# which martial art should i do?



## shaunny92 (May 1, 2008)

the only places close to me that teach martial art is *hapkido* and *taekwondo*, which one should i do, im pretty big build i weight 80kg, im 16 and im 6'2, im not overweight or anything. i have a strong kick and punch and a strong upper body. which one should i learn?


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## OnlyAnEgg (May 1, 2008)

Welcome to Martial Talk!

One thing you can do is contact each school.  Most dojangs will provide a free introductory class.  This would give you a chance to see which of the two you might like.


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## Chris Parker (May 1, 2008)

Hi,

The best thing is to do as advised, and check them both out (if that is all that is on offer to you). One will "feel" better to you, for whatever reason. It could be the movements, the structure of the class, the instructor, or even the other students which eventually sway you one way or the other, but ideally, it will be a combination of all.

Between Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido, both have their own strengths and weaknesses (as do all arts), based on the particular approach each takes. Talk with the instructors and students, and see if you can find those differences (strengths and weaknesses) for yourself. Remember that you are well within your rights to ask any questions you feel you want answered to ensure that you are getting what you are after.

Good luck with your search!


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## jks9199 (May 1, 2008)

shaunny92 said:


> the only places close to me that teach martial art is *hapkido* and *taekwondo*, which one should i do, im pretty big build i weight 80kg, im 16 and im 6'2, im not overweight or anything. i have a strong kick and punch and a strong upper body. which one should i learn?


I suspect that there are more schools in your area, but they aren't as visible or as commercial.  You might check community recreation programs, gyms and health clubs, and even just ask around.  Lots of people don't teach commercially for reasons as simple as it's a hard way to make a living...  or the teachers just don't want to deal with what they'd have to do to make it commercially.


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## USP45CT (May 1, 2008)

I'd be really suprised if there were really only 2 schools in your area, but like others have said go out and check them out and pick which one you like.


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## Bodhisattva (May 1, 2008)

shaunny92 said:


> the only places close to me that teach martial art is *hapkido* and *taekwondo*, which one should i do, im pretty big build i weight 80kg, im 16 and im 6'2, im not overweight or anything. i have a strong kick and punch and a strong upper body. which one should i learn?


 
I don't like either of those, personally - but out of the two - I'd choose Hapkido.

Are you sure you don't have a good Judo school near you? Judo is really great, and you can find a place to train Judo almost EVERYWHERE.

I highly recommend Judo over those two, personally. But that's just my opinion. No one freak out


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## allenjp (May 1, 2008)

I say see which one seems to make more sense to you. And do look around. Some of the best training can be found at places that aren't that visible. Ask them to do an introductory lesson and see what seems to make more sense. Just to let you know, my father is a Tae Kwon Do black belt and instructor in GA., Tae Kwon Do is about 80% kicks, and they have some very powerfull and effective kicking techniques. From what I've seen of Hapkido, it seems to focus on more close range, and more joint manipulation and such. My father incorporates Hapkido into his TKD curriculum.


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## tellner (May 1, 2008)

What do you want out of your martial arts experience? Not what do you think you _should_ want, but what are you looking for. That's what's important. The answer may change. For the moment keeping the question in mind is the key to making good choices.

There is a number of reasons people do martial arts - the joy of competition, socializing, physical fitness, connection with a culture or historical period, self defense, more subtle personal development, an outlet and many others. No one school or method can excell at all of them. 

It is more important to find a school which is compatible with these goals and a teacher with whom you will be able to spend the time and energy than to find a particular style or tradition.

That said, there are some systems which are better at some things and for specific people.

If you like to wrestle you will be disappointed with fencing. If you want to learn ancient weapons Krav Maga is not for you. If you have short legs and little natural flexibility you are runing into your weaknesses if you do Tae Kwon Do. On the other hand, if you enjoy precision, control and the sword fencing is perfect. Krav Maga is a great choice if your primary goal is practical self defense in a short time. And Tae Kwon Do has become a very popular international sport.

Go to a couple classes at each school. If they won't let you watch or try to get you to sign up right away, especially for something like "free course of five private lessons" turn around and walk away without saying a word. 

Look at how the class goes. Watch how the students interact, their level of energy and interest. 

Look at the space. Does someone care about it enough to keep it clean, safe and in good order? Are there lots of trophies? That would indicate a school that is geared towards competition. Are there uniforms? 

What sort of skill do you see in the senior students? Skill in the instructor is important, but you're interested in learning. Can he transmit it? Does anyone stick around long enough to develop to a reasonably high level? How much does the senior instructor actually teach as opposed to standing back and watching while his senior students do the teaching?

How hard is the sell? If the teacher promises to give you the Mystic Wisdom of the Exotic Orient or the Exotic Wisdom of the Mystic Orient you're probably being scammed. Anything that you really put your heart into can be a vehicle for personal growth. And most martial artists are no more functional as awake, aware, spiritually mature human beings than anyone else. Often quite the opposite 

How much emphasis is their on heirarchy, status, ranks and titles? How much of it do you want? How much are you comfortable with?

A school whether it's a huge establishment with dozens of teachers and a kids' after school program or half a dozen folks who get together in someone's backyard has its own life as an organization. What the school as an entity does for (and to) its members may not be what you are looking for, but it may well be close enough that the ride is worth the fare.


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## shaunny92 (May 1, 2008)

yea there are judo and stuff, but i narrowed what i wanted to hapkido and taekwondo, too bad theres no karate , or jujitsu, i live in australia BTW, not america or japan where there are heaps of classes


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## shaunny92 (May 1, 2008)

One more thing, i want to punch and throw and kick, i heared taekwondo is mostly kicking, and hapkido has kicking and punching and throwing


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## MeatWad2 (May 1, 2008)

you seriously need to figure out what works best with your body type.  try them both out and see if you enjoy the class and what is taught in it.  my personal preference would be hapkido, but that's because it has more joint locks in it.


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## allenjp (May 1, 2008)

That's good, just know that you should probably incorporate jujutsu or judo into your training at some point, you would do well to know the clinch, throws, and at least some ground fighting techniques, I don't think that TKD or Hapkido do much of that and those are very important components of most real fights.


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## shaunny92 (May 1, 2008)

wow you guys reply quickly, and i want to fo punching aswell and kicking, is there punching in hapkido


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## Kacey (May 1, 2008)

The best class is one in which you like the instructor and the atmosphere.  If those don't fit for you, the rest won't matter.  Check these two threads to help you make the decision that works for you:

Resources for Beginners
Choosing a school

Good luck!


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## arnisador (May 1, 2008)

Check out both schools! Sounds like you have the mindset for TKD, with its emphasis on striking, over HKD, with its emphasis on locking? Both will serve you well.


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## Chris Parker (May 2, 2008)

Hi Shaunny,

Whereabouts in Australia are you? I'm in Melbourne myself, and most major centres have a range of schools of all different styles, so I'm curious as to where you are to only have the option of Tae Kwon Do or Hapkido.


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## Langenschwert (May 2, 2008)

There are all kinds of arts there.  The teacher makes the critical difference.  Tell us what you want to learn how to do and we can be of more help.  As the song says, shop around:

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=Dmra1eBYvpQ 

Best regards,

-Mark


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