Friendly Advice Experiences in Martial Arts/Self Defence/Contact Sports, Anyone? [Archive]

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FinnLassie

2016-07-21, 03:44 PM

Grinner

2016-07-21, 04:22 PM

Kickboxing, as I've experienced it, is just a generic term for anything involving punching and kicking. Allow me to explain:

I did taekwondo for a while when I was younger. A few years ago, I decided to get back into martial arts and got an online deal for kickboxing classes. Lo and behold, the classes were held at the exact same school. After my classes were up, I decided to stay on and took classes for several years. However, I noticed that the classes mirrored taekwondo quite closely (so much so that one of the instructors questioned me on whether I had done this before), the only difference being an increased emphasis on bag time (with boxing gloves) and no emphasis on more advanced techniques like establishing and slipping holds.

Meanwhile, a large gym chain was offering a deal of one free class in exchange for a sales pitch. This gym offered a "kickboxing" class, so I went ahead and took up the offer. I was severely disappointed when it turned out to be an aerobics class dressed up with punching- and kicking-like movements.

The actual kickboxing class was hard. I sweated a lot, and I couldn't keep up for the first few classes. After the conditioning phase was over, I enjoyed it immensely.

Later, a ju jitsu student joined the taekwondo school and received permission to teach some introductory ju jitsu, which I took advantage of. This too was very strenuous, but it's also a bit more...strategic than kickboxing. Ideally, you would learn how to predict how others will move and position yourself to gain leverage. Strength helps, but it's really all about exploiting physics. Also, because it's a grappling martial art, you should be comfortable with (edit: prolonged) close physical contact.

I can't speak for how useful either of them are in actual self-defense, as I've never needed to make use of them. Krav Maga is supposed to be the premiere self-defense martial art, though.

Morbis Meh

2016-07-21, 04:58 PM

I have done little in the way of martial arts (a little karate when I was young and some judo later which are both unappealing to you); however, I have played contact sports all my life from hockey to american football to lacrosse. One thing I can say that team contact sports have over martial arts for me was much need catharsis from pent up aggression which is something martial arts does not touch since they are more discipline based. Football was the best to release my frustration since you can literally tackle people (nothing beats the feeling of dominating another person when you are having a bad day). Lacrosse I was a goalie but it was always satisfying to be able to check an opponent when I ventured out of the net.

There are many downsides to contact sports: First off is the major increase in risk to personal injury, I am pushing 30 and I know that I am going to have wicked arthritis in my shoulders due to football. Secondly they can be very expensive, highschool football thankfully was free since you had to do some volunteer work in its place and the equipment was provided. Lacrosse can be expensive but hockey was disgusting in how much it costed my family growing up (thankfully I only played for 4 years and switched to football and lacrosse...)

Lethologica

2016-07-21, 05:28 PM

What do you have against Japanese martial arts, Finn? :smalltongue:

I took aikido classes as a kid, and a semester of beginner taekwondo at college? So, not much. All I really learned (apart how to fall without hurting myself) is that any martial art worth its salt will take care of fitness, so dojos/gyms that have fitness as their selling point are a missed opportunity, compared to martial arts as spiritual discipline/competition/self-defense/dance (hey, don't knock it). I don't find myself treating martial arts competitively or practically (I'd rather play ball/racket sports for competition), so I'd lean towards the other aspects if I started doing martial arts again.

Contact sports...well, like I said, ball/racket sports are more my bag. But the team sports ethos is a nice thing to have.

Crow

2016-07-21, 05:41 PM

I'd go with the Krav Maga. Jiu Jitsu is good, but I've found it less applicable in real life (everything that takes place outside a ring) than the concepts taught in KM.

For recreation, I've been enjoying learning the longsword; which also seems to be an art women can really excel at for some reason.

FinnLassie

2016-07-22, 08:51 AM

Firstly: my main goal isn't exactly self defence or the like - I'm more interested in the fitness/wellbeing aspect of these sports, growing my stamina and balancing my muscle-fat ratio to a healthier one. So yeah, losing weight or knowing how to kick ass aren't my main goals at all, I just want to find a balance. and honestly I need to have something where I focus 100% on myself
Oh yeah. Our small city also seems to have capoeira if I recall correctly, but that has always seemed a bit... hippie-ish? :smalltongue::smallbiggrin: I mean capoeira seems bad ass in Tekken and stuff, but IRL it looks like a completely different kind of a show. :smallamused:

Anyways.... let the quote game begin!

Kickboxing, as I've experienced it, is just a generic term for anything involving punching and kicking. Allow me to explain:

I did taekwondo for a while when I was younger. A few years ago, I decided to get back into martial arts and got an online deal for kickboxing classes. Lo and behold, the classes were held at the exact same school. After my classes were up, I decided to stay on and took classes for several years. However, I noticed that the classes mirrored taekwondo quite closely (so much so that one of the instructors questioned me on whether I had done this before), the only difference being an increased emphasis on bag time (with boxing gloves) and no emphasis on more advanced techniques like establishing and slipping holds.

The actual kickboxing class was hard. I sweated a lot, and I couldn't keep up for the first few classes. After the conditioning phase was over, I enjoyed it immensely.

Later, a ju jitsu student joined the taekwondo school and received permission to teach some introductory ju jitsu, which I took advantage of. This too was very strenuous, but it's also a bit more...strategic than kickboxing. Ideally, you would learn how to predict how others will move and position yourself to gain leverage. Strength helps, but it's really all about exploiting physics. Also, because it's a grappling martial art, you should be comfortable with (edit: prolonged) close physical contact.
I'm very thankful for your input! Seems like you have a lot of experiences with these, so it's a joy to read them. Although after reading your response I'm not sure if I would be able to choose between taekwondo and kickboxing... I think it has to do with how much I want to and can challenge myself at this moment - feels like kickboxing would require more strength/force than taekwondo?

Meanwhile, a large gym chain was offering a deal of one free class in exchange for a sales pitch. This gym offered a "kickboxing" class, so I went ahead and took up the offer. I was severely disappointed when it turned out to be an aerobics class dressed up with punching- and kicking-like movements.
What.

I have done little in the way of martial arts (a little karate when I was young and some judo later which are both unappealing to you); however, I have played contact sports all my life from hockey to american football to lacrosse. One thing I can say that team contact sports have over martial arts for me was much need catharsis from pent up aggression which is something martial arts does not touch since they are more discipline based. Football was the best to release my frustration since you can literally tackle people (nothing beats the feeling of dominating another person when you are having a bad day). Lacrosse I was a goalie but it was always satisfying to be able to check an opponent when I ventured out of the net.

There are many downsides to contact sports: First off is the major increase in risk to personal injury, I am pushing 30 and I know that I am going to have wicked arthritis in my shoulders due to football. Secondly they can be very expensive, highschool football thankfully was free since you had to do some volunteer work in its place and the equipment was provided. Lacrosse can be expensive but hockey was disgusting in how much it costed my family growing up (thankfully I only played for 4 years and switched to football and lacrosse...)
Lacrosse and rugby are sports that I've been very interested in especially when I lived in Scotland, but only gained enough interest towards them in order to actually go and join in when I moved back to Finland. You can have a guess at how possible it is to play those in a small city in the middle of nowhere... :smalltongue:

The biggest attraction in American football for me probably has to do with tactics and kind of, well, the ways one moves around the field and how to get through encounters with the opposing players. That, and it would be an easy hobby for me to start; one of my friends at uni is a coach in both men's and women's teams. She has really assured me that people there have began from absolutely zero experiences in sports ever and that every shape, form, weight, anything really has their own advatages, and at some point people will realise what their best attributes are.

What do you have against Japanese martial arts, Finn? :smalltongue:

I took aikido classes as a kid, and a semester of beginner taekwondo at college? So, not much. All I really learned (apart how to fall without hurting myself) is that any martial art worth its salt will take care of fitness, so dojos/gyms that have fitness as their selling point are a missed opportunity, compared to martial arts as spiritual discipline/competition/self-defense/dance (hey, don't knock it). I don't find myself treating martial arts competitively or practically (I'd rather play ball/racket sports for competition), so I'd lean towards the other aspects if I started doing martial arts again.

Contact sports...well, like I said, ball/racket sports are more my bag. But the team sports ethos is a nice thing to have.
They've always felt... just... boring to me. No idea why, but they have a halo of meh around them. Also I've been told aikido is super boring by a lot of people. :smalltongue: But hey, I still have taijutsu & ju jutsu squeezed in there! :smallwink:

I think I'm a rebel at heart and care very little about discipline... I mean I used to do kendo, yes, we had our moments of some kind of loose discipline. But not much at all as we were all friends with each other outside kendo as well. :smalltongue: But yeah. I'll just grit my teeth through the discipline part of things if I have to.

I'd go with the Krav Maga. Jiu Jitsu is good, but I've found it less applicable in real life (everything that takes place outside a ring) than the concepts taught in KM.

For recreation, I've been enjoying learning the longsword; which also seems to be an art women can really excel at for some reason.
Hmm. As being applicable IRL isn't my main goal, it does kinda leave me wonder about krav maga... I think I've become more indecisive between all of the options I have. :smallconfused: :smallbiggrin:

I used to do boffering. Entertaining yet leaving me bruised and concussed. I know it's not the same to a large extent, but I don't feel like I should be trusted with any kind of weaponry (derp mode activate!). Maybe all of those bruises and knock downs in boffering have made me gain an interest in self defence and martial arts? :smallamused:

Grinner

2016-07-22, 09:12 AM

I'm very thankful for your input! Seems like you have a lot of experiences with these, so it's a joy to read them. Although after reading your response I'm not sure if I would be able to choose between taekwondo and kickboxing... I think it has to do with how much I want to and can challenge myself at this moment - feels like kickboxing would require more strength/force than taekwondo?

My experience was that the kickboxing class required more stamina, not force, since you would spend the entire class focusing on a limited set of drills rather than being introduced to a broader range of techniques. The upside of this was that if you attended class and focused on your form, you could get really good at what they did teach.

What.

In relating my experiences with two different classes, each under the moniker of "kickboxing", I had been trying to make the point that the nature of any kickboxing class will be reflected by the nature of the person responsible for teaching it. That is, a taekwondo instructor teaching kickboxing is probably going to teach you what is essentially taekwondo, whereas an aerobics instructor teaching kickboxing is probably going to teach you what is essentially aerobic exercise. Therefore, it's beneficial to keep in mind who's teaching the class.

KillingAScarab

2016-07-22, 09:17 AM

Morbis Meh

2016-07-22, 11:41 AM

Lacrosse and rugby are sports that I've been very interested in especially when I lived in Scotland, but only gained enough interest towards them in order to actually go and join in when I moved back to Finland. You can have a guess at how possible it is to play those in a small city in the middle of nowhere... :smalltongue:

The biggest attraction in American football for me probably has to do with tactics and kind of, well, the ways one moves around the field and how to get through encounters with the opposing players. That, and it would be an easy hobby for me to start; one of my friends at uni is a coach in both men's and women's teams. She has really assured me that people there have began from absolutely zero experiences in sports ever and that every shape, form, weight, anything really has their own advatages, and at some point people will realise what their best attributes are.

That's too bad lacrosse is a fantastic game, being Canadian it's our national sport; however, there are actually two types of lacrosse: Field and Box. Field lacrosse is a mix between hockey and soccer/football while box is a hockey/basketball fusion. I greatly prefer box since it is a much faster game and goalies are allowed to wear equipment from the stomach down (seriously field lacrosse goalies are masochists).

As for football I heartily agree, it is an extremely tactical game that makes use of every type of person and in my opinion is one of the few true team sports (sports like hockey and basketball in my experience can function with one extremely talented player but that will not work with football). I personally was an offensive lineman for my football career and those are made up of the larger people height and weight wise (though I was a great linemen due to being short suck it gravity). Tall lanky types are excellent defensive corners, defensive ends, receivers. Muscle brained monsters make excellent line backers and running backs etc etc. So you should have no problem finding a place where you excel in, I myself walked into a first string (people who are played on the field first) as a linemen with no experience at all just because I had the correct body type for the position.

Frozen_Feet

2016-07-23, 03:18 PM

Judo and Karate can get exactly as physical and mean as Krav Maga. It depends on club more than the nominal art. My own expertise is with Judo and Goju-ryu Karate.

Judo, being a grappling art and sports-focused, is very physical and competitive. It overlaps heavily with other grappling arts such as BJJ and has lot of contact.

Goju-ryu has less contact and more basic or kata training, but it also has self-defense and body-hardening exercises which are absent from Judo.

Really, if you can't decide, see if the clubs have free trial periods or beginner's courses. Attend those untill you find something you like.

Spanish_Paladin

2016-07-23, 05:42 PM

Kendo is the best martial art, muahaha... But you Said there isn't a dojo where do you live, so i am useless to you lady of the finns :(

AuthorGirl

2016-07-23, 10:31 PM

Sorry, but I'm completely into karate. I know it doesn't appeal to you.

Allow me to defend it passionately, however!
First of all, karate is not solely about self-defense or fighting; katas are pure focus, techniques the same. It is the organized pursuit of perfection, and I love it more than I can say. Secondly, the warm-ups will definitely make you fit; I wasn't overweight when I started, but I was certainly that skinny bookish kid who clearly didn't do much more than walk up staircases. Now, I am an awful lot stronger, and feel much better about myself. Thirdly, what combat there is would be completely applicable for recreation (randori and point fighting come to mind) and also in an actually dangerous situation; the factor that would need changing would be force, which we learn to apply intelligently. Karate will help you in every area of your life; it promotes calm, critical thinking, logic, strategy, patience, endurance, memory, and will.

Sorry, am I getting a little too obvious about how in love I am with this martial art yet?

Yes, I probably am.

As far as fitness, health, and well-being both mental and physical, yoga has worked out really well for my friend. I think it would be beneficial for me as well, only yoga studios tend to burn incense or at least use air freshener: for me, simply begging to get a rather serious asthmatic episode. There are probably some yoga studios out there that skip the artificial fragrances, but as a small-town girl, I do not know. Karate also depends on the dojo; my own is wonderful, but the aforementioned friend dropped out of her class because the teachers were very insensitive, bordering on cruel, and had this strange idea that asthma attacks can be willed away/are not serious.

FinnLassie

2016-07-24, 04:51 AM

I have not practiced a martial art, myself, of Western or Eastern variety. However, given that you're interested in the health side of things, I'm inclined to think that an Eastern martial art may be what you're interested in, as a number are derived from a philosophy of health.

Not sure what would be "hippie" about Capoeira, when the current edit of the Wikipedia article uses phrases such as "...which is why Carlos Aleman is such a dangerous man (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Capoeira&oldid=731024801)." I have no idea if that claim is true, but the part about being banned in the Brazilian Republic seems true enough.

I know that there's the whole thing about discipline and taking care of your innard wellbeing, but it irritated me somewhat during kendo practice. I'm most calm when I get to fiddle with things and keep my body moving, and that didn't exactly roll too well. Not that we were super disciplined due to everyone being friends with each other, but, yeah.

That prancing about has never convinced me no matter how physically demanding it can get. :smalltongue: Plus the people I know that does capoeira are probs the most... uh, interesting people I've met.

Really, if you can't decide, see if the clubs have free trial periods or beginner's courses. Attend those untill you find something you like.

Not sure if they have these, really. Probs just one introductory lesson that might actually help deciding, but the problem is that some of the interesting classes clash with each other. Oh the wonders of a small city...

Kendo is the best martial art, muahaha... But you Said there isn't a dojo where do you live, so i am useless to you lady of the finns :(

Sniffle... We can't form our kendo team... at least yet. :smallwink: When I move back down south or anywhere else than here, really, I'm gonna pick up kendo again. It was such a good workout for both arms and legs.

Sorry, but I'm completely into karate. I know it doesn't appeal to you.

Allow me to defend it passionately, however!
First of all, karate is not solely about self-defense or fighting; katas are pure focus, techniques the same. It is the organized pursuit of perfection, and I love it more than I can say. Secondly, the warm-ups will definitely make you fit; I wasn't overweight when I started, but I was certainly that skinny bookish kid who clearly didn't do much more than walk up staircases. Now, I am an awful lot stronger, and feel much better about myself. Thirdly, what combat there is would be completely applicable for recreation (randori and point fighting come to mind) and also in an actually dangerous situation; the factor that would need changing would be force, which we learn to apply intelligently. Karate will help you in every area of your life; it promotes calm, critical thinking, logic, strategy, patience, endurance, memory, and will.

Sorry, am I getting a little too obvious about how in love I am with this martial art yet?

Yes, I probably am.

As far as fitness, health, and well-being both mental and physical, yoga has worked out really well for my friend. I think it would be beneficial for me as well, only yoga studios tend to burn incense or at least use air freshener: for me, simply begging to get a rather serious asthmatic episode. There are probably some yoga studios out there that skip the artificial fragrances, but as a small-town girl, I do not know. Karate also depends on the dojo; my own is wonderful, but the aforementioned friend dropped out of her class because the teachers were very insensitive, bordering on cruel, and had this strange idea that asthma attacks can be willed away/are not serious.
my abusive brother used to do karate so left a bad taste in my mouth etc...

Yeap, a friend of mine was a super skinny lady but had like absolutely no strength and basically lived on coffee and chocolate bars... now she's doing rather good fitness wise after she started going to the gym.

Yoga has never appealed to me and probably will never do that for various reasons that I cannot exactly discuss on these forums. It also feels.. too calm? I don't like being calm. :smallbiggrin: Plus hypersensitivity. I get super noxious and all. Meh.

Mrc.

2016-07-24, 07:00 AM

I have a bit of experience with krav maga but stopped after, in the third session, we were working on grappling and I asked the instructor what to do if both arms were pinned, "Bite their throat" :smalleek:

However, I've been doing 7 star mantis kung fu for several years and that's pretty good for fitness, as well as teaching very good footwork (iirc taken from monkey kung fu) which is always useful for any martial art. I can give more in depth if you want :smallsmile:

Dodom

2016-07-24, 09:49 AM

I did Aikido until very recently (my subscription isn't even expired yet) and it showed me something to pay attention to when picking a dojo. Martial arts are, and that's particularily true for Aikido, usually mixed genders. If a specific dojo is 95% male, there's probably a reason.

I enjoy Aikido itself but the atmosphere was grinding my morale down. The guys were unused to training with women, half treated me as if I were made of glass and I couldn't know if I did the movements right because they followed on their own, and half tried to show off their strength, which is not as bad but I ended up with massive bruises which you don't normally associate with Aikido. And among the latter group, there were those with their personal educational theories. If I made any mistake (and come on, that's a complex discipline, you can't not make mistakes!) I'd be taken aside and re-explained the whole thing only cut into too many extra steps to remember at once, while other newbies were allowed to try again and actually learn. The constant fear of being caught making a mistake stressed me out, when it reached the point where I was fighting tears on the bus to the dojo, I said enough, I don't have to put up with that!

goto124

2016-07-24, 06:07 PM

... and it's not even a good non-sexist reason!

Red Fel

2016-07-24, 06:43 PM

I'm thinking about starting some kind of a contact sport/whatever the heck you call these in the coming year in my current location, and I would like to get some experiences about the different kinds of activities that are available here which I'll be listing below.

Krav Maga
Kickboxing
Brazilian Ju-jutsu
Bujinkan budo taijutsu
Taekwondo
Thaiboxing
Ol' regular boxin'
... maybe even American football? :smallconfused:

They're in no specific order, but I have to say that krav maga appeals to me the most for some reason... Removed regular ol' karate and judo because I've always felt meh about them for some reason.

Another important aspect: I'm really not in the best shape (and overweight) atm as I've spent two years pretty much doing nothing and only recently picked up cycling again. I'd actually really like to hear some experiences from people that have basically started from scratch like I'm pretty much going to do.

But really, anything goes. Good, bad, mediocre experiences, give all of that info to me :smallamused: :smallbiggrin:

Well, let me start with my martial arts resume, because I've dabbled/trained in a bunch of things. In chronological order, I've studied:
Isshin-ryu, a form of Okinawan karate. It was my first, and I studied it for several years when I was quite young.
Taekwondo. I studied this after Isshin-ryu, and it was a bit of a joke, more on that later.
Ueichi-ryu, another Okinawan karate. This I didn't so much study as observe; a friend of mine in university was well-trained in it, and shared several demonstrations and sparring exercises with us.
Wun Hop Kuen Do, a form of Kajukenbo, which is itself an American-made hybrid of Karate, Judo and Jujutsu, Kenpo, and Boxing. I studied this for a few years with a friend who had studied under Dacascos, who founded the art.
Krav Maga. I studied this for several years, but lacked the stamina to make it to the third level.
Since Karate really isn't on your list, I'll skip that, and focus on two things - Taekwondo and Krav.

Now, I don't know how things are where you are, but where I grew up - and in many parts of the Western world - Taekwondo is a joke. A sad, sad joke. Many TKD dojangs are called "belt factories;" the classes are designed with exams coinciding with the end of a school year or semester, where belts are more or less given out in order to ensure return customers. At my university, we had several "black belt" TKD students utterly humiliate themselves against novices in other martial arts. One sprained himself trying to leap and kick. Another kiai'd so hard she discovered - for the first time - that she had asthma.

That's not to disrespect TKD entirely. Traditional TKD is serious stuff. But my experience with TKD as a true martial art, instead of freaking ballet, is sorely limited. What I'm saying is that, when it comes to TKD, unless you're looking for a "feel good" exercise experience with no real martial arts training, be very particular about where you sign up.

Krav Maga is an entirely different matter. Most martial arts emphasize the "art;" Krav emphasizes the "martial." You don't practice forms, you don't have to buy pajamas. You will want a cup (if you have something down there to protect) and some kind of gloves or wraps, because if your instructor is any good, you will probably train until your hands bleed a bit. Our instructor was tough but fair. Much of the first-level class was basic drills (punches, knee strikes) and physical training (cardio, flexibility), with some grappling mixed in. Higher-level classes kept up the drills, but added techniques like "Defense against choke from behind," "Defense against choke from the side," "Defense against knife from the side," "Defense against knife from the front," and a personal favorite, "Defense against handgun." (Defense against grenade is a much higher-level technique. No, that's not a joke.) Sparring was frequent, because this is a military discipline after all, but causing actual injury was cause for particularly brutal penalty exercises. (Draw so much as a drop of blood, do twenty burpies. Your abs will burn.)

In some ways it's a much less formal affair. It's not as rooted in tradition as other martial arts; it's very practical. So there's no fancy uniforms or ceremonies, no bowing or barking kiais. Just do the thing. And "the thing" is always practical - no flowering movements or forms or elaborate techniques. Punch. Burst. Grab. Strike. Trip. Hammer. Disarm. Everything is specific and functional.

On the other hand, it is intense. Others have noted that some martial arts, like karate or judo, can be very intense, and that's true. Krav is always intense. My first exam took an hour. My second took two and a half. This is a very unforgiving martial art; easy to learn, but incredibly demanding to succeed.

Now, you're looking not just for combat training, but also for health and wellness. Frankly, you could get that from a "kickboxing" class at the gym. (Scare quotes because I've been out of practice for years and I could mop the floor with someone who takes gym "kickboxing" any day of the week. It's not kickboxing, it's cardio wearing a pair of boxing gloves.) I'd say that, between TKD and Krav - being that those are the ones on your list with which I have experience - you'd get more physical training from Krav. TKD might have the standard opening warm-ups, jumping jacks, push-ups, etc. Krav has those too. It also has lots of grappling. Lots of training where you squirm around on the floor, crawling out from beneath someone who has pinned you. Lots of moving quickly and dodging. Lots of breaking the bear hug of someone twice your size. My point is that a good Krav class will have you breaking a sweat every time.

Frozen_Feet

2016-07-24, 07:55 PM

Not sure if they have these, really. Probs just one introductory lesson that might actually help deciding, but the problem is that some of the interesting classes clash with each other. Oh the wonders of a small city.

Yes, it makes trying many arts a bit hard when they've all decided to hold lesson at 19:00 - 21:00 Mondays.

Which small city do you live in?

5a Violista

2016-07-25, 04:47 AM

I do Capoeira; I noticed that it's been mentioned. I can see how it would be perceived as hippie-ish. In general, the fighting matches are more about companionship and having a "conversation" with your opponent, with a dash of humiliating your opponent if you don't like them.
Sure, self-defense is part of it (after all, it was created by slaves to disguise fighting practice as something innocuous) but it was also partly about preserving culture in the face of oppression. In addition to learning roundhouse kicks and take downs and acrobatics, you also have to learn culture/history, Portuguese words, songs, how to play percussion, style while fighting, and so on.

In essence, it's a highly cultural rhythm-based martial art with a large focus on deception and acrobatics. It's not for everybody (participating in the songs and music and the samba dancing and the axé): you even said you don't really care for the "prancing about" that it has. It definitely would give you stamina and endurance and muscle for balance and acrobatics and so on (it has helped me get better at parkour, for example) while also giving you basic fighting skills, giving you the right balance you are looking for. In addition, it will give you a greater appreciation for culture, some linguistic skills, a connection with other capoeiristas worldwide, and a lot of musical skills (which I personally feel is essential and attractive). If you don't mind looking like a mix between a samba dancer and a break dancer, then it will help you fulfill your goals.

Re: American Football: I've played it in High School gym class; the four football guys sometimes chose me to play on their team of "5 against everyone else in gym class", probably just to make it "fair" and because I was so much lighter and faster than everyone else that when I did manage to catch the ball I could weave my way through that minefield of 100 guys and gals. Also, I would sometimes play it with my uncles, brothers, and sisters. My sister and I nearly always won when we were on the same team for being simply faster and more agile than everyone else. So, those are my qualifications to speak on this sport: I'm basically an expert on it.
It's a fun sport. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. If you like having larger muscles, then that's a good thing, too. You'll probably get it. Might gain some weight, but it'll be mostly just muscle and not fat. ((Me personally, I prefer the lighter muscle of soccer players, dancers, and fencers so that's why I don't do american football, and I instead do the other three.)) If you enjoy team sports, I definitely suggest you go with american football instead of any of the martial arts you listed. If you don't like team sports, stick with the martial arts. [/rambling]

Crow

2016-07-25, 05:02 AM

Re: American Football: I've played it in High School gym class; the four football guys sometimes chose me to play on their team of "5 against everyone else in gym class", probably just to make it "fair" and because I was so much lighter and faster than everyone else that when I did manage to catch the ball I could weave my way through that minefield of 100 guys and gals. Also, I would sometimes play it with my uncles, brothers, and sisters. My sister and I nearly always won when we were on the same team for being simply faster and more agile than everyone else. So, those are my qualifications to speak on this sport: I'm basically an expert on it.
It's a fun sport. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. If you like having larger muscles, then that's a good thing, too. You'll probably get it. Might gain some weight, but it'll be mostly just muscle and not fat. ((Me personally, I prefer the lighter muscle of soccer players, dancers, and fencers so that's why I don't do american football, and I instead do the other three.)) If you enjoy team sports, I definitely suggest you go with american football instead of any of the martial arts you listed. If you don't like team sports, stick with the martial arts. [/rambling]

Are we talking about some sort of impromptu throw-the-ball-around type of football?

I wouldn't worry about building big muscles just from playing football either. That is all down to your physical training and diet. Football players get big off the field, not on it; and if you don't want to put on size, you won't; not from just playing.

FinnLassie

2016-07-25, 06:42 AM

Before I respond to anyone in more detail (... if I even have the time to respond to everyone, probably not, or maybe I'll be able to give a proper reply in a week.... brain hurts)....

I just realised I forgot to mention something: I've got glasses. Like as in can't see what the hell is around me glasses, and I cannot take them off as it'll ruin my sense of perception completely. I can't wear contacts as my eyes have pretty much rejected everything... so...

do people have experience doing martial arts etc whilst wearing glasses? :smalleek:

WarTortoise

2016-07-25, 07:18 AM

Just popping in to share my two cents about the madness that's krav-maga.

My friend was very much into it. He had some anger issues and this somehow helped release some steam. So he trained a lot, and was always very excited to show what awesome throat-punch or ballsqueeze or whatever he learned.
It's a brutal sport. That's what I learned every week ;)
I helped him train to ready for his level-ups or something and even holding up the pads, or punching bags was madness. I'm a big guy and happily work construction but this was ridiculous hard work.

I even joined a training session once, because his excitement made me curious. I remember having to vomit after 10 minutes. I completed the session but I was put to shame by girls half my age and a quarter of my weight. Vicious.

I'll say this though, every single one of them was level headed and very nice before and after. My friend too.. He really seemed to stabilize from doing the sport and was much less agitated all the time. There wasn't any douchebaggery or chestpunching. Just a bunch of mad people going to the absolute extreme and beyond.

It was pretty awesome. But never again.

Brother Oni

2016-07-25, 07:51 AM

My general advice for martial arts is to start with "what do you want out of it?". Training is only good if you actually do it and the motivation to go to the class every week is a critical part in my opinion.

If you just wanted a general fitness class then as mentioned earlier, some kick boxing classes are very cardio orientated, and there's the option of things vaguely martially based like boxercise and taebo.

If you wanted to learn how to fight then again there's a separation between competitive fighting and street fighting/pure self defence.
If you want to defend yourself, then I'd suggest self defence classes intended for women. A good class will get you up to speed very quickly with respect to fending off a bigger attacker, but in my experience, it's extremely limited as an 'art' or anything intended for fitness.

If you wanted to learn an actual art or style, then it's based on your personal preferences, body shape and what's available around you:

Like grappling and locks? Judo, any flavour of jiujitsu and aikido are each tailor made for different mentalities.
Like striking? How do you want to do it? For punching and general upper body, boxing is good, as are a number of Chinese martial arts like Mantis.
Kicking, taekwondo and capoeira will generally suit your needs.
Both? Karate, kickboxing and other Chinese styles like Tiger or Crane.

Want to get quick results? Boxing and kickboxing will teach you the basics very quickly.

Different schools of a particular style will focus on different aspects and they may be completely different (Southern and Northern Mantis schools differences are immense for example). Different clubs will have their own atmosphere (a traditionally taught club versus a casual club versus a competitive fighting club, etc) so you can hate one club but another will suit you perfectly.
Difference could even boil down to different instructors in a club - there was one instructor in my aikido club who taught exactly as Dodom experienced (get it right first time) with being interrupted after every mistake. The problem is, I don't learn like that (I learn by constant repetition of the entire technique and correcting it after every attempt), so found it particularly frustrating if he was teaching.*

These are general suggestions based on the styles I've studied - I haven't studied muai thai or krav maga for example so will defer to others on their assessments. I also haven't done any specific weapon styles, so if fencing or HEMA floats your boat, go for it.

As for wearing glasses, it depends on your prescription. Mine is bad enough that I need them to see the technique being taught, but not so bad that I can't fight between them (it's about -5.7ish). However I do prefer close ranged martial arts (grappling range or close in fighting) which minimises the issue - I don't do any weapon fighting without them due to concerns about my partner's safety (eg medieval re-enactment with blunt steel weapons).

Generally, if you're doing any sort of contact fighting where the head is a valid strike area and/or there's groundwork, don't wear glasses or contacts (taking a hit to the face can cause the eyelid to rub against the contact lens, which moves it against the eyeball, possibly even dropping out or disappearing up into the ocular cavity).

I'm short and squat (5'7" and ~13.5 stone), so I prefer upper body striking and grappling. I started out with Southern Mantis, then took standard ECKA kickboxing and jidokwan taekwondo at uni. After that I dabbled a bit in a couple other odds and ends (I didn't like Shotokan karate as it's too 'stiff') as I moved around for jobs, before doing settling down and doing Kai shin kai aikido for a couple of years.
After that I got injured and old, so am just training up my fitness again.

*As an aside, I'd like to apologise to Dodom as I was one of those men who gripped up too hard. In my defence, it wasn't out of any sense of macho showing off, but I believed in being a good uke, which involves holding on hard enough so that the technique would have to be performed properly or throwing an attack at a distance I know I will hit you at - if I fell over at the slightest touch, it wouldn't be of any use to the nage.
When people complained to me, I always held on less tightly as requested (our club still had a minority of women, but it was closer to 70:30 rather than 95:5 in your case).

Red Fel

2016-07-25, 08:51 AM

do people have experience doing martial arts etc whilst wearing glasses? :smalleek:

Guilty. I'm not completely blind without mine, but I can barely see how many fingers I'm holding up, so they're pretty important.

Between TKD and Krav, TKD is more forgiving of glasses, in part because (in my experience) there's less sparring and less grappling. Now, if you have the finances, you could go for prescription sports lenses, which are basically goggles; I ended up doing that for Krav. But if you don't, you'll probably have some problems with grapple-heavy martial arts, such as Krav.

I even joined a training session once, because his excitement made me curious. I remember having to vomit after 10 minutes. I completed the session but I was put to shame by girls half my age and a quarter of my weight. Vicious.

I'll say this though, every single one of them was level headed and very nice before and after. My friend too.. He really seemed to stabilize from doing the sport and was much less agitated all the time. There wasn't any douchebaggery or chestpunching. Just a bunch of mad people going to the absolute extreme and beyond.

It was pretty awesome. But never again.

Very much this. In my experience, people in Krav run the spectrum from the kind of butch macho beast-men who do Iron Man competitions to these slim young things you'd expect to see in front of an X-Box. But each and every one is overflowing with enthusiasm, energy, and general friendliness. Everyone in my experience is extremely supportive, because almost every one has gone through the newbie phase, which generally involves gasping for air and feeling like you're going to heave. Much like yoga, Krav can be extremely unforgiving to a newcomer, not because of the people, but because of the magnitude of physical exertion.

But you leave feeling amazing. Half-dead, but amazing.

Frozen_Feet

2016-07-25, 11:42 AM

do people have experience doing martial arts etc whilst wearing glasses? :smalleek:

I have -4.5 in right and -5.0 in my left eye. In kobudo where techniques are done at long range and contact is light, I always keep my glasses on. In karate, I keep them on when doing basic or kata, or bunkai which doesn't involve being thrown down or punches to the head. When such attacks are paracticed, as well as in free sparring, I always take them off. It is my experience of real fights that glasses tend to go flying away within first five seconds. In judo I never use glasses, I just get close enough to see what's going on or focus on verbal instructions.

Liquor Box

2016-07-25, 04:35 PM

Hi there fellers!

When I was living in Scotland I used to be a part of the kendo club, but unfortunately the city I currently live in ended training sessions pretty much when I moved in here. :smallfrown: So, yeah. Kinda having to start from scratch...

I'm thinking about starting some kind of a contact sport/whatever the heck you call these in the coming year in my current location, and I would like to get some experiences about the different kinds of activities that are available here which I'll be listing below.

Krav Maga
Kickboxing
Brazilian Ju-jutsu
Bujinkan budo taijutsu
Taekwondo
Thaiboxing
Ol' regular boxin'
... maybe even American football? :smallconfused:

They're in no specific order, but I have to say that krav maga appeals to me the most for some reason... Removed regular ol' karate and judo because I've always felt meh about them for some reason.

Another important aspect: I'm really not in the best shape (and overweight) atm as I've spent two years pretty much doing nothing and only recently picked up cycling again. I'd actually really like to hear some experiences from people that have basically started from scratch like I'm pretty much going to do.

But really, anything goes. Good, bad, mediocre experiences, give all of that info to me :smallamused: :smallbiggrin:

My experience is that the individual club/dojo/gym matters more than which style you choose. The instructors and culture of the environment you are learning in will probably make more difference than the particular martial art. I suggest going along and watching a couple of classes at a couple of different options and choosing the one you feel most comfortable with.

I see you have nominated American Football.If you are open to a contact team sport I firmly recommend rugby (which is played in Scotland) over American Football. I have played it all my life and it is a great game, and the associated culture is great as well.

Goodkill

2016-07-25, 07:54 PM

i have a black belt in tae kwon do and have done some kickboxing. my bucket list includes learning brazilian jiu jitsu. i've watched a bunch of videos on the internet and it seems really interesting.

Crow

2016-07-25, 07:54 PM

Screw it, just do Glima. :D

Winter_Wolf

2016-07-26, 08:37 AM

I'd say just go with "regular ol' boxing." Personally I do not, because I have neither the stamina of youth nor the time to actually properly commit to it. But you get fit, you will eventually have mad stamina, your footwork and thereby your balance get better... I mean really there's a lot going for boxing.

pkoi

2016-07-26, 12:25 PM

As someone with two decades worth of martial arts experience, here's my advice: go to every activity that even remotely interests you within whatever easy commute radius you come up with. Go visit all of them. Whichever one you like, go do it. If you like several, then go try them all out, most martial arts/sports clubs will let you try for free. The most important thing in selecting a martial art/sport/whatever is that you

Enjoy it and
Keep going back regularly.

Feel free to add more to the list, but whatever you add, I'd put at lower priority than those two. If you don't like it and you can't easily get to it (for whatever reason, usually inconvenience or long commute can kill motivation) then it doesn't matter if it's the most super awesome martial art of eye lasers, you won't be going to it.

Dodom

2016-07-27, 07:03 PM

*As an aside, I'd like to apologise to Dodom as I was one of those men who gripped up too hard. In my defence, it wasn't out of any sense of macho showing off, but I believed in being a good uke, which involves holding on hard enough so that the technique would have to be performed properly or throwing an attack at a distance I know I will hit you at - if I fell over at the slightest touch, it wouldn't be of any use to the nage.
When people complained to me, I always held on less tightly as requested (our club still had a minority of women, but it was closer to 70:30 rather than 95:5 in your case).

It's usually possible to tell someone who grips harder because they want a more intense training and the ones who want to show off. For one thing, the showoffs will cheat if raw strength won't stop you. The most obvious one would grab my fingers when we were practicing on a wrist grip. My thumbs aren't double-jointed and I was seriously scared he'd break one one of these days, it certainly hurt as if it was about to break. I learned to punch forward to make his grip slip back so I could do the actual movements we were supposed to practice, but it still felt dangerous.
People who would rather go harder but respect their partners' level of skills and physical confidence, as you say you do, that's not the same thing at all, I respect that.

5a Violista

2016-07-27, 07:48 PM

I just realised I forgot to mention something: I've got glasses. Like as in can't see what the hell is around me glasses, and I cannot take them off as it'll ruin my sense of perception completely. I can't wear contacts as my eyes have pretty much rejected everything... so...

do people have experience doing martial arts etc whilst wearing glasses? :smalleek:

I do!
I have experience wearing glasses while doing martial arts. (As I said before, though, it's Capoeira.) Years ago, I would use two different pairs of glasses; one for normal use and the older pair for sports/martial arts, but I must've lost the older pair because I just use the newer one for everything.

I just keep my glasses on the whole time, and the few times that I've been kicked in the face (or, even in physical-contact sports like soccer or volleyball, getting hit with their shoulder in the face) my glasses have bent out, so I just bend them back. When I get really sweaty on hot days, they expand from heat and then start to slide off my face; I just got really good at knowing when they're about to fall off during flips or roundhouse kicks, and fluidly putting them back on.

Other people I know, though, take off their glasses for everything.

So it's up to you and what you feel you can handle.

FinnLassie

2016-08-08, 04:24 PM

Righto, so, about the glasses. I honestly cannot be without them as I have strabismus/squinty eyes (makes me get them double and triple visionsies), and it's been rather recently diagnosed.:smallsigh: Extremely frustrating as I think otherwise I'd be somewhat alright...

There's only two options for physical locations though, since I believe about 80% of the activities I've mentioned being interested in are being held in a sports hall dedicated for martial arts and so on. Both of them are going to be icky when snow and ice comes along since I can't ride my bike (I am no winter cyclist, like, at all), but I suppose people might be car pooling. No buses go there AFAIK.

I think right now I'm prioritising my thoughts on krav maga, boxing, taekwondo and taijutsu... hnarb. Kinda still thinking about the whole American football thing. which I feel like I need to pass, since I believe my ex has started on the men's team and half of the training is mixed gender.

And damn you all with your fancy schmancy martial arts things. I honestly don't have that many options down here, which is probably why I'm gritting my teeth and trying to retain my sanity for the last 2 years of my degree. :smalltongue:

Jon_Dahl

2016-08-09, 12:50 AM

Maybe you have missed it, but our national public-broadcasting company has already published a video how Finnish women should defend themselves. Look here:
https://www.riemurasia.net/video/Ylen-tyokalut-seksuaalista-ahdistelua-vastaan/177912
If the video doesn't work, here another link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQ4EQFcFQQo

You shouldn't need more than that. Of course, if you want to go into martial arts in depth and all, that's different, but with those lessons you should be able to defeat any number of opponents at any given time.

Crow

2016-08-09, 12:59 AM

Jon_Dahl

2016-08-09, 01:09 AM

It must be working, because they recommended that method in Germany too!

See, FinnLassie? That's all you need... But like I said, if you want to get all technical about it, just enrol for some MA course, but that video is 99% what you need to know.

FinnLassie

2016-08-09, 03:18 AM

I don't really get why you're posting that since I'm not interested in the aspect of self defence. It's a secondary matter.

I put self defence in the title since I wasn't really sure what's the best term to translate kamppailulaji with, a Finnish word for all of these sports (except American football) that directly translates to something like "combat based sports".. and it felt silly writing that in the title. I am not looking for means of self defence. Probably should have been a tad more clear 'bout that in the op, but eh.

Jon_Dahl

2016-08-09, 03:36 AM

Tvtyrant

2016-08-09, 03:38 AM

Dodom

2016-08-09, 09:24 AM

Maybe you have missed it, but our national public-broadcasting company has already published a video how Finnish women should defend themselves. Look here:
https://www.riemurasia.net/video/Ylen-tyokalut-seksuaalista-ahdistelua-vastaan/177912
If the video doesn't work, here another link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQ4EQFcFQQo

It was just released before the special effects got added in. It makes perfect sense if she's shooting fireballs with that hand!

Grinner

2016-08-09, 09:37 AM

I put self defence in the title since I wasn't really sure what's the best term to translate kamppailulaji with, a Finnish word for all of these sports (except American football) that directly translates to something like "combat based sports".. and it felt silly writing that in the title. I am not looking for means of self defence. Probably should have been a tad more clear 'bout that in the op, but eh.

For future reference, martial arts is a sufficient translation.

Crow

2016-08-09, 01:00 PM

FinnLassie

2016-08-09, 01:46 PM

Didn't find it funny.

gooddragon1

2016-08-09, 02:13 PM

Another important aspect: I'm really not in the best shape (and overweight) atm as I've spent two years pretty much doing nothing and only recently picked up cycling again. I'd actually really like to hear some experiences from people that have basically started from scratch like I'm pretty much going to do.
Okay.

But really, anything goes.
Perfect. Because I'm going off the list!

*Retrieve soapbox from hammerspace*

Aikido can be practiced by just about anyone. I've seen old people do it. I'm lethargic and I can do it. It's a primarily defensive martial art that is relaxing. I lament that it wasn't on the list. You don't even really have to be in good shape to use it because it's about "effortless effort". You could have very little muscle mass (like I do) and it wouldn't matter. I only got to the blue belt level (because I'm lazy) and it was still a pleasant experience.

*Puts away soapbox*

FinnLassie

2016-08-09, 03:36 PM

Welp, I'm signing myself in for boxing, hopefully I'll get in (small limited groups, the site says...). Krav maga seems to be effing expensive since they've seemed to raise the cost from last year.

Hopefully I'm gonna like boxing. :smalleek: Just hoping my glasses won't slippedy slip.

Lethologica

2016-08-09, 03:50 PM

If you're boxing with glasses, going slippity-slip will be rather a lesser concern, compared to getting punched in the glasses. Presumably that doesn't happen on day one, but you'll have to take steps.

FinnLassie

2016-08-09, 03:55 PM

Brother Oni

2016-08-09, 06:41 PM

I did some research on the website and the beginner's stuff is mostly focusing on learning how to punch correctly and gain stamina and muscle, so I guess autumn semester will be mostly that... so I'm hoping I'll have enough money for contacts when the time comes for proper one-to-one stuff. (and perhaps have my eyes not go berserk when something's been put directly on them)

As mentioned earlier, I highly recommend not wearing contacts for something like boxing as the head is a major target zone. While you're highly unlikely to get smacked in the contacts directly, they will get rubbed by your eyelids when you get punched in the face.

Crow

2016-08-09, 07:30 PM

Brother Oni

2016-08-10, 05:45 AM

There are professional boxers who have worn contacts. They are sufficient for training, and only tend to give problems during sparring and fights.

I don't disagree with your assessment, but in my opinion, since you should train in the same way you fight, getting to used to being without contacts is a good step.

In the end, this is only a recommendation based on my experiences - I've seen multiple bouts being stopped while the ref finds a contact that's dropped out then puts it back in for the fighter and I've heard of a fighter conceding a match due to a contact disappearing up into the ocular cavity.

If FinnLassie finds that wearing contacts is perfectly fine for her training then she should go for it; I most definitely agree that being able to make out details at a distance is useful. :smallbiggrin:

Winter_Wolf

2016-08-10, 02:48 PM

I think we all know what the finest martial art (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyXhysmMNhE)is.

That having been said, if you want to spar I would pick something sport orientated and on the less dangerous side. Getting mangled during your hobby and having to stop for long periods isn't my idea of fun.

Ugh. Thank you for that, I laughed pretty hard, made the drive into the dark belly of Chicago better. Couldn't finish the whole clip though, started getting sad for the guy getting nailed repeatedly.

FinnLassie

2016-08-10, 03:39 PM

As mentioned earlier, I highly recommend not wearing contacts for something like boxing as the head is a major target zone. While you're highly unlikely to get smacked in the contacts directly, they will get rubbed by your eyelids when you get punched in the face.

AHM GONNAE DO WHA AH WANT.

There are professional boxers who have worn contacts. They are sufficient for training, and only tend to give problems during sparring and fights.

Awww yiiis.

I don't disagree with your assessment, but in my opinion, since you should train in the same way you fight, getting to used to being without contacts is a good step.

In the end, this is only a recommendation based on my experiences - I've seen multiple bouts being stopped while the ref finds a contact that's dropped out then puts it back in for the fighter and I've heard of a fighter conceding a match due to a contact disappearing up into the ocular cavity.

If FinnLassie finds that wearing contacts is perfectly fine for her training then she should go for it; I most definitely agree that being able to make out details at a distance is useful. :smallbiggrin:

Ew, don't tell me the ugly side of things, you'll only make me not want to ever get out of my flat ever again. :smalltongue: No but really, thanks for the advice. It's just kinda hard to decide what on earth I'm supposed to do in general with the whole double vision thing... not exactly the best thing for these circumstances.

HUZZAHHH I AM BECOME BESTEST PUNCHER. Almost wrote punch bag. I'm a tad excited. Why is the first lesson so far away? Why have I never waited for a Monday to come this much?

Tvtyrant

2016-08-10, 04:38 PM

FinnLassie

2016-08-10, 04:40 PM

Yeah about the time he starts using a staff I end up taking a break.

.... I didn't even get there, I started to feel really ill after the first few hits. :smalleek:

Grinner

2016-08-10, 05:22 PM

Yeah about the time he starts using a staff I end up taking a break.

I made it to about 1 minute 13 seconds before I had to move on.

I still don't know why it's so funny. :smalleek:

Marillion

2016-08-10, 06:06 PM

The greatest martial art is none other than Ti Kwan Leap. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8VD4JXUozM) All else pales to the mighty power wielded by it's practitioners.

FinnLassie

2016-08-10, 06:19 PM

To continue on the jokey side...

A Finnish joke:

Do you know what the two Finnish martial arts are?
- Kutikuti and karata!

HAHAHAHAHAHA

Ok maybe I should explain that.
Kutikuti = tickle tickle
Karata = to escape

Brother Oni

2016-08-11, 01:42 AM

Ugh. Thank you for that, I laughed pretty hard, made the drive into the dark belly of Chicago better. Couldn't finish the whole clip though, started getting sad for the guy getting nailed repeatedly.

He gets his own back in the out takes. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyp6PtBQOIY) :smallbiggrin:

Ew, don't tell me the ugly side of things, you'll only make me not want to ever get out of my flat ever again. :smalltongue: No but really, thanks for the advice. It's just kinda hard to decide what on earth I'm supposed to do in general with the whole double vision thing... not exactly the best thing for these circumstances.

I'm just giving a justification for my recommendations. Ultimately, you're the one taking the class and thus the best placed to see whether you can wear them or not.

Please let us know how you got on. :smallbiggrin:

FinnLassie

2016-08-15, 12:14 PM

First lesson over and it was awesome. Having some trouble with the technique, but... that's kind of a given. Stuff I've learned in kendo is actually very helpful for boxing since the stance is very similar and the leg movements aren't too foreign either. I could instantly see how my sight was a disadvantage as I don't have my new glasses yet. Damn it eye clinic, shove me my appointment already!

There was a haidong gumdo training session going on behind the curtain and it sounded like someone was giving birth. :smalleek:

The only issue I have right now... it's actually the money. I've miscalculated my budget due to forgetting that I need to pay my insurance too :smallsigh: ... due to my family circumstances I can't borrow money from any of my family members either. And I don't want to call my grandparents begging for the cash. :smallfrown:

I mean, this is still rather cheap since it's 80 euros per term, but I'm hoping I could make a deal to pay it in two parts because poor student woe is me. Then I realised I need to get gloves and bandages too. :smallsigh::smallsigh::smallsigh: I think right now I'll invest in bandages and use their gloves... they have a rather good offer for real leather gloves for 40 euros including bandages. Maybe I'll be able to pay that kind of money around christmas.

GARHHH.

Brother Oni

2016-08-15, 01:02 PM

I mean, this is still rather cheap since it's 80 euros per term, but I'm hoping I could make a deal to pay it in two parts because poor student woe is me. Then I realised I need to get gloves and bandages too. :smallsigh::smallsigh::smallsigh: I think right now I'll invest in bandages and use their gloves... they have a rather good offer for real leather gloves for 40 euros including bandages. Maybe I'll be able to pay that kind of money around christmas.

Don't forget a gumshield. I don't think you'll need headgear, but it'll depend on the club.

What weight gloves do you need? I think I got my 16oz ones for less than the equivalent of 40 euros, so try shopping around.

FinnLassie

2016-08-15, 01:16 PM

Not needing those atm. We're focusing on technique and there's going to be very light sparring. So yeah. Beginner stuff.

And I have no clue about glove stuff and weighings and all. You speak alien to me, Brotha. :smalltongue:

Brother Oni

2016-08-15, 06:52 PM

And I have no clue about glove stuff and weighings and all. You speak alien to me, Brotha. :smalltongue:

There are rules on the minimum size and weight of the gloves that you have to wear for competitive fighting, for safety and to protect your own hands, since the heavier the glove, the more padding it has and ostensibly the slower you'll be.

The glove weights will depend on your body weight category - welterweight and below (sub 66.7kg) use 8oz (0.23kg) gloves and anybody heavier use 10oz gloves (0.28kg). As a woman, most boxing organisations' rules state you'll be using the heavier 10oz gloves.
Most boxers train using heavier gloves to build up their strength and these range from 10oz to 20oz (0.28 - 0.57kg), although 16oz gloves (0.45kg) for training are the typical baseline.

You won't need this information yet if you're not even wearing gumshields, but in case you're interested:

120lbs & down, 12oz or 14oz (sub 54kg, 0.34 - 0.40kg)
120lbs – 150lbs, 14oz – 16oz (54 - 68kg, 0.40 - 0.45kg)
150lbs – 180lbs, 16oz – 20oz (68 - 82kg, 0.45 - 0.57kg)
180lbs & up, 18oz & up (82+ kg, 0.51kg minimum).

I just squeezed in the 16oz category when I got my gloves, however I would need heavier ones now.

I'm glad you're enjoying the training. :smallbiggrin: