Which of these Martial Arts schools seems the best?

Question

I am looking to start learning some Martial Arts and through another question have found some styles I may be interested in. Here are the 3 schools I found in my area that I would be interested in going to and was curious what some skilled Martial Artists think would be the best. If it matters I'm 16, 5'10" and weigh around 130lbs. Thanks

http://www.youngbrotherstkd.com/

http://www.steelcitymartialarts.com/jiuj...

http://www.firedragonschool.com/home.nxg

Answer 1

Steel city by a long shot .In TKD you won't learn sweeps or take downs or locks .It even states in the ITF and WTF guide lines for instructors that such things MUST NOT be taught only TKD technique.

Your choice of course but how you can say you are looking for the things you listed and chose TKD escapes me.

Answer 2

I'd say Steel City Martial Arts. Both Karate and Jiu-jitsu are very good arts.

Answer 3

No one but you can really make that call my friend. It really depends on what you want to get out of your training and the art.

Tae Kwon Do is a Korean martial art that is all stand up and focuses mainly on kicks. It has kind of gained a bad reputation in the past decade or so because there are a lot of McDojo's that are TKD schools. That really doesn't reflect on art itself though, that is really just a scum bag being a scum bag and unfortunately all martial arts have suffered from at least some of that.

The second school is Jiu Jitsu, that was originally a Japanese art and in recent years has found it's way back into popularity through the Gracie family bringing their style of jiu Jitsu to America and winning quite a few mma fights, now adays nearly everyone in mma is doing some jiu jitsu whether Japanese or Brazilian based. Jiu jitsu though is a ground fighting art, some teach some striking but not much. Some schools also cover take downs and throws pretty extensively others don't.

The third is Chinese martial arts that also offers Muay Thai. Hung Gar is really cool and is very complementary in the beginning with balancing out the hard agressive tiger style with the softer more elusive crane style and then adds a few more of the animal styles along the way as you reach higher levels. Hung Gar is a well balanced striking style that combines good punching and kicking combinations and some really good footwork. Then it offers Muay Thai on the side with potential trips to Thailand to train there in Muay Thai. Muay Thai is a brawling head bashing style of striking that can get pretty hardcore. Unfortunately Chinese martial arts have suffered much like TKD has from the McDojo's that take your money and teach you squat.

The real choice is up to you, do you want to learn to grapple or learn to strike? That is your first real choice, because TKD is going to teach little to nothing in terms of throws or take downs and nothing at all about grappling on the ground. Jiu Jitsu is going to be all or almost all ground grappling with no or next to no striking. Chinese martial arts teach what they call Chi Na which translates as to seize and hold. It is essentially a standing form of grappling. Limb controling locks and soem throws/ sweeps. Then as I said they teach a well balanced style of striking with equal use of hands and feet.

I would recommend going and sitting in on a few classes at each of the schools to see which you think you would enjoy the most, because if you don't enjoy it you won't work hard at it and then none of them will do anything for you. Talk to the teacher and kind of feel them out, if you don't get along well with the teacher or like his teaching style then you won't last and again will just be wasting your time and money.

Good luck!!

Answer 4

Go to Fire Dragons School

Answer 5

The first guy apparently has the most credentials.  Getting on the cover of , or even mentioned in Black Belt magazine is no easy task.  

The Fire Dragon school looks like they have a nice training area.  However, with the explosion in popularity of Muay Thai, there are Muay Thai gyms opening all over the place that might not really have a qualified Muay Thai instructor.  Kung Fu and Muay Thai seems to be an odd combination to me, but it could be legit.

The Steel City place appears to have more of a focus on grappling and ground fighting, opposed to striking.  

Which one to choose really depends on your goals.  If you want to be a cage fighter, than the steel city place might be the best best.  If you want to do tricks and XMA (Extreme Martial Arts), and at the same time be able to handle yourself in a street fight, then you may want the TKD or the Kung Fu place.

Also, if you can try out for, and wrestle for your high school, that could be your grappling base, while doing TKD or Kung Fu could be your striking base.

I suggest doing a face to face visit with each of them.  The TKD place has a two week trial for $20 with a free uniform.  You could always try them like that and see which you like best.  

You body size really has nothing to do with it.  Just go where you are comfortable and choose a place that has a lot of flexibility, like going as many times a week as they are open, instead of "Monday's only".

James

Answer 6

I have done martial arts for the past 30 years and this is my advice:

1. On the basis of real life ************ alone, Jiu-jitsu is the most well-rounded discipline.

2. In terms of exercise and body conditioning, you can't beat Tae-Kwon-Do. It is a tough workout that will give you increased stamina and flexibility as well as legs of steel. This discipline will help you achieve greater success in other sports like basketball or football.

3. I see Muay Tai sort of in the middle.

I would suggest that you sit in on a class and talk to the students afterwards, having a good teacher makes all the difference in the world. Ask the teacher how many students compete in regional competitions, this will tell you how serious he is into developing your talents.

Answer 7

muay thai or tae kwon do would suit someone of your build