Karate plus BJJ

[Wastelander]

I'm also in agreement with tallgeese--when the arts are as different as BJJ and karate, it isn't as important to have a solid foundation in one before starting the other. That would definitely be the case if you wanted to cross-train in similar arts, though.

[pittbullJudoka]

I'm going with Tallgeese and the others here. I've trained in both arts. There's no way to confuse an art that's completely stand up with an art that is almost entirely based on ground fighting. I say go for it.

[CredoTe]

I'll take a slightly different tact from the others on this, respectfully. The two arts are so radically different there's no confusion about fundamentals. One will in no way hurt or be detrimental to the other. The only downside is the split in training time. Improvement will take longer in each.

But there's a good trade off on this as well. You'll start diversifying more quickly. That's quicker preparation for more eventualities sooner.

If you have the time, do both. You'll probably gravitate towards one more than the other, but that's okay. It will start to define your martial journey a bit more as well.

Precisely. That's why the emphasis is on "complimentary", not whether an MA is "radically different" or highly similar. IMHO, a great example of this would be Okinawan karate vs. Japanese/Korean karate/TKD. If someone were considering cross training in one MA from Okinawan karate and one MA from TKD (or Japanese karate), I would say those MAs would clash. As similar as MAs under those two groups are, the concepts of body mechanics/dynamics, how and why techniques are performed, etc are so distinct that they would most likely confuse and hinder a beginner student attempting to cross train in these MAs. I could say the same thing about karate (any) and Western boxing, except that these two MA groups are very different.

As such, cross training in MAs that are complimentary of each other, like JJ and karate, would be okay for most beginner students (assuming they have the training time to put into both). The concepts of body mechanics/dynamics and use/performance of techniques do not clash when MAs of these groups are joined. Indeed, many of the great karate masters of old were also expert JJ/Judo practitioners, as well.

[Joppe]

Find a MMA club that lets you use your karate for striking and learn Submission wrestling/bjj in the same class.

[bushido_man96]

I think training both is a great idea.

[RAM18]

I train both. They are so fundamentally different from each other it really wont matter. Karate has no ground work at all. BJJ is all ground work.

You might find over time that you prefer one to the other and naturally with move towards that one.

[sensei8]

Is training a couple of martial arts at one moment bad?

As all ready mentioned...it's ok if they compliment one another. How does one know if they do such a thing? By training in them; floor time!! Secondly, if they compliment one another, can said practitioner train in both without creating conflicts within ones one MA betterment. Overwhelming the senses can work against the learning curve in any MAist.

Time, time, time, and more time; this is what's needed to create an effectively applied knowledge around the complimentary MA.

It's not how many MA one trains in and/or knows, it's about how effective they are once they're applied in varying situations.

Imho!!