Taking multiple MA's poll and question

[busling]

I am lucky enough to train at a school that teaches both Kung Fu and JuJitsu. Most of my training is in KungFu with only a 1 hour lesson of JuJitsu each week. I have found that it works well to train in both. Keeping each skill separate and then combining then when it makes sense.

[Guest]

I'm not big on mixed but to each his own I say!!

[aefibird]

However, if you were to do kickboxing and some ubertraditional karate type art, and the karate guys were getting * because you were doing your karate square dancing moves slightly different than exactly how they showed you.... that'd be hell.

 

Karate square dancing moves, eh? I'll have to ask my instructor about that when I train tomorrow - it must be a secret high dan grade technique!

[Shorinryu Sensei]

I think that if you are taking a system that you feel is inadequate or lacking in some way, then yes, after you have a good, solid foundation in that system...say brown belt or above, you should seek out another system to fill in the gaps that you think you have in your training.

 

I know I'll get bashed for this a bit (please be gentle...I bruise easily ), but I feel there are some systems out there...and I'm talking the old, traditional systems (particularily the Okinawan systems, as they are the ones I am most familiar with), that are well rounded and teach good techniques for virtually any given situation. As some of you know, I have been in my particular system for quite some time, and have never cross trained in another system, nor felt the need to. I've yet to see another system that I feel is better, or more rounded than what I practice.

 

Now, that isn't saying tht it doesn't have it's flaws. For example, if I was inclined to want to fight in the UFC or some other contest where there are 2 minute rounds, rules, gloves, etc..then yes, I'll be the first to admit that what I do wouldn't be very effective and I would want to train in something else.

 

Also, if I wanted to become a great point fighter, I would no doubt want to seek out a system that was geared more towards that sort of training. Neither of these things is what my chosen system is designed to accomplish through its training.

 

I have always taken martial arts for what it was intended for. To protect myself, my loved ones..or a total stranger if choose to, if and when the need arises. I feel that the system that I have chosen to practice for nearly 30 years now, is the most effective and efficient one for doing just that, that I have seen to date. Therefore, I have never seen the need to cross train with another system.

 

I havent' seen even a fraction of all the martial arts available in the world, but the more that I have seen of other systems, the more I am convinced that the system I have chosen is right for me, and WORKS just fine!

[SevenStar]

I think it's good to avoid the "jack of all trades, master of none" problem.

 

I've always wondered about this one... alot of traditional artists make that claim, but they are actually more of a jack of all trades than we are. I spend all of my time doing two things - grappling and striking. TMA are doing striking, forms, weapons, throws, iron body (our conditioning is a byproduct of the training)

 

your one style comprises of so much that you still fall under the "jack of all trades" label, IMO.

[three60roundhouse]

I cross train. In tae kwon do and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I think starting BJJ was the best thing I ever did for my training.

[SevenStar]

Who do you train bjj under? most bjj schools don't have yellow belt, only white, blue, purple, brown and black.

[Chibi]

I think variety is great.