Uechi-Ryu.com

Have any of you had trouble with your traditional karate people about cross training grappling arts? I love the grappling arts and have found a new home. I am also tired of having to defend them against people. I am at the point now where I just invite them on the mat and let tehm try their pressure point techniuques, attempt to hit, punch kick, bite and show them that I can do the same. You must be a complete MA and that includes covering EVERY range. Just blowing some steam. K

My instructor used to train in Judo before beginning karate so no in my case. I find most just get upset because they think that training should "cross over" to the ground. There are elements that may, but it's a brave new world down there.
Many just don't have the time to commit to more than one art, most people I know are lucky to go once a week.

I honestly believe that cross-training is essential today. As the arts evolve we are finding that their are deficiencies that any particular art may have, and that the "traditional" arts might not be as comprehensive as once thought. That's ok, because they were originally devised for a different purpose in most cases; it's simply 400 years later. The wants and necessities are different.

This is why I think that that cross-traing in different types of arts are good for the practitioner. Find a good karate-do system and then a good grappling system and see how far you go. I think you would be pleasantly suprised, although that is just my opinion.

mike

Special-K,
I was about 13 years into Uechi Ryu before I began studying ju jitsu. I personally was nervous about it because I feared putting stress on joints and locks that can easily cause breaks. However, I jumped in anyway because I knew enough to know that my ground fighting and grappling skills were poor. (INMO, anybody who thinks their Karate skills are good enough to keep them off the ground and out of an attackers grasp is kidding himself.) Now several years into ju jitsu, I thoroughly enjoy it and consider it a natural complement to Uechi. Anything that makes you a more complete martial artist is beneficial. If you train for knowledge rather than rank, then you will find you have time.

Sincerely,
Norm Abrahamson