Martial Arts

The Martial Part

When you get right down to it, Martial Arts are named for combat.  Martial--military, combat, fighting, war.  The Arts signifies the beauty, the personal flows of practicioners, just like a Jazz trombonist is practicing an art.  In some cases, the term would be more aptly named Martial Sciences, but alas the phrase usually gets the point across.  

Self Defense

Many schools of various Martial Arts advocate peace, and the use of their arts only to keep the peace, not as a means of causing undue harm.  

Being secure in the knowledge that you can defend yourself can instill a confidence in you that will affect your attitude in life.  It is important, like all things, to maintain a controlled balance (imbalance) of this attitude--many people become cocky, overconfident, or boastful, while at the same time it's dangerous to let yourself be lulled into a false security.  

Martial Arts are a technology, just like any other skill.  The tools are your body (and sometimes weapons).  

Self Discipline

Many people get into martial arts not for the self-defense aspects, but for the self disclipline it can instill in you.  It takes much perseverence and practice to excel, and the self-control and personal discipline can enhance levels of confidence and control throughout your life.  

Health

Not least among the reasons practicioners pursue martial arts is the health benefits one can reap from the practice of some arts.  Increased strength, stamina, balance, coordination, flexibility and speed, loss of fat and toning of muscle tissue.  Like the confidence from knowing you are not defenseless, you can also achieve more confidence from improvements to your health and body.  

Religion and Spirituality

Many martial arts, in addition to physical techniques and doctrines, also have rich spiritual and religious philosophies and rituals.  Some practicioners choose to ignore these and focus on the physical aspects, while others devote their lives to the achievement of enlightenment through their Art.   

The Hard and the Soft

It probably goes without saying that not all Martial Arts are the same.  Internal (or Soft) Styles typically favour more flowing curves, the use of leverage rather than brute strength, meeting resistance with submission (in order to use an assailant's own momentum against them), while the External (or Hard) Styles tend to be more direct, force against force, emphasizing muscular strength.  It's important to note that many (or some would say most) styles exhibit techniques of both Hard and Soft styles, though often will lean more in one direction or another.