Practising multiple styles?

[bushido_man96]

Im considering mixing Aikido with Goju-Ryu style karate in the future. Would this be a good mix? could it be possible?

Oh, yes, it is possible, and they could mix well. Just make sure to take your time with both, and don't try to hurry along too much.

[Myth]

Welcome to the forums, Myth! Glad to have you.

As far as your training questions go, I think cross training in judo would not give you too much trouble, as they cover different aspects. However, there is a lot of other good advice given here, so think about it, and decide on what you think is best for you.

Good luck in training!

It's very nice to hear that you are glad to have me here, I'll stick around.

Anyway, I won't decide yet, which is obvious as my new schoolyear starts within 2 weeks and then also my Tang Soo Do trainings continue again, so I'll so how I'll cope with everything really.

In fact, perhaps you should ask your instructor for a recommendation on how you should be training on the days you don't have class.

Yes, my instructor just can't stress that enough, that we should practise at home, and as a matter of fact, I do all the time. I'm obessed in some way.

However with Judo, I would need to practise techniques on other people, it's not like I'll find any volunteers in my home/family, however this probably doesn't matter too much.

Thanks everyone!

[jaymac]

Most important thing right now is to ask your instructor his thoughts on cross training. If he feels it will benefit you, then go for it. But don't be too disappointed if he suggests sticking with TSD for awhile. I train only in Shotokan and will not cross train because I am also an instructor in my school and do not want to inadvertantly teach something from another style that was not shown by our head instructor. Some may think "how can that actually happen." Believe me, it does and I have seen others do it. Really, really makes the head instructor mad!

[Jiffy]

Jaymac, I'd like to respectfully say that I completely disagree with you. My phillosphy is that it's more important to find your own way then it is to teach exactly what you teacher taught, because with each time the art is passed on, certain parts are missed/forgotten or just emphasised a different way.

Having said that, I completely understand the logic of what you are saying. It's just not the way I would choose to go.

[Zorbasan]

i think its especially good for an instructor to have knowledge of other arts, if not for the fact just to have knowledge.

if you are a shotokan instructor and you get someone from another art saying, thats crap we do it this way its better, it would good to be able to explain why you do it that way.

if you have knowledge in multiple arts (not necisarily the one that the questioning student does) you will have a knowledge on why different arts do things different ways and be able to provide a better answer than someone who a strict 1 style.

[jaymac]

Jiffy, I can understand your point, but we are trying to stay true to our style. On several posts in the forum, people have commented on how Shotokan is a "sport" MA. Our style at our dojo is not a sport Karate. I believe that the influences of other styles integrating into systems have taken away from what was passed down from our masters. I believe any MA can be an effective weapon, whether it is a mixture of several styles, or only one, but I want to stay true to our Art. It isn't that I haven't trained in other styles, in fact, I hold a black belt rank in another style. I choose only at this point to practice and teach Shotokan. It is important to my instructor and it is important to me.

[bushido_man96]

Jaymac, I'd like to respectfully say that I completely disagree with you. My phillosphy is that it's more important to find your own way then it is to teach exactly what you teacher taught, because with each time the art is passed on, certain parts are missed/forgotten or just emphasised a different way.

Having said that, I completely understand the logic of what you are saying. It's just not the way I would choose to go.

This is a good point here. My wife's cousin has just had an incident with our current Grandmaster. She has moved to Arizona, and there isn't a school there from our association. She checked out an ATA school there, and I told her I knew the who the instructor was, and recommended the school to her. But, she talked to the GM of our current association about it, and he got angry with her, because she was going to go to a different style.

My question is, what is she supposed to do? She just started her own business, and doesn't have the time to open her own school, nor does she want to. I think it shows a lot of the politics that tend to pop up in the martial arts. Maybe I'll head to the Politics forum with this, and open up a big can of worms!

[parkerlineage]

Maybe I'll head to the Politics forum with this, and open up a big can of worms!

Gutsy...

I really hate the amount of politics that one can find in the martial arrts. Frankly, I'd much rather people just be open to new ideas, rather than so adamantly sticking with stuff because that's what they do.

But, I guess one can't really escape that, huh?

[bushido_man96]

Maybe I'll head to the Politics forum with this, and open up a big can of worms!

Gutsy...

I really hate the amount of politics that one can find in the martial arrts. Frankly, I'd much rather people just be open to new ideas, rather than so adamantly sticking with stuff because that's what they do.

But, I guess one can't really escape that, huh?

That would be a perfect world, wouldn't it?

[alsey]

the different governing bodies and things can get really annoying at times. a lot of people near the tops of organisations need to start focusing on similarities between schools instead of minor differences.