| Any discussion of martial arts has to be | | | | style. Some are said to be circular and some |
| tempered because of an inherent problem. | | | | are said to be linear. Circular styles |
| Simply put, there are so many fighting styles | | | | involve a lot of circular motion in the |
| that it is hard to know what martial arts are | | | | attacks while linear tend to be direct and |
| exactly. | | | | head on in approach. Other style |
| | | | classifications might be soft vs. hard. Soft |
| When you discuss martial arts, you are really | | | | style martial arts tend to deflect and |
| introducing a very broad and complex subject. | | | | redirect energy while the hard styles tend to |
| People have developed a lot of different ways | | | | meet force with force and be more aggressive |
| to classify them and there is sometimes a lot | | | | than defensive. Once again, many martial art |
| of controversy and disagreement on what art | | | | forms have style elements that are both |
| falls into which category. The basic dividing | | | | linear and circular. They might sometimes be |
| point might be between classical martial arts | | | | soft and other times hard. |
| and non-classical martial arts. Such things | | | | |
| as fencing, archery, or even knife fighting | | | | Yet another way of classify martial arts is |
| might be considered non-classical. Although | | | | external vs. internal. The external forms |
| at one time they might have shared the | | | | tend to be more direct and usually are both |
| characteristics of classical fighting arts, | | | | hard and linear. Weight, strength, and body |
| they have evolved into something else in | | | | position tend to be the major focus of |
| modern times. Of course, there are advocates | | | | external martial arts. Internal martial arts |
| of these arts that would disagree and see | | | | tend to be soft and circular and use |
| them as the most classical forms of all. | | | | meditation and self discipline to a higher |
| | | | degree. Pressure points would be more |
| Other people try to classify them according | | | | important than blunt force in the attack. |
| to the main intent of the art. They might say | | | | |
| some are for sport as opposed to pure | | | | In the end it is hard to try to classify or |
| fighting. Others might be more for exercise | | | | group the unique variations of martial arts |
| and others might be more based on philosophy. | | | | by style or to divide them into any |
| The problem with separating the types this | | | | sub-group. They too often share the |
| way is that most martial arts will actually | | | | characteristics of each other in many ways |
| have elements of all of them and it is hard | | | | while still retaining something that makes |
| to say that one is entirely devoted to one of | | | | them unique. It might be just best to list |
| the four groups. An art that is very | | | | them with their common names. Regardless of |
| connected with philosophy might now be a | | | | what they are called, be it fencing, archery, |
| sport although it was originally developed | | | | Tae Kwon Do, or Karate, they all share the |
| specifically for fighting. | | | | common history of self defense and are |
| | | | joined, ultimately, as the basic skills of |
| Another way to classify martial arts is by | | | | the Warrior. |