# Beginner seeking advice.



## loboniga (Sep 14, 2008)

Hey guys, the reason I'm posting is to get advice from this community about what martial art/arts would suit me best and also the availability in my commuting range.  I think a little background about myself would help anyone wanting to make a better evaluation so here goes.  

I'm a 22 year old male looking to begin training a martial art.  I have no background in martial arts.  I played football throughout high school and have always been interested in competition and sports that require a lot of strategy and physical contact.  I am around 6'3 250 pounds.  I've heard Ju Jit Zu is one of the best self-defense martial arts around, but I honestly don't know very much about any other martial arts (other than watching UFC religiously).  My main objective is to begin training one the the most effective martial arts (effective means the martial art that gives the student the maximum potential to defend themselves/disable their opponent) so that I'm not wasting my time with something that isn't worth training for my goals.  Just as an example, I've heard tai kwon do is more of a martial art "for show," if you will, (not to offend any tae kwon do people out there, but I can't see myself learning to kick like that) and therefore wouldn't be applicable necessarily to a street fight.  Anyways, I'm getting a bit off point here.


Location.  I commute to work in Austin from Waco 3 days a week, so I would be able to train anywhere in Austin, Waco, or anywhere between.  If anyone knows of good places to train in these locations I'd really apprecaite any info/resources you could reference me to.  Thanks a ton.

Austin


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## loboniga (Sep 14, 2008)

http://www.austinmartialarts.com/adult_mushin_dao.php

Any opinions about this place?


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## kaizasosei (Sep 14, 2008)

i would check out conventional sources like books and encyclopedia or the internet.  i can recomend a good book called 'secrets of the samurai'- some of the material is somewhat outdated and written from a somewhat ancient point of view.  but overall, it's a great work.  i believe one of the authors is Oscar Rati.  

books like that are excellent guides, i find.  

personally, i would reccomend aiki arts such as aikido, aikijutsu, kiaijutsu,taichichuan- internal martial arts
for kicking i reccomend tae kwon do- great workout too(thinking of signing up soon myself)
for striking i recomend some boxing and the strikes of Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu- 
i also put great stress on weapons training.  

since violence is not only physical and always visible, it is not that easy to say what the 'best' selfdefense is....kindof out there but true

j


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## SFC JeffJ (Sep 14, 2008)

Look around at different schools.  Most will let you watch or take a free introductory class.  Find out what you like and look for a good instructor.

Good luck!


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## dancingalone (Sep 14, 2008)

I have no opinion on the Mushin Dao school, but if you want to practice BJJ, Phil Cardella's school is well-regarded in Austin.  He's a Relson Gracie black belt.

http://www.philcardella.com/

Sensei Zdenk Matl runs a traditional judo class in Round Rock, which is about 30 minutes north of Austin.  If you're coming from Waco on I-35 you'll run through Round Rock.  Not sure if your schedule will work out, but it's worth a look.  http://www.rrma.net


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## Drac (Sep 14, 2008)

Asking what art you should study is akin to asking what kind of car you should drive, ask 100 people and you will get 100 different answers...You have gotten some *EXCELLENT *advice from the others..Check out some schools and observe some classes..Your heart and spirit will tell you when you have found the right place...


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## 7starmarc (Sep 14, 2008)

You might want to check these guys out:

http://usakfa.com/austin_adult.html

Sifu Hughes has an excellent reputation, and shares our lineage (my Sifu is John Cheng).


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## arnisador (Sep 14, 2008)

loboniga said:


> I am around 6'3 250 pounds.  I've heard Ju Jit Zu is one of the best self-defense martial arts around, but I honestly don't know very much about any other martial arts (other than watching UFC religiously).  My main objective is to begin training one the the most effective martial arts



Well, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu is an excellent start! With your size, grappling and punching come to mind--try kickboxing, Jeet Kune Do, etc.

But you have to check out some schools. There are TKD schools out there that would suit you too!



loboniga said:


> http://www.austinmartialarts.com/adult_mushin_dao.php



From the website it's hard to tell. It doesn't set off too many flags though new arts always make on wonder. Check it out!


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## Giorgio/Enfield TAGB (Sep 14, 2008)

Hi , my name is Giorgio , i am 9, i have trained in Tae Kwon Do since i was 4, i am a black belt 1st dan, i think you should try Shaolin Kung fu, it is by far the best method of self defence and fun and challenging, i am trained by a 35th generation Shaolin Monk. Tae Kwon do is good, but doesnt compare to Shaolin Kung Fu. Good luck, check my new website www.giorgio.org.uk


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## bowser666 (Sep 14, 2008)

Giorgio/Enfield TAGB said:


> Hi , my name is Giorgio , i am 9, i have trained in Tae Kwon Do since i was 4, i am a black belt 1st dan, i think you should try Shaolin Kung fu, it is by far the best method of self defence and fun and challenging, i am trained by a 35th generation Shaolin Monk. Tae Kwon do is good, but doesnt compare to Shaolin Kung Fu. Good luck, check my new website www.giorgio.org.uk



Not exactly the place to be plugging your site ? Pretty good post for a 9 year old too    Anyways , for someone of your size and build , I would get into Kung Fu. It is a well balanced system. My style we learn , stand up as well as Chin Na , and Shuai Chiao ( Wrestling) and it is a well balanced style. Good SD applications and offense defense as well. Lots of material to learn , and oh yeah ,  it is a killer workout !! The style I do is in my link in my signature.


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## tsdclaflin (Sep 14, 2008)

Sounds like you want something modern, not necessarily traditional.

Look at Krav Maga.

That is next on my list to learn. I have a 2nd degree black belt in Tang Soo Do, a traditional korean art.


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## loboniga (Sep 15, 2008)

> Sounds like you want something modern, not necessarily traditional.
> 
> Look at Krav Maga.
> 
> That is next on my list to learn. I have a 2nd degree black belt in Tang Soo Do, a traditional korean art.



Thanks for the info, that's exactly what I'm looking for.  What do you think about this place?

http://www.fitandfearless.com/krav-maga-austin-texas.php


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## Sylo (Sep 15, 2008)

I'll give the "no martial art is the best for Self defense" speech.

Just try different schools and train in what you enjoy from those.
all arts have something to gain as far as self defense.

I practice TKD, and I'd say.. unless you can find a Muay Thai school.. its gonna be about the best for kicks.


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## Daniel Sullivan (Sep 15, 2008)

No best, no worst.  Some people are well suited to a particular art due to build, flexibility, and some arts simply clicking with them.  

I do hapkido, taekwondo and kendo, but of the three, I'm most suited to taekwondo; 6'4 and right around two hundred, with a 36" inseem.  With most of my height in my legs, and with fairly long arm, I favor a striking art.

You've got my height, plus some heft and a football background, so I'd venture that you're fairly well muscled.  Hapkido might be a nice start, since it utilizes some strikes (advantage for your height) and has sweeps, takedowns, joint locks, and such.  If you want to do UFC style fighting, getting some judo, jujutsu, or Brazilian Jiujitsu would certainly help, as would wrestling.

The rest depends on whether you want to be focused on competition or self defense.  

UFC is great, but it is still ring fighting, not SD.  Not that those guys can't defend themselves; I have no doubt that they can.  But they're training to fight in competition, not primarilly for self defense.

A self defense oriented school will train you to disable and kill your opponents if need be, but won't focus on competition.  Once again, not that guy with a very strong SD background can't get into competitions and do well, but they're not training for it.

Lots of good advice, suggestions, and pointers from others here.  Definitely consider what everyone has said.

No opinion on the website.

Best wishes,

Daniel


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## loboniga (Sep 15, 2008)

Thank you very much for the advice.  I'm definitely looking for an art that teaches real-world effectiveness like you said, not necessarily competitive fighting.  I'm debating right now between a place that teaches a combination of kung fu, ju jit zu, karate, and boxing, which they teach here in a comprehensive program (http://austinmartialarts.com/adult_mushin_dao.php) and krav maga, which would be taught here (http://fitandfearless.com/).  From what I've researched, Krav Maga seems like a more applicable fighting style in say a street fight, while the former would be more applicable to competition style fighting, but the comprehensive nature of austinmartialarts seems really attractive as well.  I'd love to hear any opinion anyone has on these places/styles.  Thanks again.


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## jks9199 (Sep 15, 2008)

loboniga said:


> Thank you very much for the advice.  I'm definitely looking for an art that teaches real-world effectiveness like you said, not necessarily competitive fighting.  I'm debating right now between a place that teaches a combination of kung fu, ju jit zu, karate, and boxing, which they teach here in a comprehensive program (http://austinmartialarts.com/adult_mushin_dao.php) and krav maga, which would be taught here (http://fitandfearless.com/).  From what I've researched, Krav Maga seems like a more applicable fighting style in say a street fight, while the former would be more applicable to competition style fighting, but the comprehensive nature of austinmartialarts seems really attractive as well.  I'd love to hear any opinion anyone has on these places/styles.  Thanks again.


The krav maga website is very, very commercial.  Go, watch the classes and see what you think.  (If they won't let you watch a class, I consider that a significant red flag.  Note that I'm not saying watch ANY class; there are legit reasons for some classes to be private.  But unable to watch any?  Yeah, problem.)  I personally am a bit leery of very commercial websites.  Who'll actually be teaching?

The Mushin Dao site is also very commercial.  They're teaching lots of things, and seem to have a special program for every need you might have.  I bet there's a price tag, too...  Lots of acronyms and names...  Tony Blauer's SPEAR system is decent.  Interestingly enough, there's another RAD program out there; it's copyrighted material on a self defense program called Rape Aggression Defense, which uses scenario training and padded assailants.  The catch to all of this is simple: ever been to a restaurant that offered several types of cooking (Greek, Italian, German, French, American, Chinese, etc.)?  Ever been to one that did more than one of them well?

In the end, it's going to be very simple.  Go to the schools you're interested in.  Watch a class.  Talk to students.  Decide if what they offer, in the format and company taught, is what you're after.  If not -- keep looking.

Think about what you're after.  Are you looking purely for self-defense?  a life-long avocation that may very likely surprise you in the ways that it effects you outside the training hall?  a fun activity to exercise?  an experience of another culture?  Different martial arts schools will offer any and all of these -- and typically some combination of a few of them.  If you're looking for a quick route to self defense skills, that's what you need to find.  A self defense class.  Krav maga and a few other martial arts may be quicker than others if you want the more "martial art" feeling.  Really, for practical needs, JUDO is actually one of the best, if you can find a club that's not sport oriented.  You'll learn to fall safely...  and the simple truth is that you're almost certainly going to fall down sometime in your life.  Probably in the next few months.  You may or may not be in a fight...

There are plenty of threads that discuss these issues on MT already.  Take a few minutes, and check them out.  My personal suggestion is to avoid the more commercial places, as a general rule.  Quite simply, the more commercial a place is, the more the instructor is likely to have to worry more about the bottom line and less about teaching quality.  It's not a guarantee...  There are exceptions.  But it's a likelihood.  At the same time, a non-commercial club is harder to find, and may move with little notice... or even close down with little notice.  It definitely won't have the fanciest stuff that you'll find in a big, expensive commercial school.  There's a happy medium out there somewhere -- but it's hard to find.


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## zendokai guy (Sep 16, 2008)

i dont want to offend but it dose sound like you want to do martial arts for the wrong reasons. alot of us started out that way. myself including.
JDK might be a go for you...
oh and dont worry about street fights once you have a great knowlede of martial art you wont be in any more fights. i know from experiance.
i see it in 80% of the wite belts that come in they want to hurt or defend.
defence is good but you will never look at a fight the same way once you are knowledgeable in martial arts..
now all i have to do is get knowledgeable in my spelling lol


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## qwksilver61 (Sep 20, 2008)

If am not mistaken the Austin Wing Tsun academy is in you neighborhood, go online check it out.


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## lrak9 (Sep 29, 2008)

Gracie BJJ tapes has helped me a lot as a new beginer that likes to roll. I am interested in training with a dummie and would like advice on how to make one and tips on how to effectively use it.


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## jks9199 (Sep 29, 2008)

lrak9 said:


> Gracie BJJ tapes has helped me a lot as a new beginer that likes to roll. I am interested in training with a dummie and would like advice on how to make one and tips on how to effectively use it.


I recall a couple of threads and websites about building a grappling dummy, using PVC or heavy cable.  If you search MT, you'll probably find 'em.


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## Em MacIntosh (Oct 1, 2008)

With a football background I'd reccommend Shootfighting, SAMBO or pancration.  Jui-jitsu is essentially the manipulation of the joints.  Personally I see little difference between BJJ an jui jitsu, just the emphasis on the "dirty moves" (which we all know are the best for self defense) in BJJ.  Be cautious of the beef between Wing Chun, Wing Tsun and Ving Tsun etc.  It's a* personal *matter of opinion who's "better".  A lot of schools say they're the best.  Personally, I like JKD.  Learn what works best for you.

Also, you mentioned you enjoy the competative aspect.  Breaking (Ice, boards, bricks, coconuts, toilets etc.)might be something you'd enjoy, maybe have a natural talent for it.


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## hogstooth (Oct 11, 2008)

It sounds like you are looking for a strickly self defense art. All arts are bsed on self defense but if you are looking for an art that is strickly based on street defense try Krav Maga. I have never studied it but everything I have read about it leads me to believe it is a great art to teach you to defend your self in a hurry. Maybe others could chime in on this. I also have heard that Penjak silat (forgive the spelling not sure about it) is a good well rounded self defense art. 
Based on your comment that you like to compete try Judo, Ju Jitsu or Tea Kwon Do, they all compete in a lot of tournements and that might be just the ticket for you. 
I would visit the schools in your area and get a feel for what they offer and what best fits what you are looking for. Go to one or two nights of classes and watch the instructor and his students. See if what he is teaching would fit into what you are looking for. But don't stop after the first school. Check them all out and then choose. 
Good luck to you and God Bless.


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## still learning (Oct 14, 2008)

Hello,  You may want to look into any "KEMPO" schools too!

Aloha,


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