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Originally posted by Tim Cartmell of Shen Wu martial arts (another Tai Chi guy)
All of the famous Chinese masters (those who were famous for actually fighting) cross trained. Here's the bottom line; if you are going to fight for real for a living, and the potential of injury or death is high, nonsensical notions about being 'true' to one style never arise. You learn whatever you think will help you win (and survive). No one martial art has all the answers to every situation. Fights in old China went exactly as fights go today; punch and kick-grab/clinch- one or both fighters go down and the fight continues. Besides the occasional 'one punch knockout,' and fights between two vastly mis-matched opponents, this is how the vast majority of real fights go. It is also true that the famous 'Internal' masters of China all cross trained (because they really fought). It is also true that virtually without exception, they all learned some Shuai Jiao (Chinese style wrestling). it is interesting to note that although illegal in competition, Shuai Jiao contains basic ground fighting skills. Anyone who can only grapple on the ground should learn some practical stand up skills. Stand up fighters need to learn some ground fighting. If our goal is practical fighting skills, and in light of the fact that the famous martial artists of old we so admire all cross trained, in would seem fairly presumptuous of us to think that we know better, and only need to practice fragments of the martial arts.
All of the famous Chinese masters (those who were famous for actually fighting) cross trained. Here's the bottom line; if you are going to fight for real for a living, and the potential of injury or death is high, nonsensical notions about being 'true' to one style never arise. You learn whatever you think will help you win (and survive). No one martial art has all the answers to every situation. Fights in old China went exactly as fights go today; punch and kick-grab/clinch- one or both fighters go down and the fight continues. Besides the occasional 'one punch knockout,' and fights between two vastly mis-matched opponents, this is how the vast majority of real fights go. It is also true that the famous 'Internal' masters of China all cross trained (because they really fought). It is also true that virtually without exception, they all learned some Shuai Jiao (Chinese style wrestling). it is interesting to note that although illegal in competition, Shuai Jiao contains basic ground fighting skills. Anyone who can only grapple on the ground should learn some practical stand up skills. Stand up fighters need to learn some ground fighting. If our goal is practical fighting skills, and in light of the fact that the famous martial artists of old we so admire all cross trained, in would seem fairly presumptuous of us to think that we know better, and only need to practice fragments of the martial arts.
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