Martial Arts suggestions?

Looking into Martial Arts..mostly for my son, but maybe for me as well. How do the diffrent martial arts compare against each other...is there a dominant style. Seems like locks and throws would be the most effective...but I really have no idea.

Martial Arts suggestions?
I'm no expert.





Karate has more of an art and a grace to it; not purely combat survival. But it certainly has its share of self-defense. And is perhaps the most mainstream of them.





Judo focuses on flips, holds, grapples, and mainly shifting your weight in ways to achieve better balance, knocking your opponent off his.





Tae Kwon Do -- the Korean martial art--doesn't have a lot of moves, and they are not particularly "flashy" but the moves it has are very effective for self defense.





Krav Maja is an Israeli Self-Defense class that focuses on taking down your assailant quickly while minimizing danger to yourself. Involves a lot of fitness exercises -- hitting bags and so forth to stay in shape. Also very practical.





Don't know much about the others...
Reply:You should check out Krav Maga, its a practical and effective defensive fighting style, with emphasis on defending against knives and guns
Reply:if its mostly for your son, i think you want something that focus' more on discipline than on the actual fighting. I would say tae kwan do. That style use mostly kicks and punches as opposed to chops grabs and throws.
Reply:If you want to focus on locks and throws, judo's a good choice.
Reply:Depends on what you want. If you want self offense, you should look into Karate. If you want self defense, look into Kung Fu. If bone crunching is your thing, try Akido. If style is what you are looking for Capoeira is right up your alley.





Tekken Series is a video game that specialize in Martial Arts. Play with your son and you'll find what you like.





Good Luck!
Reply:Find an instructor that is good with teaching kids... Forget about what style... watch the kids class.... is it organized? are the kids being taught, or is it a daycare? Way too many Martial Arts schools are just making money off of parents by filling the school with kids, and not giving them anything for the money they are spending... How old is your son? That would affect what style of training you would want him in.... please dont go to a school that gives 6 year olds a black belt.. i know its "cute" but really it makes a mockery of Martial Arts and the training required.... your son will learn proper goal setting if you choose a style with a belt system that has a good instructor... but with a bad one.. he will learn.. I dont have to work hard.. they will give me my black belt anyway.... and all the good you wanted your child to get from the training and money you spend is wasted..... good luck man... be very picky about where you take your child
Reply:actually taekwondo does have a lot of moves, and it does have quite a few flashy moves. in fact it has some of the most flashy moves, such as the 540 wheel kick. However, there are also a lot of effective moves in it, and depending on the teacher it can teach you a lot about self-discipline, self-control, focus, respect, integrity, and indomitable spirit. tae kwon do is also good for kids, and is loads of fun. although it depends on what you're looking for. many tae kwon do schools don't focus on the self-defense side much. instead often they focus on the flashy, gymnastic-esq side of it. although it isn't useless for self-defense, either. Most importantly it gives a sense of confidence, so ironically, the people who learn martial arts actually get into fights the least!
Reply:I recommend judo! Great sport, good self defense, and it will get you into the best shape of your life.