What is "the best" martial art to practice if you're a 14 year old girl?

Question

I have no experience whatsoever

thanks for helping (:

Answer 1

....Any of them.

Answer 2

i would try aikido.

Answer 3

wing chun

Answer 4

brazilian jiu jitsu if you want to learn how to fight.

kickboxing if you want get fit

Answer 5

I am a girl and a year ago I started TaeKwonDo when I was 12.  I am in the adult advanced class. I find it very easy to catch on and not too difficult.  At the place I take it we also learn some Brazilian Jujitsu and find that also fun and helpful. Good Luck  

Answer 6

Everyone will tell you "THIS MARTIAL ART IS THE BEST!!" or "OMG THIS BEATS ALL THE REST".

Complete bull **** i say, it's not in the art but within the fighter.

I'll name some of the less intense martial arts: Karate, ITF Tae Kwon Do, Judo, Kung Fu.

I wouldn't advise taking some of the sports like MMA, Muay Thai, Kravmaga , or Kendo. I'm naming them not because they are bad but because they are intense and you're only 14.

Answer 7

I took Judo/Jujitsu when I was 14...So in my opinion, I would believe that would be the best =) Very good workout and alot of self-defense. There's also Judo tournaments if that's what you're looking for.

Answer 8

The best use for youtube is to first see what looks like fun for you. Figure out first if you think that you'd like to do that style of martial art. There's tons of martial arts in the world, and the ones people tell you to do aren't always the best choice since they don't know you. Figure out what type of martial art you want: Do you want something better for self-defense, or something more for the exercise or self-confidence aspects, or do you want to compete? Then figure out what's available in your area. Then just start visiting schools and see how the instructors relate to the students, how the students act with each other, etc. Ask if they offer a free trial period. If they don't, I usually walk out then. No one learns anything in one or two classes that's detrimental to the fate of the world. Besides, you want to know how you'll fit in with the class, even as a new student. Are people nice? Do they have similar goals?

Don't be over-impressed by medals and certificates. Couple UPCs off boxes of Frosties and you can have the same ones. Find out about etiquette and punishment for breaches -- our school, it's kosher if you swear a bit or you wear shoes in the room; but others aren't so laid back.

Finally, don't worry about your age so long as you're willing to push yourself. How hard is up to you, but you get only as much as you put in.

If you need help, feel free to message me. Good luck, and train hard.

Answer 9

there is no "best" martial art.  It depends on you.  Your body type, your athletic ability, and your work ethic.  I guess the best thing is to talk to all the instructors in your area and ask them this question and see what they say.  If any of them say THEIR art is the best, then don't train with them.  Always go with the humble instructor.

Answer 10

I was 14 when i started Taekwondo i had no experience i was really unfit but now after 2 years of it its made me fitter i can stretch more!

Answer 11

depends on what your after, girls tend to go for light contact stuff like karate, lau gar kung fu,tae kwon do, these are all good ones to learn, for flexibility and fitness, but if you want more practicle and dont mind being thrown about try mma , jui jitsu, judo etc, but have fun!

Answer 12

The art isn't going to make as much difference as the atmosphere of the school and the instructor. Get online or in the phone book and get some basic info on some of the schools near you and start checking them out. Just tell the instructors that is what you are doing and they will let you sit in on a few classes or maybe even take a few with no obligation. How comfortable you are in the school, around the other students and with the instructors mean more than the arts ever will.

As to arts I would recommend for a young woman there are lots and I don't want to overload you so, I'll just give you a few like Jiu Jitsu, Wing Chun, Isshin Ryu or Kempo.

Best of luck!!

Answer 13

The video below gives you an excellent idea of what girls do at the Olympic Games to compete in 'martial arts' - I'm not sure what this is called exactly, but if you invite others to view the vid clip someone will know.  

It's an Olympic Games recognised sport.  The girls are dressed in modest style, and wear head protection.  It looks very skilled and at the same time 'safe'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pj7Pfg-XV...

Below is the link to Martial Arts for Girls

http://www.karateangels.com/tzsarahcorne...

At 14 you'll have to do a lot of catching up.  I want you to take up martial arts and focus on the 2012 London Olympics - you've got four years hard work and training ahead of you.  Go for it.

Team GB arrives home

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/indepth/olympic...

Στους Ολυμπιακούς Αγώνες 2012 του Λονδίνου - σας δείτε εκεί

To the London Olympics 2012 - see you there.

Answer 14

Every art has it's purpose. I teach martial arts at Karate For Kids. We teach different types of martial arts. Taekwondo, Tai Chi and Tai Chi Chaun (Chen style). It really doesn't matter so much what type of martial arts you learn. It matters more as to what type of teacher you have. Being taught an art properly and learning it properly is key. I do feel, however, that girls tend to be more naturally graceful learning Kung Fu. The choice, however, is ultimately yours to make. Don't let someone decide what you can or can't do.

P.S. We have a troll in our midst.

Answer 15

i have an orange belt in ju jitsu, while i was training we did have a juniors class, so i belive this would benefit you greatly, as no high kicks, just self defence.

Answer 16

i am your age and i have been doing kung fu since i was five and it was always good for me i have never had any proboblem with it even when i was five and thats pretty young

Answer 17

Judo is perhaps the best to begin.  It is all about balance, not brute force.  You will learn to fall, learn to think, and learn what you can do with almost no effort on your part.

After my sister was in Judo she went to Tae Kwon Do, and got her black belt.

Answer 18

Hi Adelina,

Scott D and ?????? have given you some good answers. Speaking as someone who has trained Isshin-Ryu for 18 years, I would highly recomend it if you can find a good instructor and a good school. We currently have a 14 year old girl in our class that is a blue belt, and it seems to be suiting her just fine. It is designed to be effective fior smaller people, and relies more on relaxation and speed then brute force or power.

I do not know if you have an Isshin-Ryu school near you, and if you do it is definetly worth checking out, but I am just going to include it in my response.

Not knowing what is around you my advice is:

1) Do a search on here about finding a good school. there are many excellent answers about what to look for and what to avoid.

2) Locate all of the schools in your area, and research what the style's they teach include. You can eliminate a lot of possibilities just by doing this. Say you want weapons for sure, there is no sense even looking at a style or school that doesn't train them. Make sure it is an actual style, not just generic karate or kung fu etc.

3) Go to each of the schools that you decide to check out and watch at least 2 classes. Compare them to the list you got from the search.

4) Choose the style that most interests you that has the best instruction and training that you can afford.

Chances are if you are unwilling to do this you will not stick qwith any style anyway.

I don't care if you decide on Tai Chi, Judo, Bjj, Muay Thai, Any style of karate, etc., as long as you find the best school you can.

Even though I love Isshin-ryu and would definetly recomend i for everybody, if the school is not good you would be wasting your time. Take a look at everything you have availible.

Answer 19

There's no such thing as a best martial art they all have there own strengths and weaknesses the important thing is one that suits you.

They all have a beginner level so experience isn't a problem.

Then you consider what clubs are near you ,

Tang soo do is Korean karate which utilizes powerful kicks punches and blocks it is a traditional style martial art

Tae kwon do is derived from tang soo do and is the most popular martial in numbers of practitioners  it is similar to tang soo do and is the national sport of south Korea.

Muay Thai is Thai kick boxing   but uses knee's and elbows to brutal effect it is the national sport of Thailand  

Kravmaga is the Israeli defense forces stlye of self defense and is designed to create opportunities for escape

Karate and kung fu are some of the best known martial arts and is no point explaining them because they each have so many different styles  

jujitsu uses leverage against your enemies turning joints the wrong way etc but is designed mainly to defeat a single attacker