If you are going to take WTF Tae Kwon Do Hapkido and Brazilian Jiujitsu then should you take Wing Chun or ITF Tae Kwon Do and please say why?

Answer 1

An educated answer to this question is not a simple "yes" or "no." What "should" you do implies a desired outcome. What that outcome is for you might be different than others. Studying multiple systems tends to broaden your awareness and experience, but typically does not create greater skill in the long run. Compare it to a construction company spending time and money to building several foundations with no walls instead of one large solid foundation and then proceed to construct walls and ceilings to form the growing levels. If you keep changing contractors, architects, and floor plans, you waste time starting over, and repeating steps before you have even completed the first, most important step.

It should first be understood that there is no such thing as "WTF Taekwondo." Taekwondo is the national Martial Art of South Korea, and is also their national sport. There is a difference between the knowledge and skills that have been solidified in an official curriculum as approved by the Kukkiwon (World Taekwondo Headquarters in Seoul, Korea), and the sport of Taekwondo, which is a game based on some skills contained within the art of self defense. Rules for competition will vary from one tournament to the next, and between major associations who host their own tournaments. Each of these associations can trace their roots back to one of the original 5 Kwans (schools) of post WWII Korea, and they have their own curriculum which might differ in some specific details.

Conversely, the WTF is not a teaching organization, and has no curriculum of its own. The WTF is a sport governing body, and while many people still incorrectly call their system "WTF Taekwondo," this is a misnomer. Regardless of what your Taekwondo school or association teaches in regards to Taekwondo self defense, where you compete, and what rules are enforced is a separate issue.

If you are studying any from any legitimate school of Taekwondo, it is not necessary to switch to a different association provided you are getting quality instruction from a qualified Master. There are inherently Hapkido techniques and grappling (Yudo) within the Taekwondo curriculum, so unless your instruction comes from a source that focused on sports, or was lacking, the Hapki techniques should be there. However, "Hapkido" is a stand-alone art that resembles the same content of Taekwondo with less emphasis on kicks as the primary weapon. One does not need to study both, unless those elements are missing. Then it might be more advantageous to find a school that already contains everything in one coherent curriculum.

Learning too many systems can be confusing to the mind and reflexes, and most various systems have a strategic approach to self defense that does not agree with, or compliment the others. Therefore, time spent training in a new system might be a complete disconnect from most of what is taught in the initial system learned. The phrase "A jack of all trades, and Master of none" applies here. If that is what you want, then studying a variety of systems might please you. If you are seeking to be highly skilled and proficient, then the expert advice is to Master one system that is in itself well-rounded. Later in your career, you will know better what additional training (if any) would benefit you, what would just be a repeat, and what would actually be counter-productive to a goal of being a highly skilled Martial Artist.