Serving more than one master?

[MBuzzy]

I think contradictory may be the wrong term here...as flying crane said, two seemingly "contradictory" methods may both be functional. They don't contradict each other, they just use different ways to accomplish a goal. Look at the root here, all martial arts are at their base intended to create some effect on another body. There are only a certain ways that a body can be manipulated and the vulnerable points are shared. So it makes sense that different arts would find different ways to accomplish those goals of hitting vulnerable points...they all work, just in different ways. By training in other styles, you may learn new ways to augment your own style - but as everyone has said, you have to have a base first.
Troublenug is dead on....you have to be able to communicate in one language before you start on another.

 

[TKDinAK]

So to the OP, I would say cross training needs to be looked at very carefully, so as not to cause problems in learning as illustrated by Flying Crane. When you are well grounded in one art, along about 2nd or 3rd Dan, then you can consider if another art has something you would like to learn.

Just to be clear... I have no desire to cross train. I am quite happy being utterly humbled and befuddled by just one discipline, thank you.

I just got the sense that this is something that happens quite a bit in the MA realm. And, from my limited perspective, it seems one style can take a lifetime of study to be able to understand fully. It just seems contradictory to get two or more styles mixed together in ones head.

That said... it appears some people can do it.

Thank you for your response!

 

[andyjeffries]

Then in combat you will have that seperation of when to use TKD and when to use BJJ. They should be a seemless approach for it to be any benefit. You shouldn't be able to tell where one art begins and one art ends to truly benefit.

The truth of the matter is though me getting in to "combat" is very rare (not since my mid 20s I believe). Also, Taekwondo is very much a natural thing now (and BJJ isn't yet) so there will be separation in thought process for some time to come. I disagree that it need to be seamless for there to be "any benefit", against an untrained thug even a slight hesitation when switching may be acceptable. It's surely beneficial to have a stand-up and a ground game, even if your switching between the two isn't seamless... I'm not talking about being an elite MMA fighter, just from a recreational martial artist self defence point of view.

PS: Hope your knee heals quick and strong for you!

Thanks mate. I'm very pleased with the progress so far (the pain I had before is completely gone and it just feels kinda soft inside, like there's some internal swelling that is still going down). I feel like I'm on track...

 

[oftheherd1]

Contradictory does not have to mean "non-functional". They can all be functional. It's just that they go about developing similar skills in a somewhat different way. It is the methodology that can be contradictory. As Earl pointed out, sometimes the biggest problems lie in arts that are very similar, but with small differences. Those small differences are where confusion and contradiction can arise. It is tempting to overlook the small differences, when those are what really matter.

In the end, I think it's difficult to say that A is BETTER than B. Rather, it is either A is better FOR YOU than B, or simply A is what you were exposed to and trained in, it works well for you, so there is no need for you to study B because B is just different enough to cause you trouble. For someone else, B is the thing that works for them, and the thing in which they have training. For each of you, your method works, and that doesn't mean that another method doesn't work. For your method to "win" in this way, doesn't mean that another method must "lose". They each can be valid for the right individual, with the proper training.

I guess it is just the connotation of the word contradictory. I pretty much agree with what you say except for the use of that word. Different arts will appeal to different people for different reasons. Nothing wrong with that. I don't believe there is any bad martial art.

 

[punisher73]

Thanks mate. I'm very pleased with the progress so far (the pain I had before is completely gone and it just feels kinda soft inside, like there's some internal swelling that is still going down). I feel like I'm on track...

Just don't rush it. I know of too many people who rush it too fast and end up worse than before. Great time to focus on upper body isolation though.

 

[andyjeffries]

Just don't rush it. I know of too many people who rush it too fast and end up worse than before. Great time to focus on upper body isolation though.

There's a guy at my club who was giving me some gentle s*** saying "I had a cartilage repair and was back training within 2 weeks" to which my reply is "yeah, but your knee is still messed up now" to which he just grumbles.

Definitely don't want the old pain back so I'm taking it slow and steady and following the surgeon's orders to the letter.

 

[oftheherd1]

There's a guy at my club who was giving me some gentle s*** saying "I had a cartilage repair and was back training within 2 weeks" to which my reply is "yeah, but your knee is still messed up now" to which he just grumbles.

Definitely don't want the old pain back so I'm taking it slow and steady and following the surgeon's orders to the letter.

Excellent advice to follow your surgeon's advice! You can do other things in the dojo that don't stress your injury, but you have to give it time to heal. Don't follow in the footsteps of the dojo partner you mentioned.

Do hope you heal well and soon.

 

[Flying Crane]

I guess it is just the connotation of the word contradictory. I pretty much agree with what you say except for the use of that word. Different arts will appeal to different people for different reasons. Nothing wrong with that. I don't believe there is any bad martial art.

Maybe "conflicting" would have been a better word for it.