Accidental?

Recently, my Jiu-Jitsu instructor asked if I ever felt the urge to take down my opponent when I spar in Karate.

I found this strange. I find the two activities to be so different that they inspire no accidental slop over.

It's like asking a tennis player who also plays soccer if he even felt like kicking the tennis ball.

I used to be involved in helping coach my school's wrestling team. I learned a lot, and often trained with the kids. I never felt like punching or kicking them, or trying to pin somebody at Karate.

The activities are just so different that I compartmentalize them.

In a self defence situation, I would use both. I'd like to be more of a Karate guy. Being on the ground without lovely padded mats would be painful in the extreme. Rolling around is also a very bad idea if the bad guy isn't alone. I'd hit him.

If that were not appropriate to the situation, or if he grabbed me, then it's Jiu-Jitsu time. Down we go and I switch to all the yummy arm bars and chokes.

I have both, and can use both.

But don't slide from one to the other accidentally.