Should a Karateka know other Martial Arts?

[tallgeese]

As many have said, go for it! It's one of the most valuable thing you can do as a martial artist. It's been a stable of my whole journey. Now I'm dabbling in Muay Thai even after I swore off any more stand up bashing

Get comfortable in training, then look for what can compliment. Early in your journey, arts with vastly different focus' will be easier to wrap your head around. Mix in a grappling or weapons art to compliment your striking. Say kali or BJJ.

Later, when your understanding of you base art is solid (brown belt or 3-4 years ish) then you can really take a closely related striking art and compare and contrast. It's an excellent exercise.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[ShotokanMaster]

A Karateka should know other Martial Arts because you can benefit from it like for Example My Sifu Jesus Flores is a 10 degree Black Belt in American Kenpo Karate not only That he takes Filipino Martial Arts and his a 3rd Degree BLack belt in FMA and also his a Blue Belt in Juijutsu

Well for me I took Taekwondo and I was a yellow belt then My Best Friend whose taking Eskrima thought me Eskrima Taichi and Chi Gung then I took Shotokan I was a high Orane then know im taking American Kenpo and i a green belt so its fun to take other Martial arts because you can have many Options when you get in trouble or if he provokes ya to fight

[Wastelander]

It's not strictly necessary for a karateka to practice other arts, or even be familiar with them, but it's certainly beneficial! I know that I've really gained a great deal from training in other styles, and familiarizing myself with even more. Every new experience can unlock aspects of your own art you never realized were there, and can add to your personal approach to your karate.

[sensei8]

Shindokan is my core style, and I'd describe myself as a mutt; having more than one brand within me due to the amount of cross training that I've done these past many, many years while on my MA journey.

[bushido_man96]

I think its important for all MAists, regardless of style, to at least expose themselves to some other styles from time to time, or at least to different instructors with different methods and philosophies. Its just great to see how what you do matches up with what others do, or see how they approach similar concepts differently. Everyone benefits from this approach to training.

Cross-training, in my opinion, is always a good idea.

[Maybetrue]

Depends what your goals are.

I would not start "cross-training" until you are at an elite level in whatever art your base is. It is better to the best at one art than less than average in 2,3,4,5-etc arts.

The only "cross training" i did was wrestling in high school for my ground game understanding.

The best fighters are elite in one art and added other arts after.

The best instructors are 99% top level in one art.

Same as anything else in life. If you had a choice of a doctor that had to do brain surgery on YOU. Who would you choose?

#1 The worlds top brain surgeon that does only brain surgery

or

#2 A doctor that does all types of surgery average at best.

[Luther unleashed]

Depends what your goals are.

I would not start "cross-training" until you are at an elite level in whatever art your base is. It is better to the best at one art than less than average in 2,3,4,5-etc arts.

The only "cross training" i did was wrestling in high school for my ground game understanding.

The best fighters are elite in one art and added other arts after.

The best instructors are 99% top level in one art.

Same as anything else in life. If you had a choice of a doctor that had to do brain surgery on YOU. Who would you choose?

 

#1 The worlds top brain surgeon that does only brain surgery

 

or

 

#2 A doctor that does all types of surgery average at best.

 

I disagree with this comparison. I would certainly choose the brain Surgeon who specializes here, BUT training in martial arts is very different.

First off people train for different reasons so there's no single outcome desired, as of course with a brain tumor the desired outcome will be treating/removing it. Some people train as a sport, self defense, self confidense, health, comrodery or other reasons.

Secondly, depending on your desired outcome or reasons for cross training/not cross training, it's hard to answer. All styles are a blend to begin with, maybe some blended many years ago so we don't think of it as so, but it is. All systems are strongly borrowed from other systems so a strong foundation in a base single art is really a foundation in a blended art already.

Bottom line for me personally, I have learned a few different ways to execute a roundhouse from cross training in tang soo do, Tae Kwon do, and kickboxing and a few others as well. I now have a choice of which way I prefer, and not which way is "said to be right". I believe that our greatest mountain to overcome in martial arts, happens to be within this topic. Not to be so bound by styles that we are less free then had we never practiced the arts. We are easily loyal as people, to styles, to sports teams and so on, freedom is using what's useful to you for whatever purpose you seek it, and not questioning weather the movement can fit based on style alone.

I have said before, I started in the streets, where I sought to fight better, and learned from a Tae Kwon do practitioner who also boxed in the army. I learned a few really great things that I still teach and as it was a blend, I never questioned which was which, I used what was beneficial to me. I dont think a person should know 10% of many arts, but a dedicated person can learn multiple arts well.

A side note, I teach with a foundation in an art, but blend other because I agree that having a foundation in one art can be more stable and beneficial. I don't however, wait a certain time frame to blend anything I think will benefit the student. As an example, I know literally one really great kenpo karate technique that I teach, because it works well, so why fuss about the system, too much fuss makes for less growth IMHO

[Maybetrue]

1-Goals.

2- I tell my students or anyone that walks in. If all they want is to fight in the ring. Take boxing from a boxing coach. the Karate punch is not effective with a boxing glove on and with boxing you dont have to learn the "art". Also with boxing you learn and get used to getting hit,etc....

3- Some students want to learn weapons, i send them to the best school that is our area for weapons training.

4- they want ground game, i tell them go the "judo/jj" route.

5- i have no problem suggesting other schools that specialize in other areas to anyone .

6- when talking with the students after class(just hanging around), i explain to the students that Taekwondo has the best stretching and wish all my students could be flexible like the TKD practitioners. The good of boxing and actual contact, judo/jj with inside game,etc...

I have no problems with talking to students about the strengths of other styles. Even within our own style i love when students go to other organizations within the same style and train. That lets them know how it is in other dojos/organizations.

7- if they want street fighting/self defense. I first ask them "are you willing to kill or maim someone?" To be a good street fighter, basically all the martial arts philosophy one learns get thrown out the window. I could go on for hours (seminars) about street fighting and self defense and why martial arts is a actually a hindrance a lot of times when it comes to ACTUAL street fighting or self defense.

BUT, the final conclusion, do what pleases your students and you is what is most important.

[sensei8]

I firmly believe that it's not the style that's at fault for the "hindrance", but of the practitioner themselves. I've no problem putting blame where I believe it belongs, and the blame belongs to the practitioner, and not with said given style.

Imho!!

[Maybetrue]

I firmly believe that it's not the style that's at fault for the "hindrance", but of the practitioner themselves. I've no problem putting blame where I believe it belongs, and the blame belongs to the practitioner, and not with said given style.

Imho!!

10000% TRUE!

the only problem i have is that a lot of instructors are feeding the "magic pill" of style to magically become a "killing machine" and being able to defend oneself with a one hour seminar ,NO TRAINING and watching videos of someone else highly trained in a ring and saying "see it works".

OUCH.