# The pros and cons with learning 2 Martial Arts at the same time!



## Tony (Feb 21, 2004)

I was thinking of Training in another Martial Art because I am getting to the stage now where I would love to have more training time! And I feel doing Kung Fu twice a week isn't enough for me! So I have thought about doing another KUng Fu style that looks very impressive  but its about 12 miles from where I live. Theres a Ju jutsu class 3 miles from where I live on a Wedesday night and a Bujinkan Ninjutsu class on a sunday evening in my home town!, so I have a few choices! But I would really like to learn another Kung Fu style! So I guess it wouldn't hurt to go to soem of these classes and see what they do! However I have a grading coming up soon and I don't want to get too confused with new forms and techniques but I think widening my knowledge would help me and my previous experience of my present style would definately help me in any other style as it gives me a base to build on!
But I was wondering how many of you train in more than one Art and have been successful doing it?


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## elcajon555 (Feb 21, 2004)

studing two different styles might become confusing and might be counterproductive because you might be doing the same thing just in different ways thus knowing more but not mastering either.  Now different arts all together may be easier to learn.  I took judo for a while when I was in taekwondo it helped out in taekwondo because we do throws once in awhile.  I stopped judo but I am still in taekwondo, have been for over 6 years


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## markulous (Feb 21, 2004)

I think it would be great to do.  My current martial arts class is a mixed martial arts so I am basically doing that.  One week we could be doing Aikido the next week American Boxing.  It can definately be useful to fuse all your arts together.


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## tkdguy1982 (Feb 21, 2004)

I take two MA's, taekwondo & judo and thoroughly enjoy it.  It isn't really that confusing for me because theres not any kata's in judo, not that i know of.  Anyway, I don't see any problems with taking more than one.  Esp. if you are having the desire to take more than one, do it.  It can't hurt you.


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## MJS (Feb 22, 2004)

Tony said:
			
		

> I was thinking of Training in another Martial Art because I am getting to the stage now where I would love to have more training time! And I feel doing Kung Fu twice a week isn't enough for me! So I have thought about doing another KUng Fu style that looks very impressive  but its about 12 miles from where I live. Theres a Ju jutsu class 3 miles from where I live on a Wedesday night and a Bujinkan Ninjutsu class on a sunday evening in my home town!, so I have a few choices! But I would really like to learn another Kung Fu style! So I guess it wouldn't hurt to go to soem of these classes and see what they do! However I have a grading coming up soon and I don't want to get too confused with new forms and techniques but I think widening my knowledge would help me and my previous experience of my present style would definately help me in any other style as it gives me a base to build on!
> But I was wondering how many of you train in more than one Art and have been successful doing it?



I'm a big fan of crosstraining and have been doing it myself for quite a while.  I do believe however, that you should have put in your time with 1 art first, before beginning a new journey.  I started BJJ after I reached first black in Kenpo.  I also train in Arnis, and have been doing that for the past 5 going on 6 yrs.

I find that by doing this, it has done a few things.  Its given me the chance to be more well rounded, and I find that I can also blend the arts together, adding bits and pieces to each.

Again, this is NOT something for everyone, and if its something that you dont want to do, then thats fine.  Even if someone didnt actually go and start a new art, at least look at what else is out there.  My theory is, is that if you can take an idea or concept from someone else, and add it to what you're already doing to make it that much better....then why not do it???

Mike


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## teej (Feb 22, 2004)

The very first thing I advise is to check with your current instructor. Your instructor may not want you to do this, he/she may have some advise on how to train in two different styles. Etc. But you want to check with him/her first so there are no hard feelings. This is the courteous thing to do.

Training in mixed martial arts in the same school where the curriculum is monitored and the instructors know what you are learing is one thing. Learing different arts at the same time, in different locations can (I said can, not always) be difficult.

If you are learning an art, coming up through the ranks and wanting to progress further, this may happen if you train in two different styles with different instructors who don't know one another. You MAY find your self learing in two different directions, making smaller gains in your original art and smaller gains in the second art. You may get things confused between the two especially durning testing. (you mentioned having a grading coming up so I assume you want to go further in rank) 

I don't know how long you have been training in Kung Fu or your rank. One theory is to learn more of the kung fu you are currently studying, getting to an advanced rank, then studying another form of Kung Fu. You will find learning the second style easier if you have a good base of knowledge in your first style. (again we are talking about training in two similar arts of Kung Fu)
Now if you were asking about training in a totally different art like grappling for example, while you were also studying your Kung Fu, that would be a different story.

Make an educated decision for yourself. My strongest advice is to talk to your current instructor first.

Yours in the Arts,
Teej


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## Tony (Feb 22, 2004)

teej said:
			
		

> The very first thing I advise is to check with your current instructor. Your instructor may not want you to do this, he/she may have some advise on how to train in two different styles. Etc. But you want to check with him/her first so there are no hard feelings. This is the courteous thing to do.
> 
> Training in mixed martial arts in the same school where the curriculum is monitored and the instructors know what you are learing is one thing. Learing different arts at the same time, in different locations can (I said can, not always) be difficult.
> 
> ...



Hi Teej

Thanks for the advice. Well I've been studying Kung fu for a little over 5 years and I am a Blue sash so hopefully when I go for my grading I will be  Yellow sash, then brown and another brown and then black!
I just thought as my instructor only does the 2 classes a week, I would like to train more and I don't think that is possible right now because he has family committments aswell as a full time job! 
But I also feel we don't spend enough time on the self defence stuff even though its suppose to be in the forms! Things like throws, locks and holds i feel would be very beneficial for me but being 26 I would like to have more experience of other Martial Arts just so that I have a well rounded knwledge on all levels of combat!
I emailed another Kung Fu club that teaches full time but they informed me that they can't let me join if I'm already studying another Art! I guess its the traditional Chinese way of teaching and they are trying to deter anyone who will missuse their teachings, or whatever but it was dissapointing nonetheless.
Tonight I went to my local Leisure centre to have a look at Bujinkan Ninjutsu but felt it wasn't for me! It seemed to be a small class of about 10 people and they were all very old! To tell you the truth going to a new Martial Arts class where I don't know anyone slightly intimidates me as I'm a little bit shy!
So I guess I should stick with Kung Fu, as my instructor is always open to trying new things and is currently doing courses on weapons training and has done Self defence seminars! Even when getting to Black sash there is much more to learn!


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