2 Martial Arts at once?

[zentaiko]

Is it too much to study 2 different types of martial arts at the same time? Are there benefits?

Nathan Tuttle

[tkdcanada]

I suppose it would be like studying two (or more) languages at the same time. You will learn lots and pick up interesting things from each but will likely never master either. I guess it depends on what you want. If you want to broaden your knowledge on a more superficial level, why not? but if you want to really get deep down into it, then probably better to concentrate on only one. Only you know how your brain works and if it would benefit you.

[StanLee]

I am currently training in aikido, Inaba-ha KSR kenjutsu and kendo; plus three hours a week on taiji quan. I find that they complement each other with many similarities, however, there are some things that are not similar. I therefore switch into a different way of using my body for each art.

But my main studies are in aikido and kenjutsu, so I spend more time investigating them.

[Jeff Burger]

I was doing Karate an witnessed a black belt get beat after he was taken to the ground. So I starte doing Judo too.
I was scolded by both to just focus on one thing. IMO I was doing one thing ...martial arts.
Since then I have trained wherever I could in whatever I could. I went to seminars checked out different school...
When I opend my first school in Boston I had already gone to many schools in the area. I made sure to make friends competant from other styles at those schools.
We had a kick boxing class and a grappling class. Often one of them would come in and do "their thing".
It might a TKD or CMA guy doing their expression of kick boxing or a Ju Jitsu guy doing his thing for grappling.

Being Jack of all trades may make you never master of one but I firmly beleive you need all the pieces.

If your into a style for the the art then mixed training could hurt you.
If your into it for self defense then you will want striking, grappling, weapons, multiple opponents, disadvantage positions, improvised weapons.

Jeff

[Becky_Sheetz]

Nathan, I think it depends on which 2 arts you are talking about. Some arts are quite complementary. Others are diametrically opposed. Which 2 are you considering studying or currently studying?

[De_Franza]

I basically agree with Becky. (actually, one of my karate instructors currently trains in BJJ a couple times a week.)

If you're studying two arts that are not similar and complement each other (say a striking art and a grappeling art) then studying both will make you a stronger fighter overall. If you're studying two striking arts, and they do things differently, that will be conterproductive, IMO, as it adds unneeded confusion that will probably slow down your technique or otherwise hinder your fighting or artistic presentation.

I'm inclined to suggest that you should have some solid base with one before starting the other, so one system can be your "bread and butter" in a conflict. If you have too many options, you may start to think too much during a conflict, which can actually be deleterious.

If you're totally new to MA's I'd say do one at a time just because it's a lot to absorb all at once and you may want to get one down pretty solidly before adding more to the mix, but that's just me.

[black-gi]

filling your body and head with knowledge is what I suggest to students. you will find things out on your own that way. Plus you will be a hell of a fighter.



Jason Bryant

[wab25]

I am going to go with Bill on this one. Start with one style, and get a good base. With most, a good base is like Black Belt. Then, when you look at other things, you have a working base to plug in the other ideas.

One of the things BJJ claims that makes them unique is that they teach not only a set of moves, but a plan of attack as well, a system for using the moves they teach you. In reality, most styles do this, just in different ways. Once you have a system down, then you have something to start with, to add to, to take from, to modify..... If you just go around collecting moves, you will never have a system, and it is the system that is important.

Too many people want you to take a little from everyone and "find your own way." Martial Arts, is different than that. The story says that each style has been perfected over thousands of years.... Ok, so they can't prove that, but most systems can easily trace back around 100 years of history. Thats 100 years of experience to draw on. Certainly, it is more experience than your average beginner has when starting martial arts. Certaim moves, and strategies go together in certain ways to accomplish certain things. Many times, beginners throw away what will be important and keep stuff that in their great wisdom, works better. Its like all the kids in our childrens jujitsu coarse. When they do standing randori, they all try for o'soto gari. They also try to stop the other guy by locking their arms out in front of them. The strategy works great when dealing with the childrens set of moves. You can't talk them out of doing it no matter what. Then they move into the adult class when they are old enough and they get arm barred, hit, kicked, thrown ( sacrifice throws ) the instant they lock their arms. The smart ones say "thats why you always told me not to do that." In jumping around, art to art, too soon, we become the child, locking our arms out because "you take what works, and discard the rest." We never get to the next step until its too late. Instead, start with one art. Learn it well. Then when you visit other arts, you will know how to add it to your own stuff. Hopefully, you will also learn to respect things that you don't understand yet.

[tbmonti]

Depending on the 2 styles I think it can be benificial to study 2 at the same time. When i was studying Okinawan Karate I also took Kenjutsu and found them to be a very good pair. Since the bulk of my time has been spent studying Tae Kwon Do I have doubled up with Hapkido and Kumdo and both worked out very well for me. I would have to agree with those that said you should get a solid base in one art to start out with. I was already a black belt in Tae Kwon Do when I did most of my cross-training and I think that is why I was able to pick things up so quickly. Good Luck!

Anthony B. Monti

[Dennis Monk]

I guess I am somewhere in the middle on this one. I only study one style, however my instructor holds black belts (non store bought) in Tae Kwon Do, Aikido, Kenpo and has years of study in other arts as well. What he teaches is a broad base of all of it. I mainly take MA because it is a great way of getting exercise and actually learning something at the same time. He has been at it for over 30 years. I don't aspire to have a closet full of trophies or a wall of belts and certificates. I like learning self defense and discipline while breaking one mean sweat doing it. I would really like to start BJJ. Not because of the whole band wagon thing, but because in my line of work, confrontations almost always go to the ground. We do some grappling in our school but it is basic at best. I have learned more from Cliff (moderator) than anyone else when it comes to ground fighting. I guess my personal take on it is learn everything you can, just know your limits. I don't see someone studying several different arts and being able to devote enough time to any of them to become an all out master. How many of us, really, strive for that? I think most folks that study any art just want to become efficent, profficient and learn as much as they can handle.

[Cliff Hargrave]

I don't think there is really a right answer to this. Eveyone is different, has different abilities, and can absorb things at different rates. If you feel like trying it then go right ahead. I have trained two arts side by side for many years and I loved it. I know others that really couldn't do it. Try it and see is the only real answer.

[De_Franza]

Cliff makes a good point, maybe it would work for some and not for others.
Bill B makes another good point, by learning the strenths of a system/syle/art you also learn it's weaknesses and can better choose another to "fill in" the gaps.

(I'm not help at all, am I? )

[ShaolinFist]

im in shaolin kung fu at the moment and was thinking about joining maybe a TKD school or something because i noticed a lot of students there can jump pretty high and kick pretty well and kung fu, especially southern, doesnt concentrate on that as much. the only problem is my cash flow...which is currently $0 and 1 cent(s), granted i find a penny on the ground

[Good advisor]

I am about to join a Muay Thai gym and I can't practice katas and shadow boxing at the same time.

[black-gi]

I don't know why you would want to? lol

[Becky_Sheetz]

I am just curious about what arts you find oppose each other. Could you clarify this for me please.

Sure, Chris. Just as the decision of when to look into a second or third martial art, a lot of it has to do with the individual. What I consider to be diametrically opposed may be a perfect fit for you. But I do believe some fits are better than others.

I had a devil of a time transitioning for Shotokan karate and Tango Soo Do to aiki-jujitsu. Shotokan and TSD are both so linear and finite that the circular movement and fluid application of ajj was tough. By comparison, it came, much much easier to my classmates. I just wanted to bang my head against a wall. I know my instructors did too.

While there are elements of soft in a hard system and vice versa, I, personally, cannot train in both at once. That's not to say I can't work on my side kicks and straight punches, for example, while I am a student of jujitsu, but as a whole, my mind and body just won't respond to full commitment to both such systems at the same time.

Many traditional arts are very formulaic. Your right hand goes here; your left toe is pointed at precisely this angle. Other traditional and more "modern" arts do not adopt this "do it this way or don't do it at all philosophy," as they take into account different body types, past injuries, etc. Physically, it may not be hard for a student to do both at the same time, but philosopically, would they want to?

To go back to my karate/jujitsu example. Karate, as I trained in it, was 98% closed fist. Jujitsu, as I train it, is about 90% open hand. I resisted that transition with every fiber of my being, wanting to clench my fists all the time. Doing an art that is closed fist on Monday and one that is open on Tuesday can be determintal and hinder a student's potential.

I'm sure there are those out there who can couple any two arts. I'm not one of them.

[black-gi]

of course you are going to do what comes natural first. ( ie karate for 8 yrs. to BJJ for the first time) I cannot see how it would be hindering to learn another art? it takes time just like it does from the beginning of anything but if you keep an empty cup I found that there are things that work better for me because I have taken up another art. Again this is my opinion.




Jason Bryant

[Zujitsuka]

I agree with Cliff on this. I have pretty much trained in two martial arts for the past couple of years. Up until last year I trained in Jujutsu and Western Boxing. Now in addition to my Jujutsu, I'm training in Judo.

[Andrew Green]

Do you want to study two things, or one thing from 2 different perspectives?

Like Jeff said, different goals are better suited by different training.

Studying two differen styles will cause problems, and you may never get as good at either.

Of course if you want to study one thing (Martial Arts) getting two very different perspectives will help a lot.

[Mandeigh Wells]

Becky said...

Shotokan and TSD are both so linear and finite that the circular movement and fluid application of ajj was tough.

you found TDS linear????Funny cos when I trained in TSD (alongside taijiquan) I felt that the movement was very much in tune with the taiji principles........interesting.