PICKING A GOOD STYLE FOR FITNESS

[WolverineGuy]

you want some physically demanding stuff, do MMA, BJJ, boxing, muay thai or kickboxing, things like that. not to burn everyone else, but people in karate classes doing katas arent going to push their bodies like people sparring and hitting heavy bags for the same amount of time, or doing drills like those people do.

 

Spoken like a person who has never done traditional martial arts.

[Thuggish]

oh ive done traditional martial arts, as have several of my friends... styles ranging from judo to tkd and karate to kung fu... and they just dont compare to what type of conditioning boxers and wrestlers and such combatants do. have you ever done modern martial arts?

[White Warlock]

Thuggish, i'm going to have to agree with angelica's statement. In the arts you mentioned, your opposition tends to dictate the amount of energy you apply... so if you're lazy and undisciplined, these are good systems to get into.

 

Most traditional arts emphasize discipline, self-discipline. If you're approaching it well, you will push yourself, rather than require opposition to push you.

 

Last, to make your arguments by posing 'katas' vs bags and sparring is entirely unfair. Most traditional arts incoporate sparring, bag work, and other things you stated as 'only' belonging to modern arts. As well, there are moments in so-called modern arts that emphasize solo practice on technique... that's a kata.

[WolverineGuy]

I've done both. Brown belt in traditional, black belt in modern. And both required GREAT levels of conditioning.

[aes]

Trust me in the dojo I train at it is very physically challenging and gets the body in shape as long as you do your katas with intent (speed, power, snap).

[angelica d]

Yeah, I can get worn out after just five or so kata if I really put everything into it...and I would say I'm quite fit. I guess you could go to a traditional MA class and not get worn out - if you didn't try! Having never tried MMA I can't really comment on those tho.

[ramymensa]

Yeah, I can get worn out after just five or so kata if I really put everything into it...and I would say I'm quite fit.

And they never stop. Doing some katas in a row can be quite demanding and kihon an entire hour can send you to ER If you are really doing the stuff. Otherwise anything modern or traditional can be a walk in the park.

[angelica d]

Couldn't agree more! The first session back after Christmas with the chief instructor was an hour of basic combinations with no breaks at all. After about ten mins I couldn't actually feel my legs I was so tired. It was obvious that everyone was feeling the same but everybody was too proud to admit it so we all just battled on. Boy did I ache after that!

[Rich_2k3]

I'd say somthing along the lines of kickboxing or muay thai definatley. I mean u get straight into it, lots of time spent punching bags and hitting focus mitts, lots of ring work. It'll give u a good work out, plus its good fun. Yeah definatly either of those two. No katas and not much drill work definatley the way to go 4 fitness, plus u dont need to be THAT flexible, the kicks in muay thai are quite low mostly.

 

Good look in your choice, martial arts are the best!

Edited March 31, 2004 by Rich_2k3

[Ironberg]

Traditional Arts will die as long as lazy people continue to practice them. My style is a blend of the traditional and the modern. We think that sparring and bagwork is just as important as kata. If you aren't sweating your * off while doing sets of kata - then you are doing it wrong.