Which art if your knees are busted

[geezer]

Its not always a perfect fit. Depending on how the styles are taught, there are Arnis/Kali/Escrima moves that involve operating out of deep stances. This can be very difficult for a person with bad knees.

So true. In fact I originally learned to work from a deep stance and I tried to keep doing it even with my knee and ankle problems. My current instructor has knees messed up worse than mine and spent about a year getting me to work from a more natural, upright position. I'm finally catching on, and it's actually working better for me.

Clearly, finding an instructor who can help you is at least as important as the art you choose.

 

[blindsage]

Most teachers should be able to accomodate the physical issues of their students to some degree or another. However some styles it's not really possible. Most grappling styles are probably not the best idea, especially with a lot of throws and takedowns. Heavy kicking style would be rough like TKD and Muay Thai. And real traditional arts that require a lot of stance training that stretches and conditions the knee joints should be looked at cautiously. But that still leaves a lot, and even those listed above can probably be studied to some degree with modifications.

Yang Taiji could actually help his knees in the long run, and there are fighting applications, but for both you'd really need to look hard at any instructors because of the wide proliferation of bad ones.

 

[CDKJudoka]

Any of the soft-CMAs would be good, as well as the FMAs previously mentioned.

Kenpo is another good idea. I would stay away from TKD as stated above. Or if he wants to go for something else, Krav Maga.

 

[shihansmurf]

Just wanted to toss out a quick caveat to the kenpo recommendation upthread. While I will heartily second them, I'll do so with a couple of areas to watch out for. I have a bad right knee and theses things in particular were problematic for me, not outright show stoppers, but they were difficult.

1. There are a few techniques that require a dropping knee movement. This is faciliteted by moving into a close kneel stance then returning to a neurtal bow stance rather quickly. Twisted Rod is the one that springs immediately to mind but I recall others, just not by name. Depending on how bad you friends knee problems are these will be problematic.

2. There are several chicken kicks in the second kicking set, again depending on the severity of his knee issues this could be a problem.

3. Twist stances were uncomfortable on the knees. As were the afore mentioned close kneel as well as the wide kneel.

4. I recall at least one techniuqe having a jump in the middle of it, as well as many of them containing a lot of stomps. This could be problematic as well.

Given the emphasis that kenpo places on tailoring the art to the individual, should your friend find a good instructor all of these can be worked around depending on the degree of the problems with the knees. These were just areas that I had trouble adapting to after my injury and subsequent surgery, so I though I'd give you a heads up.

Mark

 

[Josh Oakley]

I've had a lot of success with my knee in Shaolin Kempo, but I need to echo something that has been said a couple of times: It depends heavily on the instructor. With the right coaching, there are very few martial arts he can't do. But you need to find an instructor who knows how to work around and with knee issues. If you can find one who has personally had to work knee issues, even better. If he lives in Washington State, send him to me!

But it REALLY comes down to finding a good instructor.

 

[Deaf Smith]

My best friend would like to get back into MA, but his knees are totally busted due to the combination of genetic disposition (shape of the joints) and bad karate training.

I suggest two arts Bruno.

Stick fighting and Glockdo.

Any one or two stick fighting arts will be fine for those having bad knees.

And Glockdo is the best of all the arts. Once learned well you can defeat a rather large group of very strong assailants. Your only limit will be the magazine capacity of the Glock you purchase and how fast you can speed load.

Deaf

 

[Josh Oakley]

... and how fast you can draw.
... and how fast you can react to the situation.
... and how good your aim is.
... and the relative distance of your assailants.
... and their cover, concealment, and situational awareness.
... and a multitude of other factors that still require a significant amount of training to appropriately respond to.

 

[Guardian]

Its not always a perfect fit. Depending on how the styles are taught, there are Arnis/Kali/Escrima moves that involve operating out of deep stances. This can be very difficult for a person with bad knees.

Well maybe perfect fit was the wrong terminalogy to use. But they sure are a better fit they a kicking art wouldn't you say? The stances can be worked out of slightly different format I would imagine.

 

[Guardian]

I suggest two arts Bruno.

Stick fighting and Glockdo.

Any one or two stick fighting arts will be fine for those having bad knees.

And Glockdo is the best of all the arts. Once learned well you can defeat a rather large group of very strong assailants. Your only limit will be the magazine capacity of the Glock you purchase and how fast you can speed load.

Deaf

and how good your lawyer is with getting you out of jail.

 

[chinto]

Shobayashi Shorin Ryu or most of the Okinawan arts may work well for him.
I would however say that most of the Korean arts would not be a good choice.

that said i think a good sensei/instructor can make a lot of arts work for him.

 

[Carol]

Well maybe perfect fit was the wrong terminalogy to use. But they sure are a better fit they a kicking art wouldn't you say? The stances can be worked out of slightly different format I would imagine.

Absolutely. :asian:

 

[Deaf Smith]

and how good your lawyer is with getting you out of jail.

Just move to Texas or Florida. Take LFI-1 and you will be ok. Especially if you have two bad knees and have to defend yourself against a stronger, bigger, person.

Deaf

 

[BLACK LION]

Maybe try a more modern day combative course. One that will taylor to your needs and your physical limitations. Try something that you can absorb in a shorter period of time. It shouldnt take years to become proficient in protection of oneself and others. It also shouldnt mean you must live and operate in pain either.


Get a ccw if you can as I recommend every upright citizen to do so if your state is pro-carry or has a shall issue policy.

 

[sgtmac_46]

and how good your lawyer is with getting you out of jail.

Not a serious concern in Texas.

 

[Guardian]

Just move to Texas or Florida. Take LFI-1 and you will be ok. Especially if you have two bad knees and have to defend yourself against a stronger, bigger, person.

Deaf

LOL, Deaf, I do live in Texas with you brother. Your analogy of defense with just a Glockdo is cool, but even in Texas here, CCPs have their limits and use and not all self-defense situations will be looked favorably for gun owners, circumstances still will be looked at.

 

[futabachan]

My best friend would like to get back into MA, but his knees are totally busted due to the combination of genetic disposition (shape of the joints) and bad karate training.

He tried kendo a couple of years ago, but that didn't work out well for him.

At the risk of plugging my own art, naginata might be a good choice, especially if he had the interest to try kendo. There's nothing overly stressful on the knees (some sune cuts might need minor modifications, but that's it), and if he got far enough to get into bogu, the bogu can be reused in naginata. Where is he located?

 

[nelsonkari]

Get competent with a cane or walking stick.