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"It's fighting"; "Its aggression"; "It's violent"!
The truth is: It's none of the above.
Many students of the Martial Arts are perceived simply as people who throw a lot of kicks, punches and make a lot of noise. In fact my experience has shown that those who have never studied any of the Martial Arts or even viewed a Martial Arts class will tend to draw these false conclusions. What we see on T.V. or the movies tends to demonstrate a false image of what a traditional Martial Art is all about. On the other hand, those who have studied the Martial Arts, generally have a better understanding of its content.
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There are a wide variety of different Martial Arts available to a beginner depending on what they are looking for. These Martial Arts come from many different parts of the eastern world. The most common Martial Arts studied today are: Karate, Jiu Jitsu, Judo, Kung Fu, Tai Chi and Tae Kwon do. The main areas of origin of these Martial Arts are Japan, China, Okinawa and Korea. Of course there are many other Martial Arts not mentioned here but these are the most popular in the western world.
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Martial Arts can be categorized as internal or external Martial Arts. Internal Martial Arts are generally a softer less demanding art like Tai Chi. An external Martial Art will generally involve a more physical regime like Karate or Jui Jitsu.
The Martial Arts as emphasised by its title, is an "ART" and not just fighting. It is in no way, an activity to promote violence or aggression. In fact, any Martial Art that is taught correctly, will teach similar things as other Martial Arts in just a slightly different way. The basis for this is the fact that traditional Martial Arts combine fighting skills with its important counterpart, which is philosophy. Without philosophy, a Martial Art is just fighting.
The philosophy of the Martial Art it was gives it the necessary structure to decipher it from street fighting. The philosophical side deals with a broad range of ideas often not realized by a non-martial artist. On the surface it develops common attributes such as self- confidence, self esteem, self discipline and awareness (mentally and physically).
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| In a deeper sense, the philosophy of the Martial Arts deals with personal growth and development. One who trains in Martial Arts for long periods of time will come to learn a great deal more about themselves as a person, whether good or bad. It is then a chance for the student to make changes for themselves, if necessary. Over a longer period of time the Martial Artist will continue to grow in both character and attitude. This leads the student to be more assertive to situations, not aggresive. The student will strive to avoid any type of physical situation or confrontation at any cost.
This aspect of the Martial Arts can only enhance all other areas of your life and not hurt them. With this in mind, as a beginner seeks a Martial Art to study, the philosophy plays a vital role in their progress and development. Selecting a Martial Art will require a bit of research such as, meeting the instructor, watching part of a class and even discussing the schools philosophy. Remember the main purpose of Martial Arts today is personal improvement, not fighting or aggression.
Good luck in your search!
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