I would choose the one with the better instructor, and/or more compatible class schedule, and/or whichever is more affordable.
Some MMA and Taekwondo schools are extremely expensive, these are usually the conduits to professional or decent fight opportunities, or to the Olympics.
Some MMA and Taekwondo schools have 1/2 hour classes geared towards kids. If this is you, then that's great. If you're looking for something serious, then keep looking.
Some MMA and Taekwondo schools have instructors who can accurately be described as an imbecile, a jerk, a bigot, a style snob, a womanizer, reckless, clueless, or just incompatible with your personality. You don't want to train with this person no matter how otherwise the school is alleged to be.
Depends on the teacher and what you want to learn. If you want to learn cage fighting and compete in a cage then you should go with the MMA. If you want sports and go to the Olympics then you should probably go to a Taek Won Do school. If you want self defense then there are Taek Won Do schools that teach that too but they are very few and far between.
Taek Won Do has a great history. Read the book: 'A Killing Art: The Untold History of Tae Kwon Do (ECW Press, 2008)'. It is a nonfiction book by Alex Gillis that takes readers into the dynasties of two founders of the martial art: Choi Hong-Hi, who named the art, and his nemesis, Kim Un-Yong, who developed the Olympic style and became the most powerful man in international sports in the 1980s and 1990s. The story follows Choi from a 1938 poker game (where he fought for his life), to high-class geisha houses (where the art was named) and into the Vietnam War (where the martial art evolved into a killing art).
Whichever yo choose keep in mind that all martial arts can be taught for many reasons and many different ways and you always want the best teacher. A style will not guarantee that what you learn will be good but a good teacher will. So do your homework at the schools in your area. There is no easy way out. We may suggest MMA and the MMA school in your area may turn out to be a moneymaker for one person, the owner who can only hit hard and knows nothing more. Trust me you want to learn more than just how to hit hard.
I would say MMA because it is far more realistic for self defense than Taekwondo is. An MMA fighter with only one year of training can easily beat a Taekwondo black belt with 10 or more years of training under his belt. True, traditional Taekwondo does not teach grappling, so most MMA fighters will be able to "own" you in a fight no matter how good you get at Taekwondo. In addition, an MMA opponent is going to be throwing elbows, shins, and knees at you, and if all you have to counter with are Taekwondo "kicks" then you're really in trouble. Taekwondo's best moves are its kicks, but those quicks can easily be neutralized by an MMA fighter's blocks, clinches, and take downs.
I would recommend Mixed Martial Arts, simply bc finding a legit TKD dojo will be very hard. Most TKD schools, or just a-lot, are mc-dojos, don't train to fight, focus on sport, or on point sparring. It's sad really, and a-lot do not stick to their roots.
That being said, the best instructor though will take you the longest way.
Most MMA or at least what I call "legit" mma per se, cross-train in a variety of martial arts. Usually a mix (3 way) at best, of Muay Thai, Judo, and BJJ. This adds well roundedness, but bc mma is a sport, you train as a sport, thus lacking the finer aspects of a martial art.
Depends on you, your goals, the area, and the instructors. Who will train you to fight and successfully defend yourself? TKD, like the Bujinkan, get a bad wrap, for valid reasons. But keep in mind, not everything you come across will be bad.
Just take a look at this TKD guy:
so you want to take a fighting class? What does that mean? If all you care about is fighting then MMA makes sense. Find one of the many MMA schools that have popped up that cater to thugs who want to be champions.
On the other hand if you want to learn to dance, or just want to get in touch with your inner warrior but don't really want to "fight" then find one of the many TKD McDojos out there.
Otherwise, there are many many other martial arts out there. The key is to find a good instructor and a good school.
Take either one. It really depends on what you want to learn from them. MMA is specifically a sport, but a good sport you can actually use in realistic situations, but fighting isn't about physical skill or conditioning. Fighting is purely about mentality.
Any martial form is only as good as the Tutor. So it's best to find a gym with a good teacher rather than one that teaches a specific martial art.
I personally prefer traditional martial arts so TKD for me. MMA will teach you more how to win a fight in a cage, but if you have a great instructor in TKD, they will teach you how to win and survive, period. It also depends on your needs and wants. If you want to fight for sport, go for MMA, if you just want to learn how to defend yourself and learn personal values, etc. then go with TKD. Personally, I prefer Muay Thai over all else.
MMA if you want to learn how to fight. TKD if you just want a competitive sport for point sparring.
Why not branch out krav maga or aikido if its available in your area just a thought
Try them both and chose the one you enjoy the most. iI you enjoy it you are more likely to keep at it.
I want to take some sort of fighting class but its hard to choose between mma or taekwondo? Which would you prefer and why?
