How many of you currently study at 2 different dojos?

[gatorgrasshopper]

Just curious how many of you study at 2 different dojos within the same week, etc?

If so, does your sensei know you? Are there any problems in regard to this, dojo loyalty, etc??

Just curious as to your approach and how many are doing it. I am currently studying 2 forms under different dojos but I have not been transparent about my cross training with my instructor or class mates. I divide my week up as equitable as possible between the instruction time/class hours.

[ninjanurse]

I recently left an association where cross-training,or even attending a seminar, at another dojo was forbidden as it was seen as disloyal. My husband, a jj professor, was not even allowed to assist in classes at my own school! I can appreciate the cultural bias of the master instructor but we found it difficult to reconcile our own martial arts "upbringing" with this school of thought. We were privledged to have been introduced to masters such as Wally Jay by our first teacher-and were encouraged to expand our knowledge of other styles by these teachers as well. Subsequent teachers also encouraged us to be open minded and accepting of other styles and martial artists regardless of their backgrounds. We felt that our own students desrved all that martial arts had to offer and felt it was in their best interests to allow them to experience the same martial "unbringing" that we had. That being said, we feel that students should have a good base in a single art before beginning another one-but no man should allow someone to dictate where they study or who they are loyal to.

[Dobbersky]

I have no issues for Students Cross training, but I do recommend that they are at least 1st Kyu before they contemplate it.

If you are learning to different things at the same time you can not work on both things out side of class as you could doing just one.

I used to do several arts art the same time but found since I have retreated into my own style that I have found that I could discover more in my own art.

If I was to cross train again it would only be in Judo or Aikido, the reason why is my art is a striking art so why do I need to use contradictory methods of striking and body movement when I am already using a set form in my style (I had this issue in Wado - an art which I found absolutely awesome, the way the strikes were delivered etc weren't the same) in a similar aspect as anaerobic and aerobic exercise contradicts each other

Choose a style which is not the same as your core style. I.e. Kickboxing and Jujitsu, Ashihara Karate and Judo, Shotokan and Aikido. These are ok because there is not much that can be merged into each other, its a grappling art with a striking art none of which will cause the practitioner to get "confused" as to "what technique and where" syndrome.

Its when you start mixing say Wado Ryu and Shito Ryu or Shotokan and Goju Ryu etc as this is when Stances, Kata and other Techniques begin to contradict each other an they begin to "merge" into 1 which is ok at first but if you are looking at Black Belt where perfection is a must the incorrect technique in the grading will be marked down against you!

[gatorgrasshopper]

I have no issues for Students Cross training, but I do recommend that they are at least 1st Kyu before they contemplate it.

If you are learning to different things at the same time you can not work on both things out side of class as you could doing just one.

I used to do several arts art the same time but found since I have retreated into my own style that I have found that I could discover more in my own art.

If I was to cross train again it would only be in Judo or Aikido, the reason why is my art is a striking art so why do I need to use contradictory methods of striking and body movement when I am already using a set form in my style (I had this issue in Wado - an art which I found absolutely awesome, the way the strikes were delivered etc weren't the same) in a similar aspect as anaerobic and aerobic exercise contradicts each other

Choose a style which is not the same as your core style. I.e. Kickboxing and Jujitsu, Ashihara Karate and Judo, Shotokan and Aikido. These are ok because there is not much that can be merged into each other, its a grappling art with a striking art none of which will cause the practitioner to get "confused" as to "what technique and where" syndrome.

Its when you start mixing say Wado Ryu and Shito Ryu or Shotokan and Goju Ryu etc as this is when Stances, Kata and other Techniques begin to contradict each other an they begin to "merge" into 1 which is ok at first but if you are looking at Black Belt where perfection is a must the incorrect technique in the grading will be marked down against you!

I agree on your belief in study of contrasting styles. For me Karate and JJJ are different in approach and delivery and that is why I am studying both. It just makes sense to me.

On the martial arts protocol/manners of training in 2 dojos...I am curious still to hear from others. I will likely keep my cross training a personal fact to myself to avoid complication.

[xo-karate]

Cross training is very good. I did karate for 30 years and I did not see anything wrong with it. I thought it was most powerful art and every thing was done perfectly.

I know it sounds grazy, but that was how I grew up.

Lately I've started Han Moo do - a Korea style and full contact - it was total brain blower - I learned that kicks can be done differently and that fight continues after first contact

I've been doing boxing and also BJJ - there is just tons of things to learn:-)

I don't compete any more and I don't do martial arts for self defence. I just have not needed and I feel safe, but I do martial arts for fun and physical condition. It's just fun to learn new skills - and sweat a lot learning

Cross training is a must - and you just need to play with the rules of each dojo. You can "swing" but they don't have to. Teacher is the king! Clients pick their teachers.

[GeoGiant]

Hmmmm, maybe someone can tell me if they think what I'm intending to is cross-training or may be frown upon. I'm a 2nd Gup brown belt 6 months from 1st Gup brown. I love my dojo but over the past 2 years we went from once or twice a week semi to heavy contact sparring to light sparring, maybe, once a month. Right now the dojo is in a cycle where many of students don't want to train to fight and pushing them to fight, pushes them out the door so I get why my instructor has toned it down.

Usually I train 4 times a week. I'm thinking about joining a kick boxing or mma gym so i can get involved in some contact. I'd drop one or two training sessions at my dojo and train to fight. Both places I'm looking into are gyms, not dojos. I'm very nervous about how my instructor will take this. I don't think he would make me choose but it may him feel..... bad. Im not sure bad is the right word.

First, by joining a fighting gym is that the same as joining another dojo? How would you react if your student did what I'm thinking about doing?

[sensei8]

While I'm quite sure that the practice of attending two totally different styles/dojos at the same time was and is probably taboo across the board, not only yesteryear, but even today.

At first my Dai-Soke went through the roof, so to speak, and Mr. Suh wasn't excited about it at all at first, but, time allows many things and time heals wounds!

I was very lucky to have trained in Shindokan and TKD at the same time during my high-school days, I was given a thumbs up from both schools, however, what ever school I was at for that moment, I was forbidden in forgetting where I was at that moment; practice one style and only one style whenever I was at either a Shindokan dojo or at a TKD dojang.

The only time I was allowed to mix the two styles together, no matter which school I was with, was during free-style sparring. This allowed both styles a chance to see what the other style might or might not have to offer.

I will say this, both schools had equal respect for the others styles across the board.

Taste the other style and see that it is good.

Good luck and keep us informed.

[Dobbersky]

Cross training is very good............

Lately I've started Han Moo do - a Korea style and full contact - it was total brain blower - I learned that kicks can be done differently and that fight continues after first contact ............

Han Mu Do HMD, Looked this up, no Dojangs near me, Seems very similar to most TKD/TSD Dojangs (not been to a Hapkido Dojang so can't comment) The Wikipedia explaination stipulates it as a Softer than Hapkido in striking so your HMD Dojang must be "special"

I definately need to stipulate for perfect Cross-training, A Grappling Art with A Striking Art is the perfect mix, if you are going to cross train , not mixing two striking arts unless one has kata/forms/Hyungs/Pomsae and one doesn't! too much differences. I know because when I have students who are used to doing a traditional style having to "change" striking techniques and stances etc to allow the "flow" of my style to come through.

[MasterPain]

Soft doesn't always mean not hitting as hard.

[Dobbersky]

Soft doesn't always mean not hitting as hard.

Totally agree, there is nothing harder than hitting a concrete floor from around 4-5 foot in the air! Judo to me is a hard style and it has "no" strikes in it!!!!

But Not hitting at all means broken bones on the 1st, 2nd or 3rd strike if you've never been trainedto hit anything before, Even GoKanRyu specify in their "NON-Contact" style that Makiwara training is needed to acustom you hands etc to striking objects