What martial arts style would be best for a short male?

Question

I'm 5'4" but not necessarily shrimpy. I can pack on muscle and have very good balance. My friend is taking Shaolin Kempo which I've read is a mix of Karate, Jiu-Jitsu, and Kung-fu. I would like to take the class with him but I want to make sure that fighting style would suit my short stature. I've read that Muay Thai is great for shorter fighters but I can't find anyone that teaches it in my area.

Answer 1

Oh fellow verticaly challenged one (P.C. speak you short b*****d).  I am 5'6" and 140 lbs.  I am a Krav Maga instructor.  As a Krav  Maga instructor, you might think that I would advocate Krav Maga, but you mentioned you have a friend in the SKK class, so this is what I would go for.

Let me say that being as a short guy is cool, being a fire hydrant is not. Don't try to add muscle, just make the muscle you have work better, through PFT (aerobics, pliometrics and just plain sweat), weight lifting (big) muscles will get you nowhere in Martial Arts...work the heavy bag, do pull ups, dips and things to give your current size better fitness.

I  have a black belt in SKK and love it, in every style, especially a diverse one there are techniques that will and won't work for you, the way you find them is through sparring, and playing around, not just looking at them.  I still play around with SKK and am thinking about going back in my spare time, if I get any, I still do the pinans and forms.

Eventually you will find your game, until then an art like SKK is really fun stuff.  When I first came to this country it was the first martial art I learned here in the USA, what attracted me to it was that it is distinctly American, taking elements from other styles and putting them together in a good package.  My instructor was a retired US Marine, so he put his special touches into it.

As a short guy you will develop an inside game, hooks, upper cuts, elbows, knees, joint locks, cool stuff like that and work your angles and speed, better smooth than just strong.  Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.

My Combat SAMBO teacher is around 5'4" and 130 or so, he was awarded Grandmaster under the Soviet system,  not because he had paid testing fees, but because this little man is Yoda, strong with the force is he.  In Soviet union he taught a lot of very large Russians, and yet this little man is the master.  Juding him by his size would be detrimental to your health.  He trained KGB and Spetnatz (Russian Special Forces).

In my 90 day, 16 hour a day Krav Maga course , I averaged about 130 lbs on any given day, the sweat and ache being the sign of a thorough workout.  The IDF Krav Maga course is rigorous.  

Out of my 20 months of specialty training, Krav Maga was one of the more strenuous parts.  Most of my classmates were taller, stronger and heavier than I was, so I learned the fight game that worked best for me and I made it through.

You too will learn if you persevere.  Use your lower center of gravity to your advantage, get up close and personal.  Never let the tall guy breath.

SKK is  a great art because it offers so many different tools to choose from. From any martial art, you will get several tools for your arsenal, but you will end up using the ones you are most comfortable with.

Take the class with your friend, practice with each other, ask each other questions on sticking points.  This is a good way to learn.  

Good luck and most importantly, enjoy.

Answer 2

Kempo is the best.

Answer 3

bushido is right just choose the one you like the best and what suits you best for what your needs are look around take your time and if anyone trys telling you oh this is the best art for short guys ignore them and move on

Answer 4

martial arts are not size specific.

Answer 5

American Kenpo is the best. Shaolin Kenpo is a copycat of American Kenpo and is not as effective or realistic.

Answer 6

Kempo should be a good one-- if Shaolin Kempo is anything like Kenpo Jujitsu, then I bet it focuses alot more on using the hands than feet.

I'm a short guy, too 4', 11" , and planning on taking up a Kenpo style myself.

And to Bushido, sure people of all heights can practice any martial art, but some people seem to excell at one type better than another.  

For example, I do better where I can get in close and give a larger person a difficult time--it's alot harder for them to hit me once I'm close, than it is for me to hit them.

Answer 7

Hapkido, may work try that.

Answer 8

Kung fu is such a marrtial art style that any one can become a master at.no matter how short or weak you are still you can become a great master of kung fu.so i suggest any style of kung fu.

Answer 9

Go with your friend and see if you like it. If not then try diferent styles.