Other styles?

HKphooey

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How many schools out there invite other styles into there school for seminars or special classes? I think that martial arts training is like day to day life - the more you know about others, the more well-rounded you become. In grammar school, I can remember having United Nations week. Students would bring in foods, music, and clothing from their cultures so that we could experience things from outside our own.

I know some schools may fear bringing in other styles may cause students to leave for something they find more interesting. I think in the long run the students will appreciate the confidence their school has.
 
We get visits from other schools in the area now and then. Our last visit was from a Shotokan school and it was great to work with them.

Our tournaments are open to any and all. I have seen several karate styles, a couple chinese styles as well as TKD, of course. I enjoy watching other disciplines, myself.
 
I think it is a great idea that way students get to see other styles and learn something from them since we all have something to share. I think that any school the doesnt fears losing students which should not be a issue if what you teach is solid. If a student does leave maybe the student found a style which suit them better and although it is a disappointment to lose a student it should also be a happy thing b/c that student has found somethign that works best for them and makes them more happy.
 
My gym doesnt activcely invite other styles, but alot of people who start training in our gym already have expericence of other martial arts(I was the same way,before I started Thai Boxing I had trained in Japanese Jujitsu,Modified Korean Karate, Ninpo Budo Taijitsu,I even had done some "Pit Fighting" and trained with a guy who Boxed and practied Kajukempo).

I remember on night was this one new guy,who had to spar
on his first night .I could tell by the way be fought,that he was from a Taekwondo background.He kept his guard down,but was able to ulitlize many fast (TKD-style) roundhouse kicks and spinning moves.That can work to his advantage in Muay Thai because most Muay Thai fighters do not expect spinning moves,because they are rarely practice in Muay Thai.

There's another fighter in our gym who use to be a boxer when he spars you can really tell because his hand skills or incredible!Another fighter I know use to be a kickboxer,he is really talented because he mixes Muay Thai with the looseness and boxing-type tatics of American kickboxing,making him a very deceptive and verstile fighter.

Being fimilar(after you have build a solid base in your own style) with other styles,other methods of fighting,and ideals of stragety can make any fighter quite verstile and able to adapt to any
situation.
 
Virtually every seminar we ever have is diverse in styles. For instance, our last seminar included goju-ryu, judo, kuntao silat, serrada escrima, pekiti tirsia, tai chi, qi gong, and like I said, this is the norm not the execption for us.
 
I have a sholin kung fu guys come in about once a week and they train with us and we with them.

Every Art should see other styles for comparasion.
Terry
 
My karate club has, on a regular basis, TKD, aikido, kung fu, kickboxing and BJJ instructors come through and give us seminars. Very open-minded instructors who encourage us to cross-train. They also encourage us to attend outside seminars as well and to compete in open tournaments so we can really go out there and experience all sorts of MA.
 
For years the club I go to has hosted seminars by instructors from related arts, and annually organizes a weekend long event with 30-50 instructors teaching tai chi judo, bjj, jiu jitsu kickboxing, karate, weaponry, sambo, FMA, etc. Have had the chance to train with Shaolin monks, top ranked judoka, world champion kickboxers, full contact stick fighters, instructors from Canada, USA, Germany,Norway,Finland, England, France and Russia, amongst others.
 
Sadly, I had to go outside for experience. The only way outside material got into where I was, was when I did it in my self defense combos, and it was like "cool! Show them that too!", or some of our seniors went out, trained, came back and taught.
 
I encourage my students to explore and invite others to train with us. Anytime I get the chance I invite someone to the school, regardless of their training, to see what everyone else is doing.

Ciao
KenpoBruce2006
 
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