Which Martial Art should I choose?

Question

Hi. I'm a 16 year old girl and I really want to do a martial art. Are any that a girl would prefer? as my brother has done Kung Fu and Jeet Kune Do and they seem too physical for me, lol, in some ways very masculine. Any views or ideas would be great ^^, thanks.

Answer 1

it all depends on Wat you want it for

eg maybe you want it for self defence? or just to do a martial art

i would recommend ju-jitsu as most ju-jitsu schools now have a good system eg teaches good striking and you can pick it up really easily.

MMA or mixed martial arts is pretty much a all rounder which is good- but it can be very intense- sometimes it focuses to much on ground work

however in ju-jitsu (the WJJF- world ju-jitsu federation specifically) they do groundwork aswell but not as much as a proper MMA club would do.

i would recommend ju-jitsu purely because i do it and i believe that it is one of the best martial arts around.

all the best

Answer 2

wing chun, it was developed by a woman and it is designed for little people to be able to use against big people

Answer 3

a lot of the answers you will get will be from people who only know martial arts from what they see on tv with Cage Rage, UFC, PRIDE, and other sport events.

If you want true self defense for real life scenarios then the first thing your want to decide is to study the use of weapons or not.

ground fighting is good for a female who wants protection against men.  it teaches you to fight from the bottom, and to be a very dangerous threat from the bottom.  

Also females are more flexible and that is very important in ground fighting.

Answer 4

Try Wing Chun Kung Fu :- this is a martial art from southern china that is ideal for anyone as it uses scientific principles of avoidance and simultaneous attack and defense. This style is supposed to have been invented by a woman called ng mui. I have been practicing this style for 18 years now and have found it to be very effective in dealing with any opponent very quickly using a minimum amount of effort. There are no high kicks involved. However the training can be quite physical as with any martial art, but please remember that whatever art you choose you will have to put in a lot of hard work to achieve a decent level of skill, there are no shortcuts. Also please check the credentials of any instructor you consider very carefully as unfortunately there are still many cowboys out there whose only interest is making money and do not teach anything of real value.  Good luck in your training.

Answer 5

feng shui

Answer 6

do taekwondo...it shows good technique and will make your reflexes and self defense excellent, while out at the same time giving you a work out.

Answer 7

the art may change you and your goals

here are some that I have trained in:

Shaolin Kempo Karate (Villari's Kempo)

Kajukenbo

Kyokushinkai

Tang Soo Do

Praying Mantis Kung fu

Answer 8

i say aikido. it targets the opponents joints so no matter how stronger you are you can manipulate their joints freely if your skilled!

Answer 9

ju jitsu is very good for someone like you

Answer 10

Judo.  It's all about getting your attacker off balance and throwing them onto the floor.  Honestly, Judo is the one you should go for.

Answer 11

Why don't you go and research all the different kinds of Martial Arts, then pick, lets say 2 or 3 that really stand out to you. Next, go do one or two classes in each one and see which one fits.

If you are really serious about getting into this sport, you need to really look at them. I can't tell you which one would work best for you.. I don't know you.

Answer 12

I would suggest the Israeli martial arts of Krav Maga. The Israeli army and Los Angeles Police Department train in this form of martial arts. Many celebrities take Krav Maga as well.

Answer 13

Aikido is a gentle martial art insomuch as there is no attack. It is purely self-defence and it does not require strength to perform it.

Good look with your decision!

Answer 14

origami . Does that mean you could fight your way out of a PAPER bag , or just fold it into a nice swan .

Answer 15

Wow, it seems that few people bothered to read your whole question.  If kung fu and JKD are  too physical/violent, kickboxing, jujitsu, and krav maga are definitely not for you!  Try aikido, the softest martial art out there.

Answer 16

This depends on what you want the martial art for: self-defence, fitness or just for fun???

My personal experience is in Aikido. It does not require strength or incredible levels of fitness, but uses the attacker's momentum against him. The club i go to has quite a few girls about you age.

Lots of people put this down as being sissy and useless, but may i remind them that it is taught at British police academies.

good luck with whatever you choose.

Answer 17

I dont knwo whether you'd be interested but Kickboxing is great if you want to tone up and have fun. Theres no funny moves in it like other styles of martial arts and most of it consists standing on your two feet instead of rolling about!

Anyways, it is intense but really is great for strength, self confidence and stamina.

Answer 18

Just basic karate classes should be good.

I actually was going to say Jeet Kune Do. There is a book written by Bruce Lee. The explanations are pretty simple. I practice them at home.

Answer 19

If u want self deffence then i suggest karate but if you just want something to do then try tai chi. its calm with some deadly strikes.

Answer 20

For conditioning do ballet it strengthens your lower  body and upper body the thing is don't do it excessively

capoiera (brazilian martial arts)conditions your whole body

right now besides capoeira i can't think of a martial arts that isn't to physically challenge for a young girl

Answer 21

Well it would depend on you, if you want to learn street defense i would go with your brother on the jeet kune do, but if you want to be take taekwondo or tai chi, if you want to learn an art that uses meditation and discipline try taking tai chi or shaolin gung fu.

Answer 22

Taekwondo  i LOVE it !!!! i'm a first degree black belt!  it involves a bit of everything!!!

Answer 23

I do tai chi. people laugh and say its not a sport and its for old people but actually it was invented by the chinese emperors bodyguard and disguised so the enemy wouldnt realise it was for self defence.  Its not easy to learn but its very powerful if you got the patience for it. Otherwise try karate my friend loves that.

Answer 24

take aikido

its not really physically but more defensive

you use your opponents own strength against them

Answer 25

Hrm...

Tai Chi Chuan is actually kind of an interesting choice. It's meditative, encourages discipline and self-control, non-combative in practice, and has self-defense applications.

Tai Chi Chuan is somewhat similar to Aikido in that, as a fighting technique, you would use smaller versions of the forms to redirect the attackers energy to keep yourself safe. It doesn't require strength, just proper movement.

Unfortunately, martial arts in general are going to be "in some ways very masculine" because of societal gender stereotypes. I've trained with some very feminine women in Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu who are excellent fighters because they have this latent belief that they won't be able to hurt the guys, so they put themselves into training properly.

Ultimately, you have to decide for yourself. Go around to some different academies and ask to see what they do. Find the one that interests you and try it. There are hundreds of martial arts in the world. Find one that makes you happy.

Answer 26

Gosh, I think this one kind of depends on both you and the resources in your area.  Go check out a few schools, see if they will let you take a free class, watch a class or two.  Talk to the instructors, see if there is communication, a good rapport between you and the instructors.

One of us telling you which art or system to try is not feasible, you have to discover which one is right for you, which teachers you communicate with.

I have been teaching Krav Maga for many years, and there is nothing more unfortunate than a student who really doesn't belong and just goes through the motions.  This is why I think you should visit a few schools in your area, try classes and find out what you like.

MMA gyms are fun and great exercise, I play Muay Thai at a local MMA gym and have a great time, I also study Combat SAMBO with a Soviet Grandmaster, he is excellent and knows what goes on with each student in the class.  The MMA I go to also has boxing, wrestling and many BJJ classes, a really great place.  The Kru/Owner is an  erudite guy, unlike many in martial arts.

For three years I studied Taijiquan, it was fun, just not me, I enjoy combat arts.  You may enjoy it, a good Taijiquan school has much to offer.

Choosing a martial art and by extension, a school is like buying a car, test drive a few and see which one fits you.

Good luck....

Answer 27

I think you should do Mixed Martial Arts.  Then you will be one seriously tough chickie.

Answer 28

do what suits you.for example-a martial art that is close to where you live,affordable and you like doing.try a few different ones in your local area until you find one you like doing.most schools will give you a free trial period.dont pay any up front fees and dont sign any contracts.however i would suggest you do freestyle karate such as zen do kai,bushi kai or kempo as they teach stand up,ground/grappling,weapons and practicle street wise self defence.

Answer 29

I would highly reconmmend Brazilian Ju-Jitsu--as it is probably the most effective stlye in Martial Arts.