martial arts?

[jencallisto]

while growing up what seems like ages ago in a different state, i took some karate with my family, and later a bit of unconventional tai chi. recently, i find myself missing it more and more. i want to take up a martial art again, but i'm not sure which one or where to take it.

anyone know of some good places around the Davis Square area? for that matter, somewhere in Back Bay/South End might be okay, too, 'cause i work around there, but i'd probably prefer Davis.

Comments

Funny you should ask...

[talonvaki.livejournal.com]

...because just the other day, I got a flyer for Davis Square Martial Arts (http://www.davissquaremartialarts.com) on my door...

I don't know if they're good, but they're in Davis. I was thinking of checking them out myself...I did Tae Kwon Do for a while, but it was just taking too much of my time, and I was thinking Tai Chi might be better for me...

[pir.livejournal.com]

[directed to anyone thingking of taking up or continuing a martial art in the area]

Personally I go to New England Aikikai (http://www.neaikikai.com/) in Porter Square because Aikido seems to suit me (defensive art), they have some really good intructors - including the chief instructor who was one of O Sensei's few remaining uchi-deschi (apprentice student), Mitsunari Kanai (http://www.neaikikai.com/kanai.html) - the dojo was recommended to me by quite a few people and now it is recommended by me. There is a Tae Kwon Do dojo that has been around for a long time in the same building on Mass Ave which is supposedly quite good but I don't know any students personally.

Somewhere actually in Davis Square, on the not-so-formal end of the spectrum, which comes highly (if indirectly) recommended is Xiang Hua (http://www.xianghua.com/) and they are probably particularly good if you've already liked a martial form of Tai Chi (Tai Chi itself not being a martial art but an excercise/relaxation form). Their guide to choosing the right martial art school for you (http://www.xianghua.com/articles/rightschool.asp) is very useful whatever style or type of art you eventually decide apon.

Someone else mentioned Davis Square Martial Arts but I can't say I've heard anything about them, good or bad, which is somewhat odd for the number of people I know who practice various arts.

My last recommendation is observe, observe, observe. A good school or dojo will be perfectly happy with you watching a class or several. Try and watch the chief instructor teaching, if you can.

[seuratt.livejournal.com]

oh, this is something i should have asked. i've been looking for an aikido class in the area. i've visited the porter square place a couple time, but it is maybe a bit too formal for me, and just hard to get to in time for their low-end classes after work.

are there any other aikido dojos in the area that you can recommend, maybe even a little west of the city (i work in waltham). thanks.

[pir.livejournal.com]

I havn't been to any others but I believe there is a small and reasonable place in Framingham (the intructor there teaches in Porter sometimes).

The US Aikido Federation has a directory of eastern region dojos in MA (http://www.usaikifed.com/dir-east.html#US-MA).

maybe a bit too formal for me

Never really been a problem for me and I generaly have issues with over-formality. Once you are working with someone they are friendly.

hard to get to in time for their low-end classes after work

You only need to do the Beginners classes for a few months and there is one on Saturday as well as the two during the week.