Karate or Judo?

[Coconutty93]

I reeeeaaaallllyyyy want to take some kind of self defense lessons but I want to know which one is better for both getting in shape and for just being better...I guess. ~shrugs~ But yeah, anybody want to help out a fellow forum-goer? 

KARATE OR JUDO? <----Because that is all we have in our small town...TT~TT

[Seraph]

as for which is better for getting in shape I'm not sure.  as for which is just better depends on what you want out of it.  If you're hoping use it for self defense as well, then you'll have to consider style you can work with best.  Karate focuses more on power direct attacks(punches/kicks) while Judo focuses more finesse with holds, grabs, and throws.

I'm sure others can give more and better info.

[Coconutty93]

Hmmm...I'm thinking more of kicking and punching...being able to throw somebody over my shoulder would be nice. I had a dream last night about doing that. Huh. But yeah, all that jazz would be great.

[Washougal_Otaku]

Well, based off of what you said you were aiming to achieve, I'd say Judo.

[Daxe]

So if it were me, I would do judo. It doesnt require you to be stronger than your attacker. A lot of the techniques are focused on self defense that doesnt specifically require things like kicking and punching. If you want a kicking and punching art I would choose anything BUT karate. Karate's style and technique is similar to that of tae qwan do. Its a point sport, not an effective self defense art. Its far too linear and rigid to be useful against anyone who is really trying to assault you. There is some skill in these arts, but they are mostly for getting points and if you stick with it forever then you may be decent enough to fight someone one on one. But seriously, if you are looking for punch/kick go look into taijutsu (bujinkan budo), kajikembo, kempo, kung fu, or san soo (if you really want to be able to hurt someone).
A few others worth looking into:
Kung fu (long fist) PSU offers this: Its the acrobatic style of kung fu similar to the fire nation from avatar
Tai Chi, this is a much more spiritual art but its a good way to start into things like martial arts as it teaches you the importance of fluidity and rooting yourself.
Jujitsu, this is all ground fighting. Most fights... between guys anyway... end up on the ground. Knowing what to do on the ground is really important and this art will teach all about how to force your opponent into various body locks that forces them to submit.
Hapkido, I dont really know much about this art other than its largely what jackie chan does minus the funny.
Aikido, this art is almost entirely grappling and throwing. It is largely designed to not hurt your attacker, has much of its roots in philosophy and in general is kind of silly to watch.

[pepito]

I see you're from Roseburg.. train with Larry over at Dynamic Full Contact - he's a cool guy with a lot of good insight into self defense.

I think he has a Women's MMA and fitness program that would be right up your alley. Hope this helps.

Most martial artists will tell you it's more about finding the right instructor than the right art, at the end of the day a punch is a punch and a shoulder throw is a shoulder throw

[Griff_the_dragoon]

i would recomend aikido. it is an easy art to learn and i one steven segal learned. the entire art is taking the enrgey your foe gives you and you use it to your advantage. you can throw them if you want or break a bone or two. it can be a nice art to the foe or a painful one. but i would suggest you take a modern form not a traditional form. modern you will learn more (over 450 technices before black belt)
and traditional (about 12 to 15 before black belt) but the chose is totaly yours

[pepito]

"I do not fear the man who has practiced 1,000 techniques 10 times. I fear the man who has practiced 10 techniques 1,000 times"
-Bruce Lee

[Daxe]

"I do not fear the man who has practiced 1,000 techniques 10 times. I fear the man who has practiced 10 techniques 1,000 times"
-Bruce Lee

Amen to that

[Sporty_Otaku]

yup

there was a story that washougalotaku told me once when i use to live in washington that his coach told him

a college wrestler once won a national title using the same takedown over and over again

[Wuntvor]

Do you have any friends or siblings that will want to train with you?  The main thing that kept me from continuing Taekwondo was that I had nobody to practice with at home.  Once a week at the athletic center, just didn't work for me.  If you can get someone to go into it with you, the chances of you getting better, and sticking with it, will improve.   

Do you watch any anime about these subjects?

Judo  - Yawara!
Various - Historys Greatest Disciple KenIchi
Unarmed - Shura no Toki

Feel free to name other anime if you know them.  Of the three listed Yawara is closest to reality (it could happen in RL).  KeniChi is the funnest (over the top, like Ranma 1/2), and Shura no Toki is the most historical (Kind of like Ruroni Kenshin)   

[KogaRyu]

Krav Maga

[dafe01]

Seraph' made an excellent point, Do what you can excel in normaly the one you enjoy the most!
You need to be comfortable so it can become second nature to you. Trying to defend you self when you have to think = less time you have to react and more time for your aggressor to make a move.
Daxe' explained it pretty well about the different forms of martial arts Don't just limit your self to picking between the 2 there are many others! Attacks normally start while you are standing and end up on the ground. So both Grappling and Striking are needed for defense.
Pepito' is right about  Finding the right Instructor, Sensei, Coach or w/e, You will find alot of bad classes out there believe it or not, Some are just in it for the money, are you watching? Poof they just waveed 20% and give you a Free T w/ a Gym Bag if you sign up for a year "because you will quit in 2 weeks". . . Some don't allow Full contact if any contact at all. . . Some are sickos, the list goes on. . .
Wuntvor' was saying about Having some Friends or Family attend the sessions with you. To make it a little more fun while at class and out side the class. If You want the master A technique. Once, even twice a week of just classroom exercises isn’t enough imo.

Its all a matter of preference tho. I’ve tried them both and am still active in Judo & Jujitsu, Id rather do Aikido instead of judo but cannot find the classes :-(. As for Karate, its just not my style, partly because I didn’t like my sensei lol, That and Take down and ground arts just seem to click better for me.  I do it for a sport,  to compete, have fun and stay in shape. Self defense is just an added benefit.

   What is better for self Defense??? IMO just avoid the situation or retreat be for a fight happens and you shouldn’t ever need to fight x-D.. .but yea. . . There is no what is the better style. Only who has the better skill level and the upper hand in the situation.
   Getting in Shape??? Ground martial seem to be more of a work out , you will find yourself using more muscles + the Wight of an opponent. where the arts of  Striking is less exhausting, but can be a more fatal sport. When it all comes down, It just depends on the level of work out you are given and not what style you are doing.

I’m Sure if you go down to the gym and ask the Instructor if you can watch or even join in for the day He/She will be more then happy to let you in  that days class free of charge. When you think you finely found the right Instructor, Martial arts and Type of work that's offered. DO NOT rush in to it, Always sigh up for the minimum normally a month to see if its right for you. That way you can try Karate one month then Judo The next  and compare what ones you enjoy more if any. Even when your Month is up sign up 1 Mo at a time. I hope this Helps ^_^.

P.S. IMO Grappling martial arts "Judo" would be better then Striking martial arts"Karate". But we all know Striking martial arts just look alot more cooler:-D!

[Coconutty93]

Well thank you so much guys! This helps me alot! ^~^

[Higuma]

So if it were me, I would do judo. It doesnt require you to be stronger than your attacker. A lot of the techniques are focused on self defense that doesnt specifically require things like kicking and punching. If you want a kicking and punching art I would choose anything BUT karate. Karate's style and technique is similar to that of tae qwan do. Its a point sport, not an effective self defense art. Its far too linear and rigid to be useful against anyone who is really trying to assault you. There is some skill in these arts, but they are mostly for getting points and if you stick with it forever then you may be decent enough to fight someone one on one. But seriously, if you are looking for punch/kick go look into taijutsu (bujinkan budo), kajikembo, kempo, kung fu, or san soo (if you really want to be able to hurt someone).
A few others worth looking into:
Kung fu (long fist) PSU offers this: Its the acrobatic style of kung fu similar to the fire nation from avatar
Tai Chi, this is a much more spiritual art but its a good way to start into things like martial arts as it teaches you the importance of fluidity and rooting yourself.
Jujitsu, this is all ground fighting. Most fights... between guys anyway... end up on the ground. Knowing what to do on the ground is really important and this art will teach all about how to force your opponent into various body locks that forces them to submit.
Hapkido, I dont really know much about this art other than its largely what jackie chan does minus the funny.
Aikido, this art is almost entirely grappling and throwing. It is largely designed to not hurt your attacker, has much of its roots in philosophy and in general is kind of silly to watch.

Sorry but I have to disagree with you about Karate. Karate is and was created for self-defense. It was created by farmers in Okinawa to protect thier crops because by law they were not permited to carry or own weapons. Karate-do actually translates to "Open Hand" meaning being able to fight with out weapons just your body. I have learned the style of Shorin-Ryu Karate since I was a child and I can tell you it is nothing fancy just basic self-defense. Tae Kwon Do is used for tournaments but it is different than Karate. Karate is Japanese while Tae Kwan Do is Korean.

[kylite]

my personal opinion is Judo WITH akido. throws, blocks, and using your oppents power against them. BOTH defensive arts. I dislike the offensive arts due to my asthma and being legally blind. *shrugs*

[Daxe]

So if it were me, I would do judo. It doesnt require you to be stronger than your attacker. A lot of the techniques are focused on self defense that doesnt specifically require things like kicking and punching. If you want a kicking and punching art I would choose anything BUT karate. Karate's style and technique is similar to that of tae qwan do. Its a point sport, not an effective self defense art. Its far too linear and rigid to be useful against anyone who is really trying to assault you. There is some skill in these arts, but they are mostly for getting points and if you stick with it forever then you may be decent enough to fight someone one on one. But seriously, if you are looking for punch/kick go look into taijutsu (bujinkan budo), kajikembo, kempo, kung fu, or san soo (if you really want to be able to hurt someone).
A few others worth looking into:
Kung fu (long fist) PSU offers this: Its the acrobatic style of kung fu similar to the fire nation from avatar
Tai Chi, this is a much more spiritual art but its a good way to start into things like martial arts as it teaches you the importance of fluidity and rooting yourself.
Jujitsu, this is all ground fighting. Most fights... between guys anyway... end up on the ground. Knowing what to do on the ground is really important and this art will teach all about how to force your opponent into various body locks that forces them to submit.
Hapkido, I dont really know much about this art other than its largely what jackie chan does minus the funny.
Aikido, this art is almost entirely grappling and throwing. It is largely designed to not hurt your attacker, has much of its roots in philosophy and in general is kind of silly to watch.

Sorry but I have to disagree with you about Karate. Karate is and was created for self-defense. It was created by farmers in Okinawa to protect thier crops because by law they were not permited to carry or own weapons. Karate-do actually translates to "Open Hand" meaning being able to fight with out weapons just your body. I have learned the style of Shorin-Ryu Karate since I was a child and I can tell you it is nothing fancy just basic self-defense. Tae Kwon Do is used for tournaments but it is different than Karate. Karate is Japanese while Tae Kwan Do is Korean.

I didnt mean to imply that karate and tae qwan do were developed for sport, no no no. Karate was definitely intended as self defense, tae qwan do was developed to kick the mongols off their horses. What I meant to suggest was that both are extremely limited forms of self defense. They are very linear, there is no fluidity. And in that sense they are very poor choices for a self defense platform. Both are used mostly as sport now. You will occasionally find a decent karate fighter like lyoto machida.

[soundninja12]

I'd go Akito.
Akito is about using other peoples force against them. Like let's say someone's running at you, and goes to hit you in the face, in most other martial arts you'd go for the offesive, and hit them before they hit you. In akito you grab their hand, and force them to plow in to the ground because of their own strength. It's harder to learn, but it can be really useful if someone you know is attacking you and you don't want to hurt them, just keep them down until they come to their senses. It's also really good for fighting someone bigger than you, because you use their own energy and strength against them instead of using yours which could be much less (no offence, I'm just saying that there are some big creepy guys out there most people couldn't over power).

That's what I say.

[pepito]

I didnt mean to imply that karate and tae qwan do were developed for sport, no no no. Karate was definitely intended as self defense, tae qwan do was developed to kick the mongols off their horses. What I meant to suggest was that both are extremely limited forms of self defense. They are very linear, there is no fluidity. And in that sense they are very poor choices for a self defense platform. Both are used mostly as sport now. You will occasionally find a decent karate fighter like lyoto machida.

*ahem*

Actually Tae Kwon Do was found on April 11th 1955, after Genral Choi was instructed by Syngman Rhee to teach martial arts to the South Korean Army. This came about after a fellow named Nam Tae Hi broke 13 roof tiles with his fist which greatly impressed president Rhee. Tae Kwon Do is however mainly composed of Taekkyon and Subak which have been around Korea for thousands of years. Tae Kwon Do is also made up of bits and pieces of Karate left over from the Japanese occupation of Korea...

*end rant*

Also, I have $5 that says Machida whoops Evans

no offence, I'm just saying that there are some big creepy guys out there most people couldn't over power.

Thats where the Kung-Fu tactics of striking the groin and gouging the eyes come in

[Daxe]

Also, I have $5 that says Machida whoops Evans

Machida is a very intelligent fighter, hes totally going to whoop evans. But again his style of karate, is really best for sport fights.
Scores, bells, and refs dont exist when you get attacked in an alleyway.

[pepito]

True That - I'm sad that we wont see Rampage and Rashad for a while - it bet that would have been a good one (I'd have taken Evans)

You know UFC 102 will be at the Rose Garden yes? Couture vs Nogeria I believe

[Daxe]

Yeah, I really want to go but Im sure its going to be $100 for a bullshit seat up in the bleeds.

[pepito]

But hey, they do have the giant monitor to watch

[TheInsanePuck]

eh I am going to throw out my two cents and sorry if I am repeating anyone...

First off know your body style a bigger guy we are normally better at grappling styles but if you are a smaller guy who is more agile... I would say take Karate or TKD (but imo tkd has gone too sporty))

Perks of the two

Judo: Judo is a good strong martial art it is great for building up your core and honestly helps with building muscle, once you move up in the ranks you will be able to learn the more ground oriented stuff besides your standard throws and trips and the like (granted it still fun as no other) downside is I have not really found a good Judo Dojo in Oregon but you might know of one take it up its a good solid sport and decent at Self protection also it will get you into shape right fast...(the warm ups are a b**** on you)

Karate: Karate is really good slimming down because the spars are normally pretty fast, so it will be good for cardio and the like. Also in the ways of self protection it is all right because its an all around sport/ martial art. You will learn your Punches some kicks and even some take downs. All in all good for self defence and working out...

for hardcore self defence I would try to Aim for something more along the lines of Juijutsu or maybe even Kempo... but seriously the most important thing is to do research and find a Dojo or school that think would fit you and also check out the school before hand... anyways there are my two cents take it or leave it