TRAINING MULTIPLE MARTIAL ARTS STYLES
There are several martial arts styles taught at Imperial Combat Arts, and on occasion we get the questions; How can someone train/teach so many styles? Does training multiple martial arts diminish ones martial effectiveness? Do I need to mix martial arts to be a complete fighter? What arts do I start with if I train at Imperial Combat Arts?
These are good questions when it comes to martial arts training.
These are good questions when it comes to martial arts training.
TRAINING MULTIPLE STYLES
A martial artist training multiple styles can be likened to a Tri-Athlete. A Tri-Athlete will not be the best in the world in swimming, running, or cycling, when compared to an athlete who specializes in just one of those areas. This is because the tri-athlete has to spilt their focus between three sports, whereas an athlete in a singular sport can train hard for just their one specialization. It is also true that the best swimmer in the world is unlikely to place first in a triathlon, because they lack training in the other two sports.
So with this in mind what is the best approach to martial arts? Well, if you're entering into a specific sport or competition it might be best to focus 100% on that goal, as your adversaries likely will have that singular focus. If you are training for all types of situations, like combat scenarios, it is probably best to diversify your training to cover all areas of threat you may encounter. While diversifying, focus on your strengths and specialize in the areas you are best at. Then, wherever possible, try to control the circumstances around a violent encounter to work with your strengths, and to diminish your opponents strength. If this is not possible at least you have generalized yourself in combat and have at least some training in all areas.
So with this in mind what is the best approach to martial arts? Well, if you're entering into a specific sport or competition it might be best to focus 100% on that goal, as your adversaries likely will have that singular focus. If you are training for all types of situations, like combat scenarios, it is probably best to diversify your training to cover all areas of threat you may encounter. While diversifying, focus on your strengths and specialize in the areas you are best at. Then, wherever possible, try to control the circumstances around a violent encounter to work with your strengths, and to diminish your opponents strength. If this is not possible at least you have generalized yourself in combat and have at least some training in all areas.
“The wise adapt themselves to circumstances, as water moulds itself to the pitcher.”
– Chinese Proverb
– Chinese Proverb
COMPLETE MARTIAL ARTS
As the early years of the UFC taught people, you have to be a balanced fighter to engage with all manner of arts. Even if you don't train an aspect of combat, like grappling for example, you still have to be able to fight against it to be a MMA fighter. The same applies to combat training but with even more requirements for battle. A complete combat style must include: proficiency in all weapon categories, toughened strikes/kicks, ground-fighting, joint locks, throws, blocks and controls, multiple opponents, and real terrain. The martial arts taught at Imperial Combat Arts have long included all aspects of fighting, and with combat intent.
People today often train multiple martial arts to diversify themselves. Imperial Combat Arts classes run 4-6 hours a night, 3-4 days a week. In each class members train hand-to-hand, sparring, grappling/ground-fighting/chin na, toughening, and weapons. This has been our U.S. regimen since the 60's.
TRANSFERABLE SKILLS
By far it's the first martial art one trains that requires the most time, for one must learn and develop all the basic concepts, fitness, and dynamism of combat training. Once one is adept at a single complete martial art, training additional styles can come much more quickly, because the core and rules of martial arts remain the same. Like a dancer who has mastered one style of dance, others styles are just adapting your abilities to them. Training additional martial arts and weapons works the same. Imperial Combat Arts also has students and Instructors in our ranks who come from varied martial backgrounds, and likewise, their previous training helps them advance more quickly in our arts. Starting a new style or weapon is not starting over.
"Many of our Instructors have extensive backgrounds in other arts such as Bjj, Muay Thai, Wrestling, and Boxing, and several were military trained including combat veterans. This previous training gives them good insight into the effectiveness of our arts, and can move them quicker through the beginner ranks."
TIME INVESTED
The Students and Instructors at Imperial Combat Arts train a lot, with classes reaching 15-30hrs each week, in addition to their own personal training. Many of our Masters measure their time at the school in decades, some with tens of thousands of hours of class time. To be adept in multiple styles and weapons does require a lot of hard work and dedication. Currently, in 2022, our Instructors hold a combined 142,000 hours of class time and around 129 years of active experience, not including their training in other martial arts.
WHATS IT TAKE?
Make no mistake training at Imperial Combat Arts is very challenging, it's like starting 4 martial arts at once and training them all each class. Classes consist of drills, sparring, grueling exercise, grappling, weapon training, and an hour or more of toughening and conditioning. Additionally one must develop the intricacies of complex fighting styles and techniques, and train on their own time weekly. It takes a dedicated person with natural ability, good comprehension, strong self discipline, pain tolerance, good mental and physical health, proper diet, and a true warrior spirit to excel at Imperial Combat Arts. The result is fast, high level training in all areas, and training with a group of serious and skilled practitioners in the higher ranks.
"Only one who devotes himself to a cause with his whole strength and soul can be a true master.
For this reason mastery demands all of a person."
-Albert Einstein
For this reason mastery demands all of a person."
-Albert Einstein
GENERALIZATION AND SPECIALIZATION
There is a difference between generalizing and specializing in study. For example, while one may truly master a battlefield weapon such as the spear, they may still be adept in all other types of weapons. This generalization is important because one may not have a choice and may have to use any weapon in battle. For this reason we first generalize our students in all areas of combat, letting their natural abilities and preferences manifest, before they specialize in certain arts or weapons. In this way they are prepared for all parts of battle regardless of their preferences.
“It is critically important to diversify your training as well as to specialize, while your specialty may be highly effective against all manner of styles, at least one will be resistant. In evolution the next step after a lifeform specializes is often its extinction, whereas diverse creatures and omnivores are often the most adaptable to change .”
– Grandmaster Long
– Grandmaster Long
HOW MANY ARTS DO WE TEACH?
While it can seem like we teach and train a huge variety of martial arts and weapons there are really only a few styles taught at Imperial Combat Arts, that all share similarities in their training. These arts are Wu Tang Chuan, The Imperial Eight Animal System, and Battlefield Weapons. These arts are all based on Taoist philosophy and share many concepts and like approaches to combat training. Weapons categories are also broken into just a few categories of study with common cores. For example once one is proficient in spear all other pole-arm weapons can be learned quite quickly.
"Our past Masters were both accomplished military men and great martial artists. There is no reason someone can't train in two arts and master weapons, especially with the hours we put in." -Mang Taan
ANIMAL SUB-STYLES
The arts we teach include numerous sub-styles such as Dog, Crab, Phoenix, etc. By definition a sub-style is a smaller facet of another style, this can be as simple as a handful of specialized strikes/techniques, the techniques related to a single grappling position, or as complex as an entire grappling art depending on the sub-style. These sub-styles work seamlessly with the parent style and we’re often integrated to fill a hole in the completeness of an art, such as a lack of ground-fighting. This is not uncommon in Chinese martial arts with many other styles such as H’sing-I and Pakua also having various animal concepts throughout.
HISTORY OF MULTIPLE STYLES
Our training system is not new to training multiple styles as one martial study. Our past Masters in the early 1900's combined the Wu Tang martial arts into one study as they all shared similar Taoist and Military histories, there was a lot of exploration of all the top styles of the time. As highly adept fighters they constantly sought to expand their skills into all the various facets of martial arts. In the Taoist 8 Animal System distinct arts were retained for various types of people to train.
Imperial Combat Arts is not a person but a group of martial artists from varied backgrounds. We have different lineages for the several arts we teach. These arts have been taught together as one system in the U.S. since the 1960's.
SPECIFIC STYLES
Not every practitioner at Imperial Combat Arts trains every style or weapon we teach. The 8 Animal System has styles for large strong people, like Tiger, as well as arts for small framed people such as Leopard. Half the styles are designed for technique based fighters with numerous forms, sets, joint locks etc. and half for strong and aggressive martial artists who focus on developing tremendous physical ability with less technique. Likewise not every weapon is well suited for every type of person. Where a very large man may wield powerful weapons, a small fighter will use smaller, lighter weapon to fit their style. This is the basis of the 8 Animal System. Each style however trains to fight all other types of people and against all types of weapons. Each style is considered its own complete martial art. Instructors might master only one Animal, and its supporting weapons, and teach only that. Very few become Grandmasters and teach all of our styles.