced philosophy and drill the importance of "the only rational reason to master violence, is to abolish it". If you're shopping for schools and they promote a package deal to get you to black-belt - seek your fortune elsewhere.

Great self defense teachers will incorporate a lot of scenario construction and role play - involving a lot of sparring. Great teachers will be flexible enough to draw from other styles.