So here’s the problem. Let’s say you studied a relatively rare or eclectic style, like Tai Chi Mantis, (just an example) or something where there’s only one school in a country.
You move to another part of the country. You don’t want to learn an entirely different style to be able to spar, practice your staff moves and all that.
But everywhere you go, the sifu requires you to learn their style, and their forms, which is a total waste of time since you already have a style.
And since the style is different than yours, it messes up your own style since you have to learn new body movements and all that. How do you deal with this? How do you spar and practice with other schools, or find other schools or people willing to do this, without requiring that you learn an entirely new style?
(Especially if you already studied 3-4 styles and now want to stick with one).
Well you could study a style that compliments your current style. 3 that I can think of would be Tai Chi, 7star praying mantis and maybe northern shaolin. Many things would be similar to what you already have so it shouldn’t mess it up too much.
That is a really good idea. The thing is the forms. Every school seems to want you to learn their forms. I don’t have time to practice a lot of new forms.
I think that the main deal killer here is a financial one. Sifus make their money teaching people forms for years, so anybody with a school doesn’t seem to want to let somebody in and not study their forms.
If they let in people from other systems, even complimentary ones, to practice without learning the forms, they’d have a lot of good fighters who already did a ton of forms and they wouldn’t make their monthly revenue.
Am I just being cynical here? But I have yet to come across a place where they let you train without learning their forms.
Of course there are MMA places but their allowed techniques are very limited and they don’t do any weapons fighting.
Common problem. Just be straight forward with the new school and or look for schools that have sparring and 2 person drills/ more on fighting than sets.
A little footwork and good attitude you will be able to find a good match up.
Praying Mantis especially CCK TCPM (Tai Chi Mantis) can be taught fluidly without the forms IMHO (interesting that you use that as an example). Not a lot of people can do that though because it’s very hard to have the students to stay focused. Personally, I don’t require people to learn forms but pretty much most people that I have taught ask for the forms So…
Form base teaching (if it is traditional) is mostly more for imparting special knowledge other than just fighting that is handed down since the inception of the style.
Drill base teaching is more for fight oriented which means real fighting experience of the teachers through out the generations is very important.
If you are in for the long haul and would want to go into the deeper aspect of one particular style, than taking the forms is necessary. You can’t throw the baby out with the water in that case.
I guess the point of this is not to throw out forms, but rather not wanting to learn “Yet Another Style.”
Basically are there any schools around where you can just spar with people and work on stuff like staff fighting, grappling, etc., without having to learn their system?
Sounds like you are looking for a fight club not necessarily a school of any kind. I guess your best bet is to go for a boxing, Muay Thai, BJJ or Martial Sports gym. They should be able to accomodate you quite readily. It’s also good experience to train with them too.
No, I’ve been there, done that. That kind of fighting is basically useless because by eliminating targets like the groin and the neck, and not doing any sort of weapons, they are just sport fighting.
Oh, well. I guess I might need to start my own school at some point.
Movements for efffective fighting will always complement each other. If one style “messes up” the other one, then at least one of the styles is not effective for fighting.
Go find a boxing/MMA/Judo/sport club. You can practice your forms on your own time, and learn fighting techniques without forms and work with other people at one of those types of places.
That’s what I’ve been doing for over a year now, and it works great for me.
I use what I learn from my MMA club to help me break down my forms. Most of the time, what I am learning compliments what I already learned, and vice versa.
Go on an iternrt forum, find people who live around you, introduce yourself, then ask if they or someone they know would be open to working out with you. I have met several training partners for moutain biking and grappling that way. I even had one person talk me into training with them for a triathalon. Don’t think I will try it myself, 'cause I’m not that great a swimmer, but was fun…
Hate to be an ass, but it seems to me that you are pretty much just complaining in a very round-about way that where you now live isn’t the same as where you used to live. My advice would be either stop moving, or move on. You will never be able to make a new style into an old one.
I can understand where you’re coming from, though. I have a very knowledgable teacher and it makes me a little sad and worried inside to think that some day I’ll graduate college and move away. I feel your pain
Wow, yeah seems like that is a good place. Yeah I doubt most MMA matches would allow palms or anything. I’m not planning on competing, so that wouldn’t be a worry. It seems like competing in MMA there’s too much of a chance to get your face cut up for it to be worthwhile unless you want to be a pro fighter.
