Which style of karate is best for me?

I'm looking to take up the martial arts, but I'm looking for a style that combines a good amount of meditation (Tai Chi style) and at the same time an excellent, full workout on muscular strength and flexibility.





Any suggestions?





Also, does anyone have a good place that matches this, in NYC?

Which style of karate is best for me?
Most Traditional Martial Arts will have a meditative or spiritual aspect to it; but what you focus on putting into it, you'll get it in return, and all martial arts will give you a ceratin degree of workout with your muscular system as well as a good source of cardio and endurance training.





the discipline doesn't matter, it's the frequency and quality of your training that will allow you to improve, and not the difference in disciplines.





as far as flexibility is concerned, you have to train at it to gain flexibility through stretching and continue to train to keep the flexibility as you will lose some flexibility over time but very little.
Reply:Tang Soo!





good to hear from fellow Moo Duk Kwan practitioners





Good luck in progressing your Martial Arts knowledge with whatever discipline you choose, I myself have taken up Hapkido to make myself a more well rounded Martial Artist Report It

Reply:I'm a black belt in Wado Kai and it is very good for both...make sure you have a reputable teacher.
Reply:Ninjitsu
Reply:I do have a good place in NYC that does match this as far as training goes, however any meditative art is not likely going to teach you to fight or fitness. I'll email you the information because He is in semi-retirement now and the only contact information I have is a phone number and address.





EDIT: To the poster below. Can you send me the info about the Tai Chi guy in the bronx? I'm not interested in becoming his student but It always interests me to see someone who can actually apply tai chi properly, I have only met one instructor to ever do so and am curious. It isn't Novell is it? I wasn't aware he taught tai chi if it is him.
Reply:Tai Chi doesn't have to be a meditative form of martial arts.





There used to be a gorgeous, peaceful guy named Jose Figueroa who taught Tai Chi course at Wave Hill in the Bronx on Saturdays. I asked him did he teach real martial arts rather than Tai Chi. He said Tai Chi is a real martial arts and showed the moves in fast motion, which blew my mind. I went on the website and another instructor teaches there now.





What about Capoeira? You need a lot of strength and agility for that form.
Reply:Please be aware that all karate's are martial arts but not all martial arts are karate.


I highly recommend that you seek a good place to train instead of a good style. Do not put too much emphasis on style.





Also if all you want is a meditation and a workout, most of your local gyms should be able to provide this. A martial art is not needed to achieve these ends.Taking a martial art offers one more detail that you are not mentioning, self-defense. If you really don't have interest in self-defense you may quickly grow weary of your training.
Reply:Any traditional style should meet your needs. It's not the style, it's the school %26amp; the instructor. Talk to the instructor before signing up. In our Tae Kwon Do organization, we have both meditation %26amp; physical workouts, but, unfortunately, we don't have any schools in the NYC area.





Good luck
Reply:As I've experienced thus far most karate styles lack a good amount of meditation. usually it will get you fit though. the Chinese internal martial arts like Tao Chi, Bagua and Xing Yi integrate martial, health and meditative aspects. They can be practiced into old age. Check out the 100 year old man performing a Bagua sword form on youtube! It's difficult to find good teachers though. Apart from their knowledge and their ability to transfer their knowledge to students there are a lot of people who start teaching after a 10 day course in Tai Chi for example. If you want to combine fitness, meditation and gain an ability to defend yourself Bagua could be your thing. I know of two teachers in NYC; a guy called the Black Taoist and Frank Allen. Don't know their credentials, but you can find them on the net.