Being sent out

[SFC JeffJ]

When I was promoted last week, our instructor had a little talk with me after class. Not only is he OK with me crosstraining, he pretty much mandated it. He is encouraging all his more senior students to go out and learn new things and come back and apply what we've learned to the "philosophy" of what he teaches.

I'm just wondering if any other schools/instructors are as proactive about this.

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[terryl965]

I encourage people to always be on the lookout for additional training, just make sure they know what they are doing

 

[mrhnau]

When I was promoted last week, our instructor had a little talk with me after class. Not only is he OK with me crosstraining, he pretty much mandated it. He is encouraging all his more senior students to go out and learn new things and come back and apply what we've learned to the "philosophy" of what he teaches.

I'm just wondering if any other schools/instructors are as proactive about this.

Thanks,

Jeff

Some of the guys I've trained with have done that. They recommend getting decent with your primary art before cross-training, say somewhere around brown. I've not heard of this guy mandating it though.

is he encouraging specific complementary arts? Perhaps trying to get you to avoid certain ones? Giving any form of guidance?

 

[exile]

I encourage people to always be on the lookout for additional training, just make sure they know what they are doing

My feeling is, if you want to cross-train, best thing is to figure out specifically just what you want to get from that cross-training that complements your primary art, and make sure you get. If someone just thinks, well, I'll learn these two separate MAs, that's probably a mistake. The trick I suspect is to identify just what it is about your primary art that could be taken to a new level by what you learn in the new art. For me, once I get to dan rank, it would probably be useful to study some kenpo, just because of the flow of striking moves that kenpo emphasizes, especiallly the close-in hand strikes and control---much of the TKD I see is pretty `anglular' by comparison, but I don't think it has to be.

 

[Ceicei]

My instructor encourages me to cross-train. I don't know if he does it with his other senior-level students.

- Ceicei

 

[SFC JeffJ]

Some of the guys I've trained with have done that. They recommend getting decent with your primary art before cross-training, say somewhere around brown. I've not heard of this guy mandating it though.

is he encouraging specific complementary arts? Perhaps trying to get you to avoid certain ones? Giving any form of guidance?

He doesn't really give guidance on what to explore, but he will tell you his honest opinion of what you crosstrain in. That has caused some conflict in the past I know.

Jeff

 

[mrhnau]

Aren't you already cross training in BBT?

 

[SFC JeffJ]

Aren't you already cross training in BBT?

Yes I am. Because of the distance and my wifes work shedule, not as much as I'd like though.

Jeff

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Personally I am all for students cross training. I think it is great and keeps you young at heart and learning. We try to have alot of seminars with various instructors up here to fill some of that need. I encourage practitioners of IRT to learn everything they can and if they see something that is cool bring it back and show it.

 

[Drac]

They recommend getting decent with your primary art before cross-training

I have said the exact same thing...

 

[MJS]

When I was promoted last week, our instructor had a little talk with me after class. Not only is he OK with me crosstraining, he pretty much mandated it. He is encouraging all his more senior students to go out and learn new things and come back and apply what we've learned to the "philosophy" of what he teaches.

I'm just wondering if any other schools/instructors are as proactive about this.

Thanks,

Jeff

My instructors don't mandate it, but they do encourage it. As I've said before, I think a solid base art should be established, but there are so many usefull arts, ideas, etc., out there, to no look at them, I think alot would be missed.

Mike

 

[The Kidd]

I would agree, the more we train in whatever art the more we expand our knowledge and we take the art in other directions. I continue to study Tae Kwon Do diligently but I have also with the encouragement of my instructor began to study other arts to aid me more in my line of work.

 

[searcher]

I believe it will open your eyes to a great many things. If not the wide variety of techniques then it will to the vast number of methods that are out there. Have you decided on which style you will be looking into.

 

[SFC JeffJ]

I believe it will open your eyes to a great many things. If not the wide variety of techniques then it will to the vast number of methods that are out there. Have you decided on which style you will be looking into.

Like I said before, I'm already doing some Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu. I'm also looking to train in the FMAs.

Jeff

 

[Paul B]

Ditto what most everyone has said.

Every teacher I've ever had has "pushed" me out the door to study other styles (yeah..that's it) and to experience as much as I can about all MA has to offer.

To me...it would be a huge red flag if an Instructor discouraged people about taking a look at or training in other styles. Wouldn't you want to foster your students growth as opposed to stifling it?

 

[still learning]

Hello, In the old days, most Sensi's did not want there students training else where.

It was believe what they taught was all you need.

Today we realize learning/cross training can be an excellant idea.

More people want to learn more different types of fighting arts.

In our Kempo schools which came from Kajukenpo...which is made of several different martial art combine gives you alot of excellant training.

Remember better to be good in one! ... than jack of all trades who master none.

Today the rules have change........Aloha

 

[exile]

Ditto what most everyone has said.

Every teacher I've ever had has "pushed" me out the door to study other styles (yeah..that's it) and to experience as much as I can about all MA has to offer.

My own teacher, who's fifth dan KKW certified in TKD, has also trained in Hapkido and Arnis. I see him as a man who's open to new knowledge from any direction, which makes me feel much more confident about my own training even just within TKD itself. It's true---the guy who tells you `My way or the highway' is trying to keep you inside a box.

But I also ditto everyone above who's talked about getting good in your primary art before branching out. That way, you know enough about the strengths and weaknesses of your primary art to know exactly what kind of cross-training you'll benefit from, and how to slot it into the knowledge base you already have.

 

[Paul B]

But I also ditto everyone above who's talked about getting good in your primary art before branching out. That way, you know enough about the strengths and weaknesses of your primary art to know exactly what kind of cross-training you'll benefit from, and how to slot it into the knowledge base you already have.

I agree..it won't do you much good to comparison shop if there's no comparison.

I don't see it wholly as trying to probe out percieved weaknesses to cover up, as much as it would be a fine-tuning to your intepretation of the Art's principles and problem solving skills within the given framework.

I would venture that the real rewards come when you are exposed to something completely opposite (stylistically)of what you study presently. At least that's how I approach it.

 

[exile]

I don't see it wholly as trying to probe out percieved weaknesses to cover up, as much as it would be a fine-tuning to your intepretation of the Art's principles and problem solving skills within the given framework.

Paul---yes, that's a much better way of putting it, and closer to my intention. What I was thinking of, for example, was studying how it is that kenpoists learn to make smooth, flowing transitions from move to move, as in those great clips KenpoJujitsu keeps posting for us. I'd like to be able to move with equal facility in applying TKD strikes, but it's not something that's emphasized in most TKD instruction, I don't think---so X-training in kenpo would give me some physical insight into that kind of linking of techniques that TKD training doesn't seem to make a major priority.

I would venture that the real rewards come when you are exposed to something completely opposite (stylistically)of what you study presently. At least that's how I approach it.

So, say, something like... mmm, Shotokan and Aikido? Or maybe Muay Thai and Aikido would be even more polar-opposite... or is that going too far? :wink1:

 

[matt.m]

You know I have seen my current GM really foster the idea of the TKD class, adults, to cross train in Hapkido. Of course since it is once a week he prefers the TKD student to be a blue belt in TKD first.

To parrot what Paul and Exile are saying, I think it would not be the best of ideas to take Tae Kwon Do and say Shotokan Karate. Reason for this line of thinking lies in the fact that until you reach dan in the art you would currently be in then you are suseptible to much confusion and mismashing the different forms.