Hi

I want to start learning a martial art, and I was wondering which one would be better for me to learn [If it matters, im 14 years old and im 6"1].

Naturally, I wanted to do Systema, but they dont have a academy or such for that near me. So I was wondering wether to do Judo or Taekwondo.

Thanks in advance, your all tip-top champions

Depends on what you want to achieve with it? Fight? Self Defense? Sport?

I will try and lay out some differences before making a recommendation. hope you then can make up your mind:

I did Judo when I was about your age (and just the fall techniques - that become reflexive/automatic after some time have saved me from severe injuries if not from death a few times during my life in not-at-all combat related situations), but you have to understand this is "Sport".

Taekwondo will prepare you better for real fighting in a self defense/attack sense, but I never liked it (only did for half a year or so, so I might simply not have grabbed the essence, hence take this judgement with a grain of salt, plz, I have friends who swear on it for combat).

If you want to go law enforcement or mil, Jui Juitsu is probably your choice, as this really is not about sprots but about effectivity.

As an example, here a JJ versus Kung FU guy in a open rules fight, you can see how in close combat w/o arms Jui Juitsu wins out.

Comparison of two physical fit experts of Jui Juitsu vs. Kung-FU

Personally, my heart (and I am old now for fighting) goes with Aikido (literally translated means "Joint Twisting", not so spectacular but *very* effective) plainly for self defense, especially if you are not up to the same physical shape, age or armamanet of your opponent, or if suffering multiple attacks at the same time.

The trick is to use the opponents force and kinetic energy to defeat him, something that even old farts like myself can still do easily without breaking out in sweat (and the Judo that I did when young helped a lot, both for falls as for throws).

A - lenghty, but the fighting snippets show the essence of Aikido very well - French reportage on one of the great european Aikido fighters (André Cognard), being just 14 you can reach that level with normal daily PT schedule for training in 5 yrs+, though it will be a Life Time to get to the spiritual goal. Check out how the Maitre almost does not move... Amazing!!!

Note in the following comaprative vids who needs more energy, fitenss or whatever, and who wins, I trust if you get good at Aikido you can get along very well with whoever attacks you (it wont help you much in intending to attack someone yourself, though, as there wont be much opponent energy to be to be exploited, probably):

Aikido vs. Jui Juitsu, old vs. young

A Compilation of Karate Snippets vs. Aikido Snippets, you can clearly see the difference: In Aikido, with half energy, you can almost always end up in a "Kill" situation, i.e. where the next fist or elbow blow would definitely end the fight in your favor with the opponent out or havigng a few bones broken

So, my recommendation at your age (and others might disagree): Start out with Judo, and maybe after green belt start with Aikido.

Some more examples of the beauty that I find in Aikido:

Aikido Techniques

Aikido Amateurs Class: Defense Techniques against Knives and Guns

Aikido Class: What Training Looks Like (Austraia)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aicHsMC6rxM

Hope that helped,

Rattler

P.S.: You can find me at my beach practicing Aikido every morning from 0515 - 0545 except Sundays if you ever make it here. R.

I always wanted to do either Judo or Sambo, and seeing as theres no Sambo school around, it seems more wise to do judo.
So how long will it take to get a green belt in judo approxiametly?

Hmm, Aikido seems a fair bit like Systema, Ill check and see if there are any Aikido classes near where I live.

Really, I dont like starting fights, but sometimes its inevitable. This is more for self defense [I live in a very screwed-up neighbourhood]. I already know a tiny bit of Judo, my brother learnt some when he was in the army and he showed me some of the moves [Though I still cant do them properly]

Originally Posted by Zastava-Arms

-snip-
So how long will it take to get a green belt in judo approxiametly?-snip-

Depends on your training time, your talent, and how much you compete.

Ii would guess with two weekly training sessioins 2 yrs would be a fair guess:

I am not familiar with what has changed in the 40 yrs since I did Judo actively (or whehter you have the green belt in your nation), but imagine you will need to prove your knowledge in

1. Theory:

• SHIAI (competition) rules
• Judo History and principles
• Judo terminology

2. Praxis

Advanced Falling Techniques

• USHIRU UKEMI: Advanced backwards fall in motion
• YOKO UKEMI: Advanced Side fall, left and right in motion
• ZEMPO KAITEN: Advanced Forward Rolling fall, left and right in motion

Throwing Techniques:

You will have to be proficient in 10 of the following (you can chose a few, sensei choses the rest):

o KOSOTO -GARI: small outer reap
o HARAI-GOSHI: sweeping hip
o OKURI-ASHI-BARAI: sliding foot sweep
o KATA GURUMA: shoulder wheel
o TANI-OTOSHI: valley drop
o low OUCHI-GARI

· In Motion

o MOROTE-SEOI-NAGE: 2 handed shoulder throw
o HIZA-GURUMA: knee wheel
o SASAE-TSURIKOMI-ASHI: supporting foot lift-pull throw
o DEASHI-BARAI: advance foot sweep
o KOUCHI-GARI: small inward reap
o KOSHI-GORUMA: hip wheel
o TAI-OTOSHI: body drop
o OSOTO-GARI: major outer reap
o OUCHI-GARI: major inner reap
o O-GOSHI: major hip throw
o IPPON SEOI-NAGE: shoulder throw

Also 5 each of combination techniques (of the above) and counter techniques (aginst the above)

Grappling techniques: 5 pinning and 3 each of escape, armlock, strangling and choking technniques

Hope that helps,

Rattler

P.S.:

- 260 Basic Disarming Techniques Aikido http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tzcyh_DTWRg
- Steven Segal Old AIkido footage (very few people know that he is a 10 Dan in Aikido): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bu7aauJuQHY

Eh, 2 years? Dayumm

I think ill just stick with Aikido, closest thing to Systema near me.

Thing is, one guy I know has been doing Taekwondo for a fair bit, and a month or so ago he got into a fight with a guy with the same height and weight as him, and the guy that does Taekwondo [David] got snapped [Meaning, he lost the fight]

Is Aikido moves easy to remember in the spur of the moment? Like if somebody grabbed the front of my shirt, ill do something tricky without hesitation?

You know, so it becomes natural [I think thats the right word for it]

I've been doing Martial Arts before I had hair on my nuts so here's what I have to say.

I did Tae Kwon Do for close to a decade and I'll tell you, it's not the best one for self defense, not by a long shot. You had to make some modifications to it, especially if you're learning World Tae Kwon Do Federation (WTF) Tae Kwon Do. If you're learning International Tae Kwon Do Federation (ITF) Tae Kwon Do, aka Street Tae Kwon Do, odds are you will learn more about actual fighting.
Unfortunately most of my training was WTF. The only advantage that has is that any martial art I pick up, I pick up several fold faster than anyone else in the class. After a week, I can do what most others will take about two months to a year to do (depending on what it is).

Judo is far more effective from what I've seen. Jujitsu actually derives in many ways, from Judo. A lot of fights will start to go towards a ground fighting style after a short while. Personally, I don't like ground fights so I know a few things that can keep me from getting into one, but it also means I have to end the fight quickly or else I'll start getting into trouble. However, if you have a grappling art like Judo down, as the fight gets longer, you will have the edge. As for which grappling discipline is the best, I suppose Brazilian Jujitsu would be from all those MMA tournaments, but if that's not available, Judo would also be a good bet. I did Judo for a short while.

Aikido. I did Aikido for about a year and half back in college and although some moves are useful, I'd think of them as supplimentary. I don't think I've been in many fights where I actually had the luxury of grabbing someone else's hand. However, you learn a lot of things about energy management, using your opponent's energy to your advantage more so than other martial arts. You can learn some pretty neat non damaging defense you could use against drunk friends. But as my primary, I would not rely on it.

Krav Maga. Did this for about a year back in college... probably the best one I've learned to date.

There is an article I wrote on Tae Kwon Do and I touch upon other martial arts in it:
http://waronbull.blogspot.com/search?q=tae+kwon+do
I've mentioned Krav Maga and why it is so effective.

Regardless of what you do, you have to suppliment it with two years of boxing. If there is no boxing ring in your area that's good, Muay Thai will also work and it in itself is a good martial art for fighting as well.

I want to do Aikido because if someone tries to hit me across the head etc ill be able to have him in an extremely uncofortable position.

And maybe defend a mate if some stooge comes in and tries to hit him. Never heard of Krav Maga before, what does it really focus on? Like judo is for grappling and stuff

EDIT - By sheer coincidence, I found a video on a Serbian Aikido class on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fN7yn0XOSMQ

Unless that is a special form of Serbian Aikido, im most definately learning that stuff

if u seapk about instincts,i woul say DONT!
i have this friend he is Dan 2 at Karate and he developed Instincts such as these u mentioned with the Shirt Grab,he says that once his CD driver opend up,and he broke it with his leg,also when his GF wanted to suprise him and sneack on him,when he so her he alsmost broke her arm,now if your friend did get beat up,then he is no good at this martial art,if he cant defend him self then why bother learnning it?
another thing is,what ever comes at you,keep calm,dont panic,if he charged at you put your elbo infront of hs head,that would stop him.
you have to know how to punch and kick before you attempt doing all other sorts of things,but the first rule,for me at least,be the only one who knows that you are afraid,and you will be.

Originally Posted by EladBell

if u seapk about instincts,i woul say DONT!
i have this friend he is Dan 2 at Karate and he developed Instincts such as these u mentioned with the Shirt Grab,he says that once his CD driver opend up,and he broke it with his leg,also when his GF wanted to suprise him and sneack on him,when he so her he alsmost broke her arm,now if your friend did get beat up,then he is no good at this martial art,if he cant defend him self then why bother learnning it?
another thing is,what ever comes at you,keep calm,dont panic,if he charged at you put your elbo infront of hs head,that would stop him.
you have to know how to punch and kick before you attempt doing all other sorts of things,but the first rule,for me at least,be the only one who knows that you are afraid,and you will be.

Wise words. My friend that got bashed, however, is an idiot, so I dont care about him. Its just he always boasts about "Taekwondo", and after the fight he made it look like that Taekwondo is similar to teaching toddlers on how to cook lasagna.

well in the hand of an expert every type of martia art,judo JJ and even Krav maga which is more for the now days battlefield can be a deadly weapon,if u now how to use it,when to use and the way to make your opponent weaker by it.
as long as you stay calm.