Martial art

Martial arts, also known as fighting systems, are bodies of codified practices or traditions of training for combat, usually without the use of guns and other modern weapons. Today, people study martial arts for various reasons including competition, fitness, self-defense, self-cultivation (meditation), mental or character development, and self-confidence.

Martial arts as sport

On the subject of competition, martial artists vary wildly. Practioners in some arts such as Boxing, Taekwondo, Muay Thai, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu often train for sport matches in those arts, whereas those in other arts such as Aikido and Krav Maga 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.)

Related Topics:
Boxing - Taekwondo - Muay Thai - Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu - Aikido - Krav Maga - Confucius - Renaissance man

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Some martials artists, including Forrest Morgan, have criticized sports derivatives for being unrealistic and distracting warriors from looking at the whole art - instead concentrating only on techniques allowed in their competitions.

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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 in Japan which are also known as mixed martial arts or MMA events. While the financial success or failure of these events is not well-known, it is interesting to note that certain systems do indeed tend to dominate these full contact or freestyle competitions. Supporters of those styles which win time and again make the statement that this proves the real-world self defense effectiveness of their art.

Related Topics:
Ultimate Fighting Championship - Pancrase - MMA

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Martial Arts have also found their way into Western Sports not commonly associated with martial arts. The most famous of these is the Fighting in ice hockey, or "Hockey Fight," which is similar to boxing. The process starts when two hockey players take off their protective gloves and helmets, grab each other and throw punches with their dominant hand. While these actions are not considered true martial arts, they are complex and unique fighting style that has been studied as an art form.

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