How did you choose your art?

[Karateka_latino]

I really wanted to train Kung Fu, thanks to Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan movies. After ONE YEAR of looking for a Kung Fu school, i got tired and joined a karate School near of my house.

[ps1]

Like alot of you have mentioned, I was too young to know the difference when I started. I was 6 and the Karate Kid was the hot thing. My mom took me to a TKD school and I trained there until I was 9.

When we moved to Ohio we found a Chuan Fa school and I have trained with Master McGinnis ever since (although now he only teaches his higher ranking students and no longer runs a school).

Fast forward 10 years and I joined the Army Reserves. Upon returning from Basic and AIT I decided I wanted to learn a hard style as well and chose Shotokan because I liked the school, they were discounting my rates because I was a black belt already, and they had an early morning class at the time. That school gave me connections to my Aiki Jujitsu and sogo bujitsu training as well. I trained there from 99 until 06, when some unfortunate turn of events caused me to leave the school.

Through my Aiki Jujitsu training I had met someone who was training in BJJ. We messed around and I found I loved it. I've been training with them since I returned from my Iraq deployment in 04.

[repz]

First i trained in Vee arnis jujitsu... it was free for a limited time till they moved out... they were literally right next door!!!! They moved an i followed... they moved into a dojo that had other MA styles sharing space...but i dropped them an instead went with another style they had there...

Shotokan karate, i always wanted orginally a tradional karate style, but this style was mixed with kickboxing. It had a good low price an the sensei was a cool dude an former kickboxing amateur champion. Anyways my shoulder popped out in a full conatct match an i never returned to the dojo, they ultimately closed down ( i ended at green belt which is intermediate two belts from black).

I then trained in Ninjitsu/akijujitsu... these classes were free as part of an outreach program for kids in high school. Buuuuut i quit after i mistakenly broke my cousins leg doing a simple leg sweep, i felt really bad an i felt even worse cause he went an bought a new black gi an never used it past that day he bought it. So i just dissapeared. ( reached yellow belt )

Then i made my return after an 8 year dissapearance... this time i wanted to choose the right style an since i live in new york i have many choices... BJJ is way too expensive an those that fit my budget are way too far... judo, my second choice was also to expensive an/or far...

So i settled for a new school that opened up a few blocks from here... Wing chun Kung fu. I got bored super fast an i wondered if these people even think they are ready to defend themselves in the streets with the training they recieve.. i paid 3 months in advanced an only stood for 3 weeks...

Now im going to join shorinji Kempo.. 10 minute train ride.. an it fits lovely into my budget.. an its nice that the styles organisation believes in teaching an not making profit.. they are not-profit an all money goes to rent an gear. Im sure i wil like the school an its legit backed by a profesional world wide group an the sensei is well known. I plan to join tomorrow!

All this was from 17 years old to 26 years old.

[KarateEd]

I first became involved in MA because the principle of my grade school started teaching TSD classes at the school (this was a Christian school and we trained in the fellowship hall). So, that was a case of what was convenient. After about two years he moved to take a position at another Christian school. I pursued other things for a while. Then as a undegrad. my interest in MA was rekindled. I wanted to stay within a stand-up, hard style of MA since that was what my previous training had been in and that was all that was available in my town at the time. I looked at three schools in town. One was a TKD franchise place (I wasn't impressed with students' abilities and the way I figured it, from the information provided, one could get a black belt in about 1 year). Anyhow, I checked out a Shotokan school. I thought the instruction was good, but I also checked out a little TKD school (also conducting classes at a church) and felt like it was the right place. The students were respectful and pretty darn good at MA, and the instructor impressed me with his skill and knowledge. Plus, the progression to BB was within a time frame that I felt was appropriate. I have been training with him ever since.

Ed

[lordtariel]

I pretty much went from dojo to dojo checking out the classes. I settled on the one that looked like it had the best instruction.

[marie curie]

Karate- it was cheaper than TKD and the people demanded more of you and those were the only schools in my town when I was a kid

Judo- College Class

TKD- College Class

Kung Fu- Study abroad program option

Tai Chi- Free to all who showed up at 5:30am in the town square

BJJ- a friend teaches

Kajuenbo-a friend teaches

[Norris197]

The main reason I chose Shotokan Karate is because its the most popular martial art where I leave and so there were plenty of clubs I could think about joining.

Also, my firends recommended my joining as they were already members. Now I love it.

[DWx]

It seems like quite a few of you have either been in various systems or have looked into different dojos when searching for that perfect MA. I suppose I just got lucky and found something I really liked first time. I have a great teacher and the club atmosphere is just like one happy family ( ).

[a_ninja]

Well my style was the only one available in the are that i knew of, but once i started going there the instructor told me of a jeet kune do instructor downtown where i will go as soon as i get black belt in shotokan, which will take a long time, but hopefully not too long.

[stoneheart]

When I started training as a teen, I just picked the dojo closest to the house which was a TKD school. I enjoyed my time there, but the style of teaching would not hold my interest today.

These days I think the teacher's ability to transmit information is more important than style. You also want to make sure he's a true advanced student of the arts himself if you are ready to take advantage of his knowledge. There are a lot of lower level (I don't mean rank) teachers who really can train you up to their level of competence. To get the real scoop on how to improve, you often times must seek other instruction.