[manlio]

Could you elaborate on what kind of MAs are you into? I always wanted to try, but I hate the hyper aggressive, macho-alpha-thing attitude that I suspect I'd find in, say, the box gym down the road. Is it even a true stereotype?

[bstamour]

I practice Isshinryu, a particular style of Karate. We place about equal emphasis on traditional aspects of Karate (empty-handed forms, or "katas", traditional weapons, etc), as well as in sparring. While we do occasionally get the odd macho-man in our club, the vast majority of us are regular people looking for a fun way to stay in shape.

As for your stereotype, it really depends on the gym. I'd say if you're looking to do mixed martial arts of boxing, the probability of finding a meathead-alpha-gym will be higher, but there are MMA and boxing gyms that are also laid back. So in a nutshell, you really have to take it on a gym-by-gym basis. If you're looking at getting into MA, find a place close to you, and sit in and observe a few classes before giving it a try, and be aware of the vibes you get from it. If you get a decent feeling about the place, see if you can try a lesson or two for free, to see if it's for you. Repeat this process for other gyms and soon you'll find the one for you :-)