| The words martial arts bring to mind the high flashy | | | | part of each countries history to have a method of |
| kicks of Bruce Lee movies and the escapades of | | | | unarmed or empty handed combat. |
| Jackie Chan, but what do they really mean. The term | | | | So where does this leave the world of the Martial Art |
| martial arts began its origins in the orient many | | | | in todays societies? Well it is not so clear cut anymore. |
| hundreds of years ago before tournaments or any | | | | Many of the arts of today have no real purpose. |
| thought of sporing aspects of karate and kung fu. | | | | Some are just for exercise and others are just to |
| That was the time when Karate of Kung Fu was | | | | entertain us in modern gladiator fashion. The true |
| used to keep you and family in one piece defending | | | | Martial Art or War Art is hard to find and in a sense |
| against war lords and various Ronin or unemployed | | | | has been watered down and flowered up as not to |
| Samurai turned freelance fighters. | | | | offend the sensibilities of "modern culture" or "civilized |
| "Martial Arts were in fact fighting arts" says Carter | | | | culture". Still the true Martial Art can be found if you |
| Hargrave a direct descendant of the Bruce Lee | | | | know what to look for. |
| School, and the direct translation of Martial Art is War | | | | First if the art you are observing has any sporting |
| Art. The term as it is used today is much more benign | | | | aspects such as a tournament or a ring it cannot be |
| or generic in meaning. It could mean almost anything as | | | | considered as being a War Art. In War there is not a |
| it is used in all sorts of Karate or Kung Fu variants and | | | | set of rules or guidelines that the practitioner must |
| anything in between from absolutely any country. | | | | adhere to, so the tournaments of today would be out, |
| Almost every country has in its heritage a fighting art | | | | as would any art that has tournaments. There is a |
| or a national Martial Art. In the United States you have | | | | word guide that a prospective War Art seeker can |
| American Boxing, and in the school systems many | | | | generally use in searching. When you see the word |
| schools offer a wrestling program which was derived | | | | "Do" translated is "way of" on the end of an art that |
| from the influences of Japanese Jujitsu. The French | | | | means that it is a watered down version of a parent |
| have Savate. The Chinese have Wushu among a | | | | art that was more real world effective. The only |
| multitude of other arts. The Italians have Greco Roman | | | | exception would be Bruce Lee's art which is Jeet |
| Wrestling. The Israelis have Krav Maga. The Brazilians | | | | Kune Do which is most certainly a War Art. |
| have Capoeira, and so the list goes on and on. It is all | | | | |