Sword art and hand to hand.

[gunj1n]

Hey guys,
I've been searching around and am not able to find specific matters of this post. Please feel free to PM me specific threads or posts and shut down this post if it is unnecessary.

I practice Seven Star Praying Mantis, however I've always been interested in Japanese Jujutsu, and have even had a taste of Aikido. Would you think that practicing both CMA (7spm and Aikido for example) and JMA would be a bad idea? I really am into the effectiveness of redirecting energy in different ways, however I also like staying true to an art and not doing things half way.

Another important one for me(last one I promise): I am in love with the Katana. I'm sure you've heard that often. I grew up on Guam and a good chunk of my family speak Japanese. We grew up with a lot of the people and have shared our cultures. I would love to practice Iaijutsu or Kenjutsu. Would having 7SPM as my main art hinder my progress in the JSA and my CMA? Personally, I do not plan on working with weapons in 7SPM, except for maybe a staff. I take it to heart as an empty hand art for me.

Both questions kind of go hand in hand in a way. If 7SPM doesn't work together, then what other art would compliment the Japanese Sword Arts?

I'll go ahead and post this and see what is thought of the matter. Pardon my ignorance. I am definitely here to learn.


Regards,
G

 

[pgsmith]

There should be no problem in doing Chinese martial arts along with a Japanese sword art. The important thing to remember is to compartmentalize them. When you practice a sword art, you do things according to how the sword art says they should be done. When you practice your CMA, you do things the way they say it should be done. It is very important to make sure that they don't bleed over into each other because then you won't be doing either one correctly. Later, once you have managed to internalize and understand the underlying principles of both arts, you will not have to worry about it so much. However, it takes quite a few years of hard practice to get to that point. It is the same way that things have to be done when practicing more than one sword art.

Just my opinions based on my experiences, others may vary.

 

[gunj1n]

Thank you Mr. Paul,
I have indeed heard those to be the necessary factors in regards to martial arts. It's always good hearing reassurance when it is in regards to my personal choices.

I've NEVER done Iaijutsu or ANY sword-specific art, but I can see where a practitioner can use them for changing situations and shouldn't have much problems--then again this may only be do-able after years of training like you said. The slim chance of fighting with a sword nowadays would involve teachings from Kenjutsu(I visualize the iaido practice for mental benefits), when unarmed would involve Gong Fu, and could turn into an Aikido takedown for ground control.

I can definitely agree with the compartmentalizing of multiple arts being do-able, though. A challenge for those dedicated to learn different arts. Maybe someone who has mixed like this can share too. Or maybe there's a Japanese art that combines all of these aspects that I have yet to find? Please share.

Thank you again Mr. Paul, thanks in advance to everyone else.



Regards,
G

 

[Sukerkin]

I suppose I would be a close thing to the person you're tallking about, gunj1n.

I did Lau Gar kung fu for a very long time before I took up Iaido and I can reassure you that there has never been any disadvantageous bleed-over between the two arts, except perhaps that I like to keep my stances quite narrow. Indeed, my training to do rapid on-the-spot turns in Lau Gar has been a positve boon in some of the more advanced Iai kata .

One thing that caught my eye in your last post was an oft commented misconception about a difference between iai and kenjutsu. The only true differences that might exist are that, in iai, the fight starts whilst the sword is in the saya and that much kenjutsu assumes the prescence of armour (even if it is not worn in these modern times ).

 

[Namii]

its pretty common for people who study Haidong Gumdo to also study Taekwondo. I started with Gumdo and then about 6 months into it I started TKD. Its not too hard to keep them apart but I now get confused with my stances. My Sabumnim is the other way around,hes been doing TKD for decades and then added Gumdo. The flowy nature in his Gumdo suffers because of the TKD

 

[Chris Parker]

Thank you Mr. Paul,
I have indeed heard those to be the necessary factors in regards to martial arts. It's always good hearing reassurance when it is in regards to my personal choices.

I've NEVER done Iaijutsu or ANY sword-specific art, but I can see where a practitioner can use them for changing situations and shouldn't have much problems--then again this may only be do-able after years of training like you said. The slim chance of fighting with a sword nowadays would involve teachings from Kenjutsu(I visualize the iaido practice for mental benefits), when unarmed would involve Gong Fu, and could turn into an Aikido takedown for ground control.

I can definitely agree with the compartmentalizing of multiple arts being do-able, though. A challenge for those dedicated to learn different arts. Maybe someone who has mixed like this can share too. Or maybe there's a Japanese art that combines all of these aspects that I have yet to find? Please share.

Thank you again Mr. Paul, thanks in advance to everyone else.



Regards,
G

There's quite a few, actually. The various Ninjutsu-related organisations spring to mind, there are a range of other Koryu (Kashima Shinryu, Tatsumi Ryu, Takenouchi Ryu, and a number of others, depending on whereabouts you are). Then Aikido itself teaches a form of swordwork (Aikiken), which is not really Kenjutsu itself, but definately related, again depending on the system itself.

I suppose I would be a close thing to the person you're tallking about, gunj1n.

I did Lau Gar kung fu for a very long time before I took up Iaido and I can reassure you that there has never been any disadvantageous bleed-over between the two arts, except perhaps that I like to keep my stances quite narrow. Indeed, my training to do rapid on-the-spot turns in Lau Gar has been a positve boon in some of the more advanced Iai kata .

One thing that caught my eye in your last post was an oft commented misconception about a difference between iai and kenjutsu. The only true differences that might exist are that, in iai, the fight starts whilst the sword is in the saya and that much kenjutsu assumes the prescence of armour (even if it is not worn in these modern times ).

As with everything, depends on the Ryu-ha itself, my friend.....

 

[Langenschwert]

The main thing is to make sure one art is reasonably solid before starting another. I do a variety of sword arts (European longsword, Battojutsu and kenjutsu). To one degree or another, they tend to reinforce one another as long as you're careful to keep what's separate and different just that. Sometimes it's helpful when learning to use your primary art as a reference to get the basics of what's going on and then refine it later. For example, not all arts use the same angle for a diagonal cut, but it's still a diagonal cut and if you know how to align for one style, you can learn to align for another. A zornhau from the shoulder in German longsword is not the same as the diagonal cuts in HNIR, but functionally they are very similar. So if you understand one you can more easily internalize the other than if you were completely green. The trouble can come when things leak into each other, which can be a pain. But with diligence, it can be overcome.

It's entirely possible to find an art that combines both armed and unarmed combat as well. In reality, finding good weapons instruction is VERY difficult so you might not get much of a choice. If all that's around is Iaido, your choice is made for you. If you've got kendo, fencing, iaido, kenjutsu and a host of others, then you've got research to do. On the plus side, you'll get to try lots of stuff while deciding!

Best regards,

-Mark