Why not take up boxing? You don’t actually have to box anyone as you’ll get a fine full body workout by working with the speed bag, heavy bag, jumping rope, etc. Hell, why not Tai-Bo? I’m not joking, I’ve never done it but it looks like decent exercise to me.
Marc
While there is no striking in judo and it is an extremely good workout, it’s pretty much necessary to work with a resisting opponent - randori (matwork) is free grappling with another person. Throws are learned by throwing people, and by being thrown. It’s a sport and it’s fun but it’s certainly as “aggressive” as sparring would be (albeit without punching/kicking).
Not all styles of jiu-jitsu and aikido are totally “peaceful” either, definitely check with some local instructors. While they may not focus on strikes, all of the joint locks, throws and chokes are offensive in nature and are best practiced with other students. When I was doing budo aikido/goshinjitsu in college we did plenty of sparring and wrestling.
The things that came to my mind when I read the OP have pretty much been mentioned - tai chi and yoga, or take some cardio kickboxing/boxing classes (many gyms offer those, the goal is aerobic exercise without actually sparring). Like I said, you can also check around your local martial arts schools for “soft” styles, or styles where you focus more on forms (kata).
AFG, do you mind if I ask whether it’s specifically punching/kicking someone (even in a sparring setting, with pads) that you don’t like, or is it anything where you are working with a resisting opponent? If it’s the former, and wrestling doesn’t bother you, then you have many more options (judo and jiujitsu for example). If it’s the general agressiveness some of that may be the tone of the instructor - I’m sure that some places have a real “macho ass kicker” vibe and others go for a more fun attitude (while still being vigorous about the art itself). I’ve seen schools that have women-only classes as well if that’s an issue.
I’ve seen both the Kodo Drummers (in Toronto) and Za Ondekoza (in Kitchener) touring Taiko drumming troupes. They both had female drummers, although they were out numbered by the men.
I’m not sure what it is you’re disputing.
Capoeira is the ticket. No contact.
I was just surprised to read that you find ju-jutsu lacks offensive techniques. To my understanding, it’s a very “hard” contact- and offense-oriented discipline, as opposed to a “soft” technique such as aikido. However, my knowledge of this martial art is as an observer only, not as a participant, so there may well be schools that are exclusively defensive that I haven’t heard of. No offense intended, apologies for any taken.
Tai chi practitioners can be fast when they want to be.
This guy was probably in his 70s when this video was recorded.
That’s what I was thinking too.
To answer a few of the Q’s, it’s basically the punching/kicking of someone else that I don’t like. I’m just not aggressive enough to put the required force into it. Aikido sounds like something that would be doable for me as well as looking into Tai Chi.
I actually did Tae-Bo for about 2 years. I bought the box set of DVDs, worked my way up to the Advanced one and then found after awhile that I wasn’t being challenged as much anymore. Which is why I’m looking into actual lessons for something now.
My own experience with Jiu Jutsu is that it would not be what the OP wanted. I took it for a few years and there were indeed strikes, along with joint-locks, throws, choke-holds and even some low kicks. Sequences usually went something like: block, distract with a strike, throw, lock, break. Aside from Kali, it was one of the more vicious martial arts I have tried.
I’d look into Aikido. There are some effective versions that I believe are taught to the Tokyo police. Other versions are a bit like aerobics for two people and are as soft and friendly as anyone could want. Beautiful to watch too, very graceful.
Regards
testy
Hey, my tai chi class included some parts where we’d run!
I couldn’t do those because it hurt my feet, my arches are too high and the floor was hard.
The students were aged 20-80, including a woman who’s legally blind and people with different levels of physical disabilities as well as some who thought they were perfectly fit going in but discovered several unused muscles. It helped my posture, my gait, my strength, muscle tone all over and my breathing (which really needed it). I haven’t been able to join another group for years but still do some of the exercises on my own - I’m sure my form sucks, but it still works even so.
Sometimes we’d pair up for exercises where one person would move her arm to touch the other one’s “blocking” forearm, but those were slow enough that you were in no danger of hurting anybody. Each pair would work at the speed at which they felt comfortable, some went faster than others.
It doesn’t. Aikido does. “Which lacks offensive techniques entirely” in my post refers to aikido, although I suppose it could be read as referring to “a defensive art”.
He didn’t say that. Read the statement carefully (bolding mine): “Try for a defensive art like ju-jutsu and especially aikido, which lacks offensive techniques entirely.” The use of “lacks” indicates that the phrase (“which…”) modifies one thing, that thing being Aikido. If the phrase were modifying both things (Ju-jutsu and Aikido), it would have used the word “lack” (no final s).
Your interpretation is most probably right. Sorry for my misinterpretation, and the resultant distraction.
A big vote for aikido here.
The thing about aikido is, if you’re using a lot of force against your opponent, you’re doing the technique wrong. A throw or a lock should require only minimal effort. My teacher used to emphasize the importance of keeping things within your sphere of influence (basically, directly in front of your body) so that your own body’s weight and energy will do most of the work. Yeah, it’s a little mystical; it’s all about the chi.
That’s not to say, however, that you won’t get a workout from aikido. I often recall the night when only myself and one other student showed up for an evening class with the assistant instructor; because there were only the three of us, we had only each other to practice the techniques upon, and that meant getting knocked down a lot. I later estimated that we had each been knocked flat 200 times in an hour, and if you’ve never fallen onto the floor and had to stand up 200 times in an hour, lemme tell ya, your legs and butt will let you know it.
I should say that the style I studied was Seidokan, which is perhaps the most non-confrontational of the aikido sub-schools. Doesn’t look like there’s a dojo in Ontario, which is listed as your location. It looks like there is a sizable presence in Ontario for hombu aikido, which is the school most directly descended from O-sensei’s original dojo; in my experience, they’re a bit more aggressive, in that some techniques actually use strikes. Still, check it out, go and observe a class; it may be just what you’re looking for.
I agree with Dorjan, take up modern dance. Unless you find nothing offensive about “hurting” people, just hitting them. Otherwise any martial art can be used for exercise and conditoning. The grappling arts, wrestling, judo, jujitsu, jujutso, etc. still require up close and personal contact to become accomplished at them, if rolling around with strangers is not your cup of tea, avoid them all. And accidents do happen when you are trying to dominate someone regardless of the hardness or softness of the attack. On the other hand, striking bags, boards, trees, air, whatever; may get you in shape but without real contact you will never really be prepared to use your martial art in the really rare case of someone attacking you on the street or in defense of others.
Dancing however will get you in shape and all the close contact will be with someone you probably won’t mind getting close to.
FWIW I am a Hapkido instructor and in the beginning stages of instructions almost nobody wants to stike, grapple or engage other people. With training comes confidense that you have control and won’t seriouly hurt someone and you won’t seriously get hurt unless you begin some form of serious competition. All good instructors will work with your concerns and fears and lead you down the path towards whatever personal goals you have.