Jack of all trades, master of none?

[SevenStar]

Originally posted by KickingMantis

The issue is, is that students with 1-2 years of experience, if that , in about 3-4 different styles, who may or may not be proficient in those, here on the mantis forum trying to compare and anaylsis the mantis style with other styles, which they have no real experience in any of them, cross training with and getting an idea of what mantis is suppose to be like, from other beginner, intermediate or inexperienced mantis students and making statements about they think it is.


Actually, that's not the issue. It was a subtopic that was brought up, and only dealing in one specific area - the clinch, which happens to to be an area I spend most of my time in. Do you train weapons? do you strike? do you kick? do you work standing locks? If you do, then your time is divided. In judo, I am always in the clinch. everything stems from it. so naturally, I would spend more time in it than a mantis guy. That is the only analysis I have made.


in bjj, much of my time is in a clinch, though not as much as judo, and I also spend time in the clinch in MT.

and, you misquoted my experience, but I don't care about that.

[KickingMantis]

Please remind me of those blanket statements?

(1. you will dominate your opponent from the first moment of contact, if you are using the style correctly.)


I dont think that I said "I Will" do anything, however, I would love to be in such a position in my current trainnig in the mantis style. Not quite there


2. If a mantis practioner ends on the ground grappling with a opponent, then he/she didn't use the system in the first place.


I was simply referring to a proverb that I quoted several times already. go back and read it man. the system is designed in a way to go through your opponent. refer back to the basic characteristics of the style that I shared with you earlier

[SevenStar]

yeah, I know. The first time you made that statement though, you didn't say it was a proverb. That's why I was questioning it. After you stated the proverb, I knew what you were talking about, but you asked which blanket statements you made, so I went back to the original post and....screw it, I'm all confused now.

[KickingMantis]

So am I.

[Knifefighter]

Originally posted by KickingMantis
Its sort like taking the first year of Psychology, the first year of a Chemistry, the first year of Biology, and trying to debate about Physics.

No, cross-training is more like getting an undergraduate degree where you specialize in one major, but also take a variety of other classes to round out your education. Martial arts should be the same way. That way if, say a Mantis practitioner with a year or two of training faces a groundfighting specialist, he will be somewhat familiar with what the groundfighter is doing and will at least have a chance when taken to the ground.

[BeiTangLang]

Originally posted by Knifefighter
[B}That way if, say a Mantis practitioner with a year or two of training faces a groundfighting specialist, he will be somewhat familiar with what the groundfighter is doing and will at least have a chance when taken to the ground. [/B]

I see where you are coming from with this statement.

I suppose the reverse could be said to be true as well then?

A Ground-fighter might better spend this time cross-training than a single ground-fighting art when coming up against a Mantis specialist?


I'd say that a mantis practitioner (Any art practitioner) with two years training (read: any mantis practitioner with Nth amount of time) time should get to familiarizing him/herself with what the system has to offer in all aspects rather than waste his/her time with partial-arts (pun intended).

But of course as always, its just _my opinion_.

Do what you have to do to get what you want. Its not the same
for everyone.
~Best Wishes,
BTL

[Knifefighter]

Originally posted by BeiTangLang
A Ground-fighter might better spend this time cross-training than a single ground-fighting art when coming up against a Mantis specialist?

Exactly.

[Hua Lin Laoshi]

BeiTangLang
"partial-arts" - I love it! Best description of bouncing from one school/style to the next. Looks like we have a winner here. Permission to use freely, sir?

Yu shan
Sounds like you're about to get 'clinched'. At least now you know his strength and what to watch out for.

SevenStar
Same here. I have a few friends the grapple but I haven't found the time to visit and exchange. I got some free time now, just need to get off my butt to see how fast they put me back on it.

[KickingMantis]

Well said Wang.

[BeiTangLang]

Originally posted by Hua Lin Laoshi
BeiTangLang
"partial-arts" - I love it! Best description of bouncing from one school/style to the next. Looks like we have a winner here. Permission to use freely, sir?

In all honesty that was a big borrow from my sifuI'm sure he wouldn't mind at all.