Which of the Many Martial Arts is Best for You?

In order to answer that question, I need to explain a few of the differences between the different kinds of martial arts. Contrary to popular belief, martial arts are not all the same.
There are 4 prominent types of martial arts: Judo, Taekwondo, Aikido and Karate.

Judo

Judo is a very good effective style and the U.S. Olympic Committee recognizes certified Judo schools.

Jigoro Kano founded judo in 1882. It is a refinement of the ancient art of Jujitsu. Judo is based on the theory that a smaller man, with good skill, can defeat a larger opponent by using the larger man's weight and momentum against him. However, it takes years of training for a small Judo student to develop the high skill level required to excel against larger opponents. Even though Judo is an excellent sport, I believe that there is a much better chance for people of smaller stature to excel with less difficulty in Karate.

Taekwondo

Taekwondo is also a good, solid style. However, most of Taekwondo schools in the U.S. are not certified!

Taekwondo is a martial art that evolved in Korea over 20 centuries. Modern Taekwondo is heavily influenced by Japanese Karate. This is because Japan dominated Korea from 1910 until the end of World War I, and trained many Korean soldiers using Karate techniques.

In Taekwondo, size does not matter as much as skill. Taekwondo students are taught punching and kicking techniques. However, Taekwondo tends to emphasize kicks over hand techniques. This becomes especially apparent during point matches.

Aikido

Aikido is the newest martial art; it was developed about 60 years ago in Japan. It uses the twisting of arms and joints to bring an attacker under submission. Aikido is non-competitive and partly because of this many schools take a soft approach to training that can result in an ineffective technique. This would be disastrous if you were to find this out when your life depended on your self-defense skills.

Karate

Karate is a fantastic sport. Certified Karate schools are recognized by prestigious international organizations. Karate originated in China as a boxing style. It found it's way into Okinawa in the 16th century where it was combined with Okinawan techniques.
Modern Karate was introduced into Japan in 1922 and was later brought into the U.S. in 1955. Karate is very effective at achieving a balance in all the basic skills. Students learn how to blend kicking, punching, blocking, and striking techniques. This balance of attacks helps keep your opponent uncertain of what your next move will be, as well as conditioning your whole body rather than just one general area.
An advanced student of Karate is better prepared, and has a better balance of skills than a student of the same level in any martial art. If you are not sure which of the martial arts to choose from, It is recommend that you start with Karate.