Anyone study more than one Martial Art?

[TurtlePower]

Does anyone here study more than one art? If so what effect does it have on you training? Is it difficult to separate the two? Do you sometimes get mixed up in class? Thinking about picking up Tae Kwon Do and I'm also trying to get back into Yoshinkan Aikido (no dojo locally, but I'm planning on saving up some money to go to Japan.)

 

[Touch Of Death]

I think it helps to see and discover other points of view. I took a couple Karate college courses. The stance work in the Shito ryu class really helped me with my Kenpo. I felt that the Jundo Khan hurt my Kenpo. It can really be hit and miss.
Sean

 

[Touch Of Death]

Does anyone here study more than one art? If so what effect does it have on you training? Is it difficult to separate the two? Do you sometimes get mixed up in class? Thinking about picking up Tae Kwon Do and I'm also trying to get back into Yoshinkan Aikido (no dojo locally, but I'm planning on saving up some money to go to Japan.)

Why does TKD sound attractive?
Sean

 

[dbell]

Does anyone here study more than one art? If so what effect does it have on you training? Is it difficult to separate the two? Do you sometimes get mixed up in class? Thinking about picking up Tae Kwon Do and I'm also trying to get back into Yoshinkan Aikido (no dojo locally, but I'm planning on saving up some money to go to Japan.)

I concurrently study (and teach) Judo, Aikido, Kendo, Hapkido, and Tang Soo Do. I studied Judo for two years before starting Aikido and Kendo, and several years before I added Hapkido and TSD. I didn't have a problem integrating and keeping separate while in classes.... BUT I highly recommend that one get proficient in one art before adding an art, and I recommend adding one at a time so you can grow in it, before adding more.

 

[bluekey88]

I currently study Taekwondo and Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu.

I find that my cross training enhances both systems. However, I've had many years of studying a number of other arts. It's good to have a firm base in an art before branching out. (imo)

Peace,
Erik

 

[MJS]

Does anyone here study more than one art?

Yes. Kenpo, Arnis, BJJ

If so what effect does it have on you training?

Its amde me a more well rounded martial artist. It has given me a much deeper understanding of certain areas. Ex: Arnis, being a FMA, has given me a much more detailed understanding of weapons. BJJ has given me a much deeper understanding of the ground.

Is it difficult to separate the two?

Not at all. When I'm in my Kenpo class, I do Kenpo. When I'm doing Arnis, thats what I do. However, there are times, during a Kenpo class, I'll teach a few things from Arnis, just to give people an idea. However, I make it clear that they are doing Arnis, not Kenpo.

There are times during training, when I'm doing spontaneous tech. training, that things do get mixed, meaning, some times I'll do a Kenpo tech., sometimes it'll be Arnis, sometimes it'll start Kenpo and end Arnis. Whatever happens, happens.

Do you sometimes get mixed up in class?

See my above reply.

Thinking about picking up Tae Kwon Do and I'm also trying to get back into Yoshinkan Aikido (no dojo locally, but I'm planning on saving up some money to go to Japan.)

You're free to train whatever you want. My suggestion would be to find something that blends well with what you're already doing. Ex: If you were training TKD, to start Shotokan might be more of a hinderance than anything else.

 

[Blade96]

Does anyone here study more than one art? If so what effect does it have on you training? Is it difficult to separate the two? Do you sometimes get mixed up in class? Thinking about picking up Tae Kwon Do and I'm also trying to get back into Yoshinkan Aikido (no dojo locally, but I'm planning on saving up some money to go to Japan.)

Used to. Did 2 months kenpo simultaneously with my current art.

Then quit kenpo after 2 months because I fell in love with the art I do now and wanted to focus 100% completely on it.

 

[ralphmcpherson]

The club I train at teaches both hapkido and tkd and I find they blend well, perhaps because they are both korean arts. I have recently spoke at length with a couple of 3rd and 4th dans at my club who have trained in other arts and the advice they all gave was that it is important to get a really good grasp on the first art prior to starting a second. They were 2nd dan tkd and went and did other arts on the side and said it was no worries at all. Thanks for asking the question because Ive been curious myself as to any potential pitfalls to studying another art on the side.

 

[ralphmcpherson]

Why does TKD sound attractive?
Sean

I cant speak on behalf of the original poster, but we are getting quite a lot of new students at my tkd school from other arts over the last year or so. We have had them come from everything from muay thai, kung fu, karate and zendokai to name a few. When Ive asked them why they have come over to crosstrain in tkd the usual response I get is that they want to work on their kicking or add to their kicking repertoire.

 

[Langenschwert]

Yes, I study and teach Kunst des Fechtens (medieval German martial arts) with the Academy of European Swordsmanship and study Hyoho Niten Ichi Ryu kenjutsu with members of the Dosokai here in Calgary. I'm the only WMAer in the study group... the rest are iadoka.

Since they are both sword-intensive arts, I find that it's best to spend time training fundamentals that are common to both arts. Being both the MAs of professional feudal warrior classes helps since Koryu and medieval European arts have great similarities as a general rule. I find training in one helps my performance of the other a great deal. Getting a good foundation in one makes learning the other so much easier. After all, there are only so many ways to use a sword.

I've also trained in Italian rapier but don't do it much any more. There are only so many hours in the day, and I like German longsword better. The time I might spend on rapier is better spent on kampfringen (grappling), dagger and messer (longknife).

Best regards,

-Mark

 

[Kwan Jang]

I have trained in multiple arts for decades. I began Judo and JJ as a child in '71 until my instructor quit teaching. Then, I trained in American Kenpo at one of the Tracy's schools until it closed it's doors. Then a TKD/Hapkido school opened a few miles from my house by a then unknown 2nd dan named Ernie Reyes, Sr. and his partner Tony Thompson. That school stayed open and 33 years later, I'm still their student.

When I first started training under them and their master instructor, GM Dan Kyu Choi, it was strictly a traditional Korean school (old school). Within a couple of years, they broke away from GM Choi and started incorperating the FMA's into the advanced curriculum. KJN Ernie was one of Remy Presas' first BB's in America, then we actually had the West Coast Escrima Society having their classes on our second training floor with people like Mike Inay, Jeff Elliott, Jimmy Tacosa, Dan Inosanto, Richard Bustillo and GM Max Sarmiento as members. Being an assistant instructor and having the key to the school, I was often training after class and was the one to lock up.

In 1980, KJN Ernie did an exhibition match with Benny Urquidez who introduced him to Muay Thai...the hard way. After that, we all began training in Muay Thai, first with Benny and much later with the guys from Fairtex. We did some work in various forms of Japanese JJ with Sid Campbell and Wally (and later Leon) Jay. Then, Ralf and Cesar Gracie moved to the USA and had teaching programs in our schools and BJJ became a part of the curriculum.

When Frank Shamrock moved up from LA to San Jose, he started teaching the MMA and Grappling classes on Mon. and Wed. mornings. For a while, his protege Bob Cook (head MMA trainer at AKA and UFC veteran) took over, but Frank is back on Mondays at least. From this base, I took the silver medal at the NAGA World Grappling Championships in the Expert Super Heavyweight Division.

To make a ridiculously long story short, cross training is and has been a requirement in our schools for over 30 years. It has made me a FAR greater martial artist than I EVER would have been without it. I do recommend that you develop a good, strong base in your parent style and then enjoy the growth.

 

[TurtlePower]

Why does TKD sound attractive?
Sean

I want to be a police officer and I know some departments teach that for defensive tactics, which is what also drew me to Yoshinkan Aikido. That and there's a dojo nearby that a friend of my dad sends his kid to. He says she likes it.

 

[MJS]

I want to be a police officer and I know some departments teach that for defensive tactics, which is what also drew me to Yoshinkan Aikido. That and there's a dojo nearby that a friend of my dad sends his kid to. He says she likes it.

Police Depts. are teaching TKD for defensive tactics? Sorry, no offense to TKD, but I can think of a few other things that are much more well suited for DT.

 

[TurtlePower]

Police Depts. are teaching TKD for defensive tactics? Sorry, no offense to TKD, but I can think of a few other things that are much more well suited for DT.

I'm pretty sure I heard that. Not 100% certain though.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

I study kumdo, hapkido and taekwondo, though mainly the first two at this point.

Kumdo, being a weapon art, really does not hinder me in the other two, though I do feel that it is helpful.

Hapkido and taekwondo are different enough that I kind of gravitated more towards hapkido. Our school teaches Kukki taekwondo, though he has, for the past three years been emphasizing the WTF sport much, much more, which is the main reason that I have concentrated on hapkido more.

I will say that the hoshinsul component of hapkido is a nice compliment to taekwondo, except that hapkido has all of the kicks that taekwondo does and then some, so learning both is unnecessary, unless you happen to like the forms (I do) or have a kid in the class who likes you to be there with him (I do).

Some arts are just similar enough (Shotokan and TKD, for example) that learning both at once could be a hindrance.

Daniel

 

[Shifu Steve]

I began training in a style of Ju-Jitsu that resembles "small circle" simultaneously with Ou-der Kuntao, a hands on style of kung fu that emigrated from China to Taiwan. Ou-der had a lot of synergy with Ju-Jitsu so I found the two complemented each other nicely. I find that training in one has helped me to understand concepts within the other.

 

[blindsage]

I used to train in Kyokushin Karate, Small Circle Jiu-Jitsu and some Arnis. I found they all blended well together. After a few years hiatus, I am training in some internal Chinese styles (Bagua, Xingyi) and there are other schools I'm intersted in training in (a very good Sambo/Judo/Jiu-Jitsu school, an excellent Wing Chun School, an amazing Silat instructor) but for now I am working to build a foundation in what I'm currently studying before I start back in crosstraining.

 

[scottie]

Police Depts. are teaching TKD for defensive tactics? Sorry, no offense to TKD, but I can think of a few other things that are much more well suited for DT.

being in LE I agree Tkd is the last thing i'd teach for dt.

 

[ATC]

being in LE I agree Tkd is the last thing i'd teach for dt.

It all depends on what your definition of TKD is. If you are thinking what you see in the Olympics or what is taught to kids then I see your point. However if you are talking about the stuff that the Korean military does or what you get taught at 4th or 5th Dan level (at least in our dojang) then I don't see your point.

Most of the SD stuff taught is pretty brutal. Most of the counter to any aggression are killing techniques and would land most in jail. Even when practicing some of these techniques I will ask do we really want to do it this way? Then I am shown how to apply it to contain or hold someone until help arrives. But the way we are taught is not nice and most people don't even want to practice it because it hurts and hurts bad.

I am all for being flipped, punched (even in the face), taken down to the ground, and even joint locked. But this stuff is none of that. It is all soft area spot strikes and grabs first finished with some face smashing off the ground, windpipe crushing, neck breaking type technique. And it is all done in the first 1 or 2 moves. There is no playing around.

When we practice we are told to use some force and get use to the pain as we will build a tolerance. This stuff hurts an hurts bad, even if not done at real speed. Yes we may now have a better tolerance that any mugger or attacker but in the class when everyone has close to the same tolerance you just up the ante a bit and still pain, and not the kind you go and put some ice on. When you have dug your fingers into my lymph nodes of the neck area ice does not help.

Again no kids or color belts (in our dojang) get to practice or even see this stuff. Only instructor level and any high ranking BB are allowed to take this class, not many. Oh and yes our GM use to teach some PD officers this as well.

 

[Touch Of Death]

I'm pretty sure I heard that. Not 100% certain though.

Just remember, as a police officer, you can't kick anyone... ever.
Sean