What martial art for self defence for girls, and what school in Bangkok would you recommend?

Training can be in Thai or English.

Age group: around 10-12.

Preferred locations: Sathorn-Rama 4 area, Lumpini, Khlong Toey, Nanglinchee Rd, Chan Rd, etc.

martial art is for body exercise, not for self defence. there is specific self-defence training, 'get the job done'. I didn't see open training class for public.

That bird at the Emporium does tae kwon do

martial art is for body exercise, not for self defence. there is specific self-defence training, 'get the job done'. I didn't see open training class for public.

<deleted> are u talking about? Martial arts are practiced for a variety of reasons: self-defense, competition, physical health, etc.

<snip>

Edited September 27, 201312 yr by soundman
No flaming.

martial art is for body exercise, not for self defence. there is specific self-defence training, 'get the job done'. I didn't see open training class for public.

&lt;deleted&gt; are u talking about? Martial arts are practiced for a variety of reasons: self-defense, competition, physical health, etc.

<snip>

agreed, 'martial arts are practiced for a variety of reasons: self-defense, competition, physical health, etc'

not agreed, in the event of 'self-defense', you need a 'killer punch'. martial art helps the physical act though.

martial art is for body exercise, not for self defence. there is specific self-defence training, 'get the job done'. I didn't see open training class for public.

Not true, you don't know what you are talking about.

Jiu jitsu is good for girls

martial art is for body exercise, not for self defence. there is specific self-defence training, 'get the job done'. I didn't see open training class for public.

&lt;deleted&gt; are u talking about? Martial arts are practiced for a variety of reasons: self-defense, competition, physical health, etc.

<snip>

agreed, 'martial arts are practiced for a variety of reasons: self-defense, competition, physical health, etc'

not agreed, in the event of 'self-defense', you need a 'killer punch'. martial art helps the physical act though.

A female fighter, well trained in any martial art, would probably be able to müller just about anyone who wasn't trained, male or female.

If by 'good for girls' you mean a discipline that gives smaller and weaker people a significant force-multiplier against bigger and stronger assailants then I would suggest Aikido and Tai Chi Quan, both of which can be learnt in Bangkok. It's a pity that Krav Maga is only available in Pattaya, as far as I know. It is quick, dirty, very effective and is relatively easy to learn.​

Out of the three mentioned, Tai Chi Quan will probably take longest to reach combat readiness from scratch, but does come with some profound long term benefits for personal health that go far beyond self-defence.

Edited September 27, 201312 yr by Trembly

Jiu jitsu

Sent from my jungle hideout

martial art is for body exercise, not for self defence. there is specific self-defence training, 'get the job done'. I didn't see open training class for public.

Rubbish. Why do you think they are called Martial Arts?

Some martial arts focus on the competition aspects and are taught accordingly. Reason being is that's what usually attracts the paying students.

All martial arts have self-defense capability, that's what they were originated and evolved for. Finding a good teacher is what counts.

^..

So, where a good teacher could be found?

A female fighter, well trained in any martial art, would probably be able to müller just about anyone who wasn't trained, male or female.

If by 'good for girls' you mean a discipline that gives smaller and weaker people a significant force-multiplier against bigger and stronger assailants then I would suggest Aikido and Tai Chi Quan, both of which can be learnt in Bangkok. It's a pity that Krav Maga is only available in Pattaya, as far as I know. It is quick, dirty, very effective and is relatively easy to learn.​

Out of the three mentioned, Tai Chi Quan will probably take longest to reach combat readiness from scratch, but does come with some profound long term benefits for personal health that go far beyond self-defence.

Good points here from Trembly. My take on a few martial arts:

Aikido - good but flowery. Needs to be studied and practiced well. Not the most practical of martial arts.

Tai Chi - don't be fooled by the slow movements. I've a Taiwanese friend who's practiced for over 30 years - and I wouldn't want to cross him. But takes a long time and much slow careful practice.

Wing Chung Kung &lt;deleted&gt; - excellent street fighting technique. Originally developed by a nun so great for ladies.

Karate - most styles effective. Shotokan, Wado Ryu and Kyokoshinkai are all good but do require physical training more than the above.

Tae Kwon do - a military martial art that has evolved into an olympic sport. This is often reflected in the teaching focuses on entry techniques (scoring points) rather than on the full martial capability. Great for fitness, suppleness and conditioning.

Jiu Jutsu - popular with mixed martial artists. Good for street fighting as includes grappling and locking techniques. Can be a bit rough for girls.

Krav Maga - only seen this in the UK - where it was crap. But, that could be down to the particular instructor.

Muay Thai - a sport - but based on Thai martial arts. Might be worth checking the Thai traditional arts out.

Penjak Silat - Malaysian martial art. Has lock, traps and strikes etc. Good with weapons. All round fighting technique. Very effective but you need to find a good teacher.

I've just skimmed the surface here, based on my personal experiences. But I would suggest you look around. You need to get a feel for the competence and attitude of the instructors, together with how the class is taught. I would suggest you let the girls try different ones to see which they prefer too. My son was mad on Shotokan karate and never wanted to try anything else. May daughter liked Jiu Jitsu, but also played ladies rugby!

Martial Arts are great for children to learn - gives them confidence, self-control, fitness, health and some defense capability. I don't like to see children starting too early but 10-12 is good.

Hope you find something good.

^..

So, where a good teacher could be found?

Depends which style your looking for. And, you need to go and see. Helps if you know what your looking for/at.

Have a look for clubs and go and see them. Take the girls with you too.

Check out the credentials of the teacher - which associations is he/she a member of. Who taught them. Do they have a competition record etc etc.

If the girls are athletic types, dancing, gymnastic, sporty types you might consider Wu Su. That's a very good Chinese martial art and I think there is a club somewhere in central Bkk, but can't remember where.

Edited September 27, 201312 yr by Baerboxer

^..

So, where a good teacher could be found?

Depends which style your looking for. And, you need to go and see. Helps if you know what your looking for/at.

Have a look for clubs and go and see them. Take the girls with you too.

Check out the credentials of the teacher - which associations is he/she a member of. Who taught them. Do they have a competition record etc etc.

If the girls are athletic types, dancing, gymnastic, sporty types you might consider Wu Su. That's a very good Chinese martial art and I think there is a club somewhere in central Bkk, but can't remember where.

Wu su is basically 'balletic kung &lt;deleted&gt; interpretation"

It is to Kung &lt;deleted&gt; what Tony Ja is to Muay Thai.

If you were in Hong Kong you could learn some real Ng Si Kai Preying Mantis Kung &lt;deleted&gt; or etc etc bu here in Thailand your best bet is probably Wu style Tai Chi .. . . which is also a form of kung &lt;deleted&gt;.

Edited September 27, 201312 yr by Trembly

http://bkkbjj.com/

This would be my choice.

Brazilian jiu jitsu was developed to enable a physically weaker person overcome a stronger opponent. It has proved its worth in the mixed martial arts world by being one of the most used disciplines along with muy Thai.

Sent from my jungle hideout

^..

So, where a good teacher could be found?

Depends which style your looking for. And, you need to go and see. Helps if you know what your looking for/at.

Have a look for clubs and go and see them. Take the girls with you too.

Check out the credentials of the teacher - which associations is he/she a member of. Who taught them. Do they have a competition record etc etc.

If the girls are athletic types, dancing, gymnastic, sporty types you might consider Wu Su. That's a very good Chinese martial art and I think there is a club somewhere in central Bkk, but can't remember where.

Wu su is basically 'balletic kung &lt;deleted&gt; interpretation"

It is to Kung &lt;deleted&gt; what Tony Ja is to Muay Thai.

If you were in Hong Kong you could learn some real Ng Si Kai Preying Mantis Kung &lt;deleted&gt; or etc etc bu here in Thailand your best bet is probably Wu style Tai Chi .. . . which is also a form of kung &lt;deleted&gt;.

Wu Su competitions can certainly look "balletic" - but that is part of the tests for athletic and physical development and co-ordination. Jet Li and one or two other of the Chinese martial art film stars started with Wu Su. The martial side of it is a bit like Aikido and Jiu Jitsu.

I met a Chinese master of 5 Star Preying Mantis Kung &lt;deleted&gt; many years ago. Very nice guy who'd moved to America and also headed associations in Europe. That was a very popular style at the time. Hong Kong is great for martial arts of course with plenty of styles to choose from,Taiwan and Japan too. Thailand really seems to focus on Muay Thai. There are other styles around but I don't know the quality of the tuition. Tae Kwon do seems popular with the schools and children. Most of the dance and music schools seem to have a TKD class too!

Tai Chi is often taught and practiced in Europe for health rather than self defense and as a martial art. In HK and Taiwan it is taught as a martial art. I have Taiwanese friends who practice daily and have done so for many years. The problem is it takes a lot of time and effort to master basic moves and must be repetitively practices very regularly, really daily. This dedication can be difficult for children.

I had the honour and pleasure to train Wing Chun with Ip Chun over 20 years ago. He always said that if you practice any martial art form for 30 minutes each day, and clear your mind whilst doing so, you would enjoy better physical and mental health.

http://bkkbjj.com/

This would be my choice.

Brazilian jiu jitsu was developed to enable a physically weaker person overcome a stronger opponent. It has proved its worth in the mixed martial arts world by being one of the most used disciplines along with muy Thai.

Sent from my jungle hideout

Incredibly popular in the UAE - they "imported" 50 instructors from Brazil along with their families. MMA has made it very well known. If you combine this with a striking art then you would indeed be well equipped for MMA.

Depends what you want to learn martial arts for, the amount of time you want to train and the effort you want to put in.

They do kids Tae Kwondo on Sathupradit soi 19 near Chan.

There is a big market for Krav Maga in Bangkok but no one appears to teach it anywhere.

They do kids Tae Kwondo on Sathupradit soi 19 near Chan.

There is a big market for Krav Maga in Bangkok but no one appears to teach it anywhere.

Taekwondo on Sathupradit soi 19 - do you have their phone number? Is it easy to find?

BTW, how do you know that there is a big market for Krav Maga in Bangkok, if nobody teaching/learning it?

Taekwondo on Sathupradit soi 19 - do you have their phone number? Is it easy to find?

BTW, how do you know that there is a big market for Krav Maga in Bangkok, if nobody teaching/learning it?

Don't know the phone number. Its under one of the Fortune Condotown buildings, on the same row as Subway, its pretty much opposite the Starbucks.

http://www.soidb.com/bangkok/building/fortune-condotown.html

I don't think it is open all the time, only when there is a class on.

As for KM, I keep running into people who ask about it and there seems to be a few people looking online for it too. I'd wager there were enough people in Bangkok seeking it to fill a few classes a week at least.

http://bkkbjj.com/

This would be my choice.

Brazilian jiu jitsu was developed to enable a physically weaker person overcome a stronger opponent. It has proved its worth in the mixed martial arts world by being one of the most used disciplines along with muy Thai.

Sent from my jungle hideout

BKKBJJ looks interesting. That link you posted put me on a journey through the internet which eventually led me to this :

Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy : What is the difference between Gracie Jiu-Jitsu vs. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?

Has anyone ever had any experience with GJJ? It sounds like a good fit for the OP's daughters and I'd be interested in trying it out as well. It's a pity that the nearest certified dojo is in Singapore.

My kids used to do it, my girl now 8yo has a mean punch, gave me a belly ache the other day.

But, it depends 100% on the teachers and their ability to teach.

We had a great teacher in Bkk, but now where we are, they are crap.

http://bkkbjj.com/

This would be my choice.

Brazilian jiu jitsu was developed to enable a physically weaker person overcome a stronger opponent. It has proved its worth in the mixed martial arts world by being one of the most used disciplines along with muy Thai.

Sent from my jungle hideout

BKKBJJ looks interesting. That link you posted put me on a journey through the internet which eventually led me to this :

Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy : What is the difference between Gracie Jiu-Jitsu vs. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?

Has anyone ever had any experience with GJJ? It sounds like a good fit for the OP's daughters and I'd be interested in trying it out as well. It's a pity that the nearest certified dojo is in Singapore.

The link you've posted does not work.

Taekwondo on Sathupradit soi 19 - do you have their phone number? Is it easy to find?

BTW, how do you know that there is a big market for Krav Maga in Bangkok, if nobody teaching/learning it?

Don't know the phone number. Its under one of the Fortune Condotown buildings, on the same row as Subway, its pretty much opposite the Starbucks.

http://www.soidb.com/bangkok/building/fortune-condotown.html

I don't think it is open all the time, only when there is a class on.

As for KM, I keep running into people who ask about it and there seems to be a few people looking online for it too. I'd wager there were enough people in Bangkok seeking it to fill a few classes a week at least.

Thank you. I'll try to find it. It should be close by the Central Rama 3 on the way to Makro.

Do you know what time they're open?

http://bkkbjj.com/

This would be my choice.

Brazilian jiu jitsu was developed to enable a physically weaker person overcome a stronger opponent. It has proved its worth in the mixed martial arts world by being one of the most used disciplines along with muy Thai.

Sent from my jungle hideout

BKKBJJ looks interesting. That link you posted put me on a journey through the internet which eventually led me to this :

Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy : What is the difference between Gracie Jiu-Jitsu vs. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?

Has anyone ever had any experience with GJJ? It sounds like a good fit for the OP's daughters and I'd be interested in trying it out as well. It's a pity that the nearest certified dojo is in Singapore.

The link you've posted does not work.

Try this : http://www.gracieacademy.com/news/gjj-vs.-bjj-%E2%80%93-what%E2%80%99s-the-difference.asp

My kids used to do it, my girl now 8yo has a mean punch, gave me a belly ache the other day.

But, it depends 100% on the teachers and their ability to teach.

We had a great teacher in Bkk, but now where we are, they are crap.

Where is that "great teacher in Bkk"?

Can you tell how to find him, phone number?

BTW, what martial art it was/is?

Not sure if my perception is correct, but...it seems to me that JJ (ju jitsu) is more often than not a wrestling on the ground, as oppose to upright fighting, which is more suitable for girls. I want my daughter to be able to punch and kick, rather than grapple.

Furthermore, there is more action (movement) in a stand-up fighting as well.

Not sure if my perception is correct, but...it seems to me that JJ (ju jitsu) is more often than not a wrestling on the ground, as oppose to upright fighting, which is more suitable for girls. I want my daughter to be able to punch and kick, rather than grapple. Furthermore, there is more action (movement) in a stand-up fighting as well.

That's not really the impression I get about GJJ after reading that link and going on youtube.

The nearest GJJ school I was able to find is in Singapore. Not really served us in Bangkok.

And BTW, I've read that article you posted with a great interest (http://www.gracieacademy.com/news/gjj-vs.-bjj-%E2%80%93-what%E2%80%99s-the-difference.asp) and liked it. Especially the part in regards to:

... Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is taught, first and foremost as a system of self-defense, with the objective of giving the student the ability to stay safe and prevail during a real street fight confrontation ...

Edited October 3, 201312 yr by MikeWill

The nearest GJJ I was able to find is in Singapore. Not really served us in Bangkok.

I know . . . Oh well! Here's hoping that it does make it to BKK soon anyway.