Should I lose weight before starting martial arts?

Question

I'm about 6 ft 230 lbs, I want to get into a martial art, but I don't know which one. I've heard about Krav Maga, but I've read the training is brutal and I'm wondering if I'm too heavy for it.

Answer 1

You don't need to lose weight. I mean, won't the arts help you do that?

Answer 2

With Martial Arts you will lose the weight easily. I remember my first month of Karate I lost 10 lbs. Don't worry, you'll lose the weight.

Answer 3

you'll lose your weight while doing it,thats one of the reasons alot of people do it.

Answer 4

That's part of the point of doing Martial Arts, to help the body. You shouldn't prepare for Martial Art, Martial Art should prepare you.

Answer 5

you should always be fit especially if your doing martial arts

Answer 6

I was overweight when I started taking TKD.

I lost the weight very fast!

The first thing we did was to RUN for 15 minutes before we started class.

Answer 7

You probably need to be around 200 in order to have the necessary agility and flexibility.

Answer 8

youll drop the weight training i wouldn't worry about it before you start but try doing some road work before hand if you want that wouldn't hurt

Answer 9

I lost 10 pounds in my first week.  i would worry about it at all.  getting fit is all a part of the training so get in there.

Answer 10

you dont sound over weight, so if you want to do martial arts my best advice is to do some stretching (especially if you want to do asian martial arts classes) also i'm not really sure where your going to find a krav maga school, but I'm sure if you do find one you're in the right weight class

Answer 11

depends why your doing karate. if you wana be in good shape then better to loose weight before. karate is a real physical sport so you would need to be in decent shape at the start. id say bike ride for a month with a mp3 or play some kind of team sport which will allow you to rest and run without knowing. doing karate from being fat wont make you slim. youl just be like the guy from beverly hill ninja! id say try and get into decent shape at the start so you dont look like a looser at the beginning. good luck!

Answer 12

it's beneficial to lose weight, but you don't need to lose weight to start.  specially with something like krav maga.  it's a pure defensive system that's not as heavily reliant on physique.

Answer 13

♥♥nah, i am in karate and ppl go to karate an lose weight while thy are there. I recommend karate, by far. but it is your choice, and i don't think that is fat.♥♥

Good Luck

xoxoxoxo

Answer 14

You don't need to lose weight before starting. You will actually lose weight by attending the class. I'm sure they will ease you into it and not have you hurt yourself. A friend of mine was 280 and 6'1 before starting Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Now he is 240. I would say to just go for it and enjoy yourself. You will almost immediately feel a boost in self confidence and will be having a great time. You will also make new friends and possibly get addicted ;) Martial arts is a great thing.

Answer 15

It's not necessary. Training in a martial art will get you fit.

Answer 16

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