How Many Styles At Once?

[NewEnglands_KyoSa]

I was thinking about my cross training today. I study full time in the Art of Tang Soo Do and in the Art of Chinese Kempo. I feel like i successfully balance these two but i feel like i could never balance another. You go to websites and see peoples credentials and they have numerous dans in numerous styles over the course of only 20 years. Now obviously i think some of these are honorary, but not ALL of them can be honorary, one can only be so honorable

So this just brings me to wonder, honestly how many martial arts styles do you think someone can balance effectively and at the same time?

Personally for me, i'd say two. Because i've done it, and am doing it, and it has been successful, it has helped me so greatly i couldnt even express it in a post. But like i said previously i could NOT even imagine trying another.

[KarateEd]

For me, I think two is the maximum. I don't like my attention and focus to be spread out over too many different things at one time. I guess it really boils down to knowing yourself and your abilities and determining just how fully you want to master each art's subtleties.

Ed

[bushido_man96]

I think that 2 can be done with relative ease. I think 3 could be done, but I think it would get more difficult as you add more. Depending on how similar the styles were would add to the complexity as well. In the end, it just depends on how much time you have, and what one's level of retainment and ability to store information is.

[NightOwl]

If you can't devote at least 2-3 times a week to an MA, then you aren't going to improve. As such if you have the time you could theoretically do up to three I suppose, however you might want to gain proficiency faster in a small amount of styles than just be soso in many.

[bushido_man96]

If you can't devote at least 2-3 times a week to an MA, then you aren't going to improve. As such if you have the time you could theoretically do up to three I suppose, however you might want to gain proficiency faster in a small amount of styles than just be soso in many.

I think it really depends on what your goals are. Are you looking to become really good at one style? If yes, then focus on that style. But, if you like to mix and match, and expand a broader skill set, then mixing in another style can help you reach your goals. Just because you aren't getting good at one style, doesn't mean that you aren't getting good at all.

[NightOwl]

I suppose so. But anyone who has bought an all-in-one machine via TV commercial, a jack of all trades is usually just soso to poor in everything, where as a specialist is good in at least something.

I still need to return that blender/faxer

[Montana]

IMO, to do a system justice...ANY system, you need to focus your entire attention and spirit on that system. Dividing your time and energies trying to train in more than one system at a time is, IMO, not doing either system any justice. There's just to much to learn in any given system.

[NewEnglands_KyoSa]

IMO, to do a system justice...ANY system, you need to focus your entire attention and spirit on that system. Dividing your time and energies trying to train in more than one system at a time is, IMO, not doing either system any justice. There's just to much to learn in any given system.

I appreciate your input, and can understand what you're saying. But i just have a follow up question, if you will...

What if the two styles compliment each other ridiculously well, not to the point where they are the same style, but they compliment each other well?

[bushido_man96]

IMO, to do a system justice...ANY system, you need to focus your entire attention and spirit on that system. Dividing your time and energies trying to train in more than one system at a time is, IMO, not doing either system any justice. There's just to much to learn in any given system.

I appreciate your input, and can understand what you're saying. But i just have a follow up question, if you will...

What if the two styles compliment each other ridiculously well, not to the point where they are the same style, but they compliment each other well?

As I mentioned before, it depends on what your goals are. If you want to master a system, then you should spend all your time on it. A pro Boxer and an Olympic TKDer would most likely prerfer to train in this way. But, if you want to be good at various ranges of combat, then working with different arts can help you to achieve your goals of diversification.

Now, with that said, is it fair to state that the person who spends his life mastering one style is going to be better at fighting or self-defense, or a better Martial Artist in general, than the person who has chosen to broaden his base? Two sides of the same coin.

[ShoriKid]

It depends on what sort of objective you have in your training. In order to cover all ranges compitently, you'll usually have to go outside of a single style. Those that prepose to cover everything lack a lot of developement in certain aspects when compaired to specialist styles. Not saying those styles don't have a lot to offer, but a specialist doc vs. a neurosurgen is what you get.

I like the idea of training in a couple of styles at once, usually not more than two. Though here's the thing about that. You need a solid grounding somewhere before you start branching out. Without that base you can end up with a lot of sloopy technique instead of a core of good techniques and a few things your still working on. Now, if you are grounded in a style and start looking at other styles I would suggest that you look at something that is very different from what your currently working on. Say, your an Aiki man, working on some more stand up oriented JJJ styles might have a lot of knowledge bleed over that makes it harder to learn. But, going into Thai Boxing your not getting too much technical cross over.

I'm not trying to train in say Shotokan and Judo to become a master at both. I'm training to be an excellent Karate-ka who can throw you on your head with ease and doesn't panic when he hits the ground himself.

Over all, training in one thing is good. Training in a couple of things at once is also a good thing. Training period is just good.