Andrea Contents
Study multiple martial arts at the same time.
How willing are you to sacrifice, one martial art or more martial arts?
I’m often asked “but how do you practice more martial arts, isn’t it better to specialize in one?
Clearly it’s not just about martial arts but also about fighting sports or self-defense arts.
In fact I personally do a specialization job on all a series of arts but this is linked to a constant commitment and with a daily dedication that takes hours.
I do not work on a concept of systems but of specialization in different arts.
Clearly the one-and-a-half hour approach three times a week can be a good start but it doesn’t allow you to approach the talk in these terms.
Again it is a choice and priority that you decide to have in your personal studio!
What do I mean?
That to specialize in multiple areas at a certain level you need to dedicate specific training sessions every day.
Actually this approach is related to the vision you have of martial arts and my martial vision is three-dimensional,therefore does not exclude any area of combat while putting me “limits” to succeed in certain areas to have a thorough knowledge but even more important with the ability to really use these technical skills.
Sports combat but also non-sporting therefore more in the field of personal defense as you know is not only standing but also on the ground, so it is necessary that in addition to specializing and practicing an art of striking that you like standing (I do not recommend any but if you read the blog you know what I think) and you also learn one on the ground (I do not recommend any but if you read the blog you know what I think).
Weapons
Then there are the weapons that you can not and you absolutely must not exclude because you can not think only of fighting with your bare hands, until you get to the use and practice of firearms because we are in the 21st century and not in the Middle Ages and it is easier for you to meet a gun than a Japanese sword (it is not said!!) but surely the knife is very present.
As you can understand there are many areas of work and specialization but it is not a job to do in a short time and require extraordinary character, perseverance and psychology, especially if you are a person who works and I also understand that for some who have certain types of professions or a family really become a commitment that can become impossible.
I tell you, it’s not my fault if you do a job that doesn’t allow you to do some things or if you have a wife who doesn’t want you to miss at least 3 hours a day to practice 2 disciplines but this doesn’t have to stop you but you have to find solutions or do with what you have, but every day.
We are fighter we do not look for excuses but we use what we have to go over the obstacle! Improvise, adapt and achieve the goal!
Combat sport
Combat sport is very important in training but if your martial approach is aimed at self-defense your vision must be even more open and extended beyond boundaries that may not even be to your liking and much more “extreme” than a sports practitioner because you can not put the limits that are inserted with sports regulations.
Martial art is a lifelong path and that’s why if you apply constantly you can cover a lot of areas of combat.
Clearly if your goal is to do the Olympics you have to train for your specialty but since I guess that’s not your case my advice is to explore more martial arts with commitment and constancy.
This is because the most extraordinary thing about this approach is that the contribution it makes to your favorite martial art is incredible, it’s like you turbocharged your martial art, it gives you a “lateral” knowledge that expands your art.
The Book of Master Ligorio
Lately I was reading the book by Tonio Ligorio where in a chapter of the book he responds to the theme of this article (soon I will do the review of this book because I found it very stimulating for his open vision towards all martial arts).
Master Ligorio is an example in Italy of multi-disciplinarity, moving from traditional and energetic arts, to combat sports such as Muay Thai, Boxing,MMA (as an agonist), to personal defense such as JKD and Filipino Kali,etc.
An incredible passion made of dedication and continuous research without ever feeling arrived but rather full of that curiosity that pushes you to go further but coin the awareness of your own abilities.
“Practice different disciplines, each offers different solutions, but above all different scenarios that will help you feel ready in every situation. Remember, defend yourself is possible, many survived group or knife attacks and were simple humans like you. Bob Breen once said to me: “You have to be lucky in self-defense, but the more I work out, the more lucky I feel!”
Now what I want to advise you, although I know it costs a lot of sacrifice and commitment but if it is really a passion for you, the word sacrifice has no “weight”.
My advice is that you have to explore more martial arts because in reality often all martial arts had this vision then for some inexplicable reason they divided them going to distort them and make them more “simple” to adapt it to a commercial and Western logic.
Conclusions
Go back to the origins of total combat, that’s my advice, then clearly you’ll have your own natural inclination preferring striking, fighting, using weapons, etc. but to use little you have to do and knowa lot, this is a universal law, it also applies in the arts such as music, painting, sculpture, etc.
Who tells you that’s not the case lies to you! If you don’t believe me, I’m sorry to tell you you’re doomed to fail!
Studying multiple martial arts at the same time is an important choice but one that brings you inherent advantages in evolution even in your favorite.
You must be a martial arts explorer!!
Stay Tuned!
Street Fight Mentality & Fight Sport
Andrea
