Cross Training Questions

Cross training in martial arts? Good or bad?

What style would be good to take? My previous training is in TKD. Oh, and it's been a little over a year since I trained.

Public Comments

1. Beautiful question! There is nothig wrong with you crossing over into a different style. You already know some of Tae Kwon Do, so you have four main options: 1)Continue with Tae Kwon Do and wonder what other styles are like. 2)Try a different style and wonder what it would be like if you kept on going with Tae Kwon Do 3)Sit at home and wonder if you should have continued Martial Arts 4)Do more than one style!!!!! For you, I'd reccomend internal styles that can teach you more about Chi. You already know some of the physical styles, now to take another step and learn of the dark room that you've never ventured into. Try Chi Kung, simple and effective. I love to see the looks on people's faces when they find out what people can do with Chi. With the right knowledge, a person can cure some forms of cancer within them along with many diseases, burn fat without moving a muscle, and actually get smarter, as strange as it sounds. There's a LOT more that people can dowith it, but the list would go on forever. So choose your path on your own. Whatever path you choose is the one you are destined to choose. Our destinies are already written, but one may walk their path freely without fear of destiny itself.
2. It's good, it's just like food, it's good to mix it up. Complement your style with other striking arts like kyokushin karate, muay thai, sanshou, boxing. You can also try a grappling style like Judo, wrestling, brazilian jiujitsu. Also, you can try a all-around style like shidokan karate, combat sambo and kajukembo. good luck!
3. Cross training is vital. Specially if you've only had TKD. You need a martial art, not a martial sport. Remember that each art only teaches you to defend against THAT art. If I get into a brawl, I pray that the other person is a TKD person. Pick an art - train in that art - make it second nature. Then, branch out to another art. Complimentary, severally different - doesn't matter - learn with an open mind, and use ALL of the arts you are shown.
4. If you were good at TKD, you will have an easy time learning Mui Thai. Lots of kicking, and more demanding workouts.
5. It depends on your needs: Karate, Muy Thai and/or Northern Kung Fu styles, will all be very compatible to TKD, physically. On the other hand, I'd say TaiChiChuan or XingYiquan (Hsing I Ch'üan) might compliment TKD the best, for personal development. Then again, if your shooting to be the next MMA, then go with BJJ.
6. Cross training is a great idea. I widens your view of martial arts. You can try Dekiti Tirsia Siradas. You can view the video by clicking the link below.
7. To be a good fighter you have to have good knowledge of all combat ranges,these ranges include punching,kicking,grappling and trapping. Fights are not stationary,they are dynamic,and since the situation can change at any time (the fight could end up on the ground for instance) it is necessary that a martial artist be prepared for such situation, if facing a bigger opponent then it would be wiser to try and get a sbmission hold or a choke since trading punches with a bigger person would put you at a disadvantage,therefore it is necessary that you gain a reasonable knowledge of all four combat ranges in order to be prepared for any situation during a fight,thus it is wise to cross train in other martial arts in order to gain useful knowledge of whatever range that martial art focuses on (TKD for instance places alot of emphasis on the kicking range) thus you could cross train in muay thai and judo (or boxing and Brazilian jiu jitsu) to be a more complete fighter and get in good shape,luckily for you due to the rise in popularity of the UFC and MMA there are a lot of schools that teach mixed martial arts which usually contain elements of the martial arts i mentioned earlier, not only would such an experience make you a better overall fighter and martial artist but it would also be a fun experience for you.
8. If your looking to do something similar but hard give a go at Muay Thai or Kyokushin karate, more importantly give their competitions a go if not their style For something completely different go for a grapling art like BJJ
9. First I would ask how long you trained in TKD? I agree that for most people it's great to try different styles, however, it's usually best to have a solid foundation in one style before you mix in others. Ask yourself: Would I rather be good at everything? Or exceptional at one thing? There are many answers, depending on your personal motivation and goals for training martial arts. There is not a right or wrong answer to those questions. Let's say you trained TKD for a year, and then took a year off, at this point, there is probably not much harm in doing anything you want, unless you plan to go back to TKD in the future. Learning different styles is a really good thing, but it can lead you to develop some bad habits in your basic techniques. My advice is to find an instructor you like, and a place you like going, after that, style really becomes secondary. James
10. I think that any style that you like, and can find a good school with a good instructor will benifit you. One caution. If you plan on reviving your Tae Kwon Do classes, I would suggest doing that first and wait until you reach a higher level to begin another. It is truly hard to learn beyond the surface in any style, let alone start another one before you are thoughrally grounded in the first.
11. An artists should have a good foundation in one art before branching out to other arts