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reasons: self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness,
entertainment, as well as mental, physical, and spiritual development.
Although the term
martial art has become heavily associated with the fighting arts of eastern
Asia, it was originally used in regard to the combat systems of Europe as early
as the 1550s. An English fencing manual of 1639 used the term in reference
specifically to the "Science and Art" of swordplay. The term is
ultimately derived from Latin, and means "arts of Mars," where Mars
is the Roman god of war. Some authors, most notably Donn F. Draeger, have
argued that fighting arts or fighting systems would be more appropriate on the
basis that many martial arts were never martial in the sense of being used or
created by professional warriors.
Martial arts may be
categorized along a variety of criteria, including:
1.
Traditional or historical arts and
contemporary styles of folk wrestling vs. modern hybrid martial arts.
2.
Regional origin, especially Eastern
Martial Arts vs. Western Martial Arts
3.
Techniques taught: Armed vs. unarmed,
and within these groups by type of weapon (swordsmanship, stick fighting etc.)
and by type of combat (grappling vs. striking; stand-up fighting vs. ground
fighting)
4.
By application or intent: self-defense,
combat sport, choreography or demonstration of forms, physical fitness,
meditation, etc. Within Chinese tradition: "external" vs.
"internal" styles
Many martial arts,
especially those from Asia, also teach side disciplines which pertain to
medicinal practices. This is particularly prevalent in traditional Indian
martial arts which may teach bone-setting, and other aspects of traditional
Indian medicine. Martial arts can also be linked with religion and
spirituality. Numerous systems are reputed to have been founded, disseminated,
or practiced by monks or nuns. For example, gatka is a weapon-based Indian
martial art created by the Sikhs of the Punjab region of India.
Japanese styles, when
concerning non-physical qualities of the combat, are often strongly influenced
by Mahayana Buddhist philosophy. Concepts like "empty mind" and
"beginner's mind" are recurrent. Aikido, for instance, can have a strong
philosophical belief of the flow of energy and peace fostering, as idealised by
its founder Morihei Ueshiba.
Traditional Korean
martial arts place emphasis on the development of the practitioner's spiritual
and philosophical development. A common theme in most Korean styles, such as
taekkyeon and taekwondo, is the value of "inner peace" in a
practitioner, which is stressed to be only achieved through individual
meditation and training. As with most other East Asian martial arts, the
Koreans believe that the use of physical force is only justified through
defense.
Systema draws upon
breathing and relaxation techniques, as well as elements of Russian Orthodox
thought, to foster self-conscience and calmness, and to benefit the
practitioner in different levels: the physical, the psychological and the
spiritual. Some martial arts in various cultures can be performed in dance-like
settings for various reasons, such as for evoking ferocity in preparation for
battle or showing off skill in a more stylized manner. Many such martial arts
incorporate music, especially strong percussive rhythms.
