Cross training???

[arod]

I know you have seen similar threads in the past but I’ll give this a shot anyway. I am considering attending Aikido classes. Yoshinkan Aikido is close by. Good school with good rep. Anyway I’m wondering how my current training in Tang Soo Do may be affected.

This may or may not be a precursor to leaving TSD for good. Just saying it openly hurts a bit. I am attracted to Aikido because I know I can continue to learn new techniques and be fulfilled by the training well into my retirement years and beyond, health permitting. TSD seems to take a toll on me and I’m unsure as to how long I can get enjoyment out of that kind of training. I have trained in Aikido before when I was younger so I am familiar with the training. Any thoughts?

[aplonis]

It all depends upon the political bent of the two instructors under whom you study. If they do not denegrate eachother's arts, then no worries.

I, for instance, persue a very similar course to the one you now consider undertaking. My main study is Tae Kwon Do. My alternate study is jujutsu, which I have taken instruction for under three different teachers.

The first-of-three grappling class was in Hakko Ryu, which I liked. But I had to take a break from that on account of chronic wrist pain and during the interim that teacher since moved out of town. The 2nd-of-3 teacher taught a thing called Takeda-ha Aiki-no-jutsu and was an individual so inflexibly dogmatic that he utterly dispised anyone of even a slightly eclectic mindset. So I bid his class an unaffectionate farewell.

I have only just recently signed up with the third instructor, teaching Shobudo Jujitsu. We had some email discussions first. Then I went to observe his class and ended up joining in on the session. It was great. I now have two instructors neither of whom denegrate alternate studies and are understanding of my eclectic bent.

So, in short, it can work out if you really want it to. You do not have to give anything up. As for myself, I like the idea of having a grappling response at hand should I need a polite (non-injurious) physical response to some socially awkward situation. I also like having a very hard response in my repertoir should a more demading situation arise.

The thing is you just can't hit anyone softly and expect it to be effective. You can, however, employ pain-compliance in such a way via jujutsu/aikido such that a single individual might be dissuaded from further hostile intentions. It can avoid payment of defense-lawyer's fees which might be the worst thing to happen you over and above, even beyond getting beaten up. But I have much greater confidence, should there be multiple opponents, of reducing their numbers by forceful striking, in which case any legal issues fall by the wayside.

It's nice to have choices. I vote you go for both arts at once. Just make sure the instructors both approve or at least tolerate your initiative.