Cross training doesn’t really mean anything, IMHO.
If someone said they wanted to train WCK and Tai Ji (for example), I’d advise against it.
If someone said they wanted to train MMA, I’d advise them to do it.
What’s the difference? Overall methodology.
IMHO, if you train two arts with different methodologies with different teachers (or even the same teacher who treats them as independant things), you will achieve sub-optimal results.
On the other hand, if you train 3 or 4 different arts with one coach as part of an overall methodology (consistent strategy and tactics to achieve a single goal), you could achieve very good results.
The goal of the person, however, could change this. If they want to be a walking historical preservation, then they can learn to mimick a bunch of arts and be happy regardless. If they want to have something that will serve them well in one-on-one barehanded brawling, it will be a different situation. If they want to make a living as an MA teacher, they may just want to learn a bunch of popular stuff for kids classes, cardio-MA, and whatever, and then another situation exists…
And FWIW, WCK is already MMA. It mixes several previous systems and evolved on from there. Nothing new under the sun.
Re: Late in the conversation-an input
Originally posted by Vajramusti
And often records in different sports are not comparable- some top flight win-loss mma records (sakuraba included) would look like a journeyman’s record in first class pro boxing. Different strokes for different folks.
that’s really not an issue - doesn’t matter if he’s only had two fights - it’s that he has pressure tested himself against varied styles or opponents. At some point, all MA should do this, I think. as far as records go, it’s for experience purposes. you may not want to train under a person who has had no actual experience. such records are a way to verify.
To me the wing chun learning process is endless- as you keep
solving real puzzles in theory, practice and application.
such is the case with all MA, no?
Comments on Seven Star’s post in brackets:
Originally posted by Vajramusti
And often records in different sports are not comparable- some top flight win-loss mma records (sakuraba included) would look like a journeyman’s record in first class pro boxing. Different strokes for different folks.
that’s really not an issue - doesn’t matter if he’s only had two fights - it’s that he has pressure tested himself against varied styles or opponents. At some point, all MA should do this, I think. as far as records go, it’s for experience purposes. you may not want to train under a person who has had no actual experience. such records are a way to verify.(Seven Star)
((Pressure testing- yes- no single testing system applies to all.
And the beneficiary of testing is the practitoner- not neccessarily
the spectator or the second hand commentator IMO. Some folks are not after trophies))
To me the wing chun learning process is endless- as you keep
solving real puzzles in theory, practice and application.
such is the case with all MA, no?(Seven Star).
(( I really dont think so. Opinions can vary but FWIW IMHO- MAs vary widely in the clarity and logic and theory in their foundations.))
notice I didn’t recommend any singular form. could be working as a bouncer, ring fighting, etc. but it should be something. The benefit is entirely the practitioner’s, however, that benefit will also become the spectator’s when the practitioner must teach the spectator. As for trophies, that’s not what I’m talking about. My mother has all of my trophies and medals- they don’t mean anything to me, but she likes to display them in their house. What matters is what you did to get the trophies, or, even to not get the trophies. I didn’t say you have to test yourself and win, only that you need to test yourself.
I agree that many styles vary in the clarity of their theories, but their paths are endless, regardless. To be honest, I think the ultra clarity of theories can be somewhat of a hinderance, but practice and application? priceless.
Seven Star sez:
To be honest, I think the ultra clarity of theories can be somewhat of a hinderance, but practice and application? priceless.
Agree if the theory remains in the head- or is not understood and does not reach out to the extremities.
Practice can be wrong practice- right practice needs a standard
and verification in application as well.