Is my training turning into cocktailing?

[Fitcook365]

I've been recently taking time off from my MMA gym and experimenting with other styles of martial arts within the traditional realm such as JKD and Wing Chun. As far as my current plan I've been doing some of the exercises from Barbarian Uprising/KOC that I've seen on youtube since I have not had that finances to buy the program entirely and this is for my Mod days, on my Hi days I've been doing a MMA flow complex by Eric Wong, and then No day is Joint mobility with Wing Chun/Tai Chi mixed in, and then low day is jogging/shadowboxing with Prasara FLock of Pigeons or hatha/vinyasa Sun Salutation, etc. traditional yoga. I've been incorporating grappling at my university's gym that has a club a few times a week and stand-up sparring when I get a chance. I have been unsure if my training has become cocktailing, since I am not preparing for any competitions as of late and trying to figure out my martial arts pathway. Since, I've been venturing into the realm of both streetfighting, self-defense, and MMA style martial arts systems that sort of combine all that together. I want to know what the opinion of other CST members with martial arts background will be on Jeet Kune Do/FMA style philosophy. I've changed up the exercises after a month for my mod day with the Clubbell®, but unsure if I should stick with my flow complex metcon for another month. Since, I'm not focused in on a specific thing I want to progress specifically in, I'm sort of all over the place at the moment. Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

[Coach Clavijo]

I want to know what the opinion of other CST members with martial arts background will be on Jeet Kune Do/FMA style philosophy.

Would you be willing to phrase this as a specific question? What about the philosophy of each would you like to know the CST family's thoughts on? JKD and FMA aren't the same, so I'm not sure if you are looking for an answer that covers both, or what.

Since, I'm not focused in on a specific thing I want to progress specifically in, I'm sort of all over the place at the moment.

You've just answered your cocktailing question.

If you want to continue as you have been, and just explore things, then do so. If you want to train for a certain goal, you need to create one. Pick something/anything you want to specifically improve on right now, and build from there. No one can guide you to a destination that you haven't selected.

To put it a different way,
"If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there." - Lewis Carroll

[Fitcook365]

I was wondering if they are worthwhile arts to explore. The system of training I was researching is people who put together various forms and styles and kind of flow them all together such as like grappling at one moment and then throwing knife defense in with it. It's considered JKD but they add like real-life based scenarios of street fighting and make it as realistic as possible such as like getting punched while wearing a helmet to feel what it's like to experience being attacked by more than one assailant. There are some schools I've seen that would combine JKD with MMA and like FMA stuff like all in one. I didn't know if that is too all over the place since it's random and not like a set individual martial arts, but rather various things are learned each time and lot's of mixing up. And how would that type of training correspond with my goal of fighting in MMA? Which sometimes I lean on just wanted to know self-defense stuff, but other times I feel as though I want to fight/compete. So I've been blending the two in my cycles.

Would just experimenting at the moment be in-line with CST? Or is it considered okay to experiment things until a goal is figured out? Such as creating a goal when a competition, fight, particular event, etc. be the only times a goal is created? Or when a specific criteria needs works on within a martial art, in my case?

[Coach Clavijo]

Replying to your post (and private message) here.

Worthwhile for whom to do what? <- I think that's the question that might need answering here. I'm guessing the whom=You. But... to do what? To compete in Jiu Jitsu or MMA? Then no, you should probably invest more time with more relevant training strategies.
Later in the post you mention changing how you feel about what you want to learn. This is where cocktailing comes from. You can study multiple martial arts, but randomly switching back and forth and beyond will probably get you similarly random results.

There are some schools I've seen that would combine JKD with MMA and like FMA stuff like all in one. I didn't know if that is too all over the place since it's random and not like a set individual martial arts, but rather various things are learned each time and lot's of mixing up.

The only issue I would take with this is the word "random". I think that martial arts instruction should have some logical pedagogy. Many schools don't teach that way. The question to ask though is "Is the JKD/MMA/FMA training at that school actually random? Or does it just seem that way to you, because you are seeing different things trained and you are assuming randomness?"

Would just experimenting at the moment be in-line with CST? Or is it considered okay to experiment things until a goal is figured out? Such as creating a goal when a competition, fight, particular event, etc. be the only times a goal is created? Or when a specific criteria needs works on within a martial art, in my case?

Does it really matter if it's CST? Ask yourself what YOU want. If you want to experiment, do it. If not don't. And if what you truly want is to stay in line with CST's training approach, then I would say... No, it probably doesn't fit in. Circular Strength Training. I tend to think of training as preparation for a particular thing.

Cooking, Cleaning, Kissing... Just because I do those things doesn't mean I'm training them, though they could be trained. If you want to gain something specific (Like skill for the street, or the cage, or the mat), then train. If you just want to explore those things, then explore. But that's not really the same as dedicated, goal-centered training (which is usually what we do in CST). It doesn't mean you are limited to only one goal, but as I said in my earlier post, until you decide what you specifically want, you can't create a specific plan to get there.

A goal is not just created when you are competing. A goal is created when you want something to aim for. From there, we create a program to get to the goal.

So...figure out what you want. If what you want is to explore randomly, do it. If you want to explore with some kind of order, do that. If you want to train specifically in one art, do that. If you want to train multiple arts toward one goal, do that. If you want to train multiple arts with multiple goals over time, do that.

If you don't know what you want, or don't want to decide, then none of what I said really matters, and all this typing equates to mental masturbation.

[Fitcook365]

Well, I know for sure my MMA training takes precedence over the JKD/self-sefense stuff, since I wish to get better at grappling and do competitions, but at the same time I want to strengthen my standup and do Muay Thai Fights and then eventually put them together when I feel comfortable in the separate disciplines for MMA. I'm just exploring right now due to the financial situation I'm in and trying to get my life in order. I'm hoping once that is figured out I can continue back with competing/fighting. So, I guess I want to train multiple arts with multiple goals over time (Muay Thai fights, grappling competitions, proficiency with street-fighting/self-defense). So, basically my grappling and muay thai/boxing have been what I'm primarily focusing on, I just throw in some wing-chun work on my No-days along with the self-defense stuff like once in a while.

[MemV]

I will not bore you with my background but I can be accussed of not having a focus myself as I am studying three martial arts as well as incorporating a lot of the CST stuff. Each have its own purpose defined and I got the framework from the 3DPP. If anything I would invest in that manual as it will help you explain the key elements of all your studies. Your various martial arts may have a competition element for example, some might help you develop against fear-reactivity and some might help with skill development. Each martial art has it is own strengths, even each dojo has something to offer. Using the 3DPP manual framework you can chart the course of your own development. By all means the manual does not give every answer but it has certainly helped me a great deal. If you've heard of Napoleon Hill and his mindshare group in effect you can combine the best parts of all your teachers into one programme for you. At least this is my journey and I wish you the very best in your studies.

[Fitcook365]

I suppose now I sort of figured out my plan for goals and that is to gain more dominance in my grappling abilities as I started to focus more on catch wrestling/Sambo style No-Gi by Gokor and Gene Lebell. I plan to enter Specific Preparation in a couple weeks and do a program like Tacfit Survival which I got to view recently and noticed the Clubbell® 5x5 as interesting progression to the double handed Clubbell® work I've been playing around with lately. I was curious to know if that program is more SSP or would it fit in with SPP. I notice it has some interesting bodyweight drills and if that would take the place of something like Grappler's Toolbox? I'm thinking as far as metcon goes would something dealing with double kettlebell work be ideal to help with my takedown ability, I've been learning how to transition from a back-dominant jiu-jitsu fighter to more like a wrestler by scrambling and taking top position. Takedowns have been my weak points and something I always would put off in my training or try to avoid, even in competitions by butt-scooting or pulling guard. Any thoughts or ideas on how this can be put together? Eventually within two months, my new coach will start integrating striking into my training to make it more MMA style. Lately I've been just been doing my own thing by Thai shadowboxing/learning Wing Chun and sparring when I can. My mention of more "JKDish" stuff I'll venture out into in the future hopefully if I go to Erik Paulson's school when I move to California. But, for now this seems to be my plan.

[Coach Clavijo]

Doesn't TFSurvival have a metcon? "double kettlebell" is incredibly vague. It may help your takedowns, it may not. I haven't seen TFSurvival, so I can't comment on that.

As for the jiu jitsu, why not just switch from being a bottom player to a top player? Why switch arts?

[Fitcook365]

Yes it does but it's basically the bodyweight drills. I noticed for any type of attribute I want to follow weighted resistance is my preference (i.e. Kettlebells, clubbells, sandbags, and so on). I find bodyweight training to come into handy to refine it. So, I was thinking starting out doing the Clubbell® 5x5 from Survival for mod days, a customized metcon to develop attributes for wrestling and utlizing selected drills to practice on low days. Then, in a couple months to follow the program as prescribed with Survival on mod and hi days.

The reason I switched was because the place I used to train at was too expensive. Then, I switched to train with a guy who is trained in Gokor Chivichyan and Gene Lebell's style which is a strong catch wrestling base. After, I gain comfort in being a well-rounded grappler. I then want to mesh in my standup training ( bagwork,padwork, sparring, and utilize training program to start on those goals while keeping grappling to a couple days a week.