Tuesday February 9th, 2010
Martial Arts
 |  |
 |
Martial Arts
MORE IN MARTIAL ARTS
Various formalized systems of combat that are practiced for physical fitness, self-defense, mental clarity, and spiritual development.
If you’ve never studied a martial art, your awareness of them most likely starts at Bruce Lee movies and ends with the stylized theatrics of The Matrix. If that’s the case, you may not realize from what you’ve gleaned onscreen that there are an estimated 200 unique kinds of martial arts, and within these, thousands of different styles. Karate, judo, kung fu, and tae kwon do are among the most popular and well-known of the martial arts in the U.S., but there are numerous others. Wikipedia has an exhaustive, constantly updated list organized by continent and country, including the lesser-known forms of Kalarippayattu from India, savate or French kickboxing, and Brazilian capoeira.
The word "martial" literally means "military," and once upon a time, the one-to-one combat and self-defense skills we collectively call the martial arts were actually taught for fighting wars, or at the very least, individual aggressors. Although they vary widely, some common characteristics include the use of striking, kicking, grappling, holding, and throwing, as well as mental concentration, and often, spiritual guidance. Mastery often involves the repetition of individual movements, as well as partnering or sparring. Some martial art forms also use props or weaponry, such as poles or swords, in addition to the human body and gravity. Up to 100 million people globally practice some form of martial arts, some motivated by an interest in fitness and competition, others seeking to increase self-confidence, inner clarity, and creativity. Levels of mastery in any given martial art are often formalized (by different color belts in karate, for example). Tae kwon do, judo, and aikido are official Olympic sports, but competitive tournaments are usually seen as secondary to self-mastery.
History
Despite the fact that most contemporary societies now employ advanced technologies to achieve military goals, the word "martial" has nonetheless stuck. While these traditional fighting arts are still studied for self-defense (including, in special cases, training active military troops), they are increasingly studied for their own sake as well, as something akin to an athletic pursuit, artistic discipline, and rigorous path towards a healthy mind and body. For some, martial arts are all these things at once.
Most martial art forms have deep roots in tradition, but have had their innovators over the years. Karate, for example, dates to 17th-century Okinawa and was influenced by Chinese kung fu, itself about 2,000 years old and perhaps indebted to an ancient Indian style of combat. Modern karate is considerably more recent, having been introduced to Japan in 1922 by Funakoshi Gichin, an Okinawan karate teacher for whom philosophy was an essential part of the art. Similarly, the techniques of Japanese samurai fighters in the late 15th and early 16th centuries later evolved into jujutsu, which then gave birth to the derivative forms of judo in the 1880s and aikido in the 20th century. Aikido incorporates the Zen concept of harmony, and Buddhist and Taoist philosophy, generally speaking, inform many of the better-known Asian martial arts.
Context
Because karate, judo, kung fu, and tae kwon do have been more prominent than other forms in popular culture, from film to sporting events, many people mistakenly believe that all martial arts are Asian in origin. In fact, diverse cultures throughout history from Europe, Africa, the Americas, and the Middle East have also given birth to their own martial art forms.
One little-known fact is that the peaceful, widely popular practice of T’ai chi ch’uan, or t’ai chi—which has been recognized for its positive health benefits and is widely practiced as a form of daily exercise—is actually a martial art. The slow continuous movements of T’ai chi, which means "great ultimate fist" in Chinese, are a stylized form of kung fu.
External Links:
MSN Encarta’s entry on Martial Arts
Further Reading:
Ultimate Martial Arts Encyclopedia
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Martial Arts
I can't relate to the analogy above but I can see how that works. I guess I'm not into clothes that much. Anyway, I'd really like it our bodies were physically capable of performing what they do in those martial arts movies.
I'm currently taking karate lessons after the gym or sometimes before the gym, I get a good kick and get relieved.
Being a student of the martial arts for 30 years now, I encourage everyone and anyone who will listen to get a taste of them. The arts are so diverse that there is really something for every personality type regardless of your present state of physical fitness. Luckily for me, my parents started me in Karate at the young age of 4 and I instantly fell in love. Since then I've studied, trained and competed in BJJ, TKD, Aikido, Judo, Jeet Kune Do, Kickboxing, Muay Thai and Krav Maga. You are never too old to learn something new, plus, being a woman, I feel a great sense of awareness and confidence knowing that I have been armed with the knowledge and skills to defend against predators to the very best of my abilities.
~ Greener today than I was yesterday!
Martial Arts is a way of life for many people across the world its almost like a religion the way people are dedicated to their chosen form of martial arts.
Recently many forms of Martial Arts whether its Karate, Muay Thai, Judo, BJJ are being combined with the likes of Boxing and used in the likes of MMA Events like the UFC where the "ultimate fighter" ends up the victor.