martial arts for beginners?

I started with kick boxing, but theres a lot of great arts that will get you fit and stuff... what matters really is the dojo imo.

Beginners Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and stretching afterwards until the time comes where you're flexible enough
to perform the technique behind kicks properly, hated not being flexible at all trying to practice kickboxing.

I am in your shoes, going to sign up for a Korean Tak Wan do type of thing

Def muay thai. It's highly effective and VERY easy to learn. It teaches you how to do what comes naturally, punch and kick, but with ridiculous power. When your adrenaline is pumping and you arent used to being in fights you will usually degenerate into a bunch of wild swings that are highly ineffective, and most martial arts training goes out the window since you cant focus and are out of your comfort zone of a training room. Muay Thai incorporates well into your natural reflexes and is easy to reproduce without "remembering" what to do once a real fight breaks out.

Start with boxing - hand punches are easier to set up and more important then leg kicks. Practise with punch bag and overall stretch ALOT. Once u get decent strike force and technique u may add grappling. As for me I have to say leg kicks are fun to do, but its so unlikely u will ever land that devastating CroCop/Gonzaga kicks once in your life on any decent opponent.

Imho anyone who wants you to start practicing striking before grappling has never grappled and only strikes.

Or Krav Maga? I was a beginner too and it worked out well for me. I had lots of bruises, but didnt broke anything.

jiu jitsu all the way. You'll learn so much in a short amount of time, where as in for example kickboxing it will take alottt of time before you get at a decent enought lvl where you will be able to actually defend urself properly in a fight. tho if its those magic death touch kicks ur looking for then iguess muy thai