CHANGING STLYES

I RECENTLY MADE THE SWITCH FROM TAE KWON DO TO KUNG FU. I STUDIED TKD FOR 2 YEARS AND FELT THE I WAS A SATIFACTORY SKILLS IN THE ART. I DONT CARE MUCH ABOUT RANK SO I DIDNT PURSUE MY BLACK BELT WICH I WOULD HAVE GOTTEN IN A YEAR, I BECAME BOARD WITH THE CLASS CURICULIM, AND THE STLY IN GENERAL. I STILL TRAIN ON MY OWN KEEPING THE SKILLS I'VE LEARNED. I RECENTLY SWITCHD TO HUNG GAR KUNG FU WITCH I FIND VERY CHALLENGEING. WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS IT POSSIBLY TO MIX MY TRAINING WITH BOTH ARTS OR SHOULD I DEDICATE MY SELF TO STRICTLY KUNG FU. MY MAIN GOAL IS TO BECOME AN ALL AROUND SKILLED MARTIAL ARTIST.

My personal feeling is that although originally each style of Martial Art was complete in itself, over the years it has inevitably been diluted. Each instructor puts their own slant on what they are teaching.
My background is in Wado which I love passionately and hold a second dan in. However, In recent years I have trained with a group that study Yoseikan Budo. I have learnt much from this style that I believe compliments what I already knew, at the same time as increasing my knowledge of Wado.
I have also trained with a freestyle karate club and learnt from them.
I think that you should take from any art that which works for you.
It is my opinion that if, as you say, your ultimate goal is to become an all round skilled martial artist, you should consider at some stage, adding a grappling art to your current training.
Sharon



[This message has been edited by wadowoman (edited 04-28-2003).]

THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT

I ALSO TRAIN IN CHINESE SAN SHOU SO I DO GET SOME TRAINING IN GRAPPLING. WOULD IT BE A SMART IDEA TO STICK IT OUT IN KUNG FU EVEN AFTER A FEW YEARS IF I GET BOARD WITH IT TO REACHA HIGHER LEVEL OF TRAINING. AFTER I LEFT TKD I DIDNT TRAIN FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF BECAUSE I HAD NO MORE INTEREST. BUT SINCE I FOUND KUNG FU IT HAS REMOTIVATED ME. I LIKE TO CONSIDER MYSELF A DEDICATED MARTIAL ARTTIST SPENDING COUNTLESS HOURS TRAINING ON MY OWN IN ADDITION TO CLASS HOURS. ARE THERE ANY WAYS TO KEEP ACONSTANT MOTIVATION IN TRAINING WICH AFTER A WHILE I FIND HARD TO KEEP. ALSO DOES ANY ONE KNOW OF A WAY TO PRACTICE ARM BARS AND WRIST LOCKS WITH OUT A TRAINING PARTNER.

The longer you train in any art, the higher level of understanding you will have and the more benefits you will derive. However, if you become truly bored, you will not be learning much, but don't give up at the first feeling that it is not what you want. I almost gave up Karate many times before I got my Dan grade.

As a beginner (and I am embarrased by this now) I almost gave up because my instructor insisted I cut my beautiful manicured nails before my first grading.

As an 8th kyu, It was getting difficult and I thought I was never going to progress

At 4th kyu, learning the 76 move kata and practising it again and again and again for my brown belt was becoming monotonous.

At 2nd kyu, going through divorce with three young children and made it all seem like too much effort.

Pathetic excuses, each and every one of them. I now have several students preparing for THEIR Dan grade and I can not believe I ever thought of giving up.

Basically, what I am trying to say is try to stick with it unless it really is not for you.

Arm bars and wrist locks can not be properly practised without a partner but you can crtainly manipulate your own joints to feel what hurts a little and what hurts a lot.
Sharon

MY MAIN PROBLEM IS ALWAYS WANTING TO LEARN MORE. ITS BASICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO LEARN EVERYTHING BUT WHEN I FEEL THAT IM NOT BEING TAUGHT ANYTHING NEW THATS WHEN IT GETS BORING. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH GOING OVER THE BASICS BUT I DO THAT ON MY OWN TIME IN A MY DARK DESOLIT BASEMENT. AND THE FACT THAT THERE IS SO MANY STYLES THAT FOCUS IN ON SO MANY DIFFERENT AREAS IT MAKES THE URGE TO JUMP FROM STLYE TO STYLE PRETTY HARD TO RESIST. I ALWAYS FIND MY SELF WONDERING WHAT DOES THAT SCHOOL HAVE TO OFFER AND WHAT CAN I LEARN THERE. ONE THING I HAVE FOUND OUT IS THAT ITS GOOD TO LEARN FROM OTHER INSTRUCTERS BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS A DIFFERENT WAY OF GOING ABOUT DIFFERENT SITUATIONS AND TECHNIQUES. PERSONALY I FELT I WAS BECOMING A ONE DIMENSIONAL MARTIAL ARTISTS WHICH I FELT MANY OF THE HIGHER RANKING PEOPLE IN THE CLASS HAVE BECOME ONLY KNOWING AND BELEAVING THE INSTRUCTORS PERSONAL PHYILOSOPHY ON MARTIAL ARTS.

iron man
patience and perseverance - two words that mean so much in martial arts
you find it boring
the only time it will become boring is when you are perfect in every way other than then you should be striving to become boring

Very true, ive been coming to that conclusion in the last couple of weeks. Basicaly its better to be very good at one style then to be average at many.

thanks for your input

Just to add,

I agree with wadowoman and viper aus.

Sorry I'm just being lazy but they have said good stuff!

Nuff said. [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif[/IMG]

YEA BUT ISN'T IT ALSO GOOD TO LEARN FROM OTHER INSTRUCTERS AND MASTERS SO YOU CAN BE EXPOSED TO OTHER IDEAS AND WAYS OF THINKING. IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS I LEARNED ALOT THAT I DIDN'T KNOW AND PROBABLY WOULDNT HAVE LEARNED. I ALSO SPARRED IN SAN SHOU AND DICOVERED THAT WHILE MY KICKING SKILL IS ABOVE AVERAGE MY HAND WORK IS LACKING AND HAD I NOT SWITCHED TO THIS NEW ENVIRONMENT I MAY HAVE NEVER FOUND THAT OUT.

Ironman,

My advise to you is to stick with your Kung Fu and obtain your black belt. Not because you need it, but because it may make learning other arts easier. not to mention that when I switched instructors, i switched at Brown belt and felt like a white belt when i when to class with the new instructor.

And I also, know what you mean about getting bored with class and such, I used to be instructed by a sensi that was all about Olympic TKD Sparing. I got bored with sparing every class and gave up. Two years later i have found another sensi that is open to TKD and we also study Kyusho-Jitsu.

Also, yes it is ok to talk and learn from other instructors about techniques and other arts. Just remember to do it with respect to who ever is teaching you.

A good instructor is one that can teach you everything he/she knows. A great instructor encourages you to learn from someone else. An Awesome instructor will also learn from you. - Matt Reid (malanr)

But of course, if you find that Kung Fu gets boring then maybe you just haven't found the art that you were made for.

GL on finding yourself.

matt

[This message has been edited by malanr (edited 06-05-2003).]

MALANR THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT ITS NICE TO KNOW THAT SOMEONE UNDERSTANDS WHAT IM TAKING ABOUT. PLUS CHANGING STYLES HAS REMOTIVATED ME AND RESTORED MY DRIVE TO LEARN WHERE AS BEFORE SITTING ON THE COUCH AND WATCHING TV SEEMED JUST AS APPEALING AS GOING TO CLASS.