Taking on 2 martial arts?

[kayz]

Hi everyone,

I decided a while ago I wanted to take on a martial art for fitness, fun and obviously to defend myself aswell.

I decided on wing chun kung fu, but then I found a local capoeira class and that looks like a lot of fun (don't know how good it is for actual self defence though!)

I couldn't decide which I wanted more, so now I'm thinking I'll do both.

Is this wise for a complete beginner? Do you think it may be too confusing?

Also, how similar are the two?

[CheekyMusician]

It'd probably be best for a complete beginner to start with one art and work exclusively with that for a few years before looking elsewhere.

Go train at both classes, though, for a few sessions and decide which you prefer and which suits your body and athletic ability best.

[Dlove]

Cheeky gave you a great answer, being a beginner the last thing you need is your glass over flowing ......But just take the time to check out both and pic which one fits you best, good luck..

[Jiffy]

I'd have to agree here. I think it's best to get a good understanding of one art first, then go in for two. Sometimes, you can try and absorb too much and end up absorbing nothing.

[bushido_man96]

I think that you may be okay here. Kung fu, as I understand it, employs a lot of hand and arm movements, blocking and trapping and punching, whereas caporiea incorporates a LOT of kicking. I feel that the two are different enough that you won't overload yourself, and you will be getting your body a good balance of upper and lower body movements.

[danbong]

I also think that you should work on one artfirst then train in others if you want later. I would say that when you try them out, the one that interests you the most is the one to take. The one that you most look forward to going to class and practicing at home is the one that you will progress the most in.

[elbows_and_knees]

the thing with training multiple styles is that you need to train styles that compliment eachother, yet are so different that similar movements will not confuse you. For example, I trained longfist alongside muay thai, and there were a lot of differences that would've comfused me had I not already had an ma background.

with capoeira and wc, there are major differences in the footwork and overall philosophy of fighting. Whast they have in common is that (if the capoeira is taught right and is under a more fighting oriented group), there is a lot of infighting. headbutts, elbows_and_knees, takedowns, etc. so yes, you can use it for self defense.

I personally would train capoeira first, then once I am solid with it, undetake WC.

[JusticeZero]

I agree. The reflexes you're trying to ingrain into you from one class will get you destroyed, or at least strongly rebuked, in the other. It's not like learning Shakespearian literature and reading Poe at the same time. You're trying to teach your body how to move. Those two are almost diametrically opposed in how they work. The closest I can think is the time when I was working with a NA group and visiting some friends from another part of the US at the same time. At work, interrupting in the slightest bit was ultra rude and would get me dressed down at length by my boss.. you had to sort've let there be two or three secods of silence after each sentence just to make sure. At my friends, if you don't interrupt, you don't get to talk, and the only way to get the whole thought out is to talk over them when they try to interrupt -you-. So while visiting my friends', I was completely helpless unless I got into the habit of automatically doing something that would get me in trouble the other half of the day.

[Brandon Fisher]

Start with one. When you are brand new to martial arts things can get confusing enough as it is. It would not make it very easy on you to try to learn the basics of both to start off with.

[patusai]

As many have said start with one. Good luck to you in your pursuit