RealGM

I'm thinking about joining a martial arts. Mainly for confidence, self defense, and all around fitness. I have been self teaching myself boxing for about 4 years now, but I'm getting older and kind of hit a learning wall, I need professional help. I broke down my options I'm interested in to karate, Boxing, Judo, BJJ, MMA.

Which do you think is the best to choose?

And btw I am absolutely interested in competing..

You really can't go wrong. If you are interested in competing though, I would ask you to consider if you are legitimately planning on fighting MMA or boxing. If so, I would just choose which you like better.

I would say BJJ may be best if you want to compete but don't want to be punched in the face, especially as you mention you are getting older.

Judo is great too and would be a cheaper option compared to BJJ. That's really rough on your body too though. (All martial arts are.)

Maybe do a week or month trial of each? Or maybe it just comes down to gym options nearby.

REDDzone wrote:You really can't go wrong. If you are interested in competing though, I would ask you to consider if you are legitimately planning on fighting MMA or boxing. If so, I would just choose which you like better.

I would say BJJ may be best if you want to compete but don't want to be punched in the face, especially as you mention you are getting older.

Judo is great too and would be a cheaper option compared to BJJ. That's really rough on your body too though. (All martial arts are.)

Maybe do a week or month trial of each? Or maybe it just comes down to gym options nearby.

Thanks for the reply! I don't mind getting punched in the face at all, but yes I have done some BJJ and kickboxing in the past (about 3 months worth) and absolutely loved it. Learned how to break someones leg the first day and I was hooked haha. Just didn't have the money to continue training but that is about to change with this new job I'm starting.

I turned 28 years this past summer so I'm not really sure if that's too old for competing, and yes I am focusing on boxing/ BJJ/MMA type of competing. I live is WA will be working in Seattle, but live in the country/mountains about 45mins southbound. There is a real prestigious gym in my small town that I'm thinking of joining that focus on Kickboxing and BJJ. Real smart minds in there. Or might just try and find a boxing gym in the big city and go that route, anyway I have allot of research to do, thanks.

If you have a good gym locally that offers multiple martial arts...seems like a no brainer?

REDDzone wrote:If you have a good gym locally that offers multiple martial arts...seems like a no brainer?

Yea you are right, and I really miss BJJ. Will need to invest in a new GI, BJJ is not cheap. But so worth it, the training makes me feel like a ninja

_Game7_ wrote:

REDDzone wrote:If you have a good gym locally that offers multiple martial arts...seems like a no brainer?

Yea you are right, and I really miss BJJ. Will need to invest in a new GI, BJJ is not cheap. But so worth it, the training makes me feel like a ninja

Given your propensity to compete in MMA/boxing im actually surprised you are interested in the gi.

Why not just choose a single martial and master its movements? Any single striking sport or any single grappling sport. You're losing a lot of the beauty if you immediately start to blend for the purposes of some far-off MMA fight. Just get good at some one thing.

REDDzone wrote:

_Game7_ wrote:

REDDzone wrote:If you have a good gym locally that offers multiple martial arts...seems like a no brainer?

Yea you are right, and I really miss BJJ. Will need to invest in a new GI, BJJ is not cheap. But so worth it, the training makes me feel like a ninja

Given your propensity to compete in MMA/boxing im actually surprised you are interested in the gi.

Well yea the gi gets in the way in a real fight cause they are no grabbing shorts or shirts, Its more of a mindset, presence, at that point.

cowboyronnie wrote:Why not just choose a single martial and master its movements? Any single striking sport or any single grappling sport. You're losing a lot of the beauty if you immediately start to blend for the purposes of some far-off MMA fight. Just get good at some one thing.

I hear that and actually been thinking the same, however if I take BJJ 6 days a week, I could do the kick boxing 3 days a week. Have a nice balance of ground and stand up game, which I would need in the long run.

I know 18 to 25-year-olds who train 6 days a week at a single sport, I guess. But they're perpetually injured and/or advanced enough that they don't have to take classes each day but can just work on things by themselves at their own pace. The rest of us have to vary intensity by working in days of light aerobics or short lifting sessions and be very careful when training. Don't plan 9 training sessions a week.

My understanding is that BJJ guys' necks and backs are always messed up. Don't underestimate how plagued by strains and injuries you're going to be.

BJJ.

cowboyronnie wrote:I know 18 to 25-year-olds who train 6 days a week at a single sport, I guess. But they're perpetually injured and/or advanced enough that they don't have to take classes each day but can just work on things by themselves at their own pace. The rest of us have to vary intensity by working in days of light aerobics or short lifting sessions and be very careful when training. Don't plan 9 training sessions a week.

My understanding is that BJJ guys' necks and backs are always messed up. Don't underestimate how plagued by strains and injuries you're going to be.

Yeah, it's rough.

You're gunna break some things too.

For MMA, you can just train MMA these days. Best individual martial art for fighting is BJJ, but you NEED to complement it with good wrestling (takedowns so you can get a fight to the ground confidently).

My experience from both boxing and BJJ is that you'll probably get more realistic miles rolling BJJ with guys than 50% sparring with guys + a couple sparring session a week. BJJ is an insanely useful martial art. Fun too and makes you think in complex ways more than other martial arts.

REDDzone wrote:

_Game7_ wrote:

REDDzone wrote:If you have a good gym locally that offers multiple martial arts...seems like a no brainer?

Yea you are right, and I really miss BJJ. Will need to invest in a new GI, BJJ is not cheap. But so worth it, the training makes me feel like a ninja

Given your propensity to compete in MMA/boxing im actually surprised you are interested in the gi.

If MMA is a goal, train no-gi or even try out 10th planet jj

Everything is great

Muai Thai/Kickboxing. If you want to take it half serious jow the sport is evolving go those two.

The BJJ community however is something else. You'll never see many tossers (still there) that practise it. Everyone is just dedicated to the craft. No GI is a great start