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martial art
im thinking of starting a martial art. Im leaning towards aikido or kung fu. im not particularly fit or healthy, and im a pretty big guy, 6 feet and im 16. what would be my best choice? thanks
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ok im sorry but i use to take tong soo do and i hated it it get so boring and confusing please dont do it good luck
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Well I have not done kung fu, but I did train aikido and ju-jutsu when I was younger.
Let me start by making a few comments about aikido. First, the idea is very noble, in the sense that they aim at creating an art that is used purely for defense, and where you need no strength whatsoever. That being said, it is also an art that takes a lifetime to master. You will not be able to do much with a few years of aikido training, at least nothing compared to what other martial arts teach you.
Another thing I would like to add is that for a big guy it is probably not an ideal choice either. I am also large and I found it frustrating to have my strength be totally redundant. Every move is designed to avoid any physical exertion, which means that it consists of numerous steps that have to be executed to perfection.
Finally, my last point of criticism is regarding its effectiveness. All lessons taught to us by the Ultimate Fighting Championship and other such venues indicate that this kind of art would not fare too well against others. You cant be sure since aikido does not enter these competitions, but, when you see how simple the moves have to be kept when fighting other experts, realistically they dont have a chance.
I know that you are not aiming to jump in the ring, but it is still a point to consider imo. What will I be able to do in 10 years? Aikido's greatest strength vs other arts is in its ability to deal with multiple incompetent oponents, like in a bar brawl.
I wont comment too much on kung fu since I only know bits and pieces. I would like to state that their record in mixed martial arts is not all that great (at least to the best of my knowledge). I saw contenders early on in the UFC when the styles were more pure, and they seemed a bit weak. But then again, there are many different styles so who knows (just make sure you get your info from a non biased source, since I have sometimes found kung fu practitioners, particularly Ving Tsun, to seem a bit brain washed lol).
Well, I hope you can use this for something. If I may throw in a recommendation outside your two choices, I would say ju-jutsu. It has much of the finesse of aikido while maintaining a strong element of practicality and effectiveness. Essentially you get elements from judo, karate, and aikido. It is a very complete art with a proven track record in mixed martial arts.
Just a thought. Good luck finding your calling :)
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