Learing more than one Martial Art.?

Question

What do you think about learning more than one martial art?
Would it be a good idea?
Do you think that a person should only concentrate on one or learn more than one?
If a person did learn more than one would they start getting confused?

Also, which martial arts would you recommend to someone so they become well rounded martial artists? (For example being able to handle themselves on the ground (whether lying down or sitting, etc or standing up, or any other positions for that matter).

Thanks you. :)
Your input would be much appreciated.

Answer 1

its best to master one martial arts first...and once you are used to doing that martial art...THEN move onto another one that you want to learn if you are interested...how do you think some masters have certain degrees...like 1st degree is just being a master of one martial art....and 2nd degree is having mastery in two martial arts... and you get what i mean Lil. and for your second question.... two good ones to learn to be well-rounded would be muay Thai kickboxing for stand up fighting... and then some jujitsu for grounding.

Answer 2

It all depends what you want to get out of it at the end of the day. If you want to compete in tournaments for your martial art you need to be focused in order to do more than one, because moves in one could well be illegal in a tournament and acting on instinct can get you points deducted by pulling a move from a wrong style.

If you want self defense or confidence you're welcome to try more than one. For ground work and grappling Judo stands above most others becauxse it specialises in it, jujitsu tries to be all rounded. For striking karate or taekwondo is more traditional in the hand and foot strikes, Muay Thai does elbows and knees as well, rather effective but it's a tougher one to learn I am told and can be harsh conditioning.

Personally I am learning Taekwondo and I beleive it's very good for me becasue i compete in the tournaments. I know a few people that have crossed over and they have a great starting point but they have to change their styles to adapt whereas I am developing without that trouble. Also the high kicks can be quite fun, although some people will say they're useless in a fight, I would agree until you get to the level where you can snap them out quick, which you can get to after training.

go to a few places and check them out, talk not just to the instructors but the students as well, check some of the new people as well as a few belts above beginner and ask why they've kept with it up and the benefits. Also ask what they focus on, some are gradings, others tournaments.

Best of luck, martial arts can be very rewarding.

Answer 3

I would say it depends on what you want to get out of it. If you are looking to master a certain Martial art style then you would only study that martial art. If you want to learn about different styles and are not worried about becoming a black belt then then study one for a year or two and move on. I knew a guy that would become orange belt and then switch to a different style, he was on his third different Martial arts style when I knew him.
I study Kempo which I think is a well rounded style, we learn some karate, some jujitsu, and a lot of Shaolin KungFu. Good luck to you in what ever you decide.

Answer 4

First, Iceman is incorrect in several areas...Primarily, a first degree is NOT a master but a student. A second degree does not mean that the person has a black belt in two arts. A master is normally considered a 6th degree or higher, an instructor 3rd degree or higher, and 1st degree is simply a serious student.
That said, several people have presented fair answers -- for which I tend to agree. My exception is that I am learning Hapkido (almost 2 yrs now) and just started Aikido. The two are very similiar, share a direct heritage, and compliment one another. Typically I would not recommend adding a second art until 2nd degree or higher, but if the arts compliment one another, share similiar heritage, than it could work out to your benefit.

Answer 5

my answer is yes, if you learn one Martial Art, and become proficient enough in it, then you can transition into another, some schools even offer more than one discipline.

My advice is to Learn something that will teach you the "standing game" aspect like Tae Kwon Do, Tang Soo Do, Krav Maga, Karate (something like Goju-Ryu or Shorin-ryu), or Kung Fu.

These will teach you the basics of blocking and countering, punching and kicking anything when you are standing up on your feet; become proficient in that type of Martial Art, then you can begin a "ground fighting" art for your "ground game"

For this you'll want to try Judo, Jujitsu, Aikido, or Hapkido, since they each have ground fighting techniques and can borrow heavily off one another, this is true even for the other Martial Arts, they each can borrow from each other.

good luck in your quest.

Answer 6

Why are you learing at martial arts? Shouldn't you be learning martial arts?

Answer 7

It's really relative. After having practiced Brazilian Jiu-jitsu for a couple years, I decided to take an awesome opportunity to learn Muay Thai also.
I should let you know that these are both very, very effective fighting styles, however, Muay Thai severely lacks when fighting a ground fighter.
Anyway, I had a great deal of trouble at first because I had to reprogram all of those instinctual reactions. For example, when I would slip a punch, I would usually want to go for a double leg take down, but in Muay Thai, I was expected to step in and bring a powerful hook to the guys solarplexes followed by a variety of other possible follow-up attacks that I really wasn't used to.
After a couple of months, I began to find a harmony, but it required a lot of extra training in my free time and the Muay Thai gym that I was going to encouraged me to maintain my ground fighting, so that was pretty fortunate.
All in all, it's perfectly possible to learn two styles at once and probably more beneficial to start out learning two styles.

As for your well-rounded style that you're looking for, I would really, really have to suggest Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. Really, it's extremely effective.

Contact me if you'd like more info,
Nicholas
http://www.iConfessional.com

Answer 8

There are generalists and specialists. You have to decide what you want to be.
There is no way anybody can accurately claim one to be better than another.
My personal belief is that you should start with one solid foundation and build on it. Because without a solid foundation whatever you build will fall.
Please remember that the quality of frequency of training is more important than the style of training.

Answer 9

I would reccomend learning: Ninjutsu, Hwa Rang Do....Vovinam, or Systema...those are all pretty good.