What's your advice?

[erezb]

Boxing is really taxing on the back. Every bob and/or weave will seriously **** him up. I am afraid Aikido is your best friend. Just don't expect to become a lethal weapon.
On a personal level, fix your health issues first, start running and doing lifts. If you can get fit enough to do all sorts of body weight exercises (burpies, squats, pushups etc.) And can have a good run, you are fit enough to start MA.

[wingchunx2z]

I'd like to point out that this paragraph contains a statement that is in direct opposition to Bullshido's core philosophy. Namely, if you want to learn how to fight, you have to spar in an alive manner. A training mindset that wingchunx2z utilizes himself.

To be clear, I have no objection to the Chinese martial arts he recommended. I object to the "building up your chi" sentence.

I don't disagree with your statement about aliveness. I wasn't saying he'd learn to fight by building his lohan. But I have met several people who came from internal martial arts into other disciplines and their root and ability to infuse their skin and muscles with chi seemed to give them quite an edge despite not having done the external hard style conditioning. (example: my fore arms are conditioned because of the wooden dummy and sparring thus external, theirs were from their chi gung.)

I liken it to a farmer coming in to a sport where the strength and stamina he built while working gives him an advantage over the average person. Having said that, We most likely disagree over the existence of chi and it's actual martial benefit exists. I'm cool with that, agree to disagree :)

[Vieux Normand]

I am afraid Aikido is your best friend.

Aikido.

For somebody with fucked-up-wrists.

Thanks, erezb.

[ChuckWepner]

drummingman,

You have a career in which you are constantly aggravating your tendonitis / re-injuring your tendons and in which you spend a ton of time sitting without good back support while drumming (as well as undergoing the strain on your lower back of sitting upright while traveling).

If I were you, I'd think about consulting with an orthopedist (if you haven't) and getting into physical therapy. It sounds like you really need to get your back and wrists healthier and stronger before starting a strenuous new activity. Not only can a PT help you with recovery and give you exercises to strengthen your core and forearms / wrists, she / he can also help you learn, and train yourself habitually, to use better body mechanics for sitting while drumming and while traveling, and help you acquire adaptive equipment as needed. In your case, that might include lumbar support for home and road sitting, a special stool or chair to minimize back strain while drumming, wrist supports, etc.

This would also give you someone familiar with the particulars of your situation to help you choose which martial arts you could train in, given your health issues. You may even be able to find a sports medicine-oriented PT who regularly works with MAists, who would then be even better placed to guide you.

[legomepanda]

I prescribe (not really, I'm not a doctor or medical professional of any sort) weight lifting and stretching. You can do that anywhere, and with guest passes it will be free just about every where you go. Plus it will be good for your back what with all the deadlifts you're going to do.

Also, if you can find a really chill BJJ school you could have the benefit of a useful martial art and avoid aggravating your injuries too much.

[Vorpal]

Try BJJ. I have terrible back problems but BJJ seems to help rather than hurt it.

[BJMills]

I'd try yoga if I were in your position. Pretty good for strengthening the body, particularly the core, and the combination of stretching and strengthening could do wonders for your back and wrists. Not to mention you can practice on your own when you're traveling.

Once you've worked your way through your problems- or made them more managible- you can focus on a martial art that has a fair amount of resistance. Which is what you need if you want to get good at anything.

[RWaggs]

Boxing is really taxing on the back. Every bob and/or weave will seriously **** him up. I am afraid Aikido is your best friend. Just don't expect to become a lethal weapon.
On a personal level, fix your health issues first, start running and doing lifts. If you can get fit enough to do all sorts of body weight exercises (burpies, squats, pushups etc.) And can have a good run, you are fit enough to start MA.

On a martial level, I usually agree with you on most things. However, I have to say that it took me about a year to clear myself of the wrist tendonitis and pain that resulted from 4 years of compliantly letting people manipulate my wrists while doing Aikido. Lots of light bag work with tightly wrapped wrists eventually strengthened them up and they don't hurt anymore.

That aside, JNP is giving good advice...and you'll end up knowing best what's hurting your back and what's not, but I assure you that continually uke-ing for wrist techniques and break falls, as is commonly the case in an Aiki class, will not be a good bet.

[It is Fake]

i don't disagree with your statement about aliveness. I wasn't saying he'd learn to fight by building his lohan. But i have met several people who came from internal martial arts into other disciplines and their root and ability to infuse their skin and muscles with chi seemed to give them quite an edge despite not having done the external hard style conditioning. (example: My fore arms are conditioned because of the wooden dummy and sparring thus external, theirs were from their chi gung.)

i liken it to a farmer coming in to a sport where the strength and stamina he built while working gives him an advantage over the average person. Having said that, we most likely disagree over the existence of chi and it's actual martial benefit exists. I'm cool with that, agree to disagree :)

Stop talking. You want to relate your experience fine, but stop talking about **** you do not know or train.


If you choose CMA avoid Bagua. Much of what you'll do is very low stances, twisting and balance building positions. Tai Chi, depending on the style, has less aggravating twisting movements.

[Cake of Doom]

I'd agree with the Tai Chi. Woman of Doom has severe back problems but she has really taken to short form. She can work at her own pace and it's never more than she can handle at any one time. Her range of motion has also greatly improved.

I also second the advice to avoid grappling. Even after a few months (lol short time I know) of Judo my wrists and forearms still get wrecked after a good session and I physically ok.