Which martial art is right for me?

[Mohammed Almajid]

I'm a 17 year old male, 6 foot 3, weighing at around 95 kg (210 pounds or 15 stone). I've been watching MMA for a while and I have a deep interest for it and so now I think it's time I actually start fighting myself. I may have left it too late to be able to make a good career out of it but that doesn't matter to me I'm just interested in fighting and also for self defence. However I'm not sure which martial art I should learn. When I fight competitively I would like it to be MMA but I don't know what to focus on at the start. I'm pretty tall and heavy (not fat though) and pretty strong too. I've also got good reach. I lack stamina ,flexibility and I'm a little slow too but they are things I will be looking to improve. So what do you guys think is best for me? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Also if you need any more information just ask.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

I'm a 17 year old male, 6 foot 3, weighing at around 95 kg (210 pounds or 15 stone). I've been watching MMA for a while and I have a deep interest for it and so now I think it's time I actually start fighting myself. I may have left it too late to be able to make a good career out of it but that doesn't matter to me I'm just interested in fighting and also for self defence. However I'm not sure which martial art I should learn. When I fight competitively I would like it to be MMA but I don't know what to focus on at the start. I'm pretty tall and heavy (not fat though) and pretty strong too. I've also got good reach. I lack stamina ,flexibility and I'm a little slow too but they are things I will be looking to improve. So what do you guys think is best for me? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Also if you need any more information just ask.

Whats in your area? Find schools that look cool, and attend classes at them, to figure out which one you like most. There's no way of saying "oh you fit these physical criteria, so enter this art", but whichever one you do enjoy your more likely to continuously put the effort in to train.

 

[Paul_D]

I'm a 17 year old male, 6 foot 3, weighing at around 95 kg (210 pounds or 15 stone). I've been watching MMA for a while and I have a deep interest for it and so now I think it's time I actually start fighting myself. I may have left it too late to be able to make a good career out of it but that doesn't matter to me I'm just interested in fighting and also for self defence. However I'm not sure which martial art I should learn. When I fight competitively I would like it to be MMA but I don't know what to focus on at the start. I'm pretty tall and heavy (not fat though) and pretty strong too. I've also got good reach. I lack stamina ,flexibility and I'm a little slow too but they are things I will be looking to improve. So what do you guys think is best for me? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Also if you need any more information just ask.

My advice is alsways the same, try everything in your area and then train the one you most enjoy. If you enjoy it you are more likely to stick with it, and therefore become good at it.

 

[drop bear]

Wrestle.

 

[Mohammed Almajid]

Whats in your area? Find schools that look cool, and attend classes at them, to figure out which one you like most. There's no way of saying "oh you fit these physical criteria, so enter this art", but whichever one you do enjoy your more likely to continuously put the effort in to train.

My advice is alsways the same, try everything in your area and then train the one you most enjoy. If you enjoy it you are more likely to stick with it, and therefore become good at it.

Yeah you're both right that's probably the best. There isn't really anywhere close to me but I will be able to drive soon so I can try some places a little further.

 

[KangTsai]

The answer will always be "Check out the most situationally viable school around your area, and whatever they happen to teach."

 

[Chris Parker]

I'm a 17 year old male, 6 foot 3, weighing at around 95 kg (210 pounds or 15 stone). I've been watching MMA for a while and I have a deep interest for it and so now I think it's time I actually start fighting myself. I may have left it too late to be able to make a good career out of it but that doesn't matter to me I'm just interested in fighting and also for self defence. However I'm not sure which martial art I should learn. When I fight competitively I would like it to be MMA but I don't know what to focus on at the start. I'm pretty tall and heavy (not fat though) and pretty strong too. I've also got good reach. I lack stamina ,flexibility and I'm a little slow too but they are things I will be looking to improve. So what do you guys think is best for me? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Also if you need any more information just ask.

You are interested in MMA... have aspirations of competing in MMA... how about you look for an MMA gym? As ever, what's around you and available is going to be the most important factor... but MMA gyms are getting more and more common...

 

[Mohammed Almajid]

You are interested in MMA... have aspirations of competing in MMA... how about you look for an MMA gym? As ever, what's around you and available is going to be the most important factor... but MMA gyms are getting more and more common...

There isn't really anything that close to me but I will be able to drive in the coming months so then I have a wider range of options to choose from, MMA gyms being one of them.

 

[yak sao]

17 is not too old by any means. Some great athletes came to their sport late in high school or even college.
Between now and the time you are able to start training at a school, I would recommend that you start a lot of push-ups, planks, bodyweight squats, stretching, etc so that you are better prepared when you get there.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

We get this question all the time; so much so that I sometimes feel irritated that the people who ask it don't bother to simply search to find the many, many, questions and replies to the same question that have been asked here.

HOWEVER...I am not feeling grumpy and old today. Don't know why, but I'll enjoy this respite from sanity for awhile.

Let me put it bluntly. I like being blunt.

WHAT IS THE BEST MARTIAL ART FOR ME?

The best martial art for you is the one with quality instruction, which you dedicate yourself to.

There's only one secret to martial arts prowess, and that is to keep training.