Have you ever quit one MA and came back to a different ...

Discussion in 'General Martial Arts Discussion' started by MowJ, Oct 11, 2015.

  1. MowJ

    MowJ Valued Member

    One? From about mid 2011-13, about 1.5 years I studied Chuck Norris style karate. I quit and haven't trained since early 2013 in anything. Since that time I've developed T2 diabetes and am looking to get back into the arts because of that and because I miss it. There are several reasons I quit...work schedule, the owner changing class times every 3-4 months to accommodate the various other things he wanted to implement (Zumba, cardio kickboxing, etc), getting tested for a belt every 3 months and what I felt like was belt buying, having to join an organization before being able to test for advanced belts....I could go on. Anyway I'm at a better time to start back and instead of continuing in that style, I wanted to start in Hapkido. I know stylistically they are a bit different but I've always been intrigued by it. I can remember seeing in Black Belt magazine from about 1984 an article that said Hapkido gun disarm, that rang a bell and I still remember that catchy phrase today lol. Anyway, have any of you ever quit one art and after a layoff started back in another? I think the first time it took me awhile to realize I was standing in line at McDojos.
     
  2. Bozza Bostik

    Bozza Bostik Antichrist on Button Moon

    Tons of times.

    I had about a 9 year break from martial arts. I was doing mma and Greco Roman wrestling, got bored, took a break and started FMA. After a few months of that I also started capoeira. I wanted to do something very different from MMA and wrestling, simple as that. I'd done some FMA before and it was just a load of fun.

    Switching martial arts is pretty normal and common. Don't sweat it.
     
  3. Knee Rider

    Knee Rider Valued Member Supporter

    I quit WJJF jujitsu as a teen because it was mcdojo nonsense. I quit Hung Gar in my early 20s because 70-80% of class was form/two man set and application was hit and miss in quality. I've dabbled in everything from Taijutsu, Krav Maga, ninpo to tkd over the years. Settled and fell in love with BJJ in 2009. Trained on and off over the last 6yrs. Longest break was between 2012 and 2013. Last year I started Thai boxing... Loved it. Decided to reconcile my two loves by training MMA and never been happier.

    As you can see I've jumped around a bit. I think if you enjoy the arts, remain self critical and maintain an open-minded skepticism then you can and should dictate your training on your own needs as and when.

    Have you started hapkido yet?
     
  4. LemonSloth

    LemonSloth Laugh and grow fat!

    Yep. It's actually pretty normal and nothing to really sweat about.
     
  5. ap Oweyn

    ap Oweyn Ret. Supporter

    Are you talking about having a significant break in between? I started in taekwondo and then left that style to pursue FMA. My new school also taught taekwondo, so I would spar with them periodically. But I essentially stopped doing taekwondo and went straight to FMA.

    If we're talking about taking a break, that's a little different. I would characterize what I did as a progressive phasing out of martial arts as other things came up: marriage, parenthood, health concerns, etc. With intermittent attempts to return to form. Culminating in a run at BJJ that was cut short by 1) kidney failure and 2) the undeniable fact that I just don't enjoy grappling that much.

    Now I'm out permanently. Doctor's orders. But I've been essentially moving toward "out" for a while now. I'm not sure I would count any of my brief dalliances with returning as a serious study of another style.
     
  6. Smitfire

    Smitfire Cactus Schlong

    Here (roughly) is a timeline of arts I've done and why I went from one to another...

    Karate first art studied. A friend did it. Simple as that. No research or looking around.
    Karate to TKD. Went away to university and the TAGB had a good rep so joined them.
    TKD to Progressive Hapkido. This was around the time of the first UFC's and although a BB in TKD I didn't know how to grapple, clinch, knee, elbow, etc etc. The Hapkido club was a cross training club (Savate, JKD, FMA) that did all that so I went there. Great club.
    Hapkido to Thai boxing. I moved to another city because of work and always fancied Thai. Added BJJ and Rapid Arnis at this time too. Looking to be a rounded fighter with versatile skills. A few years of lots of training. Great times. :)
    Onto Shidokan Karate. Met my Karate instructor through Thai boxing and liked him. The Thai club closed down and the driving to get around for Arnis and BJJ was getting too much. As a new family man I couldn't spend as much time on martial arts as I had in my 20's and early 30's. Plus I like the style.
    Shidokan to TKD. Went back to TKD for a spell initially to bolster training for my first (and only) knockdown competition. Enjoyed it so stayed for a couple of years.
    Very sporadic training thereafter. Weeks and months of not training at all for various reasons (injuries, health, kids, work, couldn't be arsed, etc etc).
    Tried Judo in an attempt to kick start my martial arts again. Always fancied Judo. Tried it for a few months but found it very hard going and too hard on my weak body.
    Another few months not training (again due to kids, health, etc).
    And hen as if to go full circle I'm back with the original TKD association I was with 20 odd years ago (different club though). I'm not as flexible as I once was, not as fast, not as "handy" in a sparring session. BUT...my daughter trains at the same club, it keeps me active as a middle aged man, I like the instructor and I'm having fun with martial arts again. :)

    So as you can see people chop and change what, where and why they train all the time IMHO. It's all good.
     
  7. Dan93

    Dan93 Valued Member

    Many times! Perfectly normal. Sometimes people outgrow their training and look to cover other areas they are weak in or have a interest in.

    I quit Karate many years ago (Shotokan my first MA), trained in other martial arts before coming back home to karate only in a different system (Kyokushin) with more insight and appreciation for the art.
     
  8. MowJ

    MowJ Valued Member

    I want to train for self defense and as I posted to get some exercise for these diabetes and to get in better shape. 42 in December! I feel 62 in being stiff, out of shape and short of breath by climbing stairs! And I would like to say "I've earned a black belt" for the first time. I haven't started Hapkido yet, but I've checked out the school thoroughly. I guess I just wanted to reassure myself that it was normal and I'm not a quitter. On a different note, I keep seeing you folks saying fma...explain for a forum newbie please
     
  9. ap Oweyn

    ap Oweyn Ret. Supporter

    Filipino martial arts. Arnis, eskrima, kali
     
  10. aikiMac

    aikiMac aikido + boxing = very good Moderator Supporter

    Done it lots and lots, in part based on what was available to me at the time (I have moved around a lot in my adult years) and in part based on my interest at the time.

    I've dabbled in JJJ, judo, BJJ, muay thai, silat, wing chun, two styles of escrima, three styles of aikido, kendo, combat-oriented tai chi, TKD, two styles of karate. I'm doing western boxing now primarily for exercise because I'm sadly out of shape, but I find it highly complementary to my aikido.

    Upside of jumping: Scope. Very broad-view understanding of martial arts. Able to converse on a broad range of topics.

    Downside jumping: Depth. You understand the basics but not the advanced movements and principles. (One really, really, really should take the time to go deep in at least one art. Really.)
     
  11. Latikos

    Latikos Valued Member

    Since I only started roughly two and half years ago, I didn't have any breaks in that sense, aside from a few weeks out, due to a broken arm.

    But I'm about to quit Hapkido.
    Instead I have added another session/ week of JJJ to my schedule (this way I can train it three times/ week), and have the opportunity to dabble into ATK, Karate and Kickboxing once/ week.

    I won't be a great Karateka (for example) like that, but all three styles add to my main art, the teachers know each other and I will profit from it.

    And, most important for me: I really, really enjoy it!
     
  12. belltoller

    belltoller OffTopic MonstreOrdinaire Supporter

    I started after I'd enrolled my kids in boxing and BJJ at an MMA gym in the Midwest a few years ago. I was ... 45...46? - something. I'd not done anything athletic in years was much more out of shape than I realised, had been smoking like a chimney non-stop since I was 12, etc, etc.

    I didn't know anything really about MA except having had my kids in TKD previously. There was this class being offered at the same time the kid's MA classes were being held - something called Muay Thai. I didn't know anything about it - it sounded exotic and esoteric, lol.

    The MMA gym we were at at the time was still producing fighters for the various MMA promotions and the class was composed mostly of very serious, aggressive people with high levels of conditioning keen on making a name for themselves - then there was me.

    Yeah...you're correct - I didn't last too long. I actually came to love the sport but my severe lack of conditioning in such a competitive environment was getting to me. In hind sight, I can see that I was making really good progress relative to my health and general fitness level in the short time I was in MT but because I couldn't "compete" with my classmates, I became frustrated and was looking to move on - midlife crises thinking, I suppose.

    Anyroad, about that time I was beginning to have some issues stemming from some sort of bacterial/viral infections that eventually led to a type of septicemia - which took 6 months to a year to resolve.

    After that I started boxing class at the same MMA gym where I'd taken MT. We relocated to the SE of the States and so I had to find another boxing place which, as others have had to deal with, kids, stupidly insane traffic and the long commutes that made getting to class dodgy at best - just couldn't justify it anymore so I canceled our membership and that's been ... over 6 months now.

    I saw Tai Chi being offered at our local community centre and decided to give it a go - I never thought I'd want to do something like that - but Im glad I did.

    Had our first class yesterday, in fact - lot of fun.
     
  13. MowJ

    MowJ Valued Member

    Tai chi? The place I'm wanting to take Hapkido also offers tai chi, as well as something called bagua and hsing I. Sorry I'm not familiar with those. So what'd you think of tai chi?
     
  14. belltoller

    belltoller OffTopic MonstreOrdinaire Supporter

    Wasn't Bagua Caligula's (the Roman Emperor) second illegitimate offspring from his sister? Hsing I - Chinese rice lager? {:D}

    I went in plenty doubtful - I'd seen and heard too many stories about 'throwing one's chi', no-touch knockout punches and the like so I was pretty skeptical.

    I was pleasantly surprised to find the instructor very down to earth and the Tai Chi itself enjoyable and requiring a bit more focus than I'd anticipated.

    I think it all depends on who your instructor is.
     
    Last edited: Oct 12, 2015
  15. Mushroom

    Mushroom De-powered to come back better than before.

    Dad taught me Pak Mei, went to a school which then stopped.
    Years later ended up randomly learning Sambo and Vale Tudo (very early MMA). Stopped that due to working overseas.
    Came back doing Muay Thai and back to Pak Mei, then joined a Wrestling club.

    Now-a-days, I'm a Muay Thai/Pak Mei mix with a wrestling cameo :p
     
  16. Frodocious

    Frodocious She who MUST be obeyed! Moderator Supporter

    I started with Bujinkan Ninjutsu when I was 18, then quit for a few years. I restarted it about 10 years ago, along with Capoeira. Then I did a bit of Iaido as well. Had to stop again because of other commitments. Recently I've been doing Judo and BJJ intermittently.
     
  17. Smitfire

    Smitfire Cactus Schlong

    Badass. Wish I could say that.
     

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