What martial art for me ?

Bear with me i understand this question is probably asked alot.


Im twenty years old i work out with weights but dont really bulk up alot mainly stay toned.


Im looking for a martial art which is not self defence. One that comes with the traditional values that i can learn about and live. Something that will hopefully add structure to my life.


I would also like one that i can train in with no instructor on the bag/ mat alongside group lessons, would muay thai be suitable do you think.


Any help much appreciated having trouble pin pointing which one is right for me?

What martial art for me ?
if you're not looking to develop fighting skills, then I'd suggest something like Tai Chi.. from what you said, it sounds like Tai Chi might be the best fit for you.. you could also look into Bagua.. it's not that well known, but it requires a lot of discipline to master.. hope this helps!





EDIT: if you are looking to become a better fighter, you might try Wing Chun.. it discourages "bulking up" like you were talking about because big muscles get in the way of some of the techniques.. this is the martial art that Bruce Lee started with.. it emphasizes position and sensitivity over speed and power..





it's a good one to use on street thugs, but you'll never be able to compete on UFC using just Wing Chun.. if that's what you're looking for, you might want to try Jujitso or something..





one thing I like about Wing Chun is that you don't need a big strong body to be effective with it.. so it'll still be useful to me many years from now when I'm an old man.. many other martial arts require you to have a big strong body to be effective, so when you get old you can't really use the skills anymore..
Reply:most martial arts are rich with tradition, structure and encourage you to continue training outside of the dojo.





If you are looking for fighting/self defense skills, try Kenpo, Kempo or Kajubenbo classes. Kempo is Ed Parkers system and is what Elvis had his belt in.
Reply:Yes Muay Thai is probably what you're looking for. Muay Thai tend to apply those with slender toned body very well. Don't believe me? Look up those Muay Thai guys from Thailand and you will see what I mean.





They may seems to have no traditional value, while Muay Thai gym tend to keep all church and other traditional stuff out, you will see how humble most of the guys are. Don't be surprise if you see guy you consider to be toughest in the gym talk about how scared he is before fight or something. They may seem aloof and cold at first but that's because they have so many newbies come in every months that they doesn't want to get close to any of them until they're sure they know the newbie will stay for a while. Once they accept you as one of them, they are most reliable friends you will have. They will become like your family.





Muay Thai have a LOT of bag works/drills so this sound like a great style for you to learn if you want to be able to do a lot of bagworks.





So my suggestion is if you walk into gym and there's not at least a couple of bags of varies size around then it's definitely NOT right gym for you.
Reply:What I would do if I was you:





Check out the local martial arts schools. Focus on traditional arts such as Tae Kwon Do, HapKiDo, Karate, Ju Jitsu, Kung Fu, AiKiDo, etc.





Most instructors will allow you to take a free class. They want your business.





Pick the one that best meets your needs. It is difficult to learn an art with no instructor. Using videos and books are ok but there is no one to correct you.
Reply:ChaeHookSung Martial Arts





A well-rounded martial arts training program builds highly respected and confident citizens. With ChaeHookSung Martial Arts programs one will not only learn the common self-defense, offense, forms and full-contact fighting but will also be taught history, customs, and the courtesy of martial arts. As a member progresses along each level of martial arts training, both physical and mental training is included in each style. The self-defense programs are non-cardiovascular, dealing with hands-on techniques and lessons in awareness for personal safety. The longer someone attends these ongoing programs, the more he or she can benefit.





Locations





ChaeHookSung Martial Arts at


Competition Dynamics


4224 N. Nevada Ave.


Suite D


Colorado Springs, CO 80907


Instructor: Master Chae





3 A Martial Arts


1795 Jetstream Drive


Unit 103


Colorado Springs, CO 80921-3907


Instructor: Miss Lynda Henry





ChaeHookSung Martial Arts at


Fountain YMCA


301 E Iowa Ave


Fountain, CO 80817


Instructor: Mr. Glenn Hayashida
Reply:Find a good instructor. The style he/she teaches is secondary. Especially in an area like colorado that isn't a "big city martial arts area" like New York or LA.
Reply:try any internal art like tai chi, pa qua,...


Or try mine Aikido


Our founder discribed it as the art of peace.


The art of aikido teaches you a lot about movement, posture and use of your body and how to counter an opponents attack using you ki or energy instead of your strength and doesn't teach you to hit or kick. We still stand highly on ceremony and ettiquete unlike most judo or karate federations. However nearly every martial art will teach you the supreme truth in the end. The best defense is not to fight.
Reply:Kung Fu can be heavy in philosophy depending on the instructor
Reply:Jeet Kune Do, or JKD is also a very good martial art. If you can take both JKD and muay thai you would be unstopable! Not kidding eather!