considering Martial Arts

[Pony_Boy]

Do to an unexpected windfall, I might soon have enough disposable income to afford signing up for martial arts classes, something I have wanted to do since I was 6 years old.

My girlfriend does kickboxing at a dojo near our place. She adores the staff and people she trains with. They also have been very nice to me the couple of times i have gone with her ( I watch the class I dont participate)

This place also has a highly regarded Jui-Jitsu program. Ju-Jitsu is one of the martial arts that has always interested me the most and I am seriously considering signing up


My question to all of you who have done Jui-Jitsu ( or any martial art) is : Do I have to be "in shape" before I start attending classes?

I know I won't be able to keep up at first but I don't want to make a fool of myself either. So what kind of physical condition do I have to be in before I start attending classes?

[Magpie]

One thing I do know, from asking a friend who is very into karate, is that you need to know what you're capable of, and they need to be able to trust you to determine if you're capable of something or not. (Part of this involved me going "gee, I can't really do anything at the moment, so I've never been.) Most places will accommodate limitations, but they're still going to work you really hard.

[Solumina]

A beginner class is just that, a class for beginners. Back when I did karate ages ago I was in pretty good shape when I started (thanks to dance) but most of my class was not and that was okay, I moved up in rank quicker than they did since for me it was more about just learning the moves to advance but for them it was a matter of both learning and getting to a point where their bodies could actually do what was needed before advancing. That being said they still seemed to very much enjoy it and quite a few of them ended up carrying it much farther than I did (I got distracted by a horse).

[Seshat]

Talk to the instructors - they'll be able to both recommend which of their classes (probably beginner) is most appropriate to you, and what additional exercises you can do (affordably) to support your ju-jitsu.

Expect to be advised to walk, and do simple home exercises like squats, push-ups against a wall, step-ups if you have even one step, and the like.
(With the push-ups, start by pushing against a wall. Once that's easy for 2 sets of 15 reps, push against a counter. Once that's easy, move to floor push-ups.)

Walking, jogging, running and cycling will strengthen your cardiovascular system and your lower body. The squats are also for lower body. For upper body, they may recommend you some exercises with a couple of tins of soup for weights.

[fireheart]

Also, unless the dojo has a set supplier for their gi (uniform), consider searching secondhand martial arts shops for all your gear.
Most groups from yellow belt up will do some form of sparring and therefore require their participants to wear some sort of padding. This consists of gloves with foam padding and shin pads that go on like a sock. And if you're male, wear a cup (obviously) . If you're female and your dojo requires that you wear a breast protector (some do), again, search the secondhand shops or see if the owner of the shop can recommend a place that sells them.

[taxguykarl]

I got into karate to get into shape. I didn't buy a gi for a couple of months. I only bought one in advance of my first test--'til then I wore ordinary gym clothes.

[Tsiyeria]

To answer your original question: You don't have to be in any physical condition (short of being able to walk in there!) to get started. You do, however, have to be willing to work. It's strenuous, but rewarding.

As to sparring gear: My dojung (korean art, not japanese, but it's the same as a dojo) required a foam helmet and a mouthguard as well as gloves, boots and shin protectors (and a cup of course). Pretty expensive at the start, but good quality gear will go a long way. Also, perhaps an old student of that dojo has gotten a new set of gear for whatever reason, and their old gear is still in good enough condition to use? My instructor will sometimes sell secondhand sparring gear from his students. (Sanitize the SNOT out of them before putting them on!)

If you have any pre-existing conditions (asthma, bad knees, diabetes, ANYTHING) let the instructor know. Not only will it allow him/her to be more efficient and helpful in the event of an emergency (god forbid) but it will let your instructor tailor your training to what YOU PERSONALLY can do. (Example: If you have a bad knee, your instructor will know to be gentle when demonstrating techniques that affect the knees.)
Can an eighty-year-old woman on a cane defend herself as efficiently as a twenty-year-old woman without one? Certainly. But she has to learn it differently.

If it's something you want to do, I say go for it! Learn everything they're willing to teach you. You could make surprising discoveries! ^_^

[Seshat]

Also, if you have a pre-existing condition, consider checking with your doctor before doing any new form of exercise.

This is less important if your condition is something minor, far more important if it's severe.

[Teysa]

I always thought martial arts looked like fun. However, I'm not sure how good I'd be at them especially as a short, overweight, middle-aged woman. Still, I may try taking some classes if I ever get any extra money.

[Seshat]

Good enough to have fun, learn something, and improve your health!

[fireheart]

I always thought martial arts looked like fun. However, I'm not sure how good I'd be at them especially as a short, overweight, middle-aged woman. Still, I may try taking some classes if I ever get any extra money.

My mum is slightly shorter than me, overweight and middle-aged and she did karate fine with me. Fun fact-when we had to buy our gi's, they were sold according to height. (in 10cm increments) So therefore I had a size 5, mum had a size 4. We go home, try them on and I'm practically SWIMMING in my gi. We change gis-perfect. So I'm in a gi that's designed for a 160cm tall woman and mum's in one designed for a 170cm tall woman (I'm actually 174cm)

[Igorina]

The martial art I take/teach has components of Jiu-Jitsu in it, I like it quite a bit.

I don't know about the school you're interested in, but we tell our students that they will be the ones to push themselves. We will encourage them, i.e. 'C'mon, try for one more push-up!', but the student is the one who knows how much they can handle that night.

I would highly encourage you to talk to the instructor about your concerns. A good one will work with you and suggest things you can do outside of class.

Whether or not you know it, ground fighting needs a lot of cardio. You might want to think about ways to improve that.

Feel free to contact me with any questions you might have.

[Solumina]

I always thought martial arts looked like fun. However, I'm not sure how good I'd be at them especially as a short, overweight, middle-aged woman. Still, I may try taking some classes if I ever get any extra money.

You could try Tai Chi Chuan, it focuses mostly on form and slow movements so that you can build muscle strenght and muscle memory but there is a lot more to it as you advance.

[tollbaby]

Most of the parents I see joining karate after watching their kids do it for a while aren't in shape when they start. (we're with Douvris)

[Flying Grype]

My karate school took pretty much anyone as a beginner. Teysa, there were several middle-aged overweight women in the beginner class. They were beginners. :P They got pretty good after a while.

Go to a school that is willing to accommodate different body types and levels of ability. I know some schools that are all about the macho fighting and would sneer at anyone who wasn't an already-fit young hot-blooded male. Schools that focus on self-defense will teach you what you need to know and will work with your level of ability.