Become Acquainted with Every Art

Martial arts is ultimately about going up against an opponent. That opponent can come in many forms. Big or small, fast or slow, or even inside or out. If you’re training for sport, self defense, or just to better your own skill set, your opponent is always there. From that sketchy creep in the parking lot who seems to be following you to your car to that little voice inside your head that says you could be playing your favorite mobile game instead of going to karate class, you’ll have to understand your opponent before you can come out on top. What does this mean for your training? Well, like the quote from Miyamoto Musashi’s book, The Book of Five Rings, it means you can’t rely on one approach to solve all your problems.

Why is that? Well, if you train in one style to the complete detriment of others, you risk locking yourself into one mindset. If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. Good luck digging that ditch with a hammer. I’m not saying it couldn’t be done, but if you know how to use other tools, maybe you can prepare yourself a bit better before hand. If you know how to kick, that’s great. But if your opponent is going to know how to pull you to the ground and disable your legs, then you might want to rethink your strategy.

Every martial art has its strengths and disadvantages. If you are familiar enough with what your opponent is capable of, you stand a better chance of coming out on top. So, while you may love your escrima training, you might also take come Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training to understand the opponent you never saw coming.