Did you have an option?

[yireses]

Refering to the stlye you practice. Did you have an option? Or that was the only thing you found or the closets thing there was. The you like your style or would have prefered to practice an other style? Witch one?

[WC-Strayder]

I basically joined up for Wing Chun coz my son was training there and to get in a little shape, but now I would not change it for anything!. It fits me perfect!. I had always had a great love for MA, spesially for Kung Fu and karate, but my parents would't let me start with karate when I was young, they thought I would become violent or something. But better late than never, so here I am, a fresh White sash with a yellow stripe and 35 years old kung fu artist.

 

Where I live there is a karate club, a TKD club, boxing, judo and a lot of other fighting clubs, but I'll go for Wing Chun ant day.

 

Wing Chun had become a great part of my life, I got some new, great friends and learn something new every time we meet, so life is great!.

[paolung]

i searched my town high and low for the system and sifu that fit me (and there are many schools here), and came up short. there were only 2 options that i would consider, and neither "clicked" just the way i wanted to. eventually i was introduced to my current sifu by a different guy i had just met, who was unsatisfied with his system and wanted a new one. he invited my current sifu to town for a few days, and while he was visiting, i was introduced. ironically we had talked before (briefly) but had lost touch. we kept in touch this time, and now my sifu is between 500-600 miles away, but i visit him as often as possible.

 

to answer your question, i had many options, but i feel i chose the best one.

[King of Fighters]

I originally wanted to take kung fu but there wasnt a school in my city so i started taking muay thai instead.

[Virtuoso Punk]

There is all kinds of stuff in my area. Pretty much all the major Japanese disciplines are represented, especially if you want to study at one of the colleges, which is the cheapest way and also good if you want a teacher that is somehow in line with some larger governing body (like JKA for karate, etc.) There is a Copoiera school downtown that is getting really popular, too.

 

As for Chinese arts, there is Tai Chi everywhere, but I don't know how good a lot of them are. There are about 10 major wushu schools within 40 minutes drive of my house, and a handful traditional gong fu ones, as in they don't teach any of the competitive modern wushu and you actually learn to fight and stuff. Up in San Francisco it's interesting.... you find schools that are devoted to one animal style.

 

So yeah, I had a lot to choose from, and I chose my martial arts instead of them choosing me. However, there are a gazillion cheesy places around here that care more about your money than anything else. They usually say "Cardio Karate" or simply "Martial Arts" or something like that.

 

The only hard thing to find is good martial arts shoes. They all have the run-of-the-mill ones, but when I wanted some really good shoes that would last and were like the ones I see in competitions, I had to go on the web and just pray that they'd fit when they arrived.

[SaiFightsMS]

Just out of curiosity what kind of shoes did you wind up getting?

[Virtuoso Punk]

I got the Otomix pair they called the "Slider" model ($49). They're pretty durable and don't grip so much that I can't sweep. I also plan to check out the Discipline Footwear shoes. They seem quite superior if what their website says is all true. It's just that they're a bit more expensive ($65 plus shipping). Maybe, if they truly are superior, I'll just use them for competition so they will always look nice and new for the judges (and the ladies...lol ).

 

Shoes I've had bad experiences with:

 

Tiger Claw - just not too durable, and they don't fit snugly like a sock they way I like them to, but at least they are relatively inexpensive

 

That one brand that is just Chinese characters - horrible; after 2 weeks I was literally leaving pieces of sole all over the school's floor.

 

Feivue - getting popular among wushu forms competitors I think, but the rubber smells REALLY bad (like dead fish), and they have a bit more sneaker-like sole, so I can't "feel" the floor quite right.

[SaiFightsMS]

I find that I have a lot of trouble with the leather stretching out then the shoes don't fit quiet right. Or my feet move sideways over the outer edge of the sole of the shoe.

[focus102]

When I started out in MA I didn't know anything about the different styles. I just went to the nearest Dojo. I think a lot of beginners don't properly research the various styles and as a result end up at any random Dojo. After practising a few months (and reading every post in these forums!) I started to learn about the differences in style. I also learned to properly diagnose my Dojo as a McDojo and now I am actively searching for a new one and a style for me.

[SaiFightsMS]

I wonder what the percentage of students who continue traing stay in the style they originally started out in. And how many switch after they get started finding that something else actually would suit them better? And I wonder if researching before startig makes any difference.