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.

Overview

Martial arts are systems of fighting. There are many styles and schools of martial arts; broadly speaking, they share a common goal: to physically defeat a person or defend oneself. Some Eastern martial arts have a tradition of being about more than simple fighting, which is perhaps why their practice has been seen as worth preserving in the face of their military obsolescence in modern technological culture. Certain martial arts, such as T'ai Chi Ch'uan may also be practiced to maintain or improve mental or physical health.

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What differentiates the martial arts from mere unarmed brawling is the organization of their techniques into a coherent system and the codification of effective teaching methods. One common training technique is to have a series of routines called forms (also called kata, poomse, ch'?an t'ao, kuen, tao lu, hyung or tuls) which can serve as a dictionary of essential techniques to be memorized and drawn from at need. Martial arts are also characterized by the controlled, mindful application of force in ways selected for empirical effectiveness. In this sense, boxing, fencing, archery, and wrestling can also be considered martial arts.

Related Topics:
Boxing - Fencing - Archery - Wrestling

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Martial arts may focus on

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• striking (e.g. Boxing, Karate, Southern Praying Mantis, Wing Chun, Krav Maga, Bando)
• kicking, (e.g. Kickboxing, Taekwondo, Savate, Capoeira, Lethwei)
• grappling and throwing (e.g. Wrestling, Jujitsu, Judo, Aikido, Sambo, Naban), or
• weaponry (e.g. Iaido, Naginata-do, Bojutsu, Kendo, Fencing, Kali, Gatka, Banshay).

Most martial arts include some study of all of these different styles and some explicitly attempt to be complete systems (Eskrima, many types of Jujutsu, traditional Chinese martial arts and recently the more hidden and lesser-known Burmese martial arts).

Related Topics:
Eskrima - Jujutsu - Chinese martial arts - Burmese martial arts

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Some martial arts, such as the traditional Chinese arts, go beyond this to teach side disciplines such as bone-setting, qigong, acupuncture, acupressure (tui na), and other aspects of traditional Chinese medicine. This is a natural extension, as at an advanced level techniques can take advantage of a detailed knowledge of how the opponent's body works to drastically increase the effectiveness of techniques.

Related Topics:
Qigong - Acupuncture - Acupressure - Tui na - Traditional Chinese medicine

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The martial arts, perhaps due to a half-century of dramatic portrayals in popular media, (particuarly in films starring the famous Martial arts stars such as Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Jet Li; see Orientalism), have been inextricably bound in the Western imagination to East Asian cultures and people. Martial arts are by no means unique to East Asia, however. Humans around the world have always had to develop ways to defend themselves from attack, often without weapons. As a result, there are many martial arts known and practiced. Popular Asian Martial Arts include Karate, Judo, Kung Fu/Wushu, Muay Thai, Jiu Jitsu, Eskrima-Kali, Tai Chi and Aikido. For further information on a particular art, see the list of martial arts.

Related Topics:
Bruce Lee - Jackie Chan - Jet Li - Orientalism - East Asia - Karate - Judo - Kung Fu - Wushu - Muay Thai - Jiu Jitsu - Eskrima-Kali - Tai Chi - Aikido - List of martial arts

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Not all martial arts were developed in Asia. Savate, for example, was developed as a form of kickboxing in France. Capoeira's athletic movements were developed in Brazil by slaves based on skills brought with them from Africa.

Related Topics:
Savate - Kickboxing - France - Capoeira - Brazil

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