Chinese Martial Arts? Kung Fu?? Hmm?

Hey guys!! I'm 20 years old :/ and a girl,,





I've always had interest in chinese martial arts,,





and I've always wanted to try it but never had the... i don't know.. to just.. start it.. u know??





but I live in Northern VA and I just suddenly wanted to try it out





I'm always catching colds and over weight a bit,, 5'2 and 152 pounds..





and i want to get healthy and start living a new life basically





Im a bakery student and it's basically using my body and holding myself up all day





so i wanted to kno if this was a good idea??





i should never take anything lightly and just try it out but should i??





but where can i get a good master and a place,, in VA





i don't want to go to a place where they'll just rip my money off of me





i work and go to school i don't have much time... but if you think it's a good idea





give me some tips about it





I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT I"M UP AGAINST





so ..,, i don't know wanything about martial arts!! so pleas eHELP THHANXXXX|||Kung Fu will help you tremendously with self-confidence, and some self-defense skills. But if you want to loose weight, I'd like to suggest buying a treadmill and start out with 20 minutes a day at 3.5 miles per hour slowly increase it to 4 miles per hour when you feel comfortable at it, after a couple months go to 30 minutes, maybe three months later change to 45 minutes a day... you can keep 4 miles per hour at 45 minutes will take you about 3 miles of running everyday buring around 500 calories. This running regiment will do a lot more to get you in shape, this on top of kung fu and a regiment of stretching will make you healthy, confident and sexy. I think most guy's will agree with me that a cute girl who knows kung fu to be very sexy and dangerous. good luck I hope everything works out for you.|||I go to college in Ohio, and im thinking about join this local kung-fu place, I've had four years of karate when I was a kid, so im sure i'll like it, and who wouldn't want to be able say that they know advanced kung fu one day? I recommend it, and ya im pretty sure that i'll be joining to.|||I know of one in Fairfax (their website also lists a school in Chantily)





http://omei-wushu.com/|||9209746 White Birch Kung Fu Academy in Arlington.


The sifu is credible and his school caters to beginners, at least acc. to the website.|||Well Kung Fu is a generic term used to describe all Chinese MAs. There are hundreds of styles of Kung Fu. U should check google for a list of schools in ur area so u know whats available to u. Research the schools, their instructors, and their lineages. After u sorted out the McDojos u should visit the schools and talk with the instructors. Then decide for urself which is right for u.


I personally prefer Chen Style Taijiquan. Its a great MA if u can find a good instructor and it works wonders for ur immune system. Finding a good Taijiquan instructor is difficult because of all those new age @ssholes who teach it as a health exercise. Anyone who makes it sound mystical either has no idea what theyre talking about or is just trying to rip u off.


Good luck|||Before joining, try to search for all the posts here in yahoo! answers, for the type of martial arts that you are interested in. Try to look for the topics on what to look for in a dojo or dojang, how to spot a fake school, and the lineage (if it is a kung fu school). Also, before joining, take their free class offering and see if you're going to enjoy it, how the instructor conducts his class and how students interact with instructor/fellow students.





You might also consider the schedule, location and fees.|||It would really help to know what city you're in or around.





Is it safe to say you're in the DC area?





I know that Dean Chin has a couple of schools in that area. I'm sure he has one in Virginia. He is an Authentic Jow Ga Master. Jow Ga is a great Chinese Art based on Tiger Crane and Choy Ga. Not many Jow Ga schools in the US and this is one of the good ones. The other Master of Jow Ga is Dr Chin in NYC.





I highly recommend this.





Here is a video clip of Jow Ga -





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pDc7ocvd鈥?/a>