# Tang Soo Do / Muay Thai combo ?



## ShiN (Mar 10, 2002)

Hello everyone,
I've just arrived here and I'm a total newbe!  

Maybe I can ask you a question ::

I practice TSD for 6 years now, and have recently started training MT, but someone told me that combining an art like TSD with MT is going to negatively affect my TSD-skills.

What I wanted to ask you guys, does anyone here have experience with Tang Soo Do in combination with Muay Thai?  

Or does anyone here knows something about negative effects of cross-training in MT?


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## Cthulhu (Mar 14, 2002)

I think that depends on how well you can keep both styles separate.  For example, a MT roundhouse is very different from a TSD roundhouse.  Can you keep yourself from mixing the two up?  

Usually, my advice for people wishing to crosstrain is to first spend an appreciable amount of time in one system before trying another.  Basically, get a black belt (or equivalent) in one system first.  

Here are my reasons for suggesting this:

Ensure you have a good understanding of basic body mechanics
Prevent you from doing poorly by ensuring you won't mix material up from two (or more) systems.
Give you a better appreciation for the differences of your first system and the new one.
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Some people may be able to efficiently start as a beginner in two or more systems at the same time and not have their training suffer.  I'm not one of those people, so I have to advise using my own personal observations and experiences.

Cthulhu


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## ShiN (Mar 14, 2002)

Thanks for your reaction,

You gave a very good advice, I'll need to discover if I can keep myself from mixing. 

I have a black belt in Tang Soo Do (1st degree) so I really hope this is going to work out, because I instantly fell in love with Muay Thai. 

tnx again! 
:asian:


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## thaiboxer (Mar 14, 2002)

im with cthulhu, i reckon id like to stick with just the one style but dabble with others as i have done so far, as to not upset the one fighting style i like the most, and also not get my brain confused  brain explosion coming on


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## Parker (May 6, 2002)

Nuts to sticking.  Look, Fred Degerberg has been EXCEPTIONALLY successful in BLENDING styles, and in fact refers to his style as the Degerberg Blend.

Concentrating on one style lets you overlook neat stuff in many of them, and maybe your hips will like Thai, or TKD or Okinowan or Savate better than your current, and they will certainly compliment each other.

If you have your TSD down, go with other arts, cross traiing will make you a better fighter and expose you to more things I can do to you than if you stick on one playground and master it.  

if you are training for a belt, that is different, but I am not at all concerned personally with a belt or ranking.  Haven't been so in twelve years and not likely to start now.  I have fought with pros and did okay to very well doing so, and the cross training is part of the reason for my results.  

if you are truly proficient with your kicks, for example, you already will have three or four types/ angles of roundhouse kicks, why would another two or three hurt you? After a couple initial months of confusuion, you will drop the resistetance and with solid practice the kicking with the thai hip-over will become as natural and the Korean roundhouses.  

Parker


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## Damian Mavis (May 9, 2002)

I can tell you from experience.  I'm 3rd degree in TKD (similar to TSD) and have been training the last year and a bit in Muay Thai.  No, training in MT did NOT have a negative impact on my TKD, quite the opposite actually.  It has made me better.

Whoever told you MT would ruin your TSD is full of poopoo and I'm sorry if that is someone you respect.  It just sounds like a line to keep you from training in other arts.  We aren't stupid....if you can't seperate your Muay Thai from your TSD than theres a major mental problem going on.

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD


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## ShiN (May 21, 2002)

thanks for all the replys,
I've been training in Muay Thai for 2 months now, an I can already see many improvements in my fighting skills, and even more exciting, in my Tang Soo Do sparring!! 

I think the fact that in Muay Thai you learn to hit and get hit, removes some fear and restrictions in my sparring, also, 4 times training per week, as opposed to 2 times (just TSD) is of course also very good for me.!  

thanks for your reactions! :asian:


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## Damian Mavis (May 22, 2002)

Glad to hear it!  Your observations about getting hit are right on.  Kepp training in both and whatever else catches your fancy.  

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD


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## MartialArtist (Aug 27, 2002)

You will learn a couple of techniques.  In the military style of TKD, we had two roundhouses.  One was the round kick, which is basically the same as the muay thai one; the other was the roundhouse, the one you're used to.


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