Martial arts question

[Mist]

Hi, im new here. I have a few questions about a few things.

Im interested in taking either Wing Chun Kung Fu or okinawan karate. I have been told by a few different people who are also martial artists that these 2 styles are not effective for real world self defense. These people were more into MMA and seemed to be biased against other styles that were not MMA based.

So my question is are Wing Chun and okinawan karate good for real world self defense? Meaning, if i were to study either of these styles and i got attacked on the street would these styles really teach me how to defend myself well? If not what styles would you recommend that i take? For me i want to learn how to fight and how to defend myself well.

Thanks!

[Sokusen]

It's not the style that matters but the school, or teacher. I study an Okinawan style of karate so I am biased for that style. But I would be very disingenuous to say only study karate, especially if the karate schools around you suck. When it comes to MMA and other styles like kyokushin they are just as effective as any other martial art but they are hard on the body. This is mainly because it's meant for full contact competition. But if competition is not what your interested then I wouldn’t recommend it as a long term art to study. I don't believe they are anymore street effective then any other martial art. Study something you’re going to enjoy and that you can do for the rest of your life. Of course this just one mans opinion.

[evergrey]

A good instructor and a good martial artist can overcome a lot of weaknesses in a style.

The thing, as a Kyokushin person, that I would say about Kyokushin being hard on the body is that you also aren't so likely to crumble when you take a good hit, because you are conditioned to it. Kyokushin is also about practical instead of pretty. Does it work? Will it bring your attacker down so you can get out of there fast? Then we like it. :}

Kyokushin was not developed to be a simple sports style. It is both a practical technique, and an internal spiritual style... though that has been forgotten by some.

[Mist]

It's not the style that matters but the school, or teacher. I study an Okinawan style of karate so I am biased for that style. But I would be very disingenuous to say only study karate, especially if the karate schools around you suck. When it comes to MMA and other styles like kyokushin they are just as effective as any other martial art but they are hard on the body. This is mainly because it's meant for full contact competition. But if competition is not what your interested then I wouldn’t recommend it as a long term art to study. I don't believe they are anymore street effective then any other martial art. Study something you’re going to enjoy and that you can do for the rest of your life. Of course this just one mans opinion.

What are some things that i should look for in a school/teacher that will show me that they can teach me how to fight and defend myself well? Im not interested in competition at all. For me its about real world self defense.

What are some styles that you would say are hard on the body? Im a career musician (drummer) and i have to be careful to not injure myself to where i cant play. But i do want to be able to know how to fight if i need to. I also want a style that i can physically do for the rest of my life that i can grow in as well.

[evergrey]

Well if you're really worried about it being hard on your body... I would say Aikido, but it has a very steep learning curve, for one, and for another I am not sure how effective it is on the street.

I hear gun-fu is good for the street though. Bang-jutsu?

[Mist]

Well if you're really worried about it being hard on your body... I would say Aikido, but it has a very steep learning curve, for one, and for another I am not sure how effective it is on the street.

I hear gun-fu is good for the street though. Bang-jutsu?

I tried Aikido and it was too hard on my wrists (i have tendonitis in both wrists). That was my first choice but it did not work out for me.

[evergrey]

I have tendonitis in my achilles tendons, an offset patella with a messed up ACL, and a couple of herniated discs in my spine. So I am pretty much crazy for practicing a martial art, especially a hard style, haha!

Sounds like gun-fu could be a good choice, if you need to take really good care of those wrists for your career, honestly...

[Mist]

I have tendonitis in my achilles tendons, an offset patella with a messed up ACL, and a couple of herniated discs in my spine. So I am pretty much crazy for practicing a martial art, especially a hard style, haha!

Sounds like gun-fu could be a good choice, if you need to take really good care of those wrists for your career, honestly...

I have not done martial arts for years because of my fear about this. But it is something that i really want to do in my life. So im just trying to make the best decision that i can for what style i should take. I have wanted to do martial arts since i was a kid.

[Nevinyrral]

The other question is how fast do you want to learn to defend your self?

Because in my opinion every martial arts is good to defend your self, but in some you must devote more time.

And if its only self defence you seek you can try finding some self defence classes.

[Sokusen]

What are some things that i should look for in a school/teacher that will show me that they can teach me how to fight and defend myself well? Im not interested in competition at all. For me its about real world self defense.

What are some styles that you would say are hard on the body? Im a career musician (drummer) and i have to be careful to not injure myself to where i cant play. But i do want to be able to know how to fight if i need to. I also want a style that i can physically do for the rest of my life that i can grow in as well.

If it were easy to tell the difference between a good school and a bad school then there weren't be so many bad schools out there making money. Your going to have to vist schools and watch classes even participate in some beofe determining what is right for you. Some things to look for are what do the schools focus on? Is it mostly kata with little application? Are the applications realistic or mainly for show? Do the students know what they are learning or is a common answer to "why are you doing it that way" is "because the teacher told me to". I enjoy the classical styles of karate for me they seem to have more lonjevity in them. Though even a classical style can be hard on the body if you choose. There are areas of karate that have to do with conditoning the parts of the body for striking or being struck. Though depending on the school you should have the choice whether or not you want to focus on that. But if its soley self defense your looking for look into Krav Maga. Krav is a style that focuses almost soley on real world application