Supplementing Muay Thai with Shotokan

Just realized this was from 2010, good job Chuck, sure he needs this advice 4 years later...
 
I took shotokan when I was younger and now I take muay thai and my instructor points out things I do that aren't conducive to the art. For instance I find myself at times in a very wide stance and punch from a chamber. These things don't transfer well.

Mixing things get you mixed results.
 
I took shotokan when I was younger and now I take muay thai and my instructor points out things I do that aren't conducive to the art. For instance I find myself at times in a very wide stance and punch from a chamber. These things don't transfer well.

Mixing things get you mixed results.

I bet you punch a hell of a lot better than most of the guys in the Muay Thai class.
 
I think it is a great idea but you are far too early in your MT training. Maybe train in MT for at least a solid year and then branch out. Two would be better. But remember to keep an open mind under who ever you are training under and don't think of their advice as the final and only judgement and keep an open mind. Or else you probably wont like Karate after you finally try it because of just how different it is and how it may appear as if its completely ineffective.

Another big issue is that there is a good chance you will run into a shotokan mcdojo. There are a lot of them, although there are a fair few MT/MMA mcdojos but not as much. It's hard to find a good school. If you find a good one in your area its not something I would want to miss out on.
 
I would do Muay Thai and start a proper physical preparation regiment (strength, speed/agility, flexibility/mobility, energy systems).

I took shotokan from one of the most respected Americans in my youth and I feel 100% that I should have done boxing, wrestling, or judo (there was no bjj or MT in the late 80's/early 90's). I still struggle to unlearn the techniques I learned and drilled from 5-14years old.

http://www.ckakarate.com/staff/ my old teacher.
 
Well, Shotokan really focus on timing, what is never a bad thing. And has punches to the face.

Timing is a part of fighting and a part of any and all martial arts. Especially for counter-fighters, and CF's can be from any martial arts.
 
I bet you punch a hell of a lot better than most of the guys in the Muay Thai class.

Really? Most times, when a Karate cat comes into Muay Thai, they punch like shit and hates getting pressured with the hands and always trying to keep distance with their sidekick spam, but usually it's completely running around the entire gym and into other people's space while they're sparring (lol). Same goes for Kung-Fu and especially TKD, where their hands are horrible compared to MT. MT trains a hell of a lot of punching compared to TMA's. The only ones that are better at punching are the pure Boxers.
 
Really? Most times, when a Karate cat comes into Muay Thai, they punch like shit and hates getting pressured with the hands and always trying to keep distance with their sidekick spam, but usually it's completely running around the entire gym and into other people's space while they're sparring (lol). Same goes for Kung-Fu and especially TKD, where their hands are horrible compared to MT. MT trains a hell of a lot of punching compared to TMA's. The only ones that are better at punching are the pure Boxers.

Yeah I think the main difference is in the combination punching. The majority TMA stylists can't do much more than throw a mediocre 1-2 punch.
 
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