Switching Styles, I'm a rookie again AAAARGGGHH! Any Tips?

[Fat Donkey]

So I've just started Krav Maga since my MT gym has closed. Good instructors, good classes and good style BUT being a newbie again sucks, especially listening to why this form of kick or elbow is preferential over the ones u spent thousands of hours learning. Also learning the self defense basics that most experienced fighters have long abandoned like two handed blocks and fairly unrealistic choke scenarios. Do I keep my yap shut or do I argue the philosophy between different styles? Do I offer suggestions or wait until I know more? They have an extremely organized technique structure as opposed to my other MA's which were much more loosely practised. Do I ignore the changes and keep what I know works for me? Any thoughts and suggestions would be gratefully accepted?

[DLopez]

Interesting dilemma!

 

One thing that might help put things in a little more perspective (or maybe just confuse you even more), is to consider what if the situation were reversed.

 

What if you were going from KM to MT?

 

You would have spent all that time and money learning all the KM techniques and the KM instructors would (naturally) claim that their techniques are "the best", only to have you new MT instructors tell you that theirs are the best.

 

The purpose of that exercise is to identify in your mind your own biases and prejudices towards the new style. I think I would at first, overlook those sorts of claims, and try to keep an open mind. You'll probably enjoy your new style a lot more that way.

[muaythaifreak]

Sorry to hear about your MT school closing! Anyway, I think he's in a particularly unique position in that he can see from what he has learned in MT what won't work about KM against MT. And I'm sure there are reverse instances as well. If I were you, I'd learn what they are teaching, try it in sparring, try some of your MT stuff in sparring. You can always blame it on muscle memory. If what they teach works, use it, if not discard and forget it. Unless of course you need it for grading. I may be facing a similar delimma soon, my Kru is talking about moving to Thailand. After nine years of training and competition it's gonna be hard to switch styles. Especially since I don't want to.

[Luckykboxer]

i know this feeling well Fat Donkey..... it is really hard to keep my mouth shut.

 

I would recommend however that you listen, file the information for what it is, take the useful bits that you learn and use them and dont forget what you already know.

 

There might be an ego clash if you start questioning it all, and i am sure you dont want to go that way.

 

Krav Maga has a great reputation from all i have heard, maybe they start teaching the basics and basic blocks and as you progress move towards the more advanced moves....

 

At least this way you have some insite on what they are talking about and will catch on much quicker...

 

good luck with your new style, and apologies for your old school closing

[wing chun kuen man]

Fat Donkey,

 

You really have switched styles haven´t you......lol? Seriously though, what you are going through is expected when you take up a style that is so differente from your original (and preferred one). I would say that it is unwise to argue. Try to absorb the good points - or what you consider good points. Take it as a learning experience and at the same time search for another martial arts school that practice an art that you can better identify with.

 

Good Luck,

 

Wing Chun Kuen Man

[Rotten Head Fok]

Fat Donkey, You've made the choice to take Krav Maga so, show the respect and learn KM. Do not argue, listen with intent, and earn the level you want in KM. Offering suggestion might be taken as an insult especially during a sparring match (be careful). You might think about private lessons because of your previous experiences. You could explain tthe instructor that you have a good understanding of basic self-defence and go from there. All styles have their good points and I think it is a good idea to at least know of as many styles as possible. Instead of arguing about the difference, remember these differences for your own skills. Example : You are in a sparring match using MT and your opponent is using KM, you will understand better what they are going to try and why. Have fun and good luck.

[ramymensa]

Now that's quite tough.

 

Anyway ... starting something like .. "in my old style .. " would make you disrespected and not at all loved So don't. If you've got a nice instructor you could chat in private about the differences between the styles, thus gaining even more insight in the mechanism.

 

As long as you are under their roof, you'll have to take for granted what they teach you, as you did with MT. In sparring try to obey their rules. Instead of resisting the change, go with it, with the flow. Learn KM as dilligently as you did with your previous style, understand it and make it work. The outcome .. you'll get even richer in your knowledge ...

 

It's indeed hard to leave aside what you've loved and knew, but remember when you started MT and the way you were seeing things. I bet you had preonceptions too, because we all have. You had your own ideas when startind MT and the style changed them or proved some to be right. It's the same here.

 

And if anything fails ... you can always seek another club

[delta1]

So I've just started Krav Maga since my MT gym has closed. Good instructors, good classes and good style BUT being a newbie again sucks,

 

Been there. Take it as a new learning experience and make the most of it. Don't focus on the techniques so much as what they teach. Look for principles, then look at how your MT principles can work together with what you are learning now.

especially listening to why this form of kick or elbow is preferential over the ones u spent thousands of hours learning. Also learning the self defense basics that most experienced fighters have long abandoned like two handed blocks and fairly unrealistic choke scenarios.

 

Keep an open mind and learn it their way. You aren't abandoning your old tools so much as developing new ones- that includes your way of thinking. Someone once said that learning another language is like gaining a completely new identity. The same would be true for learning a different ma- your opponent is now fighting two of you (sort of).

 

As for the unrealistic techniques like two hand blocks, here again you should open your mind and use your advantage as an experienced ma'ist. Often those are taught to begginers for reasons other than just to block. As the beginer advances, he should start to see how those (somewhat) unrealistic blocks can be made to work. For example, a two handed block inside a roundhouse thrown with a lot of commitment can work only if the follow up strike is extremely fast. It takes advantage of his momentary imbalance dou to the sudden stop of his momentum. But it works better if you step in a little more and launch that leading 'block' as a strike to the mastoid. As timmeing, distance perception, and understanding improve the student should figure this out. You can figfure this out now, if you look at the move with an inquireing mind not clouded by preconceptions.

Do I keep my yap shut or do I argue the philosophy between different styles? Do I offer suggestions or wait until I know more? They have an extremely organized technique structure as opposed to my other MA's which were much more loosely practised.

 

I've allways thought you should shut up! lol Seriously, you are there to learn. Ask questions, but let them teach.

Do I ignore the changes and keep what I know works for me?

 

You should learn the changes and keep what works for you. Later, you can combine them to something that works even better for you.

 

I don't know much about KM. The little I've seen I didn't care for, so I never persued it. But a lot of people like it and say it works, and like everything else, I'm sure there are good and bad practitioners. Maybe I just saw the bad. You are experienced enough to see if this will eventually work for you or not. But I'd say give it a chance. Keep an open mind and use honest judgement, then make a realistic choice about whether to continue or look for something else. Just don't make them angry and leave on bad terms- what good would that do you?

 

One last thing: a little structure in your life might be a good thing!!!

 

Good luck.

[Fat Donkey]

Thanks for the input guys This is my fifth or sixth style change and the progression from shotokan then TKD, Judo, Hapkido and MT has always been from less structure to more full contact. I will however shut my cakehole and be open and receptive for the next 6 months or so. As u guys know sparring full contact on a regular basis is addictive and keeps your mind on your strengths and your weaknesses. It's also really easy to lose everything you've (painfully) learned in a few short months. These guys won't begin sparring for a couple of months so how do I keep my edge.

[delta1]

I bet some of the other MT guys are in the same boat. Get them together now before they start to loose interest. Maybe some of them could take KM with you, and you guys could get together and compare notes. Or if some of them are taking other styles, you could all compare and see what works best. And of course, you could train and spar on your own so all of you keep your skills honed.

 

I'd start contacting them soon, though. People that do ma's tend to find something to keep themselves occupied. If they aren't doing a ma, they will develope other interests and you may not be able to get them interested later. Also, I can tell you from experience, if you intend to work at your training, and especially if you use contact, it is really difficult to recruit and even more difficult to keep new people. So don't give these guys time to loose skills and interest. Get 'em together now!