Scotty

Well it varied for me. when I first started out I went twice a week, but in the run up to the later gradings I did as many as 5 classes in a week. I would recommend 2, because it's enough to keep it fresh in your mind, but more classes can't do any harm. However... there is such a thing as too much training!!

I've had a funny sparring experience with a black belt too actually. I went along to a kickboxing place and when they found out I had done karate they made me spar with the instructor. Bearing in mind we were doing semi contact, he managed to split my nose open. Clearly a responsible and mature instructer... I didn't go back.

^^ I agree totally here. One of the biggest worries with cross training is confusion. I strongly advice everyone to not start thinking about another style until after they have reached a high level in their first style. I train in karate, and started to do some Wing Chun with a friend who taught me privately. However as my blackbelt in karate is coming up this winter, he has stopped teaching me so I can focus on the karate. The last thing I want is to show up on my black belt grading and use techniques from a different style!

My teacher showed me how to use my karate belt as a weapon once. Well, not so much as a weapon, he just looped my hands as I tried to hit him. It ended up like some worrying bondage scenario, i was all looped up in his belt! just to clarify... he wasn't wearing the belt at the time!

This is similar to a sport martial art called 'chanbara'. The police also use them to simulate riot conditions. Good idea!

Well I've used nunchaku for a while, and it's definately helped to improve my dexterity, but I wouldn't say it did wonders to my intelligence. Could help your concentration... because anyone who has had a go with nunchaku knows that if you don't concentrate... you can very easily get hurt! So using the nunchaku can put you in the right mind set to learn.