Insights into Kenpo and Crosstraining

[twinkletoes]

I have also trained with TKDist, and I don't see it. We share the same weapons and we are more used to use the hands as well.

Then it's time to spar with someone good at Savate!

Let me tell you, I don't share the same tools as the genteleman I sparred with the other day. I have never been the victim of leg-kick combinations with such EASE as I was on Monday. If we had been sparring any harder than 25%, I would have been knocked down several times.

I do a lot of sparring as it is, but going against someone who uses other weapons, which are normally outside my rule system (and not by MY choice) was enlightening. It's an experience I need to have much more often.

~TT

 

[Old Fat Kenpoka]

TT: You and I could be twins! The first time I sparred a MT guy I thought I was going to die! He beat my legs to a pulp--he didn't protect his groin though so I eventually paid him back!

 

[twinkletoes]

Man, I'm lucky he was being nice. And I thought I was used to getting hit with posture changes and base-destructions! I've never been sent wobbly like I was in those 10 minutes. Often I would get kick three times by one foot (he'd hit my left, right, and left again, all as I tried to shift my weight to get away).

What truly impressed me was his ease in determining where my weight woudl be headed, and sending it back the other way with a well-placed thigh kick. I felt like my feet were nailed down!

Talk about fun!

~TT

 

[stickarts]

its amazing how the addition of one technique can change the scope of the fight if you aren't used to training that way. for example adding groin shots if you aren't used to it, or sweeps.

 

[Old Fat Kenpoka]

Frank: Well said! And welcome to the church of cross-training!

An important extrapolation of your point is that if you never train with any of these other arts, you never get to see what you've been missing.

 

[Brother John]

You mention that your art addresses many different things. While Kenpo does the same, there are also things that it does not address. In order to round out my training, I've chosen to look outside of Kenpo.

I think that that's the most common reason people in Kenpo look outside of Kenpo.... grappling.


I understand.
In the AKKI we have grappling work, it's very interesting.
For me, Kenpo has what I want.
Will I look elsewhere later?
Maybe, I doubt it, but I could.
We'll cross(train) that bridge when we come to it.


Your Bro.
John

 

[lonekimono]

Now i know this has been in here somewhere before? but let me put it out again(only because i did not see it).
Over the years i have had alot of people pass though my school
(so have alot of you) but what i wonder is when someone comes in and before they join they tell you that "oh yes i have a (whatever) belt in this art. and i did the the other art to".
Well i had this man come in and he told me that he had a blackbelt in soo-bak-do and that he really wanted to do kenpo,i say "WHY" and then he went on to tell me about how he had watched Speakman move his hands so fast,and then he said
"is that real"? well anyway this man trained at the school for 2 month's and while he was there he kept telling how hard this
N,bow and front bow stance is and this is just hard for me to do it, and i say to him "YOU CAN DO IT"
Well after the 2 months he never came back,and i got to thinking if the man has a rank in his art and has been it it for 8 years stay there. he was happy but not when he left.
so that is why i say IS ONE ENOUGH?

 

[MisterMike]

Seems to me that a lot of the old masters were well versed in several arts. This may not be a necessity today, but if you are only going to train in one primary art, you should at least have an understanding of what else is out there.

At least if you want to be able to communicate with other martial artists. We're not all going to be masters. People like to train for different reasons. Exploring the other arts will only make you better though.

 

[Kempo Guy]

I think it depends on the reasons of why you train...

 

[theletch1]

I don't believe one is enough because I don't believe there is one art that teaches everything there is to teach or teaches every concept in such a way that I can get it through my thick skull. Many arts teach the same thing but a little differently or with a slightly different methodology. Sometimes just training with a different instructor in the same art can make things click better but other times it's good to train in a completely different art to get a different angle on things. I don't believe in hopping from style to style every six months but I do think that after a certain level it's o.k. to step outside the box and try other things.

 

[rmcrobertson]

One art is plenty, because all the good arts are, at a certain level of expertise, equal. We shouldn't be blaming the art for our failures, usually.

However, many people won't stay in one art and push towards that point. They get restless, which is fine. They want other things, which is OK. They claim that an art like good kenpo "doesn't have," certain things, which is wrong but perfectly OK for them to decide.

I'd add that for some, "studying another art," means, "I took a couple of classes and a weekend seminar."

I'd also add that I'm reading about other arts, and learning a lot. I just don't think of myself as skilled in them, and I really can't be rushin' around...barely enough time/energy to do kenpo...

 

[Kempo Guy]

If you are training for self-defense then one art is NOT enough. There is NO WAY that one art is 'complete'. There are styles that have a better (read more efficient) delivery system than others for certain situations. If someone thinks one art offers everything then you are naive at best...

Having said this, a large part of training for SD is about HOW you train. Training with aliveness against resisting opponenets will get you pretty far...

Then again, if someone is not training for SD then one art is probably more than enough. These days I train more for character development (Ningen Keisei) than anything else as I primarily practice and train in a traditional Japanese style.

KG

 

[psi_radar]

Hi, first post here. Kenpo is really my second art, I was a junior-high and high-school wrestler. I'd have to say that students taking Kenpo or other striking arts would be wise to study a whole other category of fighting--groundfighting--if they want to really round out their skills. Wrestling, Ju-jitsu, shootfighting, whatever. Certainly skilled Kenpoists aren't totally helpless on the ground, but should learn some basic skills at least--they might meet up with a groundfighter someday. I'd give the opposite advice to a groundfighter.

Since I consider myself a martial artist first and a Kenpoist second, I don't lock myself down with one particular paradigm of fighting. If it works, use it. I use a padua kappala (sp?) from Kuntao Silat as an addition in Kenpo and a staple in Systema. It's a technique that is simple and works great under a lot of circumstances. Plus, being exposed to new stuff is just fun and invigorating.

An analogy that might help elucidate my point--America is a great country and you can spend a lifetime seeing it, but if you had the opportunity to travel abroad, would you take it?

 

[MJS]

Again, it all depends on what the person wants to get out of the art. It is true, that there is no perfect art. If that was the case, then everybody would be doing it! I dont think that after studying art A for 15yrs, that you need to stop and start with art B. Then after that go do C for another 5. Do some people do that? Yes. Does it work for that person? Who knows--it all depends on the person doing it, considering we are all different. However, considering that there is so much out there, it is good to look outside of the box as theletch1 said, and get a feel for the other things out there.

Mike

 

[lonekimono]

Well i have to tell you that i have only one art and that's KENPO
not that i don't know about the other's out there,and yes i have friends who do other kind's of martial arts and some time's we would get together and train,But my MOTHER art is kenpo.
:asian:

 

[MA-Caver]

I was about to post a question out to the general forum members out there to query about any thoughts and desires to study another style/art, if so then which one?
From my understanding most instructors seem to frown on cross-training in different styles. Why hasn't been made clear and my only (tongue in cheek) speculation is that they don't want their student's money to go to anyone else. But serious speculation is that it may hinder/alter the student's teachings/perspective of their first art, which ever one that may be.
Of all the different ones that are out there it can be confusing for the novice or beginner. Comments here rightly said that they need to search out what they desire to learn from said chosen art. If merely SD then finding the right one that fits their ideal of SD should be reasonably simple.
If searching for inner enlightenment or self-awareness then finding the right one with the right philosophy can be difficult.
I've studied a bit of many different arts. Though I've no formal schooling in any of them I still call myself a martial artist because of years of training and discipline with each one. When you're a poor man you get what you can whenever-wherever you can get it. It's my only excuse for not having a belt. But I don't feel that it makes me any less of a martial artist because what I have learned has effectively done what it was supposed to. Protect me and enlighten me.
So the question of: is one enough? It depends upon the individual. But I've learned that if one is to apply what they learn out in the real world in regards to SD then learning different styles is important because not all situations will be the same.
If one does not anticipate conflict outside the Dojo or tournament arena then staying with the "Mother-art" is a good idea.


:asian:

 

[don bohrer]

We have our kids in school learning so much during their formative years it's incredible. So why end it? Keep learning and enjoy your journey! Just remember that life is short and you should have no regrets when you get to the end of it. Now with that said I would add that quantity doesn't mean quality. It's not the art anyway, but more the way and how you train.

don

 

[Seig]

Is One Enough and Insights into Kenpo and Cross Training merged. It's the same topic.
Seig
-MT Moderator-

 

[rmcrobertson]

I still wait for somebody to tell me what's NOT in good kenpo.

Why blame the art for our failures of imagination and practice and understanding?

Sorry, guess I'm just, "naive at best."

Of course, if ya wanna cross, cross. Just realize why you're doing what you're doing. Nothing wrong with it, probably.

 

[lonekimono]

Hey Seig you have a way with words :asian: