Anyone have a suggestion to which martial art i should take up?

Question

Currently, I am proficient at Kendo, and Tai-chi, also the chi aspect too.

Now, what else can I take up?

Answer 1

Have you heard about Asian's secret martial art called "Silat"...check it out. It's like soft gentle move like dancing but vital. There are lots of version too - famous are Cekak Silat & Pusaka Silat

Answer 2

By proficient you are good with push hand, sword and practical applications.  Do you do long form or short form and which style.  Personally I love it, every morning, coffee, stretching, chi kung, form.

My impression of Taiji is that it is like a reel of silk, never ending, I do the Wu solo form, push hands and free style push hands and I always find there is more.  I am also a Krav Maga teacher and a Combat SAMBO student.

If your doing the modern 24 posture, I would suggest going to one of the long forms, if you don't do push hands, you should, if it is not offered where you are, go where it is offered.  They Yang Classical form (108 posture) or my favorite the Wu solo (108 posture) are a wealth.  Push hands helps in developing all kinds of cool stuff.

Honestly, I am Israeli, like most of my colleagues in the IDF Sayaret units, when we get the chance, we do Chinese Martial arts, because we are trained extensively in hand to hand combat with modern weapons, maybe you need a little break to do some of this training, I would recommend Combat SAMBO or Krav Maga for modern weapons  disarmament techniques.  But all of this is still based on Chin Na.

Please trust me on this one, you may just be in the wrong place, learn more of what you have started, if you want some practical stuff, try one of the above mentioned systems.  Please if you think you know Taiji, you don't, it is a bottomless pool.

If you want to learn something different, try Combat SAMBO, if you have done push hands and Chin Na, this will be an application set to modern weapons.  

If you haven't done push hands and chin na, then you haven't done really done Taiji yet.  You are on the right course, please find a place to continue your studies in depth.

Answer 3

all of those you mentioned requires a fair amount of flexability so you could try Judo, thats a very effective form of self defence and unfourtunaly its been forgotton in favour of its big brother taekwondo, those two seem right up your alley, or if you want to bulk up and gain muscle try muay thai or boxing - both very effective in self defence and in fitness.

Answer 4

I agree with much of what wuboy said..thumbs up for him. While many of the styles listed may be excellent, what people fail to realize is that they might not be available anywhere near you.

I like Krav and combat sambo, the only problem is finding good instructors in the state. Many Krav classes are taught by fitnes professionals that took a certification course, and are a pale comparison to the real stuff.

Expanding on what wuboy said, Tai-Chi is a very in depth style. If you can find a teaher that knows what they are doing, it has wicked self defense within it. I also agree that you have probably not gotten anywhere near as deep as you could.

If you absolutly have to take another style, my recomendation is not to worry so much about style, but finding the best instructor and school in your area. If you are taught garbage , garbage will come out. A blue belt from a good karate school, that trains with aliveness and doesn't give belts away, will beat a blue belt in BJJ from a so so school generally, or vice versa.

In the end a style will not defend you, it is only a tool. Far more importent then style is how well you are taught and how you train it. Research what is availible in your area. there are many question and answers on here about what to look for in a good school and what to avoid, just do a search. then visit each school and pick the best one.

Answer 5

kung fu?? get inspired by the panda...lol

Answer 6

Okay, well, you got a head start on tai chi already. That's good! Kutos for you. Tai chi is always a learning experience though. Keep learning! There's TONS of tai chi postures, forms, etc. It keeps on going and going and going...

Kung fu, I suggest. There's a lot of really good kung fu forms that complement tai chi very well. Tai chi cultivates the qi inside, while kung fu is a martial art, the real good stuff. In its own way it also helps the qi.

I'm a beginner of the beginners, and the first form I learned is Ji Ben Quan (Chuan) or Basic Form. It requires discipline, but is supposedly the easiest one. (in theory at least) I recommend Ji Ben Quan first.

You can also learn qi gong; it uses many of the same movements as tai chi. Then again, it's not so much a martial art as a cultivation of qi. Qi Gong forms to begin with are the five animal qi gong: Turtle, Crane, Snake, Tiger, then Dragon.

Answer 7

Try capoeira for speed instead of the usual strength

Answer 8

Have you considered Tae Kwon Do?  Very good for protection.

Answer 9

how about "marma kala"????...at its highest level ud be able to paralyse ppl using just ur fingers...it sounds sick as dude...u shud look it up online and see if anyone offers it where u are...n buzz me if they do in aus

Answer 10

Have u heard about korean martial arts, Choi Kwang Do

Answer 11

Kung fu - animal styles or another traditional shaolin style to add to your tai-chi. the chi aspect will come in useful lots off kicks which you dont really get with the other arts u say u know and also there are lots of hand blocks and strikes

note not many kicks in wing chun

Answer 12

look all martial arts are good taichi,kung fu,silat they doesn't excist the best martial art if it did don't you think everyone would be doing that martial art.In my opinion try taekwondo WTF it's fun beautifull yet dangerous and after a black belt they might teach you to kill with the responsibility needed it's also great for self defense I'm judo is good but how about if someone alot bigger than you comes at you will you try and kick and punch and tryin' so that you won't grab or grapple.

I hope I helped in any way.GOOD LUCK.

Answer 13

All these karate groups being mentioned sound convincing but you can never be sure. My sensei told me of one group who tech GO KAN ROO. They claim it to be amazing but there instructors wear black belts with a gold stripe. This is their uniform, most of these senseis are only yellow belts and are only allowed to teach as they know the basics. GO KAN ROO krate originated in australia about 5 years ago, whoever invented it was australin and not japanese wich karate masters should be. GO KAN ROO is basically KANGAROO split up!

I do shotokan karate. This is practiced throughout the world and orginated in japan. This is a great one. It doesnt cost the earth but you learn so much. Every sensei is atleast a 3rd dan black belt and classes and grading sizes are small so the sensei can watch everyone and improve your karate. This is mostly self defense and fitness, but teaches you how to fight if you need to, but also what to do in real situations! Dont go for a phony club! Research and check out the clubs before paying money. If clubs are genuine they will have small amounts of people and let you have tryout lessons say 1 or 2