Should I Start Martial Arts?

[canuckeast]

I'm 20-years-old, and 5'10, 135lbs.

I'm very accident prone and get injured very easily.

I've had:

-at least 10 concussions (some from playing soccer, some from getting bullied in school, and some from accidents in my job.)

-a fractured orbital bone (I got this from a hockey puck hitting me in the head while i was taking pictures. It never healed right because the idiot ER doctors didn't find it until a month later despite the fact I had all the symptoms. Then they left it alone to heal on its own and a recent xray finally cleared me but it still gives me a little pain.)

-a broken wrist (from falling down a hill)

-broken toes (twice- from playing soccer)

-cracked ribs (twice)

I want to learn a martial art because I'm small and people I knew in school still bully me. I also think that martial arts look fun, but I don't know if I should try martial arts because I'm so injury-prone.

[GeoGiant]

I'm 20-years-old, and 5'10, 135lbs.

I'm very accident prone and get injured very easily.

I've had:

-at least 10 concussions (some from playing soccer, some from getting bullied in school, and some from accidents in my job.)

-a fractured orbital bone (I got this from a hockey puck hitting me in the head while i was taking pictures. It never healed right because the idiot ER doctors didn't find it until a month later despite the fact I had all the symptoms. Then they left it alone to heal on its own and a recent xray finally cleared me but it still gives me a little pain.)

-a broken wrist (from falling down a hill)

-broken toes (twice- from playing soccer)

-cracked ribs (twice)

I want to learn a martial art because I'm small and people I knew in school still bully me. I also think that martial arts look fun, but I don't know if I should try martial arts because I'm so injury-prone.

Wow! Sorry to hear all that happened to you. I recommend that you visit a few schools and share your concerns with the instructor. Every school is set up differently.

I'm not in the medical field but 10 concussions sounds like a lot. Have you thought about tai-chi or yogo?

[algernon]

Even if there are medical doctors on this forum, without knowing the specifics of your injuries, they would not know what your risks actually are. If this is a real concern for you, your regular doctor would be the first person to ask. That being said, you really seem to like high-impact sports, and whether or not you give them up is ultimately your decision. Your doctor can help you understand what your risks might be, but it is ultimately up to you to decide if they are worth taking.

We could tell you what we would do, but as it is really a question of values and risk-taking, don't expect any two people to give you the same advice! So in lieu of telling you what I feel on the subject I'll simply recommend checking out every school in your commute radius, and evaluating what you see based on 1.) what injuries seem most likely (a lot of sparing would more likely result in concussions, softer styles tend to put more stress on the joints) and 2.) how likely those injuries seem (how intense is the training, what is the school's attitude toward safety, etc.). After talking to your physician, decide which (if any) of the schools still seem appealing. Choose from the schools that you would be comfortable training at.

All of that aside, if you are still willing to participate in soccer or ice hockey, then you should have no problem finding a martial arts school that meets your safety standards!

If you do take up a martial art, you should let your instructor know about your prior injuries. From both a safety and a liability standpoint, they should know if you are particularly likely to sustain injury while training.

[canuckeast]

Even if there are medical doctors on this forum, without knowing the specifics of your injuries, they would not know what your risks actually are. If this is a real concern for you, your regular doctor would be the first person to ask. That being said, you really seem to like high-impact sports, and whether or not you give them up is ultimately your decision. Your doctor can help you understand what your risks might be, but it is ultimately up to you to decide if they are worth taking.

We could tell you what we would do, but as it is really a question of values and risk-taking, don't expect any two people to give you the same advice! So in lieu of telling you what I feel on the subject I'll simply recommend checking out every school in your commute radius, and evaluating what you see based on 1.) what injuries seem most likely (a lot of sparing would more likely result in concussions, softer styles tend to put more stress on the joints) and 2.) how likely those injuries seem (how intense is the training, what is the school's attitude toward safety, etc.). After talking to your physician, decide which (if any) of the schools still seem appealing. Choose from the schools that you would be comfortable training at.

All of that aside, if you are still willing to participate in soccer or ice hockey, then you should have no problem finding a martial arts school that meets your safety standards!

If you do take up a martial art, you should let your instructor know about your prior injuries. From both a safety and a liability standpoint, they should know if you are particularly likely to sustain injury while training.

I haven't played soccer in a year. I've never played ice hockey.

I get hit by hockey pucks sometimes, because I'm a sports photographer and I don't always see stuff coming when I'm taking pictures.

[Jay]

Even if there are medical doctors on this forum, without knowing the specifics of your injuries, they would not know what your risks actually are. If this is a real concern for you, your regular doctor would be the first person to ask. That being said, you really seem to like high-impact sports, and whether or not you give them up is ultimately your decision. Your doctor can help you understand what your risks might be, but it is ultimately up to you to decide if they are worth taking.

We could tell you what we would do, but as it is really a question of values and risk-taking, don't expect any two people to give you the same advice! So in lieu of telling you what I feel on the subject I'll simply recommend checking out every school in your commute radius, and evaluating what you see based on 1.) what injuries seem most likely (a lot of sparing would more likely result in concussions, softer styles tend to put more stress on the joints) and 2.) how likely those injuries seem (how intense is the training, what is the school's attitude toward safety, etc.). After talking to your physician, decide which (if any) of the schools still seem appealing. Choose from the schools that you would be comfortable training at.

All of that aside, if you are still willing to participate in soccer or ice hockey, then you should have no problem finding a martial arts school that meets your safety standards!

If you do take up a martial art, you should let your instructor know about your prior injuries. From both a safety and a liability standpoint, they should know if you are particularly likely to sustain injury while training.

I haven't played soccer in a year. I've never played ice hockey.

I get hit by hockey pucks sometimes, because I'm a sports photographer and I don't always see stuff coming when I'm taking pictures.

First of all you need to check with your doctor to tell you what you are and are not allowed to do, you need to be honest and tell him as they don't always read through your entire file, thye are busy people and some files are huge. This is for your own safety.

Secondly provided number one is all sorted if its not then you probably could get along with some other arts that are less contact orientated.

First of all you are not small at all. Im only 5'7 and for a dude I have to go against people much bigger than me all the time. You just get used to knowing your advantages and disadvantages which is part of knowing yourself.

Thirdly you shouldn't have to learn a martial art to get people to stop bullying you. There are other ways around it. The easiest thing to do is to just avoid them in the first place. You first have to question yourself why you are around these people and if its out of fear of not having any friends then you still need to let that go, besides you will probably make plenty more while training.

Let us know how you get on

[joesteph]

When you said that you must have had ten concussions, was it that you were repeatedly struck hard and assumed to have had concussions, or were these diagnosed as such? By age twenty, with all these head injuries thought to be concussions, has there been lasting physical impairment? Is it really that you're accident-prone, or that you've sustained head injuries that lead to more injuries? Do you have loss of hearing or vision? Weren't there MRI's?

First of all you need to check with your doctor to tell you what you are and are not allowed to do, you need to be honest and tell him as they don't always read through your entire file, thye are busy people and some files are huge. This is for your own safety.

I wouldn't recommend you do any sport without a full battery of tests and medical advice based upon scientific test results.

[canuckeast]

When you said that you must have had ten concussions, was it that you were repeatedly struck hard and assumed to have had concussions, or were these diagnosed as such? By age twenty, with all these head injuries thought to be concussions, has there been lasting physical impairment? Is it really that you're accident-prone, or that you've sustained head injuries that lead to more injuries? Do you have loss of hearing or vision? Weren't there MRI's?

First of all you need to check with your doctor to tell you what you are and are not allowed to do, you need to be honest and tell him as they don't always read through your entire file, thye are busy people and some files are huge. This is for your own safety.

I wouldn't recommend you do any sport without a full battery of tests and medical advice based upon scientific test results.

All my concussions were diagnosed.

The only change I've noticed, is I'm not as academically intelligent as I used to be. Also- I'm very accident-prone.

[Mistassailant5]

No offense canuckeast but this is a pretty silly question. ANYONE and I mean anyone can always pick up a martial art, and there will always be an art for someone. For someone of your body type and past injuries I would suggest Aikido as an art. I personally practice this (and since I am also 5'10" but 165 pounds) someone your size will actually be pretty decent at it. Aikido is a Japanese martial art which uses many joint locks, takedowns, and throws which can take down the largest attackers. You should look into it more and you should try to find some local schools.

[tekki]

You absolutely should start training! You sound like one of the people who would most benefit from time well spent in the dojo/dojang of your choice.

Most martial arts have an injury rate that is substantially lower than many other popular sports. Also, I am sure with the types of injuries you have had, if you had been training in martial arts, you might not have been injured as badly or even injured at all. Not only do you learn techniques that help you defend yourself against an attacker, but you will likely learn how to fall and roll safely. Also, by increasing your flexibility, range of motion and the suppleness of your muscles, your body will become that much more resilient.

And yes, even when it's frustrating, it's so so much fun!

[sperki]

If you think martial arts will be fun you're probably right. That being said, you should get a physical, explain to the Dr. what you have in mind and go from there. The Doc's evaluation may play a role in what MA's you look into, how much contact there is, how physical, what the particular emphasis is, etc.