which martial art would suit me best?

It is not what style you choose, it's the instructor that matters. My recommendation would be to look around at several martial arts places and find one that you really like. Here are some things to look out for in a martial arts school.

1. Look for someone who is a good teacher. When he/she is teaching, they should be in complete control of the class. They shouldn't have to yell often. If he/she does then you will not want to learn from them. however, they shouldn't let people just walk over them.

2. Depending on what you want out of the school, ask whether he runs a mostly sporting school or a more traditional one, or whether he runs a school geared toward self-defense.

3. Ask how many belts they have. If they have more than ten belts, ask if they have a testing fee. If yes, be wary. Also, beware if they have things like "camo belt" and "ninja belt." yes, I have seen a school like this.

4. look at the rank of the teacher although this isn't necessary so much. Joe Lewis was only a second degree until four other grandmasters cornered him and forced him to take a tenth degree. and he was a world champion!

5. Check out the facility. see if there is proper safety equipment such as a mat and also see if sparring gear is used.

6. be careful of those who use trophies as selling points.

7. Avoid those who try to sell you their service. the best teachers will make you want to train with them just by their presence and charisma, not by haggling for hours.

8. remember, the true leader is not who has the most students, but who makes the most leaders. Watch his students for a while- make note of what shape they are in and how they interact with each other.

9. more expensive doesn't mean higher quality.

10. see if they allow you to take a trial period (usual is one or two weeks) before signing a contract. This way you can see what the classes are like and find out if martial arts are for you.

11. talk to the students. Make sure that they’re respectful, and ask what they think about the school. If it’s a good school, someone may come up and greet you as soon as you come in. this is a good sign.

16. How long has the head instructor worked at the school?

Congratulations on beginning martial arts- You're about to enter an elite group of people who make up less than 2% of the population. Find a good training academy and practice constantly, and may all your goals be reached.

well i would suggest 4 martial arts. Tae Kwon Do, Muay Thai, Judo, and Boxing. But because your leaning towards Muay Thai, go for it. Have Fun!

http://b9.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/00434/95/58/434...

That is Cindy Haight with those extraordinary abs... she is a Wushu artist. (and performer in Cirque Du Soliel's KA)

Below is a friend of mine, Tim Cook. He is an mma fighter.

http://a766.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/97/l...

A Year ago he looked like this:

http://a836.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/90/l...

The point i am trying to make i suppose is that the style of martial arts you choose doesn't matter as much as how much you devote yourself. These two individuals train hard, and exercise hard. You should supplement any martial arts practice with a conditioning work out routine if it is not part of your instructional training at the school.

Join a gym to make your belly go away. For a MA, look around and find out what you like. Almost all schools give a free class or 2, go try them out. Make sure you feel comfortable and enjoy your journey.

I would suggest Judo as a first art for anyone, it's nice and strenuous but not excessive for new people, very enjoyable, and most beginners seem to find grappling less intimidating than striking. It's also quite common and generally inexpensive. Taking falls can be intimidating, but once you learn to break fall it's cool and that's a handy skill for martial arts training in general.

The kung fu equivalent of Judo is Shuai Jiao, which is similar but without the groundfighting and submissions. If you can find it, try it. Many people who teach it also train other kung fu styles, and they're generally the type of people who'll train you well. You might get a discount for doing both too ;).

Best advice of all though, see what's around your area and give all of them a try. Most places are happy to let you try out for free or a small fee. Then choose what you like best. And if you change your mind, you can always switch again.

As for getting rid of your belly, well you will probably need to work on your diet and maybe some general cardio work too. However, once you get going in a martial art and you enjoy it, you'll WANT to get fitter, so you can get better, and it all gets easier then. Just find something you enjoy and don't get discouraged if it's difficult or you feel awkward early on. Happens to everyone and goes away quicker than you'd think.

i had the same sort of trouble when i was younger...i see an ad for a kung fu class and thought it would be a great way to keep fit and lose my belly...i been doing it for 10yrs in which i have achieved my black sash and have enjoyed every minute of it...kung fu is an ancient art so it is not all about the speed of techniques, but about prescision, agility and smoothness of techniques and of course respect towards others.

so yeah i found kung fu a great sport and i would highly recommend it!!!

Japanese Jiu-jitsu I'd suggest.

Best wishes :)***

why dont you go look around dojos ands dojangs instead of wasting space on y/a

muy thai

if you start doing thai you will realize that the classes are very tough and require an immense amount of core strength...and you will also learn how to properly through brutal kicks, punches, and elbows.

muay thai

or cardio kickboxing