have tendinitis, what style should i take?

[drummingman]

i have not been here in awhile so some of you not remember that i have tendinitis in both of my wrists and that i am a pro drummer. i have been thinking again about taking a martial art for self defense and for fitness. the thing is that i have to be very carful to not hurt my wrists so i dont end my drumming carriers. my left knee also gives my problems because of a past injury.
i have been thinking about japanese jujutsu or karate. what do you all think? are there any other styles that you all would recommend?
thanks for the help.

 

[drummingman]

krav maga also looks cool to me if i can find a good school near where i work.

 

[stoneheart]

Jujutsu has lots of wrist lock techniques that you should avoid if you already have wrist problems. Many Chinese martial arts have various hand strikes that utilize the wrist in a bent fashion so you should be careful there, too. I know nothing about Krav Maga, but I'd say you'd be pretty safe studying at a school that focuses more on kicking and punching. That can mean karate, but you'll have to ask the instructor, since classical karate also contains locking techniques.

Honestly if you're serious about the self-defense aspect of martial arts study, your limitation is a fairly serious one. There are people who study tai chi on a strictly NON-MARTIAL level and they seem to be happy with the health benefits, but I think it's a shame myself to limit yourself so much. Have you consulted a physician for treatment of your condition?

 

[drummingman]

i have, i have had sugery twice on my left wrist in 1998 or 99 (cant remember wich one).
i do want something that would be good for real self defense and fitness.

 

[Sukerkin]

It might seem an odd suggestion and it will certainly add a few years to your wait time before trying something like karate but I would suggest taking up iaido.

I have no 'natural' right forearm bones due to an exciting biking incident a long time ago. I suffered with constant pain, cramps and spasms in what was left of the muscle tissue and tendons, crushing sensations in the wrist and knuckle bones etc etc.

A few years of iaido and all that has gone. My point being that I'm wondering if the training effects of swordsmanship might help deal with your medical problem and thus enable you to move on to the empty handed arts?

 

[stoneheart]

i have, i have had sugery twice on my left wrist in 1998 or 99 (cant remember wich one).
i do want something that would be good for real self defense and fitness.

I'd suggest kickboxing. You will burn more fat than in the average martial arts class and if you go to the right school there's lots of sparring opportunities, which can be helpful in street-fighting.

I study classical karate myself. Lots of tuite (grappling and takedowns) work to supplement the striking most schools concentrate on.

 

[drummingman]

how about muay thai? there is a school not far from my job. but i also want to know how to fight on the ground in a real street fighting context, meaning i will be able to fight on the ground by the goal is to get back on my feet.

 

[CuongNhuka]

My only real suggestion would be not Ju Jitsu (to many wrist locks) or Wing Chun. Wing Chun contains a technique call Win Sao, which is a rolling wrist technqiue. It will strengthen the forearm, but will cause a large amount of pain to the wrists, since you have tendinitis. A Southern style of Kung fu might work for you. A heavy focus is placed on the hands, so it wont intrefere with your knee too much. Outside that, I'm not sure what to tell you.
So, Sukerkin just gonna leave us hangin? I mean come on, you tell us there is an exciting story, but dont tell us. What's up with that?

 

[jks9199]

I would suggest avoiding Muay Thai, many karate styles, or anything else that includes a lot of pounding your fists into heavy bags, makiwara, or board breaking. You not only need your wrists working -- you need to avoid damage to the nerves and bones within your hand, and striking anything always carries that risk.

Look at what's in your area. Talk to the instructional staff -- and tell them your specific concerns. If they don't listen, or won't (or can't) answer your questions, walk away. Try somewhere else. I'd also suggest avoiding the highly commercial places... Many times, the instructors there are barely trained, and don't know much beyond what it takes to teach the lessons...

 

[drummingman]

I would suggest avoiding Muay Thai, many karate styles, or anything else that includes a lot of pounding your fists into heavy bags, makiwara, or board breaking. You not only need your wrists working -- you need to avoid damage to the nerves and bones within your hand, and striking anything always carries that risk.

Look at what's in your area. Talk to the instructional staff -- and tell them your specific concerns. If they don't listen, or won't (or can't) answer your questions, walk away. Try somewhere else. I'd also suggest avoiding the highly commercial places... Many times, the instructors there are barely trained, and don't know much beyond what it takes to teach the lessons...

what styles would you suggest? i thought that a striking art might be best for me. like muay thai or karate.

 

[jks9199]

what styles would you suggest? i thought that a striking art might be best for me. like muay thai or karate.

I'm not going to recommend any one art; you have very specific concerns medically and professionally. You really need someone who can teach you around those concerns. Pounding your fist into targets, even relatively soft ones like heavy bags, is going to add trauma to the hand and wrist. So, you want a teacher who can work around those concerns. For example, were I teaching you, I'd focus on open hand strikes, and probably limit your bag work to hand held pads at least for a long while. When I'm pretty confident that your hands and wrists are up to the training, I'd add in the heavier targets.

You might consider some of the Filipino styles like arnis or escrima... Especially with your drumming, the stick work just might be right up your line.

 

[Grenadier]

What part of your wrist has the tendonitis problem?

Most forms of Karate emphasize keeping a straight wrist for most of the techniques. If you can make a fist, and withstand a moderate impact without pain, I'd suggest paying a visit to a local dojo, and having a good chat with the instructors there.

 

[ArmorOfGod]

i have not been here in awhile so some of you not remember that i have tendinitis in both of my wrists and that i am a pro drummer. i have been thinking again about taking a martial art for self defense and for fitness.

Well, you have been asking this same question here for almost a year now, so just scroll back and see what everyone has said the first time you asked it back in October of last year.
Click here: http://martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40622

Just pick a style and start.

AoG

 

[drummingman]

you got me on that AOG. i tend to over analyze on a lot of topics ( i do the same on which drumming techniques i should work on because i want to make sure that im working on the best techniques for my hands and feet ). i guess its just my nature.