Cross Training

Discussion in 'General Martial Arts Discussion' started by Zerodauto, Jan 2, 2011.

  1. Zerodauto

    Zerodauto Valued Member

    I am curious to know; when any of you take up a second martial art, do you continue training in your original art as well? For example, I practice Tkd and I want to start to practice Shotokan as well. Should I wait until I get my BB before I consider taking up a second style or is it normal for people to do more than one style at the same time?
     
  2. Moi

    Moi Warriors live forever x

    That's two very similar styles, any reason for that? Some confusion might arise. Cross training is usually done to get proficient at another range that your primary art doesn't cover. You're basically doing the same thing under two different names
     
  3. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    I personally wouldn't cross train Shotokan and TKD.

    I think you'll find problems with the movement of those arts in the way they generate power conflicting with each other.

    Judo or another grappling art would be a good compliment to your TKD and would be less likely to cause you problems.

    I do cross train, but I'm 3rd Dan in TKD and studying Enshin Karate (think kyokushin with grabs and throws) and I still have real problems sometimes. I am old and stupid though.

    Mitch
     
  4. Anth

    Anth Daft. Supporter

    I agree with Moi and Mitch in that TKD and Shotokan are too similar for their to be any benefit from cross-training. I personally study Aikido alongside Kamishin Ryu Karate and started when I was already a Karate 2nd dan (more through severe shortage of anything other than Karate and TKD in this area than any other reason). I'm training more Aikido than Karate these days but that should be swapping itself back around shortly.
     
  5. Moi

    Moi Warriors live forever x

    I'd second judo for a great art to cross train with just about anything. It'll improve your TKD, any issues with lack of hard contact, give you a close range as well as a groundgame. The similarities between the two arts are that the clubs often attract a similar sort of person and fantastic competition opportunities
     
  6. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    Plus TKD was taught in a yudo gym in Korea in the early days and many early practicioners were also yudo practicioners. The grappling of TKD takes much from yudo to my admittedly inexperienced eye.

    Mitch
     
  7. Kemposhot

    Kemposhot Valued Member

    I had a friend who decided to cross train in an art very similar to his. It can get confusing when trying to spar or remember different forms in each.

    Are you an advanced rank in your original art? If you aren't you may want to hold off for a little while. Training then in a similar art may be easier.

    Unless of course you wanted to do something different that your art doesn't cover then your art, then cross training wouldn't be a bad idea at all.
     
  8. Zerodauto

    Zerodauto Valued Member

    I'm actually aware of this because an old friend of mine is a purple in Shotokan and his father has a black belt. They taught me the basics of Shotokan before I ever went to TKD. I did go to a class of his when I was a yellow belt I was able to adjust fairly easy for the most part. I decided Shotokan because of the fact that they are similar arts.

    I am a Green belt, I would be purple but I took a few months off of class because a friend of mine who is a third degree said he would train me and give me the belt ranks. So I never stopped training, but I did decide to go back to my dojang. I will have trained formally for a year this month.


    I see that everyone is telling me to pick something different, like judo. I only know of one Judo school in my area and I only seen it open once but I hear it is open only three days a week. Any other style recommendations?
     
  9. Bruce W Sims

    Bruce W Sims Banned Banned

    There are at least as half-dozen threads on the subject of cross-training as well as training between styles and transitioning into other styles so just a few questions.

    What digging have you done using the "search" option here?

    Have you made-up your own mind on this subject?

    What are you afraid will happen if you rely only on your own judgement?

    Are you actually looking for someone to give you the optimal answer or are you simply looking to have a "MA Themed" discussion and are at a loss for any other subject to discuss?

    Help?

    Best Wishes,

    Bruce
     
  10. Zerodauto

    Zerodauto Valued Member

    I have not used the search button.

    I have yet to make up my mind.

    I'm just not sure if it would be a good idea or not. I see many people with multiple BB's and I am curious as to how they received each. I already know form experience the effects of mixing styles. For example, after learning the crescent kick and heel kick from people other than my master, I have combined the two and when ever I use do my heel kick I naturally preform it crescent into heel kick. I do have the control to not perform the kick in class because it isn't a kick I learn until my next belt level. I started the thread to have others help me on getting the best answer for my case.
     
  11. Moosey

    Moosey invariably, a moose Supporter

    As a shotokan person myself, I wouldn't cross train it with TKD. From my perspective, a lot of the TKD techniques are just shotokan ones done wrong (and I'm sure a lot of TKD people view it the other way round). There's no point doing two styles that teach you the same things in conflicting ways - you have nothing to gain.

    If I were going to take up another art (and I have looked into it), I'd try and find a good judo or jujutsu school. There are the foundations of lots of jujutsu techniques in karate/taekwondo but you won't get really good at them without joining a club that focuses on them. If you want to expand on your TKD, I'd check out judo or jujutsu. I think you'll find they sort of "slot together" to make a broader martial art.

    Edit: or just do karate instead :D :hat:
     
  12. Zerodauto

    Zerodauto Valued Member

    Well since I'm seeing a common theme of Judo and Jujitsu, I will look into finding those school in my area and look into joining. Might I ask why no one has recommend BJJ?
     
  13. Moosey

    Moosey invariably, a moose Supporter

    No reason. It's good fun and very handy for ground fighting. There's a degree of overlap between judo, jujutsu and BJJ - it just depends whether there are specific elements you'd like to focus on: judo for throwing, JJ for joint locks and restraints, BJJ for ground wrestling. Of the lessons I've done, BJJ was the most fun, judo the toughest and JJ the one with the most immediate joining-on points to karate. All depends what you want.
     
  14. Bruce W Sims

    Bruce W Sims Banned Banned

    OK, Zero....Moosey just gave you an excellent reason to check out previous threads. Moosey reports that he is a SHOTOKAN practitioner, which makes his in-put in this regard invaluable. However, in the time that it takes to get, say, five "Moosey"-sort of contributions----probably four pages of drivel---- you could read the threads that have covered this topic nine-ways-from Sunday. The result would be that you would come to a thread aqnd say something like "I've been considering cross-training and based on the information I have so far, I'm thinking along the lines of "X". However, I have issues a,b,&c with this. What do you all think?" In this way you start the discussion at a higher level of development and do not have to "reinvent the wheel" (as it were). See where I am going with this?

    Best Wishes,

    Bruce
     
  15. Zerodauto

    Zerodauto Valued Member

    I can agree with BJJ being fun, I did it for about two months. I just find that most classes are expensive and limiting to the amount of time you can go each week. I would really like to learn Jujitsu but I don't think there are any school close to me. There is a Judo school in which a friend of mine got his BB from, I'll look into that.
     
  16. Herbo

    Herbo Valued Member

    I'd also recommend Judo for you, or indeed BJJ or some form of wrestling. Basically a grappling style to compliment your striking experience.

    However if grappling's not your thing I'd recommend you do boxing rather than shotokan. It'll be less conflicting and I know guys who've vastly improved their hands by cross training after initial experience in tkd.
     
  17. Moi

    Moi Warriors live forever x

    The readon I didn't recommend BJJ was the cost more than anything but another very useful art. Still think your missing a close up range whilst still on your feet but with those high kicks in a real fight that's not going to last very long so BJJ might be ideal :)
     
  18. Killa_Gorillas

    Killa_Gorillas Banned Banned

    what about thai boxing? you'd get the clinch and have a chance to utilse your tkd in a hard sparring environment under one of the best striking rulesets available...
     
  19. Moi

    Moi Warriors live forever x

    I don't think they go that well. The stance for each art is too different and the contact levels are usually at opposite ends of the contact spectrum. Kickboxing might be a better idea
     
  20. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    Depends on how he trains his TKD :)

    Mitch
     

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