Sticking with Your First Style?

[arnisador]

Looking at some of the threads here it seems as though virtually no one who has been in the arts for more than 5 years has stuck with the very first style they ever studied. In my case frequent moves were the reason I didn't stick with my second art (after 6 months of a McDojo), Isshin-ryu, which I enjoyed. If you have stuck with your first art, could you comment on why?

 

[tigerstorm]

I dont think I can answer with anything scientific to why you would have stayed. I can only say that Im still studying my first art and for the most part have had no formal class time in any other style since Ive started. I guess you just found the one that fits your mind body and spirit. For some reason a person can relate to the style there in you just happen to get lucky on the first stop.
Tigerstorm

 

[Kirk]

For myself, I had a strong fascination for martial arts, yet I knew
nothing about varying styles. After being in it just a little while,
I learned more, and decided to find the one that I felt I want to
spend a life time learning.

 

[Cthulhu]

My reasons were simple...my instructor left the U.S.A.F. and moved back to California, and I got married and moved to the other side of the state. As far as I know, I am literally the only Okinawa-te practitioner in the entire state of Florida.

Right now, I'm concentrating on my FMA studies, though I still practice the Okinawa-te forms.

Cthulhu

 

[Chiduce]

When i left the marines; there was no other matsumura orthodox shorin-ryu karate or shorin-ryu of any style school within my area. Just, goju-ryu, tai kwon do, karate, goshin-do etc,. Sincerely, In Humility; Chiduce!

 

[fist of fury]

My first art was okinawa te moving halfway acrss the country made me stop going. The commute to class was just too long.

 

[TangSooGuy]

I've been with my first art for 17 years straight, and the reason why is all because of the Association i am involved with.

I have constantly been exposed to multiple masters with different ways of doing things, and at the higher ranks, we have always been encouraged to see what we can discover. Within my own art, we have masters and instructors who have studied other arts and brought them back to teach at regional clinics, so even in staying with one association, I have been exposed to Tai Chi, Hap Ki Do, Ki Kong, Judo, numerous weapons, and more tyhan I really have time to list.

i think the key to it is there has constantly been something new to learn, and as long as I learned the basic requirements, there has always been freedom and even encouragement to choose an area to study more in depth.

i amnow working on my 4th Dan, and I feel that i have only cracked the surface of what there is to learn.

 

[vincefuess]

I started MA training as a young lad in Dallas, and having three older brothers who trained got the ball rolling. I started in Kyokushinkai, then Tang Soo Do, then ended up sticking with Chung Do Kwan for a couple of years until my parents moved me to the middle of nowhere (Gainesville, Tx). There was no steady MA training there- someone would move into town, start teaching, then move away within a year or so. I trained with some great martial artists through that period, albeit a few months at a time! I kid you not, I earned yellow/ orange belts in a wide variety of styles- TKD, Goju-Ryu, three different styles of Jujutsu, Kobudo, Gung Fu, Judo, and some home-made styles.

It wasn't until I graduated college, got a job, and settled in the DFW area that I seriously pursued training (and all of that exposure to different arts gave me some valuable insight into the type of training that suited me). I found the oldest, most established school in the area (which happened to be American Kenpo) and I have trained AK ever since (12 years now), though I now cross-train in other styles.

 

[Richard S.]

my first style was Hapkido, i was in love with it from day one but im a big guy and i never felt very good about some of the kicking techniques i mean the last thing in the world im built for is leaving the ground. but, i was intent, and it took a torn ACL to chase me off the first Wing Chun class i attended the birds sang the sun came out and i was in love again gom sa ham ni da.

 

[Shinzu]

i was first introduced to shotokan karate when i was a teen. i studied the art until i moved out of state.

there are no shotokan schools where i live now, otherwise i think i would still be involved in it. i have sinee switched to tang soo do which is very similar. so in a way i feel i am still attached to shotokan.

 

[tshadowchaser]

Many times a person starts in the arts at the only school around, or they start with a friend at their school, or perhaps one that their parents chose for them.
Any of the above reasons may spark the person to want more learning,but the school/system may just not be what the person is looking for. Perhaps the instructor is just not the right one, personality differences do take place.
there could be any number of reasons Encluding moveing for a person to change instructors or schools.
Shadow

 

[Monkey King]

I didn't stay with Shotokan because I ran out of money. It wasn't until a couple of years later that I began taking kung fu.

Learned some different styles while in the Marine Corps, but eventually went back to Kung Fu. I liked the fluidity.