Need help picking a style?

[Mtal]

Hi everyone, I am really thinking of getting back into martial arts hard core. I have dabled here and there through out my life, but like to finally take a stand and stick to one.

Well frist thing I am looking for is something that works for me. First I am 35.

Next, I had a meniscus tear in my knee a few years back, and the other knee they told me it was thinning. Ok the dont hurt me but i watch what i do. For instance I cannot bowl an more at all. Lets say I go out and dance all night or something, they might be a little sore. I have studdied some martial arts since then. I did Tai chi (maybe barther me a little when I did push hands), Jeet Ku Do, and Karate. It seemed ok. Still I think its just not the same. I also have a herniated disk in my back. Acts up if I lift something wrong in the gym. I just they might not be sore that much, but mabye they fell more stiff if anything.

Now the martial art i want to pick, i like to do something that has some good self defence. I think that is fun, its interesting, and dam good to know. I also want something that will keep me in shape. Not just now, but the long run. I always like to see them old masters kicking butt. I would not mind sparing (but then wonder maybe I am too old for that stuff). Heck and tournaments would be fun, just cause i never did it, but not necesary. Oh probably like something with two person drills.

Now the styles that are around me, and ones I think that would work are:

Shoto Kan, school was a 7 day a week schedual and also offer Ju jitsu, self defence, and sparing. (oh but i worry, would the kicking and stances be good for the knees, i dont want to ware them out before there time).

Dachengdao, hear they do a lot of standing (which is supposed to have a lot of benefits), but also sparing and push hands, but class is only once a week for 2 hours. Oh and the teacher takes them to tournaments.

Xing-yi, two school i have to check out, i hear one does a lot of two person drills, the other applications. Only thing is i never saw xing-yi in person. Dont know what makes up a class, what the applications are like. I hear it is very linear, and also something a lot of martial artist take up in the later years. Both schools met twice a week at least.

Next too that, there is a kali class once a week, for the month they do a different thing every week, first week double stick, next single, third knife, 4th empty hand, and i think there are some other schools in my area too i can check (i guess i like kali cause for the self defence and the drills). There is also a place that does Qinna once a week. I was thinking if i did these it would be in combination with the above.

Ok sorry for the long post, but i like to hear what people think, i trying to decide on this, soon i am going to start looking at the schools (some i have not been too, others I have not been there in a long time, etc). Oh one other thing, if i had to pick two of the above styles, what would be a good mix?

Thanks.

[Pacificshore]

Well as bud and training partner has said time and time again, you can grow old and still swing a stick

35 or any age for that matter is not too old to start any MA in my opinion, however it does depend on how you train. In other words, you probably won't be able to do the things the young ones can do. With the way your knees and back are, you definitely will have to alter your stances, ie. how low you can go, you kicks...how much power you can put behind it, especially if you are simply kick'n air

At the end of the day though, only you will know how much your body can tolerate in terms of your training. Good luck and wish you the best

[gojupralgo]

You may want to check out the Shotokan school.

I don't care what Doctors say. Knee strength can be buit back up. I'd try the Shotokan school. See what they are all about.

[Zaine]

Shotokan would wreak havic on your knees, there are low stances in some forms and that wouldnt be good for em. In your area i think the best to go for is Xing yi or Dachengdao, although i know nothing of Dachengdao, it probally is still better than Shotokan.

[orion82698]

You might want to check out Aikido. I know it's an art that not many people like, but my uncle has hip problems, and a bad knee and he's doing great in it.

[Shorinryu Sensei]

I agree that aikido, if available, might be a good choice. Definitely skip the shotokan though. With your physical limitations, shotokan would make them worse.

[Mtal]

I agree that aikido, if available, might be a good choice. Definitely skip the shotokan though. With your physical limitations, shotokan would make them worse.

Thanks everyone for thier opions. Oh with Akido, wouldn't all the break falls be bad on my back (what can I say I am a mess).

[Zaine]

Not really, the whole pointof break falls is to not land hard on your back, or side, or really anything.

[Jay]

yeh aikido is the most versatile art to fitting people requirements i once saw a person in a wheel chair doing it and with his wrist locks he actually won the wrist lock tournament pretty good hey.

Im only 16 and the shotokan stances are natural to me now but for a person learning them who is injured it would be difficult and your kness do hurt even after training and i have been doing it a long time

I actually recommend wing chun the stances are high and it focuses on hand techniques the back is generally uprite so i think that could be good for you.

[harmoniouswarrior]

yeh aikido is the most versatile art to fitting people requirements i once saw a person in a wheel chair doing it and with his wrist locks he actually won the wrist lock tournament pretty good hey.

Im only 16 and the shotokan stances are natural to me now but for a person learning them who is injured it would be difficult and your kness do hurt even after training and i have been doing it a long time

I actually recommend wing chun the stances are high and it focuses on hand techniques the back is generally uprite so i think that could be good for you.

Well, don't want to sound like a crotchety old timer, but here's my take. I'm 54, and tried aikido--didn't work because I'm a more natural striker than grappler (injury background: have two bad knees, herniated disc in lower back from 20 years ago, have broken somewhere around 18 bones--all after age of 35, arthritis in neck, hands, and feet). Hapkido worked for me, but with the knees, I couldn't work it. Watched my daughter do Shotokan during her years in college, and what I saw definitely wears on the body, especially over time.

Haven't done the speicfic type of kung fu called wing chun, but have done two other types (basically stand-up, striking arts), and for the long haul, that's what I'd recommend. Has great self-defense applications, and don't believe it will break down the body as karate might. I don't know about tournaments, but then I don't care about them either. That's something you'd have to check on.

Best of luck, and hope to hear a followup post on what you chose and how it's going.

HarmoniousWarrior