Putting It All Together?

[Ronin74]

I could use some advice and input from you guys.

Taking into account some of the advice you guys gave me in a prior thread (http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=71271), I've been "window-shopping" at other martial arts schools, and have to say that while the training seems to be very helpful in shaking the rust off, I'm finding that a lot of this has been more review than a step towards growing as a martial artist. Now I thought I might be forming opinions too soon, so I kept my mouth shut and a stuck to the role of a beginner, and tried to put previous training way into the back of my mind.

Oddly enough, one instructor took me aside after her class and said she noticed that I was picking things up quick for a first-timer. I told her I had some experience, and she said that while I may pick up the techniques quickly, I might not find the training mentally stimulating, due to having practiced similar techniques in other arts, and that there's that risk of "feeling" stagnant if I don't feel that sense of having gained anything past a good workout. So I asked her, from one fellow martial artist to another, what she would suggest. She mentioned that perhaps it's not another martial art I need to learn, but rather learn how to bring it all together. She further went on to say that all the techniques I've picked up may already be "enough to work on for a lifetime", and that I just need to know how to have them work together for me.

I did mention to her that I did want to still join a martial arts group, so at least I could practice my techniques in a real-time situation. Interestingly enough, she thought joining an MMA/Boxing/Kickboxing group or school would give me the latitude to practice SOME of the techniques I've picked up (I can't very well bring out an Arnis stick, right... lol) as well as give me the right kind of intensity and motivation to train my mind to let the techniques come out, and not get caught up with where I learned it from.

Now her advice on MMA sounded like it would work, but here's my question. Do you guys think that for me to figure out how to get all my training to work in conjunction with each other, that perhaps I need to look outside of martial arts? If so, what would it be? Are we talking about taking a yoga class, or do I need to introduce different schools of thought into my life?

 

[Josh Oakley]

From my own experience, and I've had to start from scratch myself, I'd say try and look at the basics from fresh eyes. You can simply review, or you can delve deeper. One thing I tell my students that I apply in my own training is that there is no such thing as too much basics work, because anything that is advanced flows logically from the basics.

And you get a bonus thing to deal with: tedium. One of the things that's the most difficult and the most essential is to be able to find new reasons to be excited about the same front kick you've been working the past 20 years.

I've been in martial arts 20 years, but with everything I learn, the palm strike and front punch, which I learned at 5 years old, still are the most exciting things for me to train.

Dealing with teduim doesn't seem to sharpen the mind unless you take it from the perspective of endurance and temperance. And without a doubt, it trains the spirit.

IMHO, I think you're right to stick witht the class you're in if you like the instructor.

 

[bushidomartialarts]

It requires discipline, but look for new ideas even in things you've practiced many, many times.

For the first 10,000 repetitions (at least), you should be able to find something to work with every time you throw a punch, block or kick, let alone a kata.

Just my 3 cents canadian.

 

[terryl965]

I do not believe a MMA class is going to help you solve the techs. issue what it will do is help you not be so bored with your training. MY advice stands learn every aspect of your art the ins and outs of every single movements. Then tie it all together.

 

[Ronin74]

Thanks for the input guys. It sounds like the general consensus is for me to work on what I have and take a deeper look at it, which makes sense to me. Josh, I think the tedium you mentioned will be the challenge.

The hitch for me is that when it came to my training, my foundation was in Filipino Martial Arts, but to be more well-rounded, I did Karate, Boxing, and Muay Thai. [I guess I should elaborate here. I did Filipino Martial Arts for cultural reasons, but found the basic elements of the art (such as the angles and basic idea behind defense) to be very universal and applicable to many other arts. Unfortunately, when we would do empty hand techniques, we had to utilize what we had. In my case, a friend who was a Karate instructor taught me some very basic sets to give me some kind of an empty-handed striking background. Then there was the issue of how a lot of the training wasn't quite close to real-time speed (like how an attacker probably won't leave their arm out there for you to gain control of the situation), which led to me doing Boxing and Muay Thai.]

So what I'm trying to figure out is if there's a way for me to put all this together, or would I be looking at alternating what I work on (ie, Karate one day, Muay Thai the next, etc.)?

 

[searcher]

I knwo what you mean about the tedious part of starting over. It can be very slow and make a person bored. I just started over again in another style in another school and it is not what I was looking for, so what do I do? I go and find a school that IS what I am looking for. I will take the techniques I learned there with me(though they are limited) and move on.

What I am saying is, if it is not what you want then go find what is. But you should be expecting to move along somewhat slow in the beginning.

 

[Aniela13]

I totally understand that starting over can be tedious...but in my own experience, I have not found that to be the case. My new instructors are extremely helpful when it comes to keeping me "occupied", and even when doing "basic" things, I just try to show myself to be their most dedicated student ever so that they will note both my work ethic and skills increasing :ultracool

Like I said, this is just from my own experience; I can easily imagine how a different group of people might have put me in the position of dealing with tedium, but all that just to say that you might find that starting from scratch provides good review and sharpening, and not tedium

~Ani

 

[Josh Oakley]

I knwo what you mean about the tedious part of starting over. It can be very slow and make a person bored. I just started over again in another style in another school and it is not what I was looking for, so what do I do? I go and find a school that IS what I am looking for. I will take the techniques I learned there with me(though they are limited) and move on.

What I am saying is, if it is not what you want then go find what is. But you should be expecting to move along somewhat slow in the beginning.

What's nice about the tedium is it really trains the spirit.

 

[bluekey88]

Perhaps what you need is not a new class, but a training group? Gettign together with other martial artists in a more informal, egalitarian setting...where you can work on what you want and really focus on tieing tings together. In a typical MA class, you;re limited to what the instructor teaches and it is very ahrd to easily work in stuff from other arts (in my expereince). That happens elsewhere. Perhaps you need to seek out other like minded indiviudals and create a place like this for yourself and see what happens?

Peace,
Erik

 

[Deaf Smith]

If so, what would it be? Are we talking about taking a yoga class, or do I need to introduce different schools of thought into my life?

Ronin,

How about finding out of any of the students in the class want to practice outside class on advanced techniques. Or for that matter, does the instructor have an advanced class? Maybe post on a bulletin board for a training buddy.

I was lucky enough to find a training buddy. We worked out alot for years on Sundays at the GYM (she 3ed dan, but now has a boyfriend now and well that I under stand.)

And can you do two at once? Say the art you are in and a night or two at the MMA or Krav Maga schools?

Deaf