Comment by John R. Malmo on March 19, 2010 at 11:35am

Ron,

This is a great topic. For me, I train in one style - martial arts. Since martial arts is such a large encompassing endeavor, that means training in as many systems and with as many individuals as I can.

Someone can certainly attain all the benefits and knowledge training in one system. It is certainly a life time journey. However, I believe that by training with multiple teachers and systems individuals can better understand the connections, concepts, and themselves. It also leads to better understanding of their other styles/systems.

Regardless of someone's decision, the important thing is practice, in-depth research and analysis, and more practice.

As I have mentioned before, I know many individuals that are hardcore single style mentality. Their style is the best and nothing can beat it. Even after I have clearly demonstrated that I can defeat particular aspects of their style, they are reluctant to change - often seeing it as a failure of themselves not of their style.

One excuse I offer for the question, "why do I train in many systems," to the one-style mindset people is: "I train in X system so I know how to beat them." This is often a good way to start breaking down their walls and removing their blinders without them having to admit any weakness or vulnerabilities.

Comment by Ron Kosakowski on March 19, 2010 at 12:12pm

I trained in mnay styles with many different teachers over the years. I lost contact it seems, with everyone outside of my MA world. heheheh But it turned me into a martial scientist of a sort. I find the historys, the cultures, as well as the tactics of all these styles to be very fascinating.

Comment by John R. Malmo on March 19, 2010 at 12:24pm

Another good point Ron. Only by expanding our own horizons can we fully develop and appreciate the cultural and historical implications or importance of particular styles/systems.

If someone is conducting research on any subject, they do not limit themselves to particular sources of information. Or perhaps, I should say they are not supposed to - global warming zealots don't seem to appreciate this fact. Anyway, as I was saying, it is equally valid for us as martial artists to consume, investigate, analyze, and apply everything we can from whatever sources we find available.

Comment by terry joven on March 20, 2010 at 12:16pm

I believe that you should have your base style that you are very comfortable with, but you also need to cross train in other styles and arts to fill the gaps & holes that your base art does not address.
Bahala Na Multi-Style's base sysem is the The Original Giron System but we have added Dentoy Revillar's SLD "Serrada Largomano Decurdas" System to fill in some of the holes as well as fighting concepts from Maestro Dexter Labonog to round out our "Multi-Style System" But since we are a weopon/blade based system we realize that there are other areas that we are not as strong in ie: stand up hands, grappling etc. So as good martial artist we will also cross train and test techniques in those areas so we can become functional in those areas and if they are we will ad more concepts or styles to the "Multi-Style portion of our art!

Comment by Joshua Morale on March 30, 2010 at 10:35am

"Who's style is the best?" "Mine, it is the only one I know" -GM Angel Cabales

Comment by Chris Sargent on May 4, 2010 at 11:07pm

My first post. Sorry it's so long...

The topic of fighting ranges is one that I'm very familiar with coming from a light infantry background and later learning a largo style fma. There are so many factors that rule the distance of an engagement but two basic facts always remain the same. One, distances at which a engagement occurs depends on the weapons being employed and two, the environment or setting of the engagement. Many people over look these very basic aspects of combat.

In the infantry you are taught to engage the enemy at the most effect range of your most casualty producing weapon that you can maintain a sustained rate of fire on the enemy. If you can kill the enemy at 500m why close in to 100m and risk taking more causality than necessary.

Now as you move through varies types of terrain your effective fighting range changes. Even with the advancements of today’s communication abilities, combat maneuvers for infantrymen are still dictated by line of sight. Thus, you will not fight the same in the deserts, mountains, or forests because of line of sight and weapon effectiveness changes in the different settings as troops are force closer together or further apart. Keep in mind the further apart your troops are the more security you have because you are physically looking at more ground. I am speaking of this in a small element size such as squad, platoon, and company.

Where I’m I going with this…

This concept however broad it might seem applies to all combat. If you are on a battlefield, with let’s say 30 men that is a wide open field using a sword you will be able to employ a largo fighting style. But if you are on that same field surrounded by 200 men you’re going to be forced into corto style engagements.

This is the same as fighting in a bar, parking lot, or a sidewalk. Your environment will dictate your weapon use. Such as kicks, punches, knees, elbows, sticks, knives etc… In the end it’s your ability to adapt to these varies ranges that will protect you.

When people speak of a style of fighting what they should really be thinking about is the philosophy that’s behind that style of fighting. How that style plans to execute weapon use or hand to hand combat. Most all styles of fighting have a philosophy for long, medium, and short range combat using a weapon or empty hand. If you are studying a well rounded style it is there in the system. Otherwise that system would not of stood the test of time.

I started out studying Tang Soo Do and none of the techniques made much sense to me. It wasn’t until I started learning arnis that I was able to see the correlation. I’m very much in agreement with this aspect of fma’s. Learn a weapon then learn the empty hand. So, I can see how studying one art can help you in another but don’t forget to dig deeper into your own style to learn how to use the various fighting ranges. It is there…

Comment by Ray Melchor on June 23, 2010 at 11:27am

I remember a comment made by Brandon Lee. It was something to the effect of: "If you teach me a strike, you give me one strike. If you teach me the theory behind the strike, you give me 9 or 10 strikes because I can do the strike from different angles and positions." Also, I have read Bruce Lee's book "The Tao of Jeet Kune Do" and have been privileged to see some obscure footage of him discussing the ranges of fighting. From what I remember, he says that it is equally if not more important to be able to easily transition between the ranges of fighting. Kicking range can instantly become grappling if one is surprised by a Tae Kwon Do flying knee to the chest. Grappling can quickly become media hand to hand combat if the grappling goes to the knees and punches are thrown. And so on and so on. No matter what the system or how good the fighter, I don't ever think you will completely avoid being surprised, and that surprise might come from a sudden change in the fighting range. So, in my opinion (and according to Bruce Lee), you not only have to be proficient in all ranges, you need to be able to flow smoothly and easily between them...FROM any range, TO any range.

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