Martial arts
Martial arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for
combat. Today, martial arts are studied for various reasons including
combat skills,
sport,
fitness,
self-defense, self-cultivation (
meditation), mental discipline, character development and building self-confidence.
A practitioner of martial arts is referred to as a
martial artist.
Worldwide there is a great diversity of martial arts. Broadly speaking, martial arts share a common goal: to defeat a person physically or to defend oneself from physical threat. In many martial arts, training goes beyond fighting to include personal, mental, and spiritual development.
A common characteristic of martial arts is the systemization of fighting techniques. One common traditional method of training, particularly in the East Asian martial arts, is the form or
kata (also called poomse, ch'ůan t'ao, kuen, tao lu, hyung, or tuls). This is a set routine of techniques performed alone, or sometimes with a partner.
Martial arts may focus on one or more of these areas:
*
Striking (e.g.
Boxing,
Karate,
Southern Praying Mantis,
Wing Chun,
Krav Maga,
Bando)
*
Kicking, (e.g.
Taekwondo,
Savate,
Capoeira,
Lethwei,
Tantui)
*
Grappling and
throwing (e.g.
Wrestling,
Shuai Jiao,
Jujutsu,
Judo,
Pehlwani,
Sambo,
Naban,
Aikido,
Qin na,
Kampfringen,
Hapkido), or
*
Weaponry (e.g.
Iaido,
Kobudo,
Naginata-do,
Kendo,
Fencing,
Eskrima,
Gatka,
Banshay,
Fechtkunst).
Some martial arts, particularly the traditional
Chinese martial arts, also teach side disciplines such as
bone-setting,
Qigong,
acupuncture,
acupressure (
Tui na), and other aspects of
traditional Chinese medicine. Traditional
Indian martial arts also teach aspects of
traditional Indian medicine as side disciplines.
The martial arts, though commonly associated with
East Asian cultures and people, are by no means unique to this region. For example, various
Dravidian Indian martial arts, such as
Kuttu Varisai,
Varma Kalai,
Kalari Payattu and
Adithada, were developed in
ancient Thamizhakkam (
South India).
Savate was developed from
Chausson and English boxing.
Capoeira's athletic movements were developed in
Brazil by slaves based on skills brought with them from
Africa. English
boxing was developed from
bare-knuckle boxing.
Many martial arts also strive to teach moral values and provide guidance for children who join the ranks of those learning the art. Many arts require those who achieve black belt or the equivalent to take an oath restricting their use of their knowledge. Martial artists are also trained in mental and emotional discipline.
Each martial art has its own history and goals. Some focus on
tournament competition, while others focus on self-defense, preparing for war, or the preservation of an ancient tradition.
The history of martial arts around the world is complex. Most groups of people have had to defend themselves at some time and have developed fighting techniques for that purpose. However, many of those techniques have been rendered technologically obsolete over the centuries. Even at an individual, rural level, the threat to the safety of a group of people is now more likely to come from modern weaponry such as
automatic rifles than from men with
swords. Furthermore, the preservation of a martial art requires many years of teaching at the hands of a good teacher to pass on the art for a single generation. So it is relatively unlikely that a particular martial art would survive and become popular in today's culture, and each art that has done so has a unique history.
Martial arts in Asia
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Practicing martial arts is still a popular pastime in modern China. |
For more details on this topic, see List of Asian and Pacific Martial ArtsEarly history
The teaching of martial arts in Asia has historically followed the cultural traditions of teacher-disciple apprenticeship. Students are trained in a strictly hierarchical system by a master instructor:
Sensei (先") in
Japanese; in
Chinese 老師, (
Wade-Giles)
Lao Shih, (Pinyin)
lǎo shī (lit., old master);
Cantonese Sifu; 師父
Mandarin (Wade-Giles)
Shih fu, (Pinyin)
Shī fù (lit., the master-father), 사"님
Sah Beom Nim (
Korean),
Guru in
Sanskrit and
Hindi,
Kallari Gurukkal (
Malayalam). The instructor is expected to directly supervise their students' training, and the students are expected to memorize and recite as closely as possible the rules and basic training routines of the school.
In a Confucian influenced martial art, students with more seniority are considered older brothers and sisters; those with less seniority as younger brothers and sisters. Such clearly delineated relationships are designed to develop good character, patience and discipline.
Some method of certification can be involved, where one's skills would be tested for mastery before being allowed to study further; in some systems, especially in
China, there may not have been any such certifications, only years of close personal practice and evaluation under a master, much like an apprenticeship, until the master deems one's skills satisfactory. This
pedagogy, while still preserved and respected in many traditional styles, has weakened to varying degrees in others and is even actively rejected by some schools, especially in the West.
Along with
East Asia, martial arts were also studied in
India,
Thailand,
Myanmar, the
Philippines,
Indonesia,
Vietnam,
South America, and almost every other corner of the Earth. This in turn led to further exploration of disciplines from China, Korea, and Japan for their historical and cultural value. In India, Indonesia and
Malaysia, a tremendous diversity of colourful martial arts of various styles with ancient origins flourishes.
A number of martial arts were developed in
ancient Thamizhakkam (South India), including
Kuttu Varisai (empty hand combat),
Varma Kalai (the art of vital points) and
Adithada (kickboxing) in
Tamil Nadu, and
Kalari Payattu (way of the arena) in
Kerala.
In Indonesia, a large number of arts under the umbrella of
Silat may also include
Kateda and
Sindo.
Kuntao styles are found across this region. It is difficult to pin down the origin of these arts, which are claimed to be indigenous but nonetheless have much in common with
Qigong,
Yiquan, and possibly
Shaolin Wushu. They have both
internal and
external qualities so perhaps could be seen as an original hybridisation of other arts, the origins of which are lost in the mists of time.
Modern history
The Western interest in East Asian Martial Arts dates back to the late 19th Century, due to the increase in trade between America and China and Japan. Relatively few Westerners actually practiced the arts, considering it to be mere performance. Many of the first demonstrations of the martial arts in the West were performed by Asians in
vaudeville shows, which served to further reinforce the perception of the martial arts as dramatic performance.
As Western influence grew in the East a greater number of military personnel spent time in China, Japan, and elsewhere. Gradually some soldiers began to see the value of Eastern martial arts and began training in them.
William E. Fairbairn, a shanghai policeman and at the time a leading Western expert on Asian fighting techniques was recuited during
World War II by the British Secret Service to teach U.K., U.S. and Canadian Commando and Ranger forces
Jujitsu, he later wrote
Kill or Be Killed, a classic military treatise on hand to hand combat.
With large numbers of American servicemen stationed in Japan after World War II, the adoption of techniques and the gradual transmission of entire systems of martial arts to the West started. It was in the 1950's, however, when this exportation of systems really began to gain momentum. Large groups of US Military personnel were taught Korean arts (
Taekwondo) during the War with
North Korea, and many of these brought their training home and continued to practice and teach after their demobilization. By the 1960's, the Japanese arts like Karate and Judo had become very popular. The early 1970s saw martial arts movies, due in part to martial artist
Bruce Lee, cause the rise in popularity of
Chinese martial arts.
This exportation of the martial arts led to such styles as sport karate, which became a major international sport, with professional fighters, big prizes, television coverage, and sponsorship deals.
The later 1970's and 1980's witnessed an increased media interest in the martial arts. Thanks in part to Asian and Hollywood martial arts movies and very popular television shows like "Kung-Fu" and "The Green Hornet" that incorporated martial arts moments or themes.
Martial arts in Europe
Martial arts with historical roots in
Europe do not exist to the same extent as in Asia. Boxing as well as forms of wrestling have endured. European martial arts have mostly adapted to changing technology and are truer to the English meaning of that phrase, so that while their descendants still exist, martial arts are focused on things like flying
helicopters and
infantry tactics for riflemen. These are generally not referred to as martial arts.
Martial arts existed in
classical European civilization, most notably in
Greece where
sport was integral to the way of life.
Boxing (
pygme,
pyx),
Wrestling (
pale) and
Pankration (from
pan, meaning "all", and
kratos, meaning "power" or "strength") were represented in the
Ancient Olympic Games. The
Romans produced
Gladiatorial combat as public spectacle based on a more martial sport.
Some traditional martial arts have been preserved in one form or another. For example,
boxing,
wrestling,
archery,
savate and
fencing were preserved by being made into sports; of course this has changed the practice significantly.
Some forms of
historical fencing have survived, and many groups are working to
reconstruct older European martial arts. The process of reconstruction combines intensive study of detailed combat treatises produced from 1400-1900 A.D. and practical training or "pressure testing" of various techniques and tactics. This includes such styles as
sword and shield,
two-handed swordfighting,
jousting and other types of melee weapons combat.
Another aspect of the
reconstruction effort involves more historically recent martial arts and combat sports, such as those practiced during the
1800s and
1900s. A partial list would include
bare-knuckle boxing,
Bartitsu,
quarterstaff, fencing according to late 1800s rules, etc.
Unarmed European martial arts that have survived in active form include English
boxing, Olympic
wrestling, and French
savate. Some weapon systems have also survived as folk sports and as self-defense methods, including stick-fighting systems such as
Jogo do Pau of Portugal, and the
Juego del Palo style(s) of the
Canary Islands.
Other martial arts were made into sports that we no longer recognize as combative, such as some kinds of
gymnastics, where the
pommel horse is called a horse because it simulates a horse; the art comes from the necessity of a
cavalryman to be able to change positions and fight effectively from the back of a
horse. More ancient origins exist for the
shot put and the
javelin throw, both weapons utilized extensively by the
Romans.
Martial arts in the Americas
The
native peoples of
North America had their own martial training which started at childhood. Many Native American men considered themselves warriors and trained to use the bows, knives, blowguns, spears, and warclubs. War clubs were the preferred martial weapon because Native American warriors could raise their social status by killing enemies in single combat face to face. Warriors honed their archery and war club skills through lifelong training. According to early historical accounts, they demonstrated impressive skill in using war clubs and were favorably compared to European fencing masters.
The European colonists (and later, Asian immigrants) brought over their own martial arts such as
boxing,
fencing and
wrestling.
In 1831
Jim Bowie is reputed to have won a duel, killing three bandits with his soon-to-be-famous
Bowie knife. Due to the sensationalism of American newspaper reports, the Bowie knife soon became the most popular personal blade being sold in the US. Schools of Bowie fighting quickly sprung up across the country, which probably drew from European influences and possibly drew from
native influences.
Capoeira, with roots in Africa, is a
martial art originating in
Brazil that involves a high degree of flexibility and endurance. It consists of kicks and sweeps, although modern
Capoeira has incorporated punches and arm strikes.
Another Brazilian martial art is
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The pre-
war years saw many Japanese people emigrate to Brazil, some of whom were proficient in
Judo.
Carlos Gracie and his brother
Hélio Gracie adopted this system of fighting and refined it into a more comprehensive groundfighting system. The system, known as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, has become a popular martial art and proved to be extremely successful in mixed martial arts competitions such as the
UFC.
Martial arts internationally
Every village and tribe around the world had a few trained fighters who passed on their knowledge; however, it is difficult to pass on a fighting system, so almost all of these have been lost as their practical relevance has declined. A few have nonetheless survived for one reason or another, and a very few of those have seen a recent boom in popularity, perhaps related to the
world music phenomenon or more simply because the internet has thrown them open to the world. Examples of this are
Capoeira and some related arts in
Cuba,
Haiti and
Trinidad and Tobago, which were preserved partly through their relationship with
Candomblé,
Santería,
Vodun, and other
syncretic religions. Of these, only
Capoeira has risen to worldwide prominence.
Boxing,
Fencing,
Judo,
Wrestling and
Tae Kwon Do are the martial arts that are contested in the modern
Olympic Games.
The
2003 movie
Whale Rider featured several scenes involving
Mau rakau, a traditional martial art of the
Māori people. It involves the use of the
taiaha, a 2-handed fighting staff.
Martial arts also developed among military and police forces to be used as:
* arrest and self-defense methods. One example is
Krav Maga, a self-defense system developed by the armed forces of Israel. Another example is
San Shou developed for Chinese armed forces and
Kombato developed for the Brazilian armed forces.
* lethal tactical arts for use in close quarter combat warfare, i.e.
Military Martial Arts e.g. UAC (British), LINE (USA)
Other combatives systems having their origins in the modern military include Chinese
San Shou, Soviet Bojewoje(Combat)
Sambo, Indian ACCS
Advanced commando combat system and Israeli
Krav Maga.
Martial arts on the modern battlefield
As modern warriors continue to refine tactics and techniques utilizing modern weaponry such as handguns and rifles, old concepts seem new again. A good example of this is
point shooting which relies on
muscle memory to more effectively utilize a
firearm in a variety of awkward situations, much the way an
iaidoka would master movements with his or her sword. This is now a central part of
infantry and
special forces weapons training. The
Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP) is an integrated martial art designed for and executed by all U.S. Marines.
Other combatives systems having their origins in the modern military include Chinese
San Shou, Soviet Bojewoje(Combat)
Sambo (martial art), Indian ACCS
Advanced commando combat system and Israeli
Krav Maga.
In addition to these new forms, traditional hand-to-hand and spear techniques continue to see use. Examples of this include
Combatives and
bayonet jousting techniques, both taught by the
U.S. Army. As urban combat and
close quarters combat become increasingly the norm, the former is likely to see more use this century than last, and while the bayonet may seem a relic of history to many, the weapon has seen use by the
British Army as recently as the
invasion of Iraq [
1].
The comparison between martial arts can be based on the goals, teaching methods, and the techniques of different fighting systems. Such comparisons tend to be controversial when there is a lack of format in which a direct and objective comparison is possible. In addition to physical combat, many martial arts have spiritual or philosophical aspirations, such as the various Chinese, Japanese and Korean martial arts that emphasize traditional
Confucian teaching methods. Some systems are sports-oriented, such as
Judo,
Tae Kwon Do and
Wushu, and have their own distinct set of rules which are incompatible with other systems. Some are described as "reality-based", with a focus on self-defense, including
American Kenpo,
Wing Chun,
Jeet Kune Do,
Defendo,
Kapap,
Kombato, and
Angeles Eskrima. As different martial arts often have differing goals, it is difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of various martial arts based on one general standard or method.
However, many martial arts claim to be effective fighting disciplines within a particular context, such as unarmed combat between two fighters, self-defense against multiple attackers, use of specific weapons, escaping from those seeking to harm or capture the practitioner, and so on. While some of these claims are sometimes difficult to assess, an objective evaluation of practitioners may be achieved within context. For instance, regardless of background, those sharing a common interest in hand-to-hand fighting may engage in sparring using a mutually accepted set of rules in order to determine who is a better fighter. An example of a martial arts tournament that attempted to answer the question of
"which fighting system is the best" using as few rules as possible was the
Ultimate Fighting Championship (
UFC) in the early 1990's. Organizations such as the UFC have since evolved due to the rise of
mixed martial arts.
Mixed martial arts or MMA is an eclectic, modern form of martial arts cross-training. Followers of this practice believe that no traditional fighting system is strictly better than all others, and that by being competent and well-trained in multiple areas, one can become a better fighter overall. Due to this movement, tournaments such as the UFC and
Pride Fighting Championships have evolved to emphasize more on competition between individuals and less on competition between specific systems, as virtually all participants in these events have become knowledgeable in multiple systems. While MMA is currently seen largely as a form of sport competition with organization-specific rules, it can also be considered a school of thought in which the practitioner may incorporate any useful martial art technique into their personal training.
Classification
Numerous criteria have been devised to classify different fighting systems, though many of these criteria are either controversial or overly generalized. For example, while some Chinese systems have traditionally been classified as either
"internal" or
"external", these notions require concepts such
Qi,
Central Power,
Prana and
Kei which are not necessarily applicable to all systems internationally. Another category is the notion of "hard" versus "soft", which asks whether a system relies on using force and power to defeat the opponent or, instead, on avoiding attacks and applying leverage: the
Shotokan school of karate may be perceived as using a "harder" approach than Judo does. However, many systems have both hard and soft aspects and do not always fit into either category; a Judo practitioner still uses full physical strength when
throwing opponents in competition. Another set of similar concepts is "striking" versus "
grappling": does the art focus on punching and kicking, as in boxing and Taekwondo, or on
clinching and
holding, as in
wrestling and
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu? While some systems may consist of mostly striking or mostly grappling, various arts such as
Ninjutsu,
Sambo or
San Shou, among many others, often utilize both areas in conjunction.
Muay Thai, for example, is studied primarily as a striking art, yet it makes frequent use of the grappling technique
double collar tie.
Technical aspects
Fighting is a highly complex discipline. In the past,
soldiers such as Greek
hoplites, Roman
Legionary (
Roman legion),
Mongolian cavalrymen,
Manchu bannermen, European
knights and Japanese
samurai usually spent lifetimes studying all relevant aspects of unarmed fighting and fighting with basic weapons, honed by real, close-quarters combat resulting in fatalities. While soldiers today are still trained in these areas, due to the characteristics of modern warfare, unarmed fighting is often practiced now by civilians in sport-like and less lethal fashions. Modern militaries are typically trained in only the most basic of hand-to-hand combat skills. Practitioners today generally study a limited number of fighting aspects within specific martial art systems, with the exception of certain Asian military special forces, such as one of Taiwan's hostage rescue squads, specialized in hand-to-hand combat in confined spaces. Nonetheless, many practitioners would like to have some skill in more than one context, and most arts include some study of many aspects. In certain systems, in-depth study of certain aspects is not begun until a practitioner has been training for many years.
Some aspects of fighting include:
* Long-range unarmed fighting. In this situation, things happen relatively slowly (hundreds of
milliseconds), giving participants time to react to visual stimuli. This allows powerful strikes as well as subtle feints to be performed.
* Short-range unarmed fighting. In this situation
reaction time is such an important factor that visual stimuli are not very useful, and practitioners must learn to react to tactile stimuli. Strikes are still possible but reactions must become
reflexes, making feints more difficult.
* Grappling. In this situation participants are wrestling each other attempting to get the other in a submission or weak spot for striking. Leverage and physical strength become very important. If not forbidden by rules, biting, pinching and spitting can be very effective at this range.
* Armed fighting. Fighting with weapons can be rather different from unarmed fighting, both because strikes can become much more destructive and because weapons can drastically increase the reach of a practitioner. Of course, each weapon and each range requires its own techniques, but a cleverly designed teaching system can take advantage of similarities to simplify the study.
* Moral, emotional, and physical development. The dedication and practice required to acquire skill in a martial art can be very beneficial to the character of a practitioner - and in learning to defeat an attacker. Some martial arts systems focus on these effects, and emphasize techniques and training that encourage this development.
* Fighting against a single opponent. Both traditional
duels and most modern
sparring matches pit one expert fighter against another, with some set of rules, and after a battle, declare a victor. This has a number of different effects; for example, footwork can be simplified as a practitioner rarely needs to turn quickly. On the other hand, one can expect one's opponent to be about as skilled as oneself.
* Fighting against multiple opponents. Some martial arts systems focus on being able to deal with multiple opponents simultaneously. In order for this to be possible, normally the opponents must be assumed to have less skill than the practitioner. This has technical effects as well, including tight, careful footwork to allow rapid turning, as well as rapid disabling of opponents in order to move on.
* Fighting without injuring the opponent. Many systems are suggested for police or security work; as such, there is a certain amount of effort devoted to minimizing the damage a practitioner inflicts on an opponent. Disarming, locking and controlling techniques are emphasized in this situation over the simpler striking techniques which disable or kill.
* Avoidance of fighting. Some martial arts systems are strongly oriented towards practical self-defense, and so some emphasis is placed on defusing or avoiding violent situations rather than fighting.
Rank systems
Since the early 20th century, martial arts such as
Karate,
Tae Kwon Do, and
Judo have ranked their students according to a belt system. In the martial arts that use a belt system, the lowest ranking belt is usually white, and the highest ranking belt is usually black, which can extend to the 10th degree or higher. The arrangement of the intermediate colored belts varies. Sometimes the white belt is said to symbolize innocence and purity, and the black belt to symbolize the collection of all colors of experience. In most martial arts that use a belt system, there are multiple degrees of black belt called
Dans. Even when a black belt has been achieved, training in the art is not complete. In many schools the black belt denotes more the beginning of training than the end of learning.
It is thought that when uniforms were being introduced in the early martial arts, that white belts were used to keep the suit from becoming cumbersome. Through years of outdoor training the belt became ingrained with dirt, the longer the training the more experience, and the "Blacker" the belt became. The colour of the belt ranged from light (white - beginner) to dark (black - Teacher/Master). It was also thought to be a chalice of the wearer, that holds all their knowledge, and to wash it off was thought to take away the knowledge gained while wearing the belt. Others assert that this explanation is merely a popular myth, considering standards of cleanliness commonly upheld in such training establishments (see
black belt (martial arts) )
Traditionally in the Chinese systems, no ranks were used other than teacher, senior student, and junior student. Many western kung-fu schools now use a system of sashes, similar in practice to the Japanese belt system.
Other martial arts may use a system of titles.
In general, testing or evaluation in some form is important to martial art practitioners of many disciplines who wish to determine their own level of skill in specific contexts. Students within individual martial art systems often undergo periodic testing and grading by their own teacher in order to advance to a higher level of recognized achievement, such as a different
belt color or title. The type of testing used varies from system to system but may include
forms or
sparring. Sparring can generally be divided into
light- or medium-contact, and
full-contact variants. Both forms and sparring are commonly used in martial art exhibitions and tournaments. Some competitions pit practitioners of different disciplines against each other using a common set of rules.
Light and medium-contact sparring
Sparring in some martial arts may involve a point-based system of light- to medium-contact sparring in a marked-off area where both competitors are protected by foam padding; particular targets are prohibited, such as face and groin, and certain techniques may be also prohibited. Points are awarded to competitors on the solid landing of one technique. Again, master-level judges start and stop the match, award points, and resolve disputes. After a set number of points are scored or when the time set for the match expires (for example, three minutes or five points), and elimination matches occur until there is only one winner. These matches may also be sorted by gender, weight class, level of expertise and even age. Some critics of these point sparring competition note that this type of training teaches students to pull their punches or not throw combination attacks as the fighting is frequently stopped by judges to award points or declare fouls. This disruption alters the flow of actual combat and enforces what some see are the bad habits of not following through on attacks, lowering your guard, and relying on tactics that may score points but lack the power to disable or hurt an actual attacker.
Full-contact fighting
"Full-contact" sparring or fighting is often pursued by martial art practitioners who are interested in realistic unarmed combat. The phrase may refer to several aspects which differentiate it from light and medium-contact sessions. It may simply be a general lack of protective gear. For example,
Kyokushin is a variant of
karate that requires advanced practitioners to engage in sparring while wearing no more than a groin guard for protection. It may refer to a full variety of permitted attacks and contact zones on the body, excluding a small and limited number of forbidden techniques such as biting, finger breaking, groin striking or attacking the eyes, bestowing significant fighting freedom upon the competitors. The phrase could also refer to the use of full force in order to disable the opponent, either by knock out or direct submission of defeat. There is often a lower emphasis on scoring points, assuming a point system exists; points, judges and time limits were not used in the early
UFC events, whose outcomes were determined only by the inability to continue. Due to these factors, full-contact matches tend to be more aggressive in character.
Vale tudo, meaning
anything goes in Portuguese, is a definite form of full-contact fighting. Nearly all MMA events, including
UFC,
PRIDE,
Pancrase and
Shooto, use full-contact rules, although recently the use of small protective gloves and other safety rules have been added.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and
Judo do not allow striking but are full-contact in the sense that full force is applied during grappling and submissions. Some versions of
Sambo are full-contact.
Some practitioners believe that physically defeating the enemy, as opposed to winning a sport match by rules, is the only important matter in hand-to-hand combat. Some of them treat martial arts only as matters of
self-defense or life-and-death situations. As such, these people may prefer not to participate in most types of rule-based martial art competition (even one such as vale tudo), electing instead to study fighting techniques with little or no regard to competitive rules or, perhaps,
ethical concerns and the
law (the techniques practiced may include attacking vulnerable spots such as the groin or the eyes). Nonetheless, others maintain that, given proper precautions such as a referee and a ring doctor, full-contact matches with basic rules could serve as a useful gauge of one's overall fighting ability, encompassing broad categories including striking, grappling and finishing hold.
On the subject of competition, martial artists vary wildly. Practitioners in some arts such as
Boxing,
Taekwondo,
Judo,
Muay Thai and
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu often train for sport matches in those arts, whereas those in other arts such as
Aikido,
Wing Chun and
Kapap generally spurn such competitions. Some schools believe that competition breeds better and more efficient practitioners, and gives a sense of good sportsmanship. Others believe that the rules under which competition takes place have removed the combat effectiveness of martial arts or encourage a kind of practice which focuses on winning trophies rather than the more traditional focus of combat effectiveness, or in East Asian cultures, of developing the Confucian person, which eschews showing off (see
Confucius, also
renaissance man.)
As part of the response to sport martial arts, new forms of competition are being held such as the
Ultimate Fighting Championship in the U.S. or
Pancrase and the
PRIDE in Japan which are also known as
mixed martial arts (or MMA) events. The original UFC was fought under very few rules allowing all martial arts styles to enter and not be limited by the rule set. Similarly an early promotion, called
Vale Tudo in Brazil was No Holds Barred (NHB) as well.
Some martial artists also compete in non-sparring competitions such as
breaking or choreographed techniques
poomse or
kata.
As mentioned above, some martial arts in various cultures can be performed in dance-like settings for various reasons, such as for evoking ferocity/pumping adrenaline in preparation of battle or showing off skill in a more stylised manner.
Examples of such
war dances include the
gymnopaidiai from ancient
Sparta, New-Zealand's
Haka, the
Sabre Dance depicted in
Khachaturian's ballet
Gayane, the
Maasai "jumping" dance,
Brunei's
Aduk-Aduk,
Qatar's
Ayyalah, the Indian
Kalarippayattu, Chhau, and Huyen Lallong, Indian/Pakistani/Afghan
Khattak Dance,
Brazil's
Capoeira (and many other African and diasporic combat styles), and
Scotland's
Dannsa Biodag.
Tricking, a combination of martial arts and
gymnastics, is a popular form of martial arts to the newer generation of martial artists. This new style uses flips and twists, as used in gymnastics and dance, and combines it with hand movements and kicks, as used in martial arts. Some "tricksters" (those who practice and perform tricking) have combined
breakdancing with tricking and martial arts.
*
Adithada, an ancient
Tamil martial art which is the earliest form of
kickboxing. Disciples of Adithada are trained in using bare knuckles, feet, knees, elbows and forehead.
*
Advanced commando combat system, an Indian system of Military
Close Combat focussing on
Close Quarters Battle techniques & tactics for military.
*
Aikijujutsu is a Japanese martial art which dates back to the
samurai. It has been suggested that Aikido evolved from this style.
*
Aikido is a Japanese martial art which evolved from
Jujutsu and
Kenjutsu.
*
Amateur wrestling emphasizes throws and controlling opponent's movement, both while standing up and on the ground, and positioning. Notable styles are
Greco-Roman wrestling and
Freestyle wrestling.
*
American Kenpo is a martial art developed by
Ed Parker from Chinese and Japanese styles he studied in Hawaii.
*
Baguazhang is an
internal Chinese martial art that trains in distinctive circular footwork patterns and is also known for training with unusually large weapons at advanced levels in some schools.
*
Bando is the official Burmese Fighting System that includes techniques of throws, holds, locks, chokes, foot-sweeps, etc. Several Bando sub-systems include
Lethwei,
Naban and
Banshay which includes stick fighting, sword fighting, knife fighting, spear fighting, etc.
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Bartitsu is an eclectic self-defense system combining the basics of Tenjin-Shinyo Ryu
Jiujitsu, Shinden-Fudo Ryu
Jiujitsu, early Kodokan
Judo, the Vigny system of
stick fighting, classical
boxing and
savate.
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Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a much modified version of some original Japanese jujutsu schools, based on and closely related to Judo but with even greater emphasis on
ground fighting. Sometimes referred to as
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu after its founders.
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Catch wrestling forms the base of many modern martial arts including
shoot wrestling,
shootfighting,
shooto and Japanese professional wrestling style of
puroresu. This form of wrestling emphasizes ground fighting, submissions, throws and fighting from multiple positions.
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Capoeira is a survival-oriented dance-fight-game originally developed in the 16th century by Angolan slaves in Brazil. It emphasizes kicks, dodging, take downs, and mental training. This mental training can include trickery, an awareness of the opponent, and understanding of rhythm.
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Eskrima, a
Filipino Martial Art that focuses on blunt and bladed weapons.
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Fencing (the European Olympic style), exists now almost entirely as a sport.
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Hapkido is a Korean martial art with kicks, punches, joint manipulation, locks, and throws that is said to have developed from
Aikijutsu. Many of its techniques are similar to those of
Aikido.
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Hung Gar made famous by
Avatar: The Last Airbender is a form of matial arts with strong stances and rooting in the ground.
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Hwarangdo is a Korean martial art that was created in its modern form by Dr.
Joo Bang Lee and his brother,
Joo Sang Lee. This
martial art teaches and encourages fighting and defense techniques, religious training, intellectual enhancement, and artistic pursuits. It has an extensive history, and a very involved technique structure.
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Hybrid martial arts, systems which combine multiple arts: military
combatives,
Advanced commando combat system,
Jeet Kune Do, and Har-Ki Martial Arts. See also:
mixed martial arts.
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Jeet Kune Do, meaning 'Way of the intercepting fist', was developed by
Bruce Lee, one of the most famous martial artists of the 20th century. This is not actually a specific martial arts style, but a collection of concepts from arts such as
Wing Chun and other styles that focuses on constant adaptation.
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Judo means
gentle way, ('Do' means 'Way of'), a Japanese martial art and sport that consists of techniques from many jujutsu schools. Striking (atemi-waza) and some dangerous throws are forbidden in competitions, but are still present in training and sparring.
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Jujutsu is a general Japanese term encompassing mostly unarmed martial arts with strikes, throws, grappling and locks and those using small weapons.
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Kajukenbo a combination of Karate, Jujutsu, Kenpo, and Chinese Boxing founded in 1947 in Oahu, Hawaii by a group of instructors.
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Kalari Payattu, a martial art from
Kerala,
South India. It combines self defense, religion and elements of "martial dance", and has a strong association with the
Ayurveda healing system.
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Kapap is a modern martial art, derived from the distinctive fighting style of the Israeli
Haganah and the modern day
IDF. The style is purely focused on practical combat skills and eschews competitions beyond occasional 'fight club' nights, wherein practitioners can free-form spar with protective padding.
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Karate meaning 'Empty hand' (originally called Te meaning 'Hand'), is perhaps the most popular martial art in Japan and the West. It is
Okinawan in origin and has several sub styles including
Kyokushin,
Ashihara karate,
Kempo,
Shotokan,
Shotokai and
Wado Ryu. Combat tactics taught include striking, blocking, and kicking.
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Kateda is a martial art which claims ancient Tibetan origins, but may be a more recent variation of Indonesian
Silat and/or several
Kuntao arts. It employs unarmed punches and kicks and has features in common with
Sindo,
Yoga,
Qigong and possibly
Shaolin.
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Kenjutsu is the Japanese martial art of using a Japanese sword in combat. Kendo evolved from this style.
*
Krav Maga is a self-defense and military hand to hand combat system developed in Israel. It came to prominence following its adoption by various Israeli Security Forces; now more widely in use including by the special forces of other countries.
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Kendo is the Japanese sport of sword fighting, using bamboo swords (
shinai) and protective armour made almost purely by bamboo and heavy knit cotton.
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Kuk Sool Won is a systematic study of a variety of Japnese-influenced Korean fighting systems. It is known for its wide variety of techniques and weapons.
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Kung Fu, or more precisely "
wushu", refers to the many diverse
Chinese martial arts, some of which include:
Shaolin,
Shuai Chiao,
Wing Chun,
Zui Quan,
Taijiquan,
Xingyiquan,
Yiquan,
Lau Gar,
Hung Gar and many more. The Chinese words
kung fu can be used to describe one's skill in any discipline, not just martial arts.
*
Kuttu Varisai (empty hand combat), an ancient martial art from
Tamil Nadu, South India. The fists, elbows, feet and knees are used, as well as various animal forms, including tiger, elephant, snake, eagle and monkey stances. Grappling, throws, hits and locks are also used, as well as
Luohan techniques, breathing exercises and pressure point attacks.
*
Mixed martial arts or MMA, the combat sport which combines practical aspects of many (or
all) useful martial arts, including Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, and wrestling, among others. The emphasis is on actual combat and freestyle competition with few rules, as opposed to theoretical philosophy. Well-known MMA organizations include
PRIDE and
UFC. The term MMA may also refer to the fighting style associated with MMA competition.
*
Muay Thai, a
Thai martial art, a famous style of
kickboxing.
*
Ninjutsu is a Japanese style said to have originally been practiced by
Ninja; this martial art combines traditional attacks with
scout style survival and elusive moves.
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Nonviolent Self-Defense is similar to a soft martial art but with no strikes. It is used primarily for physical crisis intervention in mental health and law enforcement.
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Pradal Serey is the Cambodian style of kickboxing.
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Sambo is the wrestling form developed in Russia. Sambo is deeply influenced by judo, catch wrestling, jacket wrestling, collar and elbow wrestling etc. Sambo allows joint locks, though chokes are not allowed in sport Sambo wrestling.
*
Shaolin Kung Fu is a Martial Art which combines the use of unarmed fighting, various weapons and use of "Animal Forms", fighting styles copied from animals in nature, such as tigers, snakes or cranes.
*
Shorinji Kempo is a Japanese martial art emphasizing Buddhist principles of self-reliance and the use of force only as a last resort. Students learn both hard techniques (strikes, throws) and soft techniques (joint locks, holds).
*
Silat is an art from the
Malay World and has regional variations in
Indonesia,
Malaysia,
Brunei,
Singapore, among others.
*
Sindo is a modern variation of
Indonesian Silat, which combines Western practical self defence with combat martial art, Silat and internal martial arts.
*
Sipkwondo is a modern hybrid martial art based off Tae Kwon Do, Kickboxing and Grappling.
*
Systema is an art of Russian origin. This style employs no pre-defined moves, kata, rankings, or sport application. Rather, Systema works from the basis of breathing, relaxation, posture, and movement, utilizing all aspects of human ability.
*
Tai Chi Chuan, the different styles of which are a Chinese martial art practiced nowadays by many people for health maintenance.
*
Taekyon, a traditional
Korean martial art, probably stemming from
Subak.
*
Taekwondo is a modern Korean martial sport, with literal meaning "the way of the hand and foot". Along with Judo, one of only two
Asian martial arts to make it into the
Olympic Games.
*
Tang Soo Do (also "tangsudo", which means 'way of the Chinese hand') is a traditional Korean martial art descended from
Karate, which remained outside the merging of Korean styles into a national sport in 1961. Its most famous proponent is
Chuck Norris.
*
Vajra Mukti (diamond fist), grappling style in North India.
*
Varma Kalai (the art of vital points), an ancient martial art from Tamil Nadu, South India. Though it emphasizes self defence, it also emphasizes targeting various vital points throughout the human body. It has a strong association with
Varma Cuttiram (the
Tamil science of medicine).
*
Western martial arts (WMA) or "European martial arts" consist mainly of fighting techniques developed in Europe. They include everything from unarmed combat to grappling ("
ringen") to weapons practices with a great variety of weapons such as the
longsword, various types of
staves and
polearms,
daggers, sword and
buckler, to more specialized weapons such as the
rapier.
*
Wing Chun (Ving Tsun or Wing Tsun), a Chinese martial art known for its no nonsense effectiveness made famous by its legendary student,
Bruce Lee.
*
Xingyiquan (Hsing I Ch'üan), Form Intent Boxing, a Chinese internal martial art famous for its fighting prowess.
Universal Combat Martial Arts a system of armed & unarmed self defense training established by Master Anthony M.Cataldo. Master Cataldo a career police officer and a life long student of the martial arts and self defense training.
Incorporates the use of the
Warrior Spirit a predisposed pyschological response to a lethal threat encounter in which one's mental attitude is that of survival regardless of the situation.
Perception and situational awareness are key principles in obtaining the utlimate goal to prevailing regardless of the threat. A
Warrior has the physical skills and tactics necessary to implement at a fraction of second when a threat is determined to exist. Only the most efficient and effective techniques are used to dispose of the threat, including the use of weapons such as,a firearm, knife, baton, defense sprays and improvised weapons. There is no thought of death or possible injury to oneself at the critical moment, only the reaction and control of the situation and threat. All thoughts or fears of death, injury, criminal prosecution or civil litigation have already been pyschologically dealt with and put to memory. The Warrior realizes that he is the weapon and that he will
fight with intent & will not fear & panic. www.blackbeltdojo.com
--
67.72.98.82 01:27, 11 August 2006 (UTC)Anthony M. Cataldo
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