Ask HN: What martial arts do you practice? What do you recommend?

The quality of any martial arts training will depend much more on the teacher than the art being taught. A bad teacher can ruin any art, but a good one will teach you important things about yourself (your limits, your strengths and weaknesses, and how to change them) under the pretext of any art.

Personally, I've been training Isshinryu for ~9 years. It's been great for me, in terms of keeping me in shape, relieving stress, and learning confidence and discipline. Isshinryu is a striking art, but we also practice judo and grappling to a lesser degree. I actually wish we did more of those two, because many fights end up on the ground, and I feel underprepared for that -- though many of the people I've trained with have learned judo or wrestling separately, so it's possible I'm better prepared than I realize. (The evidence is still there, though. I rarely won on the mats. =P)

As far as starting a martial art, just find a dojo and go. Most will welcome you to watch a class so you can get a feel for the style and the instructors. Your first few weeks practicing can be embarrassing for some. Don't quit. Nobody there is expecting you to know what your doing, and you'll adapt to the dojo's norms pretty quickly.

The main thing, though, is to find a teacher who knows what they're doing. Also important: make sure you respect them. As long as you have these, your martial arts training will definitely improve you. No guarantees about making you into an unbeatable street fighter, but you won't be disappointed.

Interesting. Turns out there are a couple instructors in my area, one certified and another working on it. Is it mostly young fit guys, or is it doable for a skinny oldster with nagging injuries?

I've been thinking about tai chi too, for somewhat different reasons. It sounds like they might dovetail kinda nicely.

Another good reason why BJJ is good for the HN crowd is it can be for anyone of all sizes.

I am 155 pounds soaking wet and can compete with guys that are 200 pounds.

I have been training for about a year now and am a 3rd stripe white belt

I trained in Eskrima (~aka Kali or Arnis) for several years and loved it. It's a Filipino art most commonly recognized as stick fighting or knife fighting, but is a complete system of hand-to-hand combat. After having sticks flying at you for awhile, suddenly hands aren't nearly as threatening. To get the most out of it, do expect to get a little bruised and sore. The bruising stops as you learn the relaxation aspects of the art, though you still get a good sore.

Most schools do not train eskrima as aerobic exercise, as might be typical of other arts, but generally are strictly technique and drill oriented. If you're looking to lose a lot of weight through martial arts training, another art might be better suited. But if you want to learn basic, effective techniques for self-defense and can handle the exercise and fitness aspects on your own, then I highly recommend looking for a good school near you. Doce Pares is a very well-respected organization that I can't say enough good things about.

Agreed; the teacher and the students in the dojo are much more important than style. The things I would look for would be:

- a relentless focus on safety

- something you enjoy (weapons vs striking vs grappling, etc.)

- instructor who communicates in a style you understand (I'm an engineer, so I use physics to explain concepts)

- senior students who help the newer students

Since effective use / sparring is really more about game theory, there really is no one "superior" art to rule them all.

My personal experience:

- Volunteer teacher for various youth groups

- 2nd degree kendo, co-captain of varsity team, regionally ranked in Japan

- 1st degree karate, varsity team

- beginner aikido