Are martial arts for a 35yo newbie (no sports experience whatsoever)?

[Tant01]

Ahhh... Judo is the GENTLE art. I'm not too old to slam or choke... Judo would be great for any newbie!

That's my story and I'm sticking to it! LOL

[Flaves]

based on the criteria you gave its difficult to give an exact answer. you want to avoid injury while learning an art that is both offensive and defensive.

well for starters most arts are both offensive and defensive. some arts like Wing Chun combine the 2 for ecomony of motion while karate would be attack then defend or vice versa.

to avoid the injuries stay away from MMA/BJJ schools. the culture usually ends up being aggressive /competitive in those schools.

if you are looking to get in great shape you may want to find a traditional Muay Thai school .

Wing Chun/Wushu may be of interest also as it fits your criteria .

if you want a little bit of mental stimulation try a Kali/Silat school.

train hard and good luck.

BTW, what area do you live?

[35yoNewbie]

So far I tried judo and karate and neither one felt like a right fit for me. I was discouraged after those visits because I didn't find a good match. That's why I'm trying to get some guidance and pointers that would help me focus my search in a particular area.

[Hardball]

I need advice on what martial arts would be good for me to start with.

I'm 35 year old male in very bad cardio shape. I'm 5.10, 140lbs and have no experience with any *sports* whatsoever. Yes, I've been a geek all (or 1/2) of my life.

Realizing that injuries are possible in all sports, I'm trying to find something that is appropriate for my age and experience. To me this means a style or school that's not as prone to serious injuries, and at the same time I would like something that's both offensive and defensive in nature.

Based on what's available in your area, I'd say seek out a free trial visit at the karate school. If you like it, then sign up. Judo, Jujitsu and MMA are all prone to frequent injuries and you may not be suited based on your description of yourself.

[35yoNewbie]

There is karate, aikido, judo, jujitsu, kung fu, kickboxing, MMA and I'm sure all sorts of other disciplines available in my area. I checked some of them already and I'm pretty sure that kickboxing is not for me. :-) That's why I need advice where to start (based on my two criteria from original post).

[Semper Fi]

I'd recommend checking out whats available in your area then stopping by to either view or participate in a class. It's honestly the best way to find out what would interest you the most. Most schools offer a free intro class or 2.

[35yoNewbie]

I need advice on what martial arts would be good for me to start with.

I'm 35 year old male in very bad cardio shape. I'm 5.10, 140lbs and have no experience with any *sports* whatsoever. Yes, I've been a geek all (or 1/2) of my life.

Realizing that injuries are possible in all sports, I'm trying to find something that is appropriate for my age and experience. To me this means a style or school that's not as prone to serious injuries, and at the same time I would like something that's both offensive and defensive in nature.