What is the best Martial Art for women?

[Eric Daniel]

I do not know much when it comes to Women. My cousin [who by the way is a girl] has seen me do martial arts on numerous occasions. She has watched the class and she went with me to seminar's before. Now what I don't get is why she just watched and di not want to join the class. A couple days ago though she finally came up to me after about four years of watching me practice and told me she wanted to start learning martial arts. She said that she has checked out three schools including where I train but she did not know which martial art was better. She asked me what the best martial art for women is.

I told her I dont know about that one. so I am here to ask what everyones perspective on the subject is. I am heading tords Wing chun mainly because it was founded by a women but I would like to hear other perspectives.

[MikeK]

Depends upon the woman. I still have nightmares thinking about sparring a gal named Carla who did TKD. I always felt like I was fighting for my life and hated drawing her during belt tests. One of my muay thai teachers is a girl who when she got me in the plumb would toss me around like a rag doll and kick my butt. I've seen some gals in BJJ and Aikido that I wouldn't mess with. I don't buy the made by a woman so it's best for a woman myth. Help her find an art that she will enjoy and that fits her and not try to make her fit the art.

[Mills75]

Welcome to the forums as I see you're a new member.I have to say I agree with Mike that I wouldn't look at anything as either good for a woman or a man but rather good for the individual who seeks to learn the art.So I also think encouraging her to find something she is comfortable with and sincerely wishes to pursue is the only real and true thing that matters.good luck to her and I hope she finds an art she really likes...

regards,
Jeff

[Dana Sheets]

Hello Eric,

What's been said so far is really what matters. Does she like it, is she having fun, is it something she wants to spend time doing.

It also depends a bit on why she's training. Only she can answer that. The traditional japanese/chinese/korean martial arts usually have a focus on the body/mind/spirit stuff.

If she's simply looking for only self-defense skills without the white uniforms, belts, and air of mysticism then there are arts like Krav Maga, trainings like FAST Defesne and Model Mugging, and important texts to read such as "The Gift of Fear," "When Beauty Bites Beast," "The Armored Rose," "Genderspeak: Men, Women, and the Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense" by Suzette Haden, Ph.D. and other such resources.

She should be sure to watch a class or three before she joins to see how the women in the class are treated. She should also be able to sit and chat with the instructor to find out how many women he/she has trained.

It's going to come down to the schools that are available in your area, the chemistry between your cousin and one of the those schools, and if she's enjoying the training.

Folks can talk endlessly about which styles are best for anything - but in the end it will come down to the person, their preferences, their skill, and their perserverence.

As has been said many times before - someone who's never trained a day in their life can often take out a black belt. You just never know. The system does not guarentee effectiveness.

[Van Canna]

Dana

[Bill Glasheen]

The best style for a woman? It's the style where an incompetent female will do just as badly as an incompetent male.

- Bill

[Eric Daniel]

Thanks everyone for all the replys. Sorry for getting back so late. I have been busy with high school, Martial arts, finding a job, and much more. I have shared the information with my cousin and she told me to tell everyone thanks for all your great insights.
Later, Eric