Trying to choose a combination of martial arts

[Oni_Kadaki]

Hey guys, I'm looking to join one or two schools after I move this summer and would like input from other martial artists. I've been bounced around the US quite a bit since I enlisted, so my study has been largely contingent on what was available locally. As a result, I've studied a little bit of a bunch of arts. A quick background...

• 2 years of Hakkoryu Japanese Jiu Jitsu in high school
• 6 years of Aikido (across several schools/states)
• 2 years BJJ
• 3 months Krav Maga
• 3 months Tang Soo Do
• 1.5 years Shorin-Ryu Karate
• 6 months American Kenpo Karate

I have found that I gravitate towards Japanese martial arts, and am looking at doing a combination of two of the following after I move. I very much love the principles of Aikido, but, due to my new position of military law enforcement, am also concerned with practicality. Any input you can provide would be very much appreciated.

• Hakkoryu Japanese Jiu Jitsu
• Aikijiujitsu
• Shorin-Ryu Karate
• A school that blends several martial arts, primarily Japanese and Brzailian jiu jitsu but also with other influences such at taijitsu
• Aikido

 

[Headhunter]

Whichever ones you enjoy most

 

[donald1]

Just a thought. Why not start off with one you like and wait until you get the hang of it before joining a second. Regardless of the choice you make good luck!

 

[drop bear]

Wrestle.

If you learn to wrestle. I think you will understand the principles of Aikido better.

 

[Oni_Kadaki]

Just a thought. Why not start off with one you like and wait until you get the hang of it before joining a second. Regardless of the choice you make good luck!

If I were starting fresh in any of them, I would absolutely agree. But my experience in each of the arts I'm looking at ranges from 1.5-6 years, so I feel I'll be capable of hitting the ground running in two, whatever combination I should choose.

As for wrestling, an interesting suggestion. I suspect the live practice would indeed be beneficial.

 

[DanT]

I would choose one stand up and one ground fighting style. Since you enjoy Japanese Martial Arts, I would suggest you find a good Karate Dojo that emphasizes frequent hard sparring. For the ground fighting element, judo and Japanese-Jiujitsu are amazing styles. Good Aikido schools are very rare.

Your best bet:

-Karate and Judo
OR
-Karate and Japanese-Jiujitsu

 

[macher]

I would choose one stand up and one ground fighting style. Since you enjoy Japanese Martial Arts, I would suggest you find a good Karate Dojo that emphasizes frequent hard sparring. For the ground fighting element, judo and Japanese-Jiujitsu are amazing styles. Good Aikido schools are very rare.

Your best bet:

-Karate and Judo
OR
-Karate and Japanese-Jiujitsu

I have yet to find a Aikido dojo that doesn’t do wishy washy sparring.

 

[IvanTheBrick]

Hey guys, I'm looking to join one or two schools after I move this summer and would like input from other martial artists. I've been bounced around the US quite a bit since I enlisted, so my study has been largely contingent on what was available locally. As a result, I've studied a little bit of a bunch of arts. A quick background...

• 2 years of Hakkoryu Japanese Jiu Jitsu in high school
• 6 years of Aikido (across several schools/states)
• 2 years BJJ
• 3 months Krav Maga
• 3 months Tang Soo Do
• 1.5 years Shorin-Ryu Karate
• 6 months American Kenpo Karate

I have found that I gravitate towards Japanese martial arts, and am looking at doing a combination of two of the following after I move. I very much love the principles of Aikido, but, due to my new position of military law enforcement, am also concerned with practicality. Any input you can provide would be very much appreciated.

• Hakkoryu Japanese Jiu Jitsu
• Aikijiujitsu
• Shorin-Ryu Karate
• A school that blends several martial arts, primarily Japanese and Brzailian jiu jitsu but also with other influences such at taijitsu
• Aikido

I recommend 2 or 3 martial arts. 70% of a fight, according to a book I am reading, is made up of striking. Something basic such as boxing or kickboxing would be great since it's th emost modern and thus the most easily applicable. Then, a takedown martial art for when the opportunity presents itself, such as Judo, but your Japanese Jiu Jitsu should supply that. Last but not least is groundwork, so maybe BJJ or wrestling.

When looking for practicality you need to make sure you've filled all components of a fight:

1. Strikes
2. Takedowns
3. Groundwork

 

[Oni_Kadaki]

I recommend 2 or 3 martial arts. 70% of a fight, according to a book I am reading, is made up of striking. Something basic such as boxing or kickboxing would be great since it's th emost modern and thus the most easily applicable. Then, a takedown martial art for when the opportunity presents itself, such as Judo, but your Japanese Jiu Jitsu should supply that. Last but not least is groundwork, so maybe BJJ or wrestling.

When looking for practicality you need to make sure you've filled all components of a fight:

1. Strikes
2. Takedowns
3. Groundwork

Interesting. I had always considered training in two arts at the same time to be my practical limit, but your point about mixing and matching arts that specialize in these three areas is well taken. One of the two Japanese Jiu Jitsu schools I'm looking at actually incorporates BJJ groundwork into its curriculum, which may cover both the takedown and groundfighting domains.

 

[jobo]

I recommend 2 or 3 martial arts. 70% of a fight, according to a book I am reading, is made up of striking. Something basic such as boxing or kickboxing would be great since it's th emost modern and thus the most easily applicable. Then, a takedown martial art for when the opportunity presents itself, such as Judo, but your Japanese Jiu Jitsu should supply that. Last but not least is groundwork, so maybe BJJ or wrestling.

When looking for practicality you need to make sure you've filled all components of a fight:

1. Strikes
2. Takedowns
3. Groundwork

I don't agree with you staT, most of the fights I've seen consist of 3or 4punches then two blokes wrestling on the ground sUrrounded by broken tables and glasess.

If a fight stays up right for most of its duration that because one or both are accomplished strikers and avoid clinches and there is room to move or more likely one of the first flurry of punches connects and that's fight over

 

[IvanTheBrick]

I don't agree with you staT, most of the fights I've seen consist of 3or 4punches then two blokes wrestling on the ground sUrrounded by broken tables and glasess.

If a fight stays up right for most of its duration that because one or both are accomplished strikers and avoid clinches and there is room to move or more likely one of the first flurry of punches connects and that's fight over

Source of my statistics: Angry White Pyjamas
It's a book on Aikido which I really recommend. The statistics was concluded by an Aikido Master Kancho, if my memory serves me right. Name or character could be wrong, but it's all non-fiction and the statistic is in there!

 

[IvanTheBrick]

Interesting. I had always considered training in two arts at the same time to be my practical limit, but your point about mixing and matching arts that specialize in these three areas is well taken. One of the two Japanese Jiu Jitsu schools I'm looking at actually incorporates BJJ groundwork into its curriculum, which may cover both the takedown and groundfighting domains.

I don't have personal experience in BJJ, but I have read that it's over complicated and only useful in Sport. It's practicality won't really come in handy unless it's a 1v1 scenario, otherwise you're gonna get kicked while lying on broken glass on the street trying to apply an arm bar. Make sure the ground work is easy. Krav Maga and Ruska Systema are great for it.

 

[Encho]

Hey guys, I'm looking to join one or two schools after I move this summer and would like input from other martial artists. I've been bounced around the US quite a bit since I enlisted, so my study has been largely contingent on what was available locally. As a result, I've studied a little bit of a bunch of arts. A quick background...

• 2 years of Hakkoryu Japanese Jiu Jitsu in high school
• 6 years of Aikido (across several schools/states)
• 2 years BJJ
• 3 months Krav Maga
• 3 months Tang Soo Do
• 1.5 years Shorin-Ryu Karate
• 6 months American Kenpo Karate

I have found that I gravitate towards Japanese martial arts, and am looking at doing a combination of two of the following after I move. I very much love the principles of Aikido, but, due to my new position of military law enforcement, am also concerned with practicality. Any input you can provide would be very much appreciated.

• Hakkoryu Japanese Jiu Jitsu
• Aikijiujitsu
• Shorin-Ryu Karate
• A school that blends several martial arts, primarily Japanese and Brzailian jiu jitsu but also with other influences such at taijitsu
• Aikido

Dear OP,

I practice traditional Japanese style similar to yours such as Daito ryu aikijujutsu and some other classical styles. My thought is if you do not have any type of resistance in your training it doesn't matter what style you do because the end results will be the same.

Daito ryu and it's derivatives especially hakko ryu are very good joint lock and control arts, Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a great art to deal with a person mounding you, escrima is excellent in dealing with armed weapons and disarms.

Unfortunately, daito ryu and it's derivatives are just not designed or geared to roll around on the ground in newaza so that does leave a gap if you feel that is an area you want to improve in. My suggestion is goshinjutsu a self defense modernized version of what you will engage in. That could mean doing hakko ryu and aikido with henka, adding Brazilian jiu-jitsu to your hakko ryu, and some escrima for weapon based disarms.

 

[drop bear]

I don't have personal experience in BJJ, but I have read that it's over complicated and only useful in Sport. It's practicality won't really come in handy unless it's a 1v1 scenario, otherwise you're gonna get kicked while lying on broken glass on the street trying to apply an arm bar. Make sure the ground work is easy. Krav Maga and Ruska Systema are great for it.

Krav is notorious for bad groundwork. You wont even deal with that one guy.

 

[Oni_Kadaki]

Dear OP,

I practice traditional Japanese style similar to yours such as Daito ryu aikijujutsu and some other classical styles. My thought is if you do not have any type of resistance in your training it doesn't matter what style you do because the end results will be the same.

Daito ryu and it's derivatives especially hakko ryu are very good joint lock and control arts, Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a great art to deal with a person mounding you, escrima is excellent in dealing with armed weapons and disarms.

Unfortunately, daito ryu and it's derivatives are just not designed or geared to roll around on the ground in newaza so that does leave a gap if you feel that is an area you want to improve in. My suggestion is goshinjutsu a self defense modernized version of what you will engage in. That could mean doing hakko ryu and aikido with henka, adding Brazilian jiu-jitsu to your hakko ryu, and some escrima for weapon based disarms.

I am quite familiar with both Hakko Ryu and Daito Ryu. I do want an element of groundfighting as it has saved my life (and that of the guy I was protecting) before, but I'm more concerned with stand up striking and grappling. And I thoroughly agree with you on resistance in training, which is one of the reasons I find myself considering jiu jitsu over my beloved Aikido.

 

[Encho]

I am quite familiar with both Hakko Ryu and Daito Ryu. I do want an element of groundfighting as it has saved my life (and that of the guy I was protecting) before, but I'm more concerned with stand up striking and grappling. And I thoroughly agree with you on resistance in training, which is one of the reasons I find myself considering jiu jitsu over my beloved Aikido.

My thing with aikido is its not so much the technique that is the problem as most is just henka of Daito ryu, but that a lot of what is taught is muddied with ki and compliance and devoid of any kernel of practical application, though there are exceptions note Worthy nihon goshin, tenshin, Lenny's tenshin, some other offshoots.

 

[Oni_Kadaki]

My thing with aikido is its not so much the technique that is the problem as most is just henka of Daito ryu, but that a lot of what is taught is muddied with ki and compliance and devoid of any kernel of practical application, though there are exceptions note Worthy nihon goshin, tenshin, Lenny's tenshin, some other offshoots.

I have been fortunate in that my first Aikido school had several instructors who were also law enforcement/military, so they had practical knowledge to bring to the table. Additionally, when I was at the worst dojo at which I've studied, I had a friend with some serious boxing and brawling experience training with me, so I always had an uke who would, in his words, "be a dick." That gave me lots of practice with a noncompliant opponent.

 

[IvanTheBrick]

Krav is notorious for bad groundwork. You wont even deal with that one guy.

I took one free session of Krav Maga and learnt better groundwork from it than my friend did in 3 weeks of BJJ. Simplicity almost always wins because you don't have to remember 13 steps for each lock.

 

[macher]

Krav is notorious for bad groundwork. You wont even deal with that one guy.

Not really against the average Joe. I will say it’s more simplistic than BJJ.