Firstly go around and search what you can reach, there's no point me telling you to learn mantis kung-fu if it's not taught anywhere near you.
Get a list of the schools in your area, then make a short list. Any style that doesn't interest you at all, remove it, any style that catches your interest, move to the top of the list.
Go through the top of your list, and go to each martial art club, ask about the style, ask how much lessons are, ask if you can sit in on a session to watch, some places will give you the first session free so you can get a feel for it.
By now you should have a good idea of what you'll enjoy. Some people adapt well to striking, others to grappling, others to weapon work. (I picked up Kali insanely quick).
Also as a note, you way you want to end a fight quickly, and something you can use against people regardless of size, and then dismiss grappling.
Against an untrained opponent, BJJ is going to end a fight far quicker than punching will. I know people who can take solid punches without any training, bigger folk than you, and if you tried to take them on it wouldn't end quick. BUT if you were to get an arm or a leg, you would break them in a matter of seconds.
I'm more a striker personally, but I still won't dismiss grappling, all I have on my side is the sleeper hold, and I've ended the majority of fights i've been in with it.
For striking, I would recommend muay thai. This martial art focuses on strikes with the fists, elbows, knees and shins. It also focuses on clinch techniques with knees and elbows. It does have some high kicks but you can focus more on strikes with fists and elbows and lower kicks if you want to.
You can win against a larger heavier opponent with stand-up striking but I would still highly recommend training in wrestling/judo & Brazilian jiu-jitsu too.
Even though you may not want to go to the ground, most fights end up there anyway and if you are fighting a larger/heavier opponent, you will have a huge advantage on the ground as you have more arm/leg to work with for your joint locks.
Submissions can also end a fight very quickly and you cannot just rely on trying to knock the opponent out. Being skilled at both knockout striking and submission grappling will make you well-rounded.
So, muay thai for strikes, wrestling/judo for takedowns & throws, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu for fighting on the ground.
styles are made to adapt to your body type
There is no best style.
They will all work as long as you train right and have a good instructor.
Your size, body type and sex have nothing to do with the style you want to choose. People that think that your size and body type determine the style know little to nothing about martial arts
Most people will tell you there style is the best or they heard such and such is a great style,
The style is not important, what matters is how good your instructor is and how you train. The style is secondary, they all have there pro's and con's there are no superior styles.
If you have an instructor that can’t teach you how to fight, regardless of the style, what good would it do you?
Choose a school with a good instructor in the end that’s all that matters, that and how you train.
Its the person that has the ability to fight not the style
if you want take down bigger guys than you than do judo but for striking do karate because I use to do it and it had a couple of kicks but they weren't that extreme because im not that flexible either. I would recommend taekwondo because they focus on striking but they do a lot of kciks so that wont be to good. but if you don't like karate or judo do a boxing and Brazlian ju jitsu so you will have ground and strking or do boxing and judo
You know, I practice many different ways of fighting. My preferred disciplines are Historical European Combatives, and the various disciplines of Natori Ryu; Samurai School of War. However, Krav Maga is a favorite of mine also. Krav Maga is ideal ( in my opinion) for someone who is starting-out, and is intuitive fighting, none of that kata stuff. Krav Maga teaches the science of fighting, and doesn't make an art of it.
Remember, if method is involved, it is a matter of science.
If creativity is involved, it is a matter of art.
However, to be skilled in an art requires that one be knowledgeable of the science involved first.
How about Boxing.
There are those with the quick punches who move very quickly. And then there are those who are great at countering. Oh sweet countering!!
Its common to see a boxer weighing less take down someone heavier.
See what is available in your area, try them all out (most clubs have the first lesson free) pick the one you enjoy the most.
The one you enjoy the most is the one more likely to stick with it, and therefore get good at it.
Try seeing what is available in your area first, but in my opinion. I think what might be good for you is Judo, BJJ, MMA, things of that nature :)
mma
Im 15 year old male, i want to get into martial arts for something to do and it seems fun, also to keep in shape. im not sure which martial art would be right for me though, not looking for something with a lot of high kicking because im not to flexible, i can become more flexible if one with kicking will work for me but id like to avoid it.something that focuses more on speed than strength, i am 5'6" and weigh 120, fast strikes and something that could help take down a larger opponent also, not something that focuses on fighting people that are the same size, i want more punches and things like that that will end the fight quickly, i dont want to spend the whole time on the ground, thank you for your time
