Need new style

[firestorm]

I have studied eagle claw and tiger. I'm looking for a more defensive style that my girlfriend and I could study.

[Mortal1]

I think you should just find a school close by, that you both like. Style is important but a good teacher and cool class where you feel at home is most important. Find that, and the fact that it is a good school. Then ask by the way what style is this?

Every style has defense. One isn't better then the rest.

Also some will tell you a good defense is the best offense.

[EarthDragon]

fire storm ,
I dont know where your from or how many schools there are in your area, But it would be a etter idea to find a good teacher rather than a differnt style.

Also great advice would be to seek out a complete system rather than just a style... good luck to you though

[shog]

Basically when people go hunting for a new MA school, they are looking for one that either:

1) Teaches you how to fight
2) Teaches you how to defend yourself
3) Teaches you how to fight in tournaments
4) Or teaches you Traditional Martial Arts

If all you want is #1, then find a seminar, or private instructor.
The same goes for #2.

If all you want is #3, then go to a boxing club, or take Tae Kwon Do.

If you want 1,2, and 4, then most kung fu (ie. Chinese Martial Arts), and karate schools will suffice.

I am not dogging either boxing or TKD. Boxing, to be be qualified as a true Martial Art needs many modifications. TKD, by the submission of Korean government has declared the art to be a sport oriented activity with martial art influences, containing principles of basic self-defense.

Few schools will immediately show you how to fight, or give you some self-defense pointers, and then move on. Instructor's nowawadays want a return on their investment, and that means dedicated time from the student. In return, they offer, over a period of time, the techniques, principles, and methods of surviving physical confrontation.

I prefer to just teach people how to fight, thus giving them an open arsenal of self-defense martial principles from which to pull from. That is, the essense of what any Martial Art system should be.

So my suggestion, again is to find someone who can offer something on the side, assuming you are trying to expediate your training.

Good Luck!

[greensage22]

if your looking for a strickly defensive style, I would recommend aikido or
wing chung, both are very effective for defense against multiple attackers.
if you want stoping power and the ability to break limbs or kill someone
quickly find a shotokan dojo, it's a form of karatedo.


sorry if I mispelled stuff, I'm good at fighting not spelling.

[Wood Dragon]

Judo.


Seriously.

[Hephaestus]

If you can wade through the systematic number-identified techniques which are often taught section-by-section and constantly test your memory, then Hapkido is a very effective and (by and large) very defensive art.

[David Jamieson]

Tai Chi, any style is a very nice thing to learn together with your significant other.

It gives you a decent exercise to work on, push hands to play together with and many new things to discuss.

Hard styles can create a gap in your training curve. Particularly when it comes to hard sparring. She ain't gonna like you if you bust her chops, and vice versa.

[shog]

Any neijia art will take time. They are supposed to be this way. They include, taijiquan, baquazhang, and Hsing Yi Quan...

Most traditional karate and TKD schools (wiejia) take time to learn effective fighting skills.

Shotokan for instance, being a karate-do, is a long term style. That is, it a takes a while to get the most out of it.


I believe a person can be trained to be a good MA fighter in less than two years of diligent, focused, quality training.

If you are close to Oklahoma, try www.flowingcombat.com. It's a well rounded fighting system designed for results, and yet based up taiji (chinese) boxing, Chi'na, and pressure point striking as utilized in Taijiquan and Baquazhang.

There are many great schools out there to choose from. And some not so good either.

Continue looking and do not give up.

[wiz cool c]

Judo is great. They train hard, you can find training for cheap, and you learn to defend chokes, grabs, throws and hold downs.

[Dim Wit Mak]

Just curious as to why you don't think the chin na of Eagle Claw is good for defensive purposes? Chin na techinques are used by many law enforcement agencies for restraining. You don't have to rip out throats or separate bones on every occasion.