Is there an effective beginner friendly martial art that fits my mentality?

[gyoja]

None that wasn't either a mcdojo, or gassed up BJJ like it was the only Martial art that was worth learning.

Sorry to hear that. I hope that you eventually find something that suits you.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Well for now I'll probably keep it simple and start with outboxing style kickboxing, it can be self-taught the fundamentals are basically the same between boxing and kickboxing and I can integrate parts and philosophies of other martial arts as I go.

Just as an fyi, you're not going to learn how to be calm in a fight, or counter aggression, if you're self-teaching. You need to spend a lot of time actually fighting aggressive fighters to learn that.

 

[JowGaWolf]

Just as an fyi, you're not going to learn how to be calm in a fight, or counter aggression, if you're self-teaching. You need to spend a lot of time actually fighting aggressive fighters to learn that.

100% agree. Calm comes from being used to being in a certain environment. Similar to how public speaking get easier and less stressful the more you do it. Fighting is the same way. But it's also has to match the intensity level.
The more intense the sparring is the closer it gets to the real thing and the easier it is to keep your calm. Criminals who meet up with MMA fighters probably have never had to deal with that level of intensity.

Gangs on the other hand "Blood in and blood out." The dose their newbies right away with that level of intensity. Make it through that and everything else feels easier.

For use training we need to make sure we don't traumatized ourselves. Fighting some much better than you may have the opposite effect and kill your morale and spirit. We have seen that happen in here before.

 

[Flying Crane]

Well for now I'll probably keep it simple and start with outboxing style kickboxing, it can be self-taught the fundamentals are basically the same between boxing and kickboxing and I can integrate parts and philosophies of other martial arts as I go.

I’m going to give you an honest dose of reality: you will not learn anything in this way, and you will not develop any skill. You may fool yourself into believing that you are developing, but what you will not recognize are all the bad habits and poor technique that you will be developing, things that can range from simply bad ideas and a waste of time, all the way up to things that can get you injured through ignorance.

You need a good teacher. What style it is matters less than simply having a good teacher who can give you the guidance you need. Trying to go it alone with zero prior experience of high quality, is little more than wasted time and effort.

Don’t waste your time. Find a teacher, join a school, go to class and put in the hard work.

 

[JowGaWolf]

Trying to go it alone with zero prior experience of high quality, is little more than wasted time and effort.

Prior experience is the key.

 

[Flying Crane]

Prior experience is the key.

If you want to go it alone, you need A LOT of high quality prior experience.

 

[Mallic]

I’m going to give you an honest dose of reality: you will not learn anything in this way, and you will not develop any skill. You may fool yourself into believing that you are developing, but what you will not recognize are all the bad habits and poor technique that you will be developing, things that can range from simply bad ideas and a waste of time, all the way up to things that can get you injured through ignorance.

You need a good teacher. What style it is matters less than simply having a good teacher who can give you the guidance you need. Trying to go it alone with zero prior experience of high quality, is little more than wasted time and effort.

Don’t waste your time. Find a teacher, join a school, go to class and put in the hard work.

That kinda goes back to the whole over hyped BJJ comment I made earlier. Just as there are a lot of mcdojos that will make you a black belt in 6 months, there are just as many who will try to tell you that the way they teach you is the only right way to do things and to do it any other way means you're doing it wrong despite the fact that your way just completely mopped the floor with their favorite students.

Maybe you're right and I do need a teacher, but I'm not gonna waste time with someone who just blindly expects me to do as I'm told and not ask questions.

 

[O'Malley]

That kinda goes back to the whole over hyped BJJ comment I made earlier. Just as there are a lot of mcdojos that will make you a black belt in 6 months, there are just as many who will try to tell you that the way they teach you is the only right way to do things and to do it any other way means you're doing it wrong despite the fact that your way just completely mopped the floor with their favorite students.

Maybe you're right and I do need a teacher, but I'm not gonna waste time with someone who just blindly expects me to do as I'm told and not ask questions.

You mentioned that your goal is to learn "a beginner friendly martial art, that favors calm thinking and countering aggression that would be practical outside the ring". There are many experienced teachers on this forum and their overwhelming consensus is that you can't teach yourself that. Period.

It's good to think critically about what you're taught but, rather than trying to prove the instructor wrong based on what you've read (and not experienced), try to understand what he's trying to teach and why. He's got way more experience in the art than you: chances are that "your way" is nothing new and was already discarded years (if not decades) ago in favour of what he's teaching.

So, assuming you're still interested in training martial arts and intend to join classes, I suggest that you reassess the schools available to you. Look them up on Google and make a list, perhaps you've missed the one that's made for you? Or perhaps you can enlarge the area that you were surveying? You mentioned mcdojos that make you a black belt in 6 months, are you sure it's not just prejudice on your side? Upon closer inspection, you may see that those schools are actually not "giving away" black belts, or choose to be lenient for children only (which is relatively common). You also mentioned MMA gyms that treat BJJ as the end-and-be-all, but it's a bit unlikely: if they compete under MMA rules without training the striking aspects they'll get smoked.

 

[drop bear]

That kinda goes back to the whole over hyped BJJ comment I made earlier. Just as there are a lot of mcdojos that will make you a black belt in 6 months, there are just as many who will try to tell you that the way they teach you is the only right way to do things and to do it any other way means you're doing it wrong despite the fact that your way just completely mopped the floor with their favorite students.

Maybe you're right and I do need a teacher, but I'm not gonna waste time with someone who just blindly expects me to do as I'm told and not ask questions.

If you don't understand the subject. You probably ask dumb questions.

You probably should take an evidence based approach. So you look for a school that is producing successful martial artists.

And you do the things they do.

Go find a competitive wrestling gym. You can tell if they are any good. Because they will be winning wrestling competitions.

You can then wrestle them.

That will generally answer your questions.

 

[Flying Crane]

That kinda goes back to the whole over hyped BJJ comment I made earlier.

No, it actually does not at all.

Just as there are a lot of mcdojos that will make you a black belt in 6 months,

How do you know this? You have evaluated them? You’ve seen their typical student go from white to black belt in six months, with zero prior experience? On what are you making this judgement?

there are just as many who will try to tell you that the way they teach you is the only right way to do things and to do it any other way means you're doing it wrong despite the fact that your way just completely mopped the floor with their favorite students.

So…youve gone in and “mopped the floor” with their students? Youve already proven the worth of your “method” against all the schools in your area? Forgive me if I misunderstand, but I thought you were a beginner without any actual experience. How many teachers, in your vast non-experience, have told you that their way is the only right way?

Maybe you're right and I do need a teacher, but I'm not gonna waste time with someone who just blindly expects me to do as I'm told and not ask questions.

Please show me where I said you need to work with such a person.

I said you need a good teacher, regardless. It does not matter what style they are teaching so much as that they are a competent teacher with whom you connect well. If you’ve already got everything figured out, why waste your time on a discussion forum like this one? Maybe youve already got the answer you want.

 

[Mallic]

No, it actually does not at all.


How do you know this? You have evaluated them? You’ve seen their typical student go from white to black belt in six months, with zero prior experience? On what are you making this judgement?

So…youve gone in and “mopped the floor” with their students? Youve already proven the worth of your “method” against all the schools in your area? Forgive me if I misunderstand, but I thought you were a beginner without any actual experience. How many teachers, in your vast non-experience, have told you that their way is the only right way?

Please show me where I said you need to work with such a person.

I said you need a good teacher, regardless. It does not matter what style they are teaching so much as that they are a competent teacher with whom you connect well. If you’ve already got everything figured out, why waste your time on a discussion forum like this one? Maybe youve already got the answer you want.

I'm saying there are way too many people who seem to think the only right way to fight is to be as aggressive as possible only to be completely stumped when someone knows the mystical art of side-steping.

Look I'm just gonna tell you this right now, I understand what you're trying to say, but I have little reason to take stock in your words of long lived wisdom if you insist on being condescending.

If everybody is gonna tell me that the only proper way to fight is to be as aggressive and violent as possible, then I might as well just get a couple of guns and call it a day.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

I'm saying there are way too many people who seem to think the only right way to fight is to be as aggressive as possible only to be completely stumped when someone knows the mystical art of side-steping.

Pretty much no legit school is going to tell you to be as aggressive as possible. Just to clarify, in case you misunderstood, that's now what I was saying either. But you do need to face aggression to be able to handle aggression. It's very easy to know how to side step, and much tougher to do it when someones pushing you back.

 

[gyoja]

I'm saying there are way too many people who seem to think the only right way to fight is to be as aggressive as possible only to be completely stumped when someone knows the mystical art of side-steping.

Look I'm just gonna tell you this right now, I understand what you're trying to say, but I have little reason to take stock in your words of long lived wisdom if you insist on being condescending.

If everybody is gonna tell me that the only proper way to fight is to be as aggressive and violent as possible, then I might as well just get a couple of guns and call it a day.

How many schools are available in your area? How many classes have you sat in on?

 

[Flying Crane]

I'm saying there are way too many people who seem to think the only right way to fight is to be as aggressive as possible only to be completely stumped when someone knows the mystical art of side-steping.

Look I'm just gonna tell you this right now, I understand what you're trying to say, but I have little reason to take stock in your words of long lived wisdom if you insist on being condescending.

If everybody is gonna tell me that the only proper way to fight is to be as aggressive and violent as possible, then I might as well just get a couple of guns and call it a day.

Good luck in your life.

 

[mograph]

Mallic, judging by your posts here, you're making a lot of claims that aren't based on first-hand observations in the field, but rather on things you've read in books or seen on the internet.

I recommend you "empty your cup," as they say, and directly experience any martial art, in a local studio, with a good teacher, with an open mind.

 

[Mallic]

Mallic, judging by your posts here, you're making a lot of claims that aren't based on first-hand observations in the field, but rather on things you've read in books or seen on the internet.

I recommend you "empty your cup," as they say, and directly experience any martial art, in a local studio, with a good teacher, with an open mind.

Does it cost anything to walk in and observe?

 

[Tony Dismukes]

Does it cost anything to walk in and observe?

Not at most schools. The majority of martial arts schools will welcome potential students who want to come in and watch a class to see if it seems like a good fit for them. Be sure to call ahead of time and check, because in some cases they have designated days or times for visitors.

I'd be very leery of a school that wanted to charge you for showing up to observe a class. I'm sure they exist, but I haven't personally encountered one so far.

 

[JowGaWolf]

I'd be very leery of a school that wanted to charge you for showing up to observe a class. I'm sure they exist, but I haven't personally encountered one so far.

This has been my perspective as well. My experience has been that some schools will even offer a trial period.

 

[gyoja]

This has been my perspective as well. My experience has been that some schools will even offer a trial period.

I allow anyone to come and observe; I just require prior notice.

 

[marvin8]

However, my studies have made it clear what styles of fighting click with me. Styles like Outboxing, Counterstriking, Hapkido, Destreza, Bartitsu, Fighters like Muhammad Ali and Floyd Mayweather, basically anything that centers around fighting smart or using your opponent's aggression against them as attempts to be the aggressor or instigator have historically ended...uh...poorly.

The issue comes with finding a gym that would stick because I know that for many people the preferred strategy is to fight aggression with aggression in an attempt to end the fight as soon as possible. However, if you don't do it right all that happens is you leave yourself wide open for attack...

But I digress, I ask again, is there a beginner friendly martial art, that favors calm thinking and countering aggression that would be practical outside the ring? If not, then what fighting style however hard it would be worth looking into?

Well for now I'll probably keep it simple and start with outboxing style kickboxing, it can be self-taught the fundamentals are basically the same between boxing and kickboxing and I can integrate parts and philosophies of other martial arts as I go.

A good school/teacher in kickboxing, boxing and other martial arts should include how to use the opponent's force (aggression) against themselves, counter fight, fight from the outside and set traps (e.g., feints), The advanced fighter learns to "play chess, rather than checkers."

Fencing's relatively detailed concepts, strategies and training may be found in those arts and Bruce Lee's JKD (see “Bruce Lee – The World’s Most Famous Fencer?” and “Fencing's Influence on Bruce Lee's Martial Art of Jeet Kune Do.”).