Female looking for the right martial art?

[xx_remix]

Okay.
Here is a little bio of me.

I'm a 17 year old female graduating highschool in 4 days.
Short (5'2"), and fat. About 160lbs.

I'm looking to take a hard form of martial arts that keeps me fit and helps me to lose weight. I also want to take this class for self-defense, because I have a strange fear that I'm going to get jumped / raped / kidnapped when i'm alone in certain areas.

I MAY be going off to college on my own, so I would like to protect myself in case of emergency. (If I do, I want to look for classes in that city.)

I was thinking Muay Thai, but I'm a little bit scared of the really hard kicks I've seen in videos. As well as the severe discipline methods (i've seen the masters hit their students with plastic baseball bats / bamboo sticks in the calfs).

Any suggestions on martial arts that are somewhat fast pace?

How much do you pay for classes?

What do you think I should do?

Are females treated any differently than males in the classes?

 

[CrimsonPhoenix]

Hi and welcome to Martial Talk! I would like to invite you to head over to the Meet and Greet section where you can introduce yourself so we can get to know you better.

You sound an awfully lot like me. I'm also a 17 year old female, already graduated, and short (5'3").

I'll help you as much as I can with my limited experience in the one main art I study, and that's Tae Kwon Do. My Tae Kwon Do class is traditional, and we have a lot of self defense worked into our class. However, this varies between schools. So one art (we'll say TKD) may have a lot of self defense worked in with the main things they teach, and another might have little to none.

It also depends on what you have available in your area and how far you are willing to go to get to class. In a lot of places TKD and Karate schools are readily available while other arts such as Muay Thai or Kenpo may not be as well known / advertised. That's just my observations from what I've seen in my area.

I would recommend visiting some of the schools in your area and seeing if you can sit in on a class or two to see what you like. I don't know about those discipline methods, but in our class we do pushups as discipline / punishment, and lots of them.

For the most part females are treated like any other student in classes. I have all male instructors and 75% of the students are male, and we all get along just fine. Of course, you and I will have the disadvantage of height differences in many cases so that may factor in to who you are paired up with in drills and such. My instructors seem to pair me up with people about my height and that's usually the other women.

So TKD may or may not be for you. I'm just speaking from what I know of the martial arts, and I'm sure the next people who post will give you a broader range to choose from.

Good luck!

 

[Brian Johns]

Hi,

As a 25 year veteran of the martial arts, I can offer the following advice (which I wish I had back when I was 18):

(1) It's okay to shop around and check out different martial arts schools and see which ones addresses your needs.

(2) Don't be afraid to ask questions regarding price, class times, how many females there are, female instructors or anything else that pops in your mind.

(3) Google for schools in your area and visit them. See if there is a free trial class or period.

(4) Take a friend along. A buddy is very often a powerful motivator as far as going to classes on days you don't feel like it.

CrimsonPhoenix did an excellent job in her post.

 

[mook jong man]

hello i come from wing chun which is very fast, and good for small people but ive also trained in grappleing, phillipino styles, scenario based, krav magaa etc. i dont think one martial art has all the answers at least not for me anyway. if finances will allow i would crosstrain in several arts. if your lucky you might find a place that teaches it all under one roof. good luck with your search.

 

[Drac]

Hi,

As a 25 year veteran of the martial arts, I can offer the following advice (which I wish I had back when I was 18):

(1) It's okay to shop around and check out different martial arts schools and see which ones addresses your needs.

(2) Don't be afraid to ask questions regarding price, class times, how many females there are, female instructors or anything else that pops in your mind.

(3) Google for schools in your area and visit them. See if there is a free trial class or period.

(4) Take a friend along. A buddy is very often a powerful motivator as far as going to classes on days you don't feel like it.

Well said..Take a few classes and listen to that little voice inside that will tell you that you found a home..

CrimsonPhoenix did an excellent job in her post.

I agree....

 

[NW_Tengu]

Quick questions. What is your definition of "hard", and why do you want a hard style? Is your goal primarily to get in shape, or primarily self defense? In my experience, the farther a school goes towards one of those, the less likely it is cater to the other in a great degree. Also, how much time are you willing to put in, and what kind of a time frame are you looking for? You want a down and dirty, or a lifelong pursuit? How you answer these questions can vastly alter which art you might find most appealing/acceptable.

That said, strictly from your statements, I would suggest Krav Maga if there is legitimate studio in your location. They keep self defense at a basic and effective level, with very high emphasis on cardio and physical fitness. If its not required, take the opportunity to spar (and with men). Knowing what its like to get hit and learning to react thru it is invaluable to self defense. And never forget that situational/enviromental awareness is a KEY component to any self defense situation. Ensure any place you study addresses this.

In the event you are looking for a life long pursuit way of life sort of thing, I suggest you dont rule out "soft" arts. Some of the most effective techniques for self defense are "soft", especialy if you are smaller/weaker. No matter where you train, keep in mind that how you train is how you will react. If you show up twice a week for 45 minutes of static technique training it will show. Try to make sure there is dynamic application and free form training as well to help you learn to think/react on instinct.

Finaly, take a couple of hours and peruse these boards in the various art sections. You can get a good idea of how they are, and many have good youtube videos that can give you a visual without out having to drive around and spend time looking at various training halls. Use your phonebook *(or the internet) so you have and idea of the arts in your area. Once you have a list, look em up here, see if its something you might like, and then check them out.

One last bit of advice. Try to avoid Mcdojo's. These are easiest to spot by the long list of arts of instruction especialy if the arts are very dis-similar. Typical expample would be something like this. Master Joe Schmoe's Dragon Den of Defense. Master Schoe can teach you the arts of Tae Kwon Do, Shaolin Kung Fu, Arnis, Brazilian Jujitsu, Mixed Martial Arts, and the deadly art of Ninjitsu.

 

[JadecloudAlchemist]

Don't let the videos scare you from checking out something you may be interested in. When you go visit a school or schools ask alot of questions.
See if the teacher and school fit your goals and may offer goals you never thought of but like to do. Ask about the teacher's qualifications here on Martialtalk many people can help you answer questions if you are unsure.

Fast pace and slow pace is going to depend on the teacher and how they teach.

Price range is going to depend on location I have paid low $30 a month to $100 an hour so depends on teacher and location.

In the arts females and males are treated the same in my experience.
I think everyone else gave good advice hope mine follows the same line.

 

[morph4me]

You've been given excellent advice, all I can add is welcome to MT

 

[marlon]

Hi,

As a 25 year veteran of the martial arts, I can offer the following advice (which I wish I had back when I was 18):

(1) It's okay to shop around and check out different martial arts schools and see which ones addresses your needs.

(2) Don't be afraid to ask questions regarding price, class times, how many females there are, female instructors or anything else that pops in your mind.

(3) Google for schools in your area and visit them. See if there is a free trial class or period.

(4) Take a friend along. A buddy is very often a powerful motivator as far as going to classes on days you don't feel like it.

CrimsonPhoenix did an excellent job in her post.

what has been said is excellent. I would add : talk to the senior students at the dojo's you visit..observe them, beyond the sales pitch they will be the best indicators of what you are getting into, not only in terms of the art but also in terms of the attitudes and philosophy promoted. Keeping in mind what you said you are looking for, i would recomend specifically the Chow related arts of kempo / kenpo / kajukenbo(i have an obvious bias but my recommendation is sincere). But there are good and bad instructors in every style, so do investigate as stated above keeping in mind the reasons you are looking into a martial art..it is not only your money..it is your safety, growth and time and development.

best wishes

Marlon

 

[MBuzzy]

The biggest key that I'd keep in mind....because it is one of my main problems.

When I go to a new place, I hear the opening pitch (not just MA....I bought $150 of magazines from some guy yesterday because I just can't say no) and I'm sold! I have a hard time shopping around and keeping it objective.

As I've said before, it is still a business, and you are a customer shopping for a service. So no matter how GREAT it sounds on your first visit....don't commit. Shop around first. Hear what everyone else has to say....ESPECIALLY if you're being asked to sign a contract.

 

[arnisador]

I was thinking Muay Thai

Great self-defense, and good for you for planning ahead! One hopes you'll never need it for that, but it'll be great exercise anyway. Is it available near you?

Don't let the videos scare you. Every instructor has different methods; in my (limited) experience what you saw is less common for Muay Thai training here in the States.

Any suggestions on martial arts that are somewhat fast pace?

What's available near you? For your needs, Krav Maga, Jeet Kune DO, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu are all arts that come to mind.

How much do you pay for classes?
[...]
Are females treated any differently than males in the classes?

This will vary greatly by school. Check them out and choose the one that seems right for you!

 

[Kacey]

You've been given some great advice. I would add that if the class and instructor don't make you feel welcome and comfortable, the style isn't going to matter. You might look at these two threads to help you choose the class that is right for you.

Resources for Beginners
Choosing a school

Good luck, and let us know how it goes!

 

[Logan]

Just to add, try and find something that you enjoy doing. You could receive the best teaching/training around but if you don't enjoy it, then you won't make the most of it and would be tempted to quit.

Pretty much all martial arts contain the elements you list (just the teaching might neglect aspects). I would echo the advice to try different things to find what suits you (and you enjoy!)

 

[Radhnoti]

Let me second what a few others have said, in my experience, the instructor is everything. I've had experience in martial arts that should have been perfect for me (jujitsu in my case), but the instructor's focus on sport competition (we had one lined up every few weeks) just didn't mesh with my own goals.
Also, find out who'll be doing the majority of your actual instruction the main guy or a senior student...if it's a senior students put him/her under the same microscope you would the primary instructor.

 

[girlbug2]

I would agree strongly with NW Tengu -- he beat me to it! And as a female practicioner of Krav Maga, I can second that recommendation.

Bear in mind that no matter the art you eventually decide on, the first thing you need to know about a school is the head teacher -- what is he/she in it for? Talk with the teacher, ask when they started teaching and what made them want to teach in the first place. There is nothing more important than learning from somebody who is in it for the right reasons -- on another thread it was mentioned that you shouldn't teach unless it is a calling for you. Try to sound it out as best you can whether this is something they are doing because they love teaching or for other reasons (status, ego, money?). If they seem annoyed by your questions or brush them off, take it as a red flag and look elsewhere.

 

[newGuy12]

Please look around at many schools. You should find one that has an Instructor and fellow students that you like. You pick the one that you like, and you will practice more often.

Even if you change your mind later, it is not so bad.

You just have to pick a horse and ride it. Let us know how you get along.




Robert