| Martial arts fighting styles are many and varied with | | | | The most powerful striking martial art would be Muay |
| not only techniques but principles, cultures and | | | | Thai and its' close cousin Burmese boxing; these |
| philosophical approaches varying widely. | | | | striking systems are extremely well developed and |
| One of the difficulties in classifying fighting styles is that | | | | deliver strikes with incredible speed, power and |
| there is no definite consensus on what is the definition | | | | ferocity. |
| of a true martial arts fighting style. | | | | Brazilian Capoiera is a very acrobatic striking style that |
| For the purpose of this article I will use the definition of | | | | has lost much of its practical fighting ability that existed |
| a martial arts fighting style as any system or | | | | in the original African system from which it was |
| methodology pertaining to fighting and combat | | | | derived. A similar situation is demonstrated by the |
| situations, as this complies with the dictionary definition | | | | Chinese martial art of Wushu which has become very |
| of the terms martial and art. | | | | flashy and demonstrates little practical fighting ability. |
| Some "authorities" would argue that they must | | | | Do we include western boxing in martial arts? I think |
| originate from Asian cultures; an opinion that does not | | | | that we should because it fulfills much the same |
| take into account the fighting systems of ancient | | | | requirements of Judo as a martial art. It has suffered |
| Greece or Europe and their modern derivations. | | | | the change of time in placing rules on it but in the past |
| From a general perspective martial arts styles can be | | | | it was certainly more brutal then it is now. |
| separated into those that emphasize the use of | | | | It carries its' own philosophy and that introduces me to |
| weapons, those that concentrate on striking and those | | | | the argument that a martial art should have an |
| that emphasize grappling techniques. | | | | underlying philosophy a point that I definitely agree with, |
| This is only a very general classification as many | | | | however, who is anyone to say that the philosophies |
| systems combine two or more of these classifications | | | | by which we westerners do things are not as valid as |
| and although many commentators would argue that a | | | | the philosophies of the eastern cultures. |
| true martial art requires the use of all of these aspects | | | | Modern wrestling is in the same genre being derived |
| of fighting that is not the case with many of the | | | | from the ancient Pankration and now controlled by |
| accepted martial arts disciplines. | | | | rules but again it was originally used for fighting and |
| Systems of martial arts fighting styles have evolved | | | | had and still has a distinct philosophy behind it. |
| from the fighting techniques and methods used by | | | | Now we come to the self defence systems of Close |
| warriors throughout the world and can be as diverse | | | | Quarter Combat and Krav Maga again these would fit |
| as full systems taught in schools of military training | | | | the classification of a martial art as set down by the |
| tosystems of fighting developed and kept within | | | | other determinants. This is even though Krav Maga |
| families. | | | | does not claim to be one, but one only has to read the |
| It is only in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that | | | | original intent of its' founder to determine that it is a |
| we see the systematically taught instruction of styles | | | | martial art. |
| that we see today, evolved. | | | | The striking arts of the malaysian, philipino and |
| Many of these systems have lost their practical | | | | indonesian area are also vey well developed with the |
| fighting ability to the so called meditative aspects of | | | | silats demonstrating a very complex and rich |
| the particular art or have been completely turned into | | | | understanding of fighting principles and concepts. |
| just sports. | | | | The fighting styles that emphasize grappling include |
| Some martial arts fighting styles have only appeared | | | | Judo, Jiu jitsu, Aikido and sumo from Japan together |
| within the last 100 years and have never been | | | | with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Chin Na from China. Here |
| exposed to the rigorous selection of real fighting that | | | | we find the strongest support for the argument that |
| their predecessors underwent. | | | | some of the systems I have classified as martial arts |
| In the weaponry rich systems we find the Japanese | | | | above should be included. |
| systems of Kendo, Kenjutsu, Iaido, Jodo together with | | | | If you are to remove boxing and wrestling from the |
| the Karate weaponry systems derived from the | | | | classification of martial arts then you have to remove |
| Kobudo weapons systems. Striking and grappling is | | | | Sumo and Judo as well. |
| either absent or very poorly developed in all of these | | | | Russian Sambo, American Catch, Free-style and |
| systems. | | | | Greco-Roman wrestling are fighting systems that exist |
| The Chinese arts also utilize many weapons as part | | | | on that fringe of the classification are usually classified |
| of their Kung Fu systems but these are taught as part | | | | as a sport. |
| of unarmed combat systems as well. | | | | The richest of the martial arts fighting styles are the |
| Probably the richest weapons systems are those of | | | | muti-discipline martial arts such as Ninjutsu and the |
| the Philipines and nearby areas of Malaysia and | | | | Chinese Kungfus although the latter has many |
| Indonesia; the blade and stick-fighting systems of Kali, | | | | different styles with most only emphasizing one or two |
| Escrima and Arnis. These fighting systems also have a | | | | aspects of fighting. |
| very complex and powerful unarmed combat | | | | The most dominant fighting system at the present time |
| components, together with the weapons and some | | | | is Mixed Martial Arts. This together with its' inspiration |
| also utilize throwing and ground fighting, these systems | | | | from Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Vale Tudo is the biggest |
| were very much family trained systems. | | | | thing that has happened to martial arts since Bruce |
| The Europeans also have the quarter-staff, sword and | | | | Lee. |
| dagger systems which were extremely well | | | | There are those that would argue it is not a martial art |
| developed and if you want to accept the definition that | | | | - in my opinion this is completely absurd it has all of the |
| martial arts fighting styles are systems and methods | | | | requirements apart from the use of weapons, but |
| of war and fighting then you would also have to | | | | neither do many of the other accepted fighting |
| include the disciplines of modern firearm and bayonet | | | | disciplines. |
| usage in this classification. | | | | The philosophy is a western style of philosophy of |
| The striking systems are probably the most well | | | | mental toughness and training discipline and, I say again, |
| known and most practiced through out the world with | | | | what is so different about that and eastern |
| the Karate system of Japan being the most well | | | | philosophies. Particularly as we see eastern philosophic |
| known. There are many different styles of Karate | | | | driven societies demonstrating anti-humanistic and |
| each having slightly different emphasis on different | | | | anti-environment practices throughout the modern |
| methodologies and while most include some form of | | | | world many of which are driven by the philosophies of |
| weaponry at higher levels it is certainly not well | | | | Sun Tzu and the Go Rin No Sho as underlying guides. |
| developed and doesn't have a practical realistic usage, | | | | This article is by no means a complete account of all |
| apart from exercise and strengthening value which is | | | | fighting systems as almost every country around the |
| normally the justification for using them as part of their | | | | world has a fighting system as part of its' culture each |
| systems. Much of it is drawn from the Kobudo group | | | | having evolved as time has gone by and lifestyles |
| of weapons and has lost a lot of it's functionality in | | | | have changed that in turn has led to us utilizing the |
| ritual. | | | | values of martial arts for different reasons. |