[b0b]

I didn't know whether I should post this in the Stand up or Grappling forum, but here it goes.

I train at an MMA school that teaches Judo, BJJ, Muay Thai, and MMA (Duh!). Due to my schedule, I have only been attending the Judo and BJJ. I tend to pick things up pretty fast when grappling, and have been doing well compared to other people who started around the same time as me. I have attended the Muay Thai before, and don't really like striking I have found. I am not that good at it, and feel that I need a TON of work on my standup to even be adequate.

My question is, is it better to have a good base in 1 discipline, and then diversify later, or to train both full time?

My schedule is opening up to where I can do both. I realize I suck at Muay Thai because I don't practice it, and that I will never get better if I don't do it. I don't want it to interrupt my grappling training, because I feel that is going well.

Thanks for any advice/words of wisdom.

[scorcho]

Just train what you enjoy man, especially if you are not planning on becoming a pro fighter. Focus on grappling and go to some comps, and you can do more later if you want to.

[stephensharp]

Originally Posted by b0b

I didn't know whether I should post this in the Stand up or Grappling forum, but here it goes.

I train at an MMA school that teaches Judo, BJJ, Muay Thai, and MMA (Duh!). Due to my schedule, I have only been attending the Judo and BJJ. I tend to pick things up pretty fast when grappling, and have been doing well compared to other people who started around the same time as me. I have attended the Muay Thai before, and don't really like striking I have found. I am not that good at it, and feel that I need a TON of work on my standup to even be adequate.

My question is, is it better to have a good base in 1 discipline, and then diversify later, or to train both full time?

My schedule is opening up to where I can do both. I realize I suck at Muay Thai because I don't practice it, and that I will never get better if I don't do it. I don't want it to interrupt my grappling training, because I feel that is going well.

Thanks for any advice/words of wisdom.

Ata good school/club/gym, you could possibly trian all aspects, but you'll likely advance slower in any individual aspect than you would just trianing those (i.e.- If you spent all your time in the MMA class, your grappling < the BJJ classers, and striking < the MT guys... But putting it all together, you'd be holding yoru own and then eventually being able to beat them due to your well-rounded ness.). However, due to the fact that you're probably not planning on making a career out of it, just doing it because you a) love it and b) feel you need to have at least one fight (I'm guessing...), you're not going to be putting in the type of time it takes to bring up a complete game, and whatever you're naturally stilted towards will come out.

I did some TKD as a kid and some boxing later on, and have good range while standing, and also have a decent Judo background, so even in BJJ, I prefer to work top game, and in an MMA setting, I prefer top or standing, as I'm comfortable from most standing ranges... As a result, I have to FORCE myself to try and work my guard and escapes against guys that wouldn't be able to put me there on their own (because it doesn't do me any good to give up position to someone that can roll right over me anyway). If you are more comfortable grappling than standing, you are going to gravitate towards it anyway, and try to get it to and keep it on the ground, regardless of how much striking you learn. As a result, you'd have to force yoruself to stand longer just to try and equalize.

Anyway, all that out of the way, what I'm basically saying is that since you're starting out, and you've already realized you are leaning towards grappling, you may want to focus primarily on it, but go to the MMA class, which will add at least enough striking to cover your ass while you go for the shoot/clinch and takedown.

If you were goign to do this stuff any more seriously than as a recreational thing, I'd say you gotta do it all, but even if you just want to do one or two amatuer fights, you're likely to get more out of focused training on your comfort zone, then branching out. Just remember, your whole game plan is going to be pretty transparent of trying to keep in your zone and take the other guy into it... You run into a guy that can trump your grappling, you've got nothing worthwhile to fall back on.

[John O'Brien]

If you want to compete in MMA, you need to study muay thai. You will have to go to those classes. Anyone can become decent at muay thai - Just put the time and effort into it. If anything, you need to get used to getting hit. The only way you can do this is to spar. Go ahead and skip the muay thai classes if you like, but you're in for a big shock if you enter an MMA fight without any standup experience.

Forget the judo, replace that with muay thai. You are doubling up your grappling classes while you could be spreading it out between striking and grappling.

[krellik]

Dude, start with the mma class instead! Then add in thai later if your geting serious...

[Gsoares2]

yeah i would just train bjj and MT

Judo is good man dont get me wrong, but for the amount of wear and tear you get on your body, weighed out with how much self defense you get.. its just not worth it.

But do what you like. If you want to teach judo or bjj and have a passion for it.. Then keep training just those. If you could get a black in both you be a grappling machine.

[triso]

I used to go to an MMA club. It was an awesome place to train. I did a lot of Boxing, some Muay Thai, and Sub Wrestling.

I didn't put enough time into any of those 3 arts while training there. I only went to class 3 times a week. I came out of that gym with a very solid base in both skill-sets. I just wasn't to much better in either.

I then took more boxing and started getting really good with my hands. When I started purely boxing, I learned quicker because of my knowledge from the MMA gym, but I noticed a huge difference in how much faster I was progressing since I started only training my hands.

Then I moved on to Jiu Jitsu. I again, pick things up pretty quickly because of my background, but I can see how much more I need to learn. Now I'm starting to see a big increase in my ground game because I am focusing solely on that at the moment.

If your wondering what the point of my post is, it was to show that while I trained in a number of arts, and got a solid base for each, I never really excelled in any ONE art because I didn't put enough TIME into it.

If you want to do both I think that is great. Just put the time in.

Just realize the pros and cons. It will take you a little longer to develop your skills in each to become more efficient, but you will develop a good well rounded base.

I don’t really know which is better, training everything at once, or focusing on one area at a time, and then moving on to the next. For me, I think the latter does more.

It also comes down to what your goals are. MMA, Grappling Comps, fun hobby, good foundation for fighting skills, etc.

[private ryan]

i started out in an mma gym.
it taught jkd with combat submission wrestling and kali stick fighting and kickboxing.
the instructor is a fucking machine and taught great but i found where i was only going 3 times a week i never felt solid in anything and i never felt like i was "owning" a movement or technique.
i now just train at gracie barra and my grappling is so so much beeter where im just concentrating on one thing.
i am starting privates in mt this month for one hour a week just so i can work on the basics of my stand up.

[DMcKayBJJ]

Since this is the grappling forum, I'll say...

F-CK MT! Stick with the BJJ, bro, and be da man on the ground! Standup is for p-ssies so choke'm all out!

Seriously, though, just do whatever is more fun...

[paulchu]

you say "be adequate"

be adequate at what exactly?