There are differences in sport training and self defense. What is taught or to what degree things are taught. They both use many of the same techniques. But the application can but do not necessarily differ. The tactics often to a degree can differ too.
Then you need to find what is available in your area. We don't know hat is being taught near you or the quality of instruction in that place. Therefore we can't just recommend try this art or that art or this sport. Next after finding out what is available you need to visit the schools. Observe their classes. Take the free trial class if they have them. Hopefully observe more than one class. Then you can make a partially educated guess as to which place is best for you. You want to choose the best instructor and not the style. Choose the instructor that will help you best meet your goal.
You don't want to take an aikido class if you plan to compete in mma or compete period. Real aikido does not have competitions. They only teach self defense. You don't want to take muay thai or bjj if you want to learn how to defend against attacks that you might see on the streets like multiple attackers or attacks with weapons. Most of those school will not teach those well or correctly.
I could be like most in here and tell you to try what I like or what I train. But the reality is that no art/style/system is better than another one. But there are better instructors, better schools, and better students. If you find the best instructor you have found the best place to train. Then it is up to you to be the best student that you can be.
Whatever you would like brother. Like JW said, what are your goals? What do you hope to accomplish? What style of fighting do you want to do?
All martial arts have their similarities while others are very different.
1. TKD - Primarily Kicking
2. Karate - Primarily Striking includes throws
3. MMA - Striking and Ground Comp Sport
4. Judo - Primarily Throws
5. BJJ - Ground Game
6. Muay Thai - Clinch, Knees, Elbows, Kicks, Punch (art of eight limbs)
7. Ninjutsu - Purported art of the ancient ninja. Many fraud schools.
8. Escrima, Kali, Fillipino Arts - Knife Fighting
9. Kendo - Japanse Swordsmanship
10. Boxing - Striking
11. Aikido - redirecting the force of the attack rather than opposing it head-on.
12. Krav Maga - Israeli Military Martial Art
13. Kajukenbo - Hawaiian Street Fighting/Self Defense
14. JKD - Martial Art created by Bruce Lee
15. Systema - Spetsnaz martial art
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mar...
Figure out the best school in your area and learn whatever they're teaching.
A lot of people will tell you to try their style is best and a lot of people will tell you that certain styles are no good but what you need to focus on is the school. The best school in your area is teaching the style you want to learn.
Cross-train Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu. It gives you stand up striking, a couple of sweeps, and the clinch. Jiu Jistu is joint manipulation, groundwork (Which I believe TKD doesn't have) and some throws.
I strongly recommend Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Specifically a gracie jiujitsu school. Look up gracie in action on YouTube and try to watch the first four UFC's if you can find them online. It is proven to be the best martial art. Hands down. Although cross training a pure standup art with it wouldn't be a bad idea. Also just plain wrestling is amazing as well in a fight.
Karate
Can I have more info on this?
Hey, decided to try and find a martial art to practice. I'm 24 6' even about average build for a guy. I took tae kwon do for about 4 years when I was younger and enjoyed it. I'm looking for something that has a good mixture of strikes and grappling or joint locking. Any suggestions?
