CROSSTRAINING
By Maurice Msarsa
Ku Dan Isshinryu


Is cross training in the martial arts beneficial, 
or is it harmful? Should people trained in any 
one discipline train in another art? Are we being 
disloyal to our martial art discipline if we seek 
training in another?

In the very early years, the choices to study 
martial arts were limited to whatever dojo was 
available at that time. As the arts gained 
acceptance, the demand for dojos grew and 
other dojos, teaching different styles, opened 
their doors.  Karate kas signed up at the dojos, 
gained knowledge, got trained, and got 
promoted in rank. Eventually, they entered 
open tournaments, got exposed to different 
styles. Some were satisfied with their base 
of knowledge. Others needed to learn more.  
They realized that the martial arts universe is 
too big to claim that any one style contains 
all, or even most, of the knowledge in 
the arts. 

Martial artists cross train for different reasons. 
Some wish to absorb all the knowledge that 
they possibly can. Some do it to enhance the 
techniques they have. Others would argue 
that by knowing the attackers techniques, 
they could better defend themselves in a 
confrontation. Novices that train in one style
 for a short period, then jump to another, then 
another, then another, are not really cross 
training. They usually do not know what they 
are looking for, and they remain novices. 
Those that gain knowledge and rank in one 
discipline, then seek additional training and 
knowledge in others…continuing the training 
in all the disciplines…qualify as cross-trained 
martial artists. 

Was Master Tatsuo Shimabuku a cross-trained 
martial artist? Published reports give us this 
account of his training:

He started his training in Shuri-tu under his 
uncle, Ursha Matsumura before he was 10 
years old. In his early 20’s he began his training 
in Shorin-Ryu under Chotuku Kyan, and later 
under Choki Motobu. After Master Kyan’s death, 
Master Shimabuku started studying Goju-Ryu 
under Chojun Miyagi. After mastering Shuri-tu, 
Shorin-Ryu, and Goju-Ru, Master Shimabuku 
started his study of Kubudo  (ancient weapons) 
under Shinken Taira. I believe that in our world 
today, this could be considered cross training.

It is evident that after all the training in the 
different disciplines, Master Shimabuku was not 
satisfied that he was exposed to the best karate 
knowledge. He experimented by combining 
selected techniques from the styles he studied 
with his own techniques to create Isshinryu…, 
which our sensei, Grandmaster Harold Long, 
called The Ultimate Fighting Art.

Some people would argue that since Master 
Shimabuku did the “cross training” to eventually 
create Isshinryu, we do not need to cross train 
beyond the knowledge that Isshinryu gives us. Is 
that really a legitimate position to take? I’ll leave 
this for the reader to digest. I believe that when 
a person wants to cross train, that person is seeking 
knowledge that was not available in the art that was 
studied earlier. By cross training, the individual 
expands his/her base of knowledge into new 
horizons. 

What if Master Shimabuku concentrated on only 
one of the early styles he studied? Would all the 
Isshinryu followers be training in that style?

At the Karate Five, Isshinryu is the base of our 
martial arts training. Cross training in other styles 
is utilized to enhance and expand our base of 
knowledge. 

Isshinryu…One Heart