Beware: This response is an opinion piece and is probably worth about what you paid for it.
My family was military and moved around a lot when I was a boy. Changing schools at mid-year meant that whatever school it was, I would be confronted by an already well-established pecking order. The quick answer to establishing one's position was through after-school fights. One afternoon in 1956 I returned home looking somewhat bedraggled. My father took one glance, announced that he was "becoming tired of his son coming home like this" and decided that (i) since Sgt. Brown had just returned from three years of Air Force sponsored Karate and Judo instruction at the Kodokan, and that (ii) he had black belts in both arts (something Godawful rare back in those days) , and that (iii) "Brownie" had just started teaching judo -- no karate-- to Air Force boys, therefore his son (iv) was going to study Judo. As a 12 year old lad , I had long since learned to not back-talk my father once he got the bit in his teeth. So study I did. And I've been studying something or other ever since.
This is what I think I've learned.
Unarmed martial arts come in three fundamental forms: Grappling, Boxing, and Joint Work. In the Grand Scheme of Things, grappling defeats boxing. Boxing defeats joint work, and joint work defeats grappling. Not every time, perhaps, but that's the way to bet. Confirmation is available at any MMA tournament, where the rounds may start with boxing, but quickly devolve into grappling and, occasionally, to a bit of joint work.
Getting (or not getting) hit in the head "over and over" depends on the art chosen. If you don't want to get hit in the head, don't study boxing.
I am not ready to proclaim all arts are equal, but it is true that good martial arts can be found in many forms. You might find satisfaction in grappling. The functional difference between boxing and grappling is the number of opponents reasonably accommodated. Wrestling can be a beautiful thing when there is a single attacker. It is, however, difficult to grapple two or three or four opponents simultaneously with much hope of success. (Note: the School Solution is to fight multiple attackers
one at a time, That is not white belt stuff.) Nonetheless, the grappling arts, if those are what you ultimately chose, usually don't incorporate a lot of strikes. The point is, if you wrestle you probably will be struck less often than if you boxed.
You specifically mentioned sparring and tournaments. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is strong in both areas. You asked about SoCal sources, and the Gracie guys in West Los Angeles might be worth a meeting. If they are too far away, you might consider the Malchado Brothers in Pasadena.
Roger Machado is a 6th Degree Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Roger brings over 45 years of experience in his teaching. One of the five Machado Brothers and nephew to the founder of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Carlos Gracie Sr, Roger offers experience un-paralled in the Pasadena area.
www.rogermachado.com
In terms of aging seniors beginning martial arts training, I began my current studies in 1998 at the age of 54.
I hope you find these notes useful, and wish you the best of luck in your explorations.
