To get the ball rolling...

[apoweyn]

For those of you who have purposefully gone out and learned various methods to address specific conditions in your training, what did you do and why?

For example, I learned boxing specifically because my hands were crap and I was entirely too dependent on my kicking.

Now, I'm trying to learn some grappling because my groundwork and clinchwork are basically nonexistent.

Just to add another layer to this, what unexpected or additional benefits did you get from it?

For example, I learned eskrima because I wanted experience with weaponry, primarily. But ended up learning how thoroughly invaluable a good footwork system is.


Stuart B.

[chen zhen]

I started JKD concepts because I wanted to learn realistic self-defence..
I trained Jingwu to be stronger in external KF, and to gain flexibility in kicking, etc.
Xingyi to have that internal element in my training, and to learn their very powerful hand techniques.

That's my choices.

[shaolin kungfu]

I started taking shaolin because it looked interesting, and because it fit my body type well. About a month ago I started BJJ to learn some grappling.

[apoweyn]

Fit your body type? How do you mean?

[Starchaser107]

I started Nothern Shaolin because I always wanted to do martial arts , and it was just the right time, I needed to find an outlet as well. It was everything I wanted and more. I took up Capoiera because I liked the movement and also because it feels like its part of my heritage. I felt that it was cumpulsory for me to understand this great artform, and culture , not for its martial merits but for the art itself.

[shaolin kungfu]

Tall, long arms and legs. Northern shaolin seemed to me to be a longer range style.

[yenhoi]

Ive gone to every place within decent driving distance just to 'check-it-out.' To get a better perspective. Many of the places I have enrolled and taken classes or even went as far as getting a couple belts. The more that you are exposed to, the better off you are in general. The more hands you touch, the more ways of looking at things, etc.

I am fortunate to have found a teacher that addresses all ranges of combat. Before this instructor I was half-heatedly training wing chun, and we addressed really only one or two ranges of combat, boxing and trapping(clinch.)

I roll on a regular basis at the local bjj academy because in my group we dont do enough ground stuff. That should qualify for your question. Our group does address ground fighting, and trains it, and sparrs it, but spends little time (compared to everything else as a group) drilling in that range.

The main benefit is touching hands (rolling) with more people on a regular basis then my small group, giving me much more exposure to many more different kinds of people.

[chen zhen]

SKF: U sound like my body type..
How tall are u?

[shaolin kungfu]

6' 1". Not baketball player tall, but still taller than most peple I know.

[chen zhen]

I'm 1 meter and 84-5 cm. I guess it's the same, or..?
But it's starting to get OT, so let's..