Which Martial Arts are most common for Cross Training?

[drewtoby3]

Something I have noticed over the years in Hapkido: almost all of my fellow Hapkido students are taking Hapkido to cross train for Tae Kwon Do or another art. In fact, at my first school I was the only Hankido student taking the art by itself, and at my current school I am one of the few. Even my instructors took Hapkido/Hankido after Tae Kwon Do.

Why is this? The Hapkido curriculum is very well rounded.

This got me thinking: why are more people not originating from Hapkido like I am? I took one Tae Kwon Do class, but decided not to continue (I don't know why to this day) and then I found Hapkido. Something "clicked" with the art for me, not sure why, but it did. Others like me have also tried other Martial Art(s) before Hapkido.

But, are there more arts like this: where cross training is seen as the norm?

[Nidan Melbourne]

it isn't really a norm that most people cross train. But to some they want to learn multiple martial arts so their "primary" martial art can become stronger

[drewtoby3]

it isn't really a norm that most people cross train. But to some they want to learn multiple martial arts so their "primary" martial art can become stronger

True. But why are there not that many people using Hapkido as their primary art?

[Harkon72]

In the UK Hapkido is very rare, if unknown in most areas. I wish I could learn it, but I don't have the opportunity.

[tallgeese]

There are some pretty common cross-training pairs out there. Lots of JKD guys cross train in other things. Hence the various sects that favor FMA flavors or grappling or kickboxing.

FMA itself has become a popular cross training focus in certain area for the weapons focus it brings for some that do not have that component in their core art.

BJJ, a core art for many, has become the art to cross train in for lots of stand up systems. Conversely, many schools now that are BJJ primary have muai thai as well. It's a very common cross training theme due to the emergence and growth of MMA into what it's become today.

As to Hapkido itself I have no insight.

[Nidan Melbourne]

it isn't really a norm that most people cross train. But to some they want to learn multiple martial arts so their "primary" martial art can become stronger

True. But why are there not that many people using Hapkido as their primary art?

probably because not many people are aware of Hapkido or there may not be a school that offers it in their local area.

where i live there are no hapkido schools are within' of a 1 hour drive of my house.

[drewtoby3]

True. I was lucky enough to have one 5 minutes from my house, but now it's a 20-25 minute drive each way twice a week. I can see many people just going to ATA, TKD, or Kung Fu that are all closer.

[CredoTe]

it isn't really a norm that most people cross train. But to some they want to learn multiple martial arts so their "primary" martial art can become stronger

True. But why are there not that many people using Hapkido as their primary art?

probably because not many people are aware of Hapkido or there may not be a school that offers it in their local area.

where i live there are no hapkido schools are within' of a 1 hour drive of my house.

Yep... What's the "norm" is going to be a reflection of what's prevalent in your area. Most of the MA's in my area are either TKD or Karate, but boxing, krav maga, and MMA/bjj gyms are sprinkled throughout. As tallgeese alludes to, practitioners tend to cross-train when they feel that their particular MA training or core art is not giving them everything that they want.

[southernsontn]

I'm fairly new to martial arts, but I cross train in Karate and BJJ. In my area, martial arts are basically seen as something that kids and teenagers do, and while there are a couple of adults in my BJJ class, I'm the only person in my karate class under black belt who is old enough to vote (I'm 32). My instructor is incredibly knowledgeable about "practical" aspects of the art, and he spends a good deal of time with kata bunkai, but I still feel a little strange sparring with someone who wasn't even alive when I first got my drivers license, so I go incredibly light when sparring. I'm getting addicted to the disciplines I practice, and I've got an excellent teacher, so I'm gonna stick with it. Due to the sparring issue, I'm probably going to add some weekly MMA sessions into the mix to basically "tie everything together" and to be able to spar with someone that I can at least go full speed with.

[sensei8]

I believe that every MA out there has a cross-training match; the search will be worth the find.