Looking for Advice.

[NievesOSK]

Tai Chi is a martial art. It's kind of like Wu Shu or XT Karate in today's world. Many current practitioners train for the sake of sport and/or health, not real street fighting. The roots of Tai Chi are it's martial applications and there are practitioners out there that can fight using Tai Chi form and application.

As far as what you are looking for, why not try them all? I agree that MT will give you the best fitness results, but do what you like and feels best for you. BTW: MT will give you the quickest result for application on the street. Great fitness, nasty fighting art.

Osu.

I am thinking about taking a martial art and my university offers Muay Thai, Aikido and Tai Chi (not really a MA I guess). I would love to take all three but I don't even know if my body could stand one. You see I am pretty damn out of shape. I am 6 feet tall and weight 190lbs and both my strength and stamina are sub par. I haven't been truly (sports and such) physically active in years. This summer I started going to the gym, and while better, I am still not in great shape. I got a bit of a gut and be barely do 10 push ups (embarrassing I know). Though, my strength has always been in my legs from hockey and soccer as a child.

So my question is, given my background, what would you recommend I do. I care mostly about improving my fitness and disciple over things like competitions and fighting. My choice would be Muay Thai or Aikido while also taking Tai Chi. Or, should I not bother and just train more at the gym until I am more fit and try again next year?

I think that you should start off with the Muay Thai , that would get you into shape in no time. Then after you have doen say 6-8 months of that and your body is more leaner, you should go and take the other 2 clases. As Tai Chi is not much of a MA it is still vital to keepin clear mind.