Looking to return to MA -- suggestions on styles to look at?

[JBinCO]

Hi all, just joined and I'm glad to be here.

I'm 54 and looking to get back into martial arts. I earned 1st dan in Kempo 9 years ago, studied some Silat and Japanese Ju-Jitsu after that and kind of lost my focus and drifted away.

Now I'm ready to get back into the swing, but I'm not sure which path is best for me, so I'm asking the wise folks of Martialtalk for some advice.

Here's what I want:

* I love self-defense techniques. Watching a guy like Fred Mastro do his thing is like porn to me. So definitely some of that

* If I never do a form again, I'll be perfectly happy, Same goes for belt tests.

* I want to train with adults, but not super-aggro 20-somethings with no control.

* I'm definitely not a kicker, but I have (or maybe had ) quick hands.


I'm in Northern Colorado, so I'm looking for anything in Greeley, Fort Collins, Loveland, etc.

Even if you're not familiar with the area, any insight into arts and systems that may work for me will be very much appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Hi all, just joined and I'm glad to be here.

I'm 54 and looking to get back into martial arts. I earned 1st dan in Kempo 9 years ago, studied some Silat and Japanese Ju-Jitsu after that and kind of lost my focus and drifted away.

Now I'm ready to get back into the swing, but I'm not sure which path is best for me, so I'm asking the wise folks of Martialtalk for some advice.

Here's what I want:

* I love self-defense techniques. Watching a guy like Fred Mastro do his thing is like porn to me. So definitely some of that

* If I never do a form again, I'll be perfectly happy, Same goes for belt tests.

* I want to train with adults, but not super-aggro 20-somethings with no control.

* I'm definitely not a kicker, but I have (or maybe had ) quick hands.


I'm in Northern Colorado, so I'm looking for anything in Greeley, Fort Collins, Loveland, etc.

Even if you're not familiar with the area, any insight into arts and systems that may work for me will be very much appreciated.

Thanks!

I'll toss this in as a first thought: Just find something that looks like fun to you. You have enough background to make a reasonable judgment from watching a class or two, so visit some schools and try classes at any that look enjoyable.

As for your criteria, there are certainly styles that meet several of them. You don't mention whether you're interested in competition, or whether you have any limitations (I'm a few years younger, and my knees already tell me what to do), so I'll just toss some thoughts around.

Brazilian Jujitusu (BJJ) has always looked like fun, and many schools don't have belt tests, though they have belts. Control is a large part of why they are so effective, so anyone who stays around more than a few weeks likely has some control and is getting better. And no forms. You will have to make sure you're stepping into a school that actually has a self-defense focus. Others on here have reported that a portion of the BJJ schools have turned entirely toward competition.

Arts like Nihon Goshin Aikido have a strong self-defense focus, and the "forms" are really just simplified static versions of the technique, so no long forms. There are belt tests, but they are fairly simple matters at most schools, until you get up to brown and black belt, where they have multiple parts and can take months. Most schools have little or no testing fees.

If you find a good Krav Maga school, that may fit for you. Most have no forms, and many have no belts. They are very self-defense focused. Just be aware that there are a lot of "certified" KM instructors who got their certification in a weekend seminar. There are also KM schools where they've lost the realism (a risk in any self-defense-oriented school, so something to look for in things like NGA, as well).

Others will likely have other good suggestions, from arts I'm less familiar with. In the end, my first recommendation is my strongest: find something that looks fun.

 

[Brian King]

Hello JBinCO,
Welcome to martial talk.
I do not know if you are anywhere near Longmont but one of my favorite Systema instructors is there.
Scornavacco Story | History of SMAA | Scornavacco Martial Arts Academy
www.systemacolorado.com |
I can and do highly recommend training with Brad if you can.
Again, welcome to martial talk!
Regards
Brian King

 

[JBinCO]

Hello JBinCO,
Welcome to martial talk.
I do not know if you are anywhere near Longmont but one of my favorite Systema instructors is there.
Scornavacco Story | History of SMAA | Scornavacco Martial Arts Academy
www.systemacolorado.com |
I can and do highly recommend training with Brad if you can.
Again, welcome to martial talk!
Regards
Brian King

Excellent, Brian. thank you. Longmont's only 30 minutes away, so absolutely doable. I'll look Brad up.

 

[JBinCO]

I'll toss this in as a first thought: Just find something that looks like fun to you. You have enough background to make a reasonable judgment from watching a class or two, so visit some schools and try classes at any that look enjoyable.

As for your criteria, there are certainly styles that meet several of them. You don't mention whether you're interested in competition, or whether you have any limitations (I'm a few years younger, and my knees already tell me what to do), so I'll just toss some thoughts around.

Brazilian Jujitusu (BJJ) has always looked like fun, and many schools don't have belt tests, though they have belts. Control is a large part of why they are so effective, so anyone who stays around more than a few weeks likely has some control and is getting better. And no forms. You will have to make sure you're stepping into a school that actually has a self-defense focus. Others on here have reported that a portion of the BJJ schools have turned entirely toward competition.

Arts like Nihon Goshin Aikido have a strong self-defense focus, and the "forms" are really just simplified static versions of the technique, so no long forms. There are belt tests, but they are fairly simple matters at most schools, until you get up to brown and black belt, where they have multiple parts and can take months. Most schools have little or no testing fees.

If you find a good Krav Maga school, that may fit for you. Most have no forms, and many have no belts. They are very self-defense focused. Just be aware that there are a lot of "certified" KM instructors who got their certification in a weekend seminar. There are also KM schools where they've lost the realism (a risk in any self-defense-oriented school, so something to look for in things like NGA, as well).

Others will likely have other good suggestions, from arts I'm less familiar with. In the end, my first recommendation is my strongest: find something that looks fun.

Thank you Gerry, that's a lot to chew on. Great stuff.

 

[JBinCO]

Hello JBinCO,
Welcome to martial talk.
I do not know if you are anywhere near Longmont but one of my favorite Systema instructors is there.
Scornavacco Story | History of SMAA | Scornavacco Martial Arts Academy
www.systemacolorado.com |
I can and do highly recommend training with Brad if you can.
Again, welcome to martial talk!
Regards
Brian King

Just spent some time on their website and it looks perfect. Definitely gonna hike down there and meet Brad. many thanks!

 

[Buka]

Welcome to Mt, JB. (you old dog!)

Go visit every dojo near you. Spend a couple nights at each place. (a week would be far better,though)

Then go have some fun. (You know you want to.)

And keep us posted.

 

[KangTsai]

I'll just throw in BJJ as a suggestion. Borderline pornographic (you'll get it) self defense techniques, pretty diverse audience, you can't do forms, no striking (but it's still harder than striking) however belt tests may exist in some schools. But considering that it takes about two years alone to progress one belt from white to blue, it's probably not an issue.
Welcome to Martialtalk! I am practically a baby.

 

[Juany118]

I don't know the Geography that well and hesitate to recommend schools I know nothing about but looking at what you like and don't like Filipino Martial Arts may work for you. It's largely no nonsense many of them don't use belt systems and while there are drills they aren't "forms" as we usually look at them. A quick Google search found a fair number of schools in Colorado.

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

 

[Flying Crane]

Do some research and see what is available in your area. Then people here can make some meaningful comments.

If someone makes a recommendation for something that is not available to you, then it doesn't really help you much.

 

[Jenna]

Hi all, just joined and I'm glad to be here.

I'm 54 and looking to get back into martial arts. I earned 1st dan in Kempo 9 years ago, studied some Silat and Japanese Ju-Jitsu after that and kind of lost my focus and drifted away.

Now I'm ready to get back into the swing, but I'm not sure which path is best for me, so I'm asking the wise folks of Martialtalk for some advice.

Here's what I want:

* I love self-defense techniques. Watching a guy like Fred Mastro do his thing is like porn to me. So definitely some of that

* If I never do a form again, I'll be perfectly happy, Same goes for belt tests.

* I want to train with adults, but not super-aggro 20-somethings with no control.

* I'm definitely not a kicker, but I have (or maybe had ) quick hands.


I'm in Northern Colorado, so I'm looking for anything in Greeley, Fort Collins, Loveland, etc.

Even if you're not familiar with the area, any insight into arts and systems that may work for me will be very much appreciated.

Thanks!

Hey welcome to MT Hope you find a good match for your criteria! You cannot return maybe to your Silat? Wow, what an amazing art Wishes to you x

 

[drop bear]

box

 

[Brian King]

Just spent some time on their website and it looks perfect. Definitely gonna hike down there and meet Brad. many thanks!

Wonderful. Wish I lived closer, Seattle to Longmont is a bit of a commute LOL but have made it a couple of times.
Regards
Brian King

 

[Dylan9d]

Welcome to MT.

What kinda Silat did you practice? Don't know how you teachers taught it but mine never had belt tests for students, only for instructors.

 

[Dylan9d]

If you find a good Krav Maga school, that may fit for you. Most have no forms, and many have no belts. They are very self-defense focused. Just be aware that there are a lot of "certified" KM instructors who got their certification in a weekend seminar. There are also KM schools where they've lost the realism (a risk in any self-defense-oriented school, so something to look for in things like NGA, as well).

Just saw your post and this made me laugh a bit, did you ever practised Krav Maga?

KM schools are VERY focussed on exams, typically once every 6 months you will have a test that will cost you money.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Just saw your post and this made me laugh a bit, did you ever practised Krav Maga?

KM schools are VERY focussed on exams, typically once every 6 months you will have a test that will cost you money.

I only know what I've heard from others. There are Krav programs that don't use ranks.

 

[Dylan9d]

I only know what I've heard from others. There are Krav programs that don't use ranks.

I practiced Krav Maga withe IKMF and the KMG and both are very focussed on grading and so is every other program I came in touch with in my Krav days

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I practiced Krav Maga withe IKMF and the KMG and both are very focussed on grading and so is every other program I came in touch with in my Krav days

I know nothing of the associations. As I said, I can only speak to what I've heard from others.

 

[Grange]

You may want to check FMA such as Modern Arnis. Not a lot of kicking, and the empty handed defense and disarm techniques are fun to work on. We also train on some good locks and take downs. There is something about having a stick in my hand and getting swing at my training partner when sparring. We do have belt testing, though the school I train at doesn't require you to test if you don't want to as far as I know.