I agree with Myth. You should at least let your instructor know you're thinking of learning another style, if not ask permission.

it depends on whether you have a good strong relationship with your sensei or not. If you are training at a dojo just for training and have no relationship with the instructor then there is no reason why you should have to ask for permission but if you are friends with your instructor like some are where it is almost a family type environment then i would say yes and ask for permission, because sometimes the instructors know the other instructors in the area and may be able to help you get the best school for the chosen art form that you are looking for, but if you have a crappy instructor that just wants money then they wont help you.

I'd agree to the made point that it should be brought up, though not asking permission. It is better that they know that they should find out from someone else. That might be rather embaressing.

no no no. my sabumnin teaches us TKD and HKD. he would not let us train anywhere else. he is very traditional and only teaches korean arts (besides weapons). he believes that the korean customs and tradition would be lost if we trained in another art.

I say no. You don't have to ask a teacher at the college if it is ok to take other classes. You don't even have to ask if you can take classes that aren't related to your major. I don't see the martial arts any differently.

You could tell your instructor that you are cross-training, if you want to, but it should not be required.

I think that there are a lot of masters out there that feel threatend when a student of theirs wants to train in another style. It is as if they have to admit that their style is not all-inclusive, or something. So, they come up with the traditional routine of how they learned their style, and those that went before them, and so on.

Bottom line, you should be able to do what you want as far as training goes, regardless of what other masters and instructors think.

I think it's kind of a respect thing to ask your instructor. They might even have a few sugguestions for arts that would complement your current style.

I would ask what they thought and take it from there

Here is a question: How many of us who are answering this question are answering as students, or as instructors/masters?

I answer as a current student and as a former instructor.

Well i'm answering as a student and i do agree with many that have said you should out of respect. Not to ask persmission though and get his blessing but to just make him aware of what your doing.

There are so many arts out there that i am interested in, like TKD, Aikido, and muay thai. But i do have a twinge of fear of putting it to my sensei, it's not that we don't have a good relationship it's just that sometimes he doesn't seem approachable.

Well i'm answering as a student and i do agree with many that have said you should out of respect.

Quick question, Kerry, just to clarify if I understand right: are you saying that you should ask your instructor out of respect, or just tell them what you are doing out of respect?