I'm a woman without much physical strength, and am interested in taking up some kind of martial art for a bunch of reasons: self-defence, meeting people, getting stronger, and sound, clear mind. I've recently gotten into yoga, and love the mindfulness aspect of it, and it's something I want to pursue in different areas. What are your experiences? What do you recommend?

You can find a martial arts club in your area under the Clubs Directory here: Martial Arts | Gyms, Sport Clubs, Stores Listings & Ratings/Reviews Directory: Find the right gym, club & equipment for you! . There are beginner classes in any martial arts style, beginner adult too. Some good martial arts styles for what you are looking for are: judo, jujitsu, karate.

I did karate as a teen, mainly because my friends were into it. Caved into peer pressure I guess, lol. Most of my classmates in Karate class were women, our instructor was a woman, and she recommended it to all of the female students I had met. Now in my 30s, people I train with in crossfit stockholm area are mostly women who do crossfit + karate and another martial art.