| Martial arts training has been around for literally | | | | With large numbers of American servicemen stationed |
| thousands of years. At the core of it, hand-to-hand | | | | in Japan after World War II, the adoption of techniques |
| combat was a way of life up until the use of guns and | | | | and the gradual transmission of entire systems of |
| other motorized weapons. | | | | martial arts to the West started. |
| For the most part martial arts has now become a | | | | Martial Arts Styles: |
| great way to learn self-defense, get in shape and learn | | | | As training in most arts has been evolving for decades |
| a new art form. But in order to know the best style for | | | | and in some cases hundreds of years, there has |
| yourself, we first have to look at the fundamentals of | | | | become quite a variety of different fighting systems. |
| martial arts and go back in time a few years to see | | | | Most notably, the common ones are: |
| how it all evolved... | | | | Traditional Fighting Arts - These are systems such as |
| Martial Arts Background: | | | | Karate, Aikido, Kung Fu and Taekwondo (to a lesser |
| The teaching of martial arts in Asia has historically | | | | extent.) They are well rounded and focus a lot on the |
| followed the cultural traditions of teacher-disciple | | | | "art" aspect of the system. |
| apprenticeship. Students are trained in a strictly | | | | Sport Fighting Arts - These are systems such as |
| hierarchical system by a master instructor. | | | | Jujitsu, Brazilian Jujitsu, Judo, Muay Thai, exc... These |
| The traditional form of martial arts has been evolving in | | | | are martial arts at the core but are more focused on |
| Asia for centuries. It has always been a very | | | | the sport and competition aspect of the art (generally |
| hierarchal form of training, where the student trains | | | | speaking). |
| under a master for many years until he himself | | | | Full Contact Fighting - These systems are fairly new |
| becomes one and then starts the process all over | | | | and focus on actual full-contact fighting! The most |
| again. In Aisa and other eastern countries, martial arts | | | | common one is "Mixed Martial Arts" (MMA). This is a |
| was and in many cases still is a large part of life for | | | | mixture of the other systems, taking the best fighting |
| people. | | | | aspects of them and combining them into one fighting |
| The influence and development of the "traditional | | | | system that best suites the fighter. |
| martial arts" never started until after World War 2. As | | | | What Is The Best Martial Art For YOU? |
| Western influence grew in the East a greater number | | | | That is a great question! The best way to find-out is to |
| of military personnel spent time in China, Japan, Korea | | | | checkout a bunch of schools in your area. Try one of |
| and elsewhere. Exposure to martial arts during the | | | | their free classes or free months that many will offer |
| Korean war was also significant. Gradually some | | | | you. Ask a lot of questions and after a few tries your |
| soldiers began to see the value of Eastern martial arts | | | | going to find an art that will work for you! |
| and began training in them. | | | | |