Choosing art for fitness - good athlete but not flexible legs

[rtiq]

I feel stuck weighing choices of styles and hoping someone here can help. I'm looking for a style that doesn't 'require' high kicks and has some sort of drills and combo training so that I can learn from home - for now. I'll commit to a school with a similar style when I feel I can jump in and will like it. 

I'm not super flexible. I can pull off Shomen Geri easily enough but not side kicks or roundhouse.

Over the years I tried a judo school, some karate and more lately learning Goju with book and instructional video but didn't stick to it.

I filtered a lot of styles and would prefer something in:

1) Sport or Okinawan Karate

2) Kenpo / Kempo

3) Southern Chinese boxing (some look a lot like Karate)

4) Arnis or Phillipino Sticks.

 The "issues" I'm having with Karate is that I find a lot of focus on Kata which I think is also common to American Kempo and Chinese style 'forms' . I think I'd stick to something with teaching using waza, drills and shadow boxing. It would seem usual way to learn a sport. I'm not sure about boxing but Arnis seems interesting.

I love the idea of some Southern Chinese  Boxing which really seem to be the roots of Okinawan karate. But finding material to learn is difficult.

I've been trying to look into some sort of standing jiujitsu with striking and weapons training like unarmed samurai combat. Does this exist?

I'd appreciate pointers for further consideration. Thank you.

Edited November 19 by rtiq

[KarateKen]

1 hour ago, rtiq said:

I feel stuck weighing choices of styles and hoping someone here can help. I'm looking for a style that doesn't 'require' high kicks and has some sort of drills and combo training so that I can learn from home - for now. I'll commit to a school with a similar style when I feel I can jump in and will like it. 

I'm not super flexible. I can pull off Shomen Geri easily enough but not side kicks or roundhouse.

Over the years I tried a judo school, some karate and more lately learning Goju with book and instructional video but didn't stick to it.

I filtered a lot of styles and would prefer something in:

1) Sport or Okinawan Karate

2) Kenpo / Kempo

3) Southern Chinese boxing (some look a lot like Karate)

4) Arnis or Phillipino Sticks.

 The "issues" I'm having with Karate is that I find a lot of focus on Kata which I think is also common to American Kempo and Chinese style 'forms' . I think I'd stick to something with teaching using waza, drills and shadow boxing. It would seem usual way to learn a sport. I'm not sure about boxing but Arnis seems interesting.

I love the idea of some Southern Chinese  Boxing which really seem to be the roots of Okinawan karate. But finding material to learn is difficult.

I've been trying to look into some sort of standing jiujitsu with striking and weapons training like unarmed samurai combat. Does this exist?

I'd appreciate pointers for further consideration. Thank you.

Welcome to the forum, @rtiq I see this is your first post.  Thanks for joining us.  

It looks like you have done a lot of research about this, what is your main goal for training? If it is physical fitness them almost any martial arts style would be helpful.  Since you don't want forms, you might consider Muay Thai, to my knowledge, and I am no expert, there are no Katas in MT.  There are some high kicks, can I ask why you are looking to avoid high kicks? If it is a physical limitation, I would inform any instructor about that when you meet with them.  I am sure there are members here who can help you with questions about MT, I only took a trail class once and it was a fantastic work out.  

Another style you might look for is traditional Hapkido.  Tough to find in the USA, if that is where you are, but if you can find it you will see it incorporates a lot of what you are looking for.  It does falls, rolls, throws, standing joint locks, low kicks, punches, blocking, and weapons.  It is an all-encompassing style, excluding forms, at least that is how we were taught it, but there was no sport element, so if your heart is set on competition then it won't be for you.  

Hope this helps a little bit.  I always tell people that best MA is the one that fits what you are looking to get of your training.  I am know some of the more experienced members and martial artists on this site will have a lot of good suggestions.  Thanks again for posting. 

[rtiq]

Thanks for replying and the welcome message.

Your feedback is quite helpful. Thank you. 

My goal is a combination of fitness and self-defense. I'd like to at least learn proper form and technique - otherwise what's the point? And I'd at least like to develop some power in case I ever need to use it. But for the most part, I'm just looking to Martial Arts because I find it interesting in many ways.

> I always tell people that best MA is the one that fits what you are looking to get of your training.

Exactly. I feel the same way rather than saying x style is good / bad.

I had considered Muay Thai. I do have a physical limitation, in some kicking but it may be a flexibility, muscle issue. There are a few schools nearby that I'll look into.

Hapkido is also interesting as a suggestion. 

[sensei8]

Welcome to KF, rtig; glad that you’re here!!

Do whatever style fits YOU!! Just like buying a car/house. You’ve an idea on what type of car/house you want to buy!! You look at many before you finally decide!! You’re all in now to that car/house and it now depends on you to make it work across the board!!

Maturing in one’s MA techniques takes a lot of time. If your kicking has its limitations, then any quality instructor can still help you become effective. Kicking is just another tool, and kicking high isn’t always the most effective technique. 

No.

In Shindokan, the style I train in, we don’t kick above the waist. In the matter of fact, we concentrate on our opponents legs predominantly.

Kempo would be a style that might fit you comfortably. Their kicks are mostly generated to their opponents legs.

Nonetheless, Kata is important in training. Any quality instructor adjusts training to fit the student’s limitations. If a Kata requires kicks that you can’t do, high, for example, then you kick low.

Like Bruce Lee said…”Absorb what is useful, discard the rest.” 

I believe this speaks to you in volume as far as your MA journey is concerned and what you’re seeking on the floor.

KarateKen has given you some solid truths that deserve to be seriously considered!!

Good luck and please let us know what you decide. We got your back!!

 

 

 

 

Edited November 20 by sensei8

[aurik]

I'm going to echo a lot of Bob's (sensei8) suggestions here.  I have been studying Uechi-Ryu (another Okinawan style) for a little over 7 years now.  

Here is why Uechi Ryu works for me (and could possibly work for you):

- We don't require a lot of flexibility in our techniques.  Most of our techniques are done in a neutral, upright stance (Sanchin-dachi).  We don't do a lot of kicks, and our preferred targets are at or below the waist: the bladder or front of the thigh for a front kick, the floating ribs or knees for a side kick, and the floating ribs, calf, or outer thigh for a roundhouse kick.  We do occasionally use a "shiko dachi", or low stance, but it is always done for practical reasons; generally to do an elbow strike to the floating ribs or solar plexus, and to get underneath the center of gravity of your opponent for takedowns/throws.

- Our techniques are intended to be practical.  We practice our techniques through kata, hojo undo (supplementary techniques), yakusoku kumite (prearranged 2 person drills), and free sparring.  When performing the techniques, we generally have 2 different ways of doing things, the "textbook" version, and the "practical version", which takes your strengths and limitations into account.  This is most applicable to our two-person drills; we have specific adaptions for certain body types and combinations.  For example, if you have a short defender against a tall attacker, there are specific changes to some of our drills we expect you to do.

- Our 2-person drills encourage you to control and/or disrupt your opponent.  Some styles expect your 2-person drill techniques to look pretty with perfect form without touching your opponent.  We expect the defender to manipulate the attacker and keep him off-balance.

You did mention that you are not fond of the idea of kata, but also keep in mind that kata is a great way of training without a partner.  When we were under COVID restrictions, we were unable to actually touch our partners.  I ended up learning the black belt level two-person drills by shadow boxing, and once the restrictions lifted, I pretty much had to re-learn the drill.  With kata, I was able to train and build the muscle memory for the techniques without needing to rely on a partner.  Once I've trained those patterns, applying them to a 2-person drill or self-defense situation involves adapting a sequence of moves I already know.

What I would most recommend is that you find an instructor near you that you can train with at least occasionally in person.  Training with a partner and a good instructor will increase your learning speed by leaps and bounds.  

Good luck in your journey!

[rtiq]

I'm likely to settle on Japanese kenpo/kempo (I know there's different spellings).

This isn't just sport or self-defense for me, this is also about the fascinating history of MA.

I guess in hindsight, looking at different styles, I was always thinking what would be the perfect style?

There perhaps isn't one, or perhaps there is, but *I* have to work at it.

Thanks sensei8 for quoting Bruce Lee - the also infamous - a kick is a kick, a punch is a punch.

Uechi is interesting aurik but I'm not sure its a good fit for me though the kata in this style are interesting.

[bushido_man96]

Welcome to KF, @rtiq.  Great to have you here.

I'm a little late to this, and it sounds like you've found a place to start.  That's the best thing you can do; just get started.  Getting to a school with an instructor in front of you will be a great step in the right direction.

As for not being very flexible, barring any physical ailments preventing it, flexibility can be increased over time with some regular stretching and just practicing kicking.

I'd also advise to keep an open mind.  The style you start with may not be the style you end with, and that's ok.  Keep a good attitude and keep learning, and that will take you a ways in your journey.

[KarateKen]

I would say too, take a look around at several schools in your area, different styles, instructors, class schedules, ect, and see what fits you.  Most places give a free trial class with no commitment, so don't be afraid to take your time and make your decision, the time and money spent on training is yours so no need to rush into something that is not a good fit. 

[DarthPenguin]

I would echo the other posters comments but also mention that trying to self teach, without significant prior experience, is likely to result in learning faulty movement patterns and having a lot of hassle down the line trying to fix the faulty muscle memory.

Once someone has a lot of experience and has developed a lot of awareness of exactly what their body is doing when they perform a technique then yes you can probably self teach to an extent e.g. bushido_man has his 5th dan in TKD : he can probably relatively easily pick up variants of techniques from karate etc. and seek to add it to his technique repository by making some adjustments.

Personally, i would suggest googling all the clubs in the styles you like the look of that are near you and just popping along for a trial lesson and see what you actually like when you try it for real. Plenty of times things are different in practice to what they seem like when viewing from a distance

[bushido_man96]

That's cool of you to say, @DarthPenguin.  I tend to do that at times, but I always like to have an instructor or practitioner's input on the matter.  And visiting other schools and instructors is just always fun to do.