Today martial art schools are making a profiting business or only making enough to teach the passion for the martial arts. So many to choose from, and so many styles there are, each has their own benefit, and for their own purpose, as many schools try to market their brand and show what the meaning of that art has to show to the world in the martial arts industry. Just as it sounds, its the martial arts, but its also an industry, but a way of life to teach people how to defend themselves.
There are many marital art schools, but usually you see a school that only teaches on specific style or art, which few schools today, but many are attempting to teach a multiple of styles or arts into one school. For those who just wish to learn just one style, it is fine, as they should know it will take a deal of time to learn what is expected to understand about the style. Other schools have different methods and approach to a mix of other styles or systems into one. Most schools teach traditional martial arts. But many school are now forming to become MMA schools to do the obvious to become a cage fighter to make a living out of it.
For those who are trying to attempt and learn a second style, to add and cross train with another field of martial arts background, to implement, or add what they know from the first one, and add to the following. There could be a negative or a positive in that experience usually for experienced martial artist. Usually most schools would tell their students to learn from only one specific art or style and stick with it to become a master in that system. Many other schools may teach the philosophy that learning how to move from another art form for their extra added experience would improve their ability and increase as a fighter. All depending on what they are looking for to change their abilities and increase their experience as a martial artist. Most who are kickers, will go into kicking or leg related styles, hand systems, or a branch of an art that focuses on upper body self defense, will stick to what appeals familiar to their taste, while others who enjoy grappling, will eventually stick with a grappling or disarming weapon system.
But what about styles that are two completely different from each other, with different opinions from each other style, that has some roots of their common ground, that would either become an adjustment, or will distort to what the are used to? If one selects a hand striking school, while only ground work is opposite from stand up fighting, might conflict someone who is a kicker, and switch to upper body mode constantly that appears to discover new changes or habits that existed or traits from another style. Usually there will be a disagreement, commonality, or worse yet, feeling indifferent towards from the students, to the individual training in the school.
Just as they say, two tigers can not rule the same mountain, so two masters can not dominate or teach the same student. Of which this can be two complete different styles which they might have built up different biases or opinions that dog down other schools, or styles. Which is passed on to other students later in the training. Both Masters or schools of a martial art, may be conflicting, if one Master teaches the student of a move, while the other instructor says, he is doing it the wrong way. First, as we see, there is no right or wrong answer, when it comes to self defense. But each has their interpretation to a fight or what does it mean to compete in a tournament. Later if the second school or style, does not welcome the experienced martial artist of another style, becomes a conflict of interest relating to economics and politics.To eventually at least one Master will inform the student to not to return, if he/she can not adjust or become a fit for the school, and while the other knows and understands the student but only advices that its better to learn one martial art, for their own benefit and later become proficient in that organization or school.
It can be a conflicting process, if there is no compromise, if the money is going to be an issue, to become political. To either pass on new teachings or correct bad habits from the other style. When it comes to a point of misunderstanding or mis-communications, usually the student will leave the school with bitterness and anger if they are asked to not return to the school by the head instructor, or by the Master of the school, while the 1st style and the instructor welcomes the student because they know each other to return to the style and train among as he/she did before attempting to train in the second style. Though can serve two masters, but the real question should be, would you want, and who would accept you, to add on what you imply what you learned. If not, then there is no point of, "SERVING TWO MASTERS. "
