How easy is it to learn a second art?

[Spinedoc]

If you are enjoying Hapkido, you might want to stay with it. In the Hapkido I learned, I was taught some ground tactics between 1st and 2nd Dan. Not a lot. Granted they were mainly how to get away from an opponent and back on my feet. Not the numerous takedowns and submissions I think BJJ does a lot of.

A guy in our Aikido dojo has trained in both Gjj, as well as another Bjj style. He finds them complimentary, but very different. Our Aikido dojo, while being Aikikai, is not really touchy feely, it's got a very practical feel. Here's why you do this, if you do this, I just killed you.

 

[Mark Lynn]

Taking TKD and Hapkido is kind of like Korean MMA (just need TSD I guess). Actually we incorporate a lot of Muay Thai strikes in our school, but we don't really work on boxing footwork.

I don't want to disparage FMA to all those suggesting it, but one consideration in selecting an art is proximity to schools. I can't find any FMA schools in my immediate area. When I'm comfortable enough with TKD and/or HKD to add another to my arsenal, I'll check again.

Here's another question on adding arts: do you still train with your old art (i.e. with your old school, not just practice at home) or change over from one art to another?

skribs

I knew from a previous post that there wasn't an FMA school in your area, I was relating my experience cross training with the FMAs and how it helped me. However I believe you can get very similar experience and understanding from the mixing or blending of the arts you are currently taking as well.

As to your question yes I still train all of my arts that I'm ranked as a black belt in one manner or another, however they were similar in many ways so cross training the skills is different.

In my TKD training I teach that art so I train as I teach (just not the fancy kicks anymore) and then work on kata afterwards or at home. I also teach Modern Arnis so I train there as well. I incorporate the Modern Arnis in with some TKD (in the later stages brown and up for self defense) so I training both then (in a sense). Kombatan is really a sister art (in a sense) to the Modern Arnis so I teach and train that since it is in my curriculum in my Modern Arnis class. The elements of the Combatives (PAC under Hock Hochheim) system I learned is also contained within my curriculum in both the TKD and the Modern Arnis so I keep it fresh by teaching and practicing the drills in both of those classes as well. The Kobudo I teach once a week to my advanced students and then go to a special class (as a student) once a month and train/teach that material to my students and through the week I work on the Kobudo kata as well after class.

Because each of these arts have some things in common (motion is motion) I can blend them and move in between them at will all except for the Kobudo, but even here I've translated double stick skills (from Modern Arnis and Kombatan) and drills and applied them to the tonfa, sai, kama (double weapons). I'm beginning to get an idea of GM Remy use to say "It's all the same".

 

[DennisBreene]

Taking TKD and Hapkido is kind of like Korean MMA (just need TSD I guess). Actually we incorporate a lot of Muay Thai strikes in our school, but we don't really work on boxing footwork.

I don't want to disparage FMA to all those suggesting it, but one consideration in selecting an art is proximity to schools. I can't find any FMA schools in my immediate area. When I'm comfortable enough with TKD and/or HKD to add another to my arsenal, I'll check again.

Here's another question on adding arts: do you still train with your old art (i.e. with your old school, not just practice at home) or change over from onee art to another?

Unfortunately, my old Grandmaster has retired and while his son is a well respected Grandmaster in his own right, he lives in Maryland. I have had only a few opportunities to travel there to train with him. My Arnis instructor holds black belts in Hapkido an Ji Do Kwan so I do get some karate style training with the Arnis. I still try to work on my own forms.

 

[MJS]

I'm not planning on picking up anything new any time soon (already doing TKD and HKD and only recently started both), but I'm just wondering how difficult it is to pick up a second martial art after the first.

I assume something completely different (i.e. jumping from Boxing to Jiu-Jitsu) would be a bit of a shock. However, I'm wondering about something like going from TKD to Karate or Kickboxing, or going from HKD to Wrestling. Would the understanding of the mechanics involved and the muscle memory of how to properly execute the techniques in one help me in the other? Or would the muscle memory from one style hinder me in the slightly different technique of the other? An example being the front kicks in TKD (kick with ball of foot) and Karate (kick with heel) following the same basic bend-and-snap motion.

Some will say that it takes a lifetime to master 1 art, so trying to learn more than 1 is impossible. I suppose it all depends on how you view it. Personally, I see nothing wrong with learning a 2nd art. However, I do feel that you should have a solid base in 1 art first, before taking on something else. Now, that is also something that people will disagree with, but IMO, I think it's good to get a base to build from.

I was a brown belt in Kenpo before I started looking at other things. I began training in Arnis, eventually earning my black belt. As others have said, training in arts that compliment each other, is key. Arnis and Kenpo fit very well together. 2 years ago, after being disappointed with Kenpo, I began training in Kyokushin. Going from Kenpo to that, was a bit of a challenge in the beginning, but things are getting much easier.

So to answer your question...yes, in a nutshell, you can train in more than 1 art. As it's been said, I'd try to find something that complimented the other.

 

[Blindside]

Skribs, many FMA groups occur in garages, parks, or backyards. That may be in your area but not very visible. What is your location?
Sent from my Lumia 900 using Board Express

 

[skribs]

Lakewood.

 

[Blindside]

Lakewood.

Sorry if it sounded like a stupid question, when I am on the phone it doesn't show your profile location.

but no FMA?
This is a friend of mine's study group.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pekiti-Tirsia-Kali-Tacoma-wa/154847381274052

Kelly Worden, a really well known FMAer in the PNW.
http://www.kellyworden.com/

Chris Clarke is over there as well, but I think he is more in the Federal Way area.
http://www.nwkali.com/NW_KALI/Home.html

There are others, but those are three off the top of my head.

And of the three, I would choose Mr. Worden if he was available to me.

 

[skribs]

It wasn't on the first page of a google search. Therefore it did not exist.

I might check it out down the line. Thanks for the links.

 

[Mark Lynn]

Sorry if it sounded like a stupid question, when I am on the phone it doesn't show your profile location.

but no FMA?
This is a friend of mine's study group.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pekiti-Tirsia-Kali-Tacoma-wa/154847381274052

Kelly Worden, a really well known FMAer in the PNW.
http://www.kellyworden.com/

Chris Clarke is over there as well, but I think he is more in the Federal Way area.
http://www.nwkali.com/NW_KALI/Home.html

There are others, but those are three off the top of my head.

And of the three, I would choose Mr. Worden if he was available to me.

Having attended a seminar of Mr. Worden's in the past, I would second this.

 

[Tenacious_Red]

I studied Kajukenbo before starting Shaolin. However, there was also a time gap in between. I have found at times between training from my former career, Kajukenbo and having taught self defense and pressure points control tactics and similar classes I will slip up in sparring practice here and there. Sometimes it's going from closed fist to open hand techniques, or striking a certain way (but nothing too crazy). I will attribute this to the same effect of when I learned Spanish and French and started combining my own words, and even with fluency in English I still combine words: it's awesomesauce. I'm also a little bit retarded in that you cannot stand in front of me and show me something because I mirror you, you have to stand next to me for me to mimic movement, and then I pick it up instantly.

 

[Hyoho]

Speaking from experience, very hard if you have already attained I high level in one art. We automatically fill in things we have not learned in one new art with the bits we already know.

A long time spent separating the arts. One can clearly see one art leaking into another. At least I can. Years if watching kendo people attempting sword arts or sword people doing kendo. Worst of all transference of gendai to Kobudo.

If the new art you do is totally different? Chances are better

 

[lklawson]

Speaking from experience, very hard if you have already attained I high level in one art. We automatically fill in things we have not learned in one new art with the bits we already know.

Yup. That's not always a "bad thing." Sometimes the leakage actually compliments what you're trying to do.

A long time spent separating the arts. One can clearly see one art leaking into another. At least I can. Years if watching kendo people attempting sword arts or sword people doing kendo. Worst of all transference of gendai to Kobudo.

hahahaha I recall a nice young man taking one class in Bowie Knife. I watched him do the typical Kendo step-stomp footwork with simple cuts and thrusts. It was just so "out of place" that I had to work hard not to chuckle.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[skribs]

Yup. That's not always a "bad thing." Sometimes the leakage actually compliments what you're trying to do.

The wrist grabs we practice in TKD (which are about 10-15% of the curriculum, by my estimate) we generally finish hunched over the attacker with the attacker's arm pinned and strike to the face. In Hapkido (probably 80% joint manipulation), we finish standing over the attacker breaking the wrist or elbow. Not every time, but the majority of the time. In Hapkido class I pinned the arm like I would in TKD and was told "This isn't TKD class." So while I'd technically done wrong for what I was instructed to do, I was happy that I was able to finish the technique on instinct and muscle memory as opposed to having to stop and think about it.

 

[skribs]

I've come to the conclusion that there are no good arts and no bad arts. They all have a focus and a purpose, and some work better for some people than others. In all arts, there are good and bad instructors, and in all arts there are some people that just "get it" better than others. However, I disagree with the notion that just because I'm doing an art, I'm automatically learning everything wrong.

I don't believe TKD is perfect. I know it has its flaws. So does every art. I am fine with people pointing out its flaws. However, I would never tell you that your art is garbage and you should find a new one before the damage is done. I'll point out that the defensive techniques we learn are different from both the "dancing" forms and the "sport" sparring, although there is overlap in all three, you can clearly see a different sort of style for each, because each has a different application. Am I going to be as good at trading punches as a boxer or as good at defending myself on the street as someone doing krav? Probably not. That doesn't make TKD bad and doesn't mean I need to quit.

 

[Dirty Dog]

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[Bob Hubbard]

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[Dirty Dog]

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[Hyoho]

Arts as mentioned are not perfect but are systematic. In all arts there is a "grey area". We first learn fundamentals to a point of automatic automatic response. If we have to think, it could mean the difference of winning or losing. On top of all this comes our own personal style. To make it up or borrow bits? No one is going to reach a high level.