I studied karate for years. I would recommend finding something with a strong heritage to traditional martial arts - this is more important than style, you should be able to trace the lineage of your teachers back to someone notable. http://www.amazon.com/Moving-Zen-Journey-Bushido-Warrior/dp/... this is a nice book regarding this topic. I personally would recommend tai chi or karate over kendo. imho, kendo is not exactly practical these days, it tends to be a bit stuffy for me and in most karate schools you will get weapons training after you advance far enough.