KamaGirl

i'd say the bo is a best first weapon. for practical use, if you are attacked on the street, any makeshift weapon you find is probably going to be the most similar to a bo, or stick. the bo is fairly easy to work with, being just an extension of length to your arm.

personally, i think that you should choose a dojo in which the senseis and other students have the most positive attitude, toward their own school and others. If you feel a sense of community in the dojo, it is a good place to be, regardless of the style. i started karate about seven years ago, and thankfully i found a great school on my first try. i have played with other styles, and tried other dojos. so far, i have learned that just because you study one style, doesn't mean you won't learn a lot from other styles. our dojo has several students with histories in other styles. tkd included. besides, if you join a dojo that has a lot of seminars and tournaments, you will meet and speak to many experienced martial artists, and if you find out you'd rather take a different style, you'll have personal experience to back your decision. hope i helped!

good job! i got silver in my first tournament too.[/img]