It has long been recognized that skill sets from other sports can aid and enhance one's main sport.
Does anyone have experiences to share related to using skills learned from other sports to enhance their main sport?

CroCivic91

Basketball helped me do better in knife fighting. Our coach made us play basketball with only our "off-hand", and this helped me control knife better with my "off-hand".

oldcoach

CroCivic91,

Did you learn knife fighting in the service, on your own, or in some martial art?

I have had people tell me that martial arts has helped their baseball, basketball, and boxing. I have never heard someone say that basketball helped their fighting. I have noticed that wrestlers and football players tend to do better in martial arts though.

Oldcoach

CroCivic91

I still practice knife fighting, as a part of Filipino Martial Art called Arnis/Escrima/Kali.

Only thing that basketball helped me with is to better control hand movement, especially the left hand. It allows me to learn techniques easier, and cut more precise.

I've seen an ex tennis player come practice with us, and he actually had quite a few problems with learning how to cut properly. The thing is, he was constantly cutting too wide, most likely a reason for that would be countless backhands and forhands from tennis.

oldcoach

You might say that cross-training can help your main sport, but you must be careful of the detrimental effects of certain sports and pick your cross-training carefully.

Sort of like baseball players avoiding softball, because it messes up your timing and ball-handling. The slower pitching and larger ball causes problems.

Oldcoach

CroCivic91

Word!

Keep preaching brother...

Kresho

oldcoach

CroCivic91,

I have heard of these arts. (Arnis/Escrima/Kali) Are they separate arts or must they be taught together? Or does each name refer to a different set of weapons? (like Escrima= batons)

You said, "...basketball helped me with is to better control hand movement, especially the left hand." I was wondering; Does your weapons training enhance your empty-hand skills? (Like strengthening parts of your body or improving speed)

Oldcoach

CroCivic91

I answered your last question in another post, regarding your question.

Arnis, Escrima and Kali are "roughly" just different names for the same art. It's a fillipino art that teaches you to fight with empty hands, one stick, two sticks, knife, two knives, knife and a stick, whip and so on. Different masters teach you different things. The main thing about the art is, when you go through the basics, the master (or a higher student) teaches you "one on one". You are continously under some sort of attacks (be it with sticks or empty hands) and you are taught to respond to attacks "naturaly". Basically, you are being "programmed", and your natural reflexes replaced with effective reflexes.

Kresho