New member looking for some advice

[Edmorian]

Hello folks. New member here and I was looking for some advice.

I was in martial arts when I was younger, around 7 - 12 but haven't practiced, nor learned anything new since then and I'm now 30 years old. I found a school that I believe will be a good fit, that offers several different styles to choose from. Getting back into a martial art has always been in the back of my mind but I had gained a lot of weight over the years and recently started cardio, weight lifting, and eating cleaner to lose weight. I've lost 50 lbs so far, but I'm still about 100 lbs overweight.

The styles that the school offers are Wing Chun, Jow Ga, Judo, and Tai Chi (yang). I would love to learn all of them, but that would be biting off more than I can chew at the moment. So I need to narrow it down a bit more. So for Kung Fu at the school I'm looking at is either Wing Chun or Jow Ga. I've googled a lot about both and they seem like they would both offer a lot for some one practically new. One of those two would be my first option, and my second option would be Judo, and third option Tai Chi.

The school I'm looking at is;

http://www.chanskungfu.com/

The Sifu Sam Hing Fai Chan seems pretty legit, and I'm planning to visit the school next week to watch the Jow Ga classes (they allow few spectating for prospective students). Here's a link to his biography http://www.chanskungfu.com/instructors_sifuchan.html

So does anyone have any advice for me? Heard of this school and the Sifu? Questions I should ask when I go to visit?

Thanks in advance!

[boxerbilly]

Go watch some classes. Maybe take one to try if available. Then decide based on you and what seems to be the right fit. Don't worry to much about legit this and that. Someone can always blow holes in someone else. If they offer what you like doing then go with your gut. If you think it is crap it will be crap.

[MightyB]

He's the real deal. I think Jow Ga's pretty athletic. His guys are sharp. Wing Chun might be a little easier on your body, but 30's not so old to take up an athletic style. Judo's a lot of fun too.

[mickey]

Greetings and Welcome to the Forum, Edmorian,

Congratulations on what you have achieved, so far.

It may be even better to go back over some of the basics of what you used to do. Basic kicks, punches, bag work. Cellular memory has it's advantages when it comes to getting back in shape. Look at what you used to do (what did you do?) and develop a routine from it.

mickey

[Kymus]

In general, I'd suggest Jow Ga. I think it would take your further long-term than Wing Chun based on my experience.

If you have time later on, I'd spend some time cross training with Judo and Wing Chun. Personally speaking, I'd rather main Jow Ga and take elements from the other arts than main the other arts and take elements from them. But that's just me.

That said, if one art appeals to you more, then go with whatever it is, because then you're more likely to stick with it.

[Edmorian]

Thanks for the replies everyone! I appreciate them all.

As far as what I used to do, it was a karate school in Hawaii called Okinawan Kenpo Karate-Kobudo. I tried looking up the school I went to but only found a site that had it's history and that the name changed to Ryukyu Hon Kenpo Kobujutsu . I was only in it for 3 years and I was young, so it might take a while for anything to come back other than my favorite aspect, walking waist deep into the ocean and trying to maintain balance against the waves.

From what I've seen on youtube of Jow Ga, it does look like there's quite a bit of athleticism required, and while a lot of it would be especially hard for me (in terms of the jumping/spinning), hard work and diligence in training would make it possible over time. Which is something I'm looking for, not really something to just do for a few months to a year or two, but for many years to come. Which is why I'm trying to read as much about various martial arts before jumping into one.