MARTIAL ARTS

Japanese Martial Arts started during the medieval period in Japan. It was mainly practiced by the Samurai class. It was a period of fighting, struggling and war. A samurai was gifted with this art, as it could save him from enemy attack. The word “Martial” means fighting. It was really a fighting skill rather than a recreational sport during that period. It helped people protect themselves in case of combative attack. It can’t be denied that, Japanese Martial Art was a powerful weapon for common people in medieval Japan.

Most of the martial arts were imported from China. They were gradually modified by the Japanese until more arts were developed. Archery and sword-fighting are the main two arts amongst them. Some of them became rituals in Zen Buddhism. Japanese Martial Arts differ from it’s Chinese counterpart in style. Japanese Martial Arts involves straight-line attacks, whereas Chinese techniques are more circular. The martial arts of Japan have a wide range starting from empty hand–to–hand techniques, to fighting with several weapons.

Japanese arts can be categorized generally in to 5 different arts of fighting. They are Karate, Aikido, Juijutsu, Judo, and Kendo. Karate is the most popular amongst all of these. Karate was originated in Okinawa. Karate means empty hand. This isn’t irony, because the people of Okinawa fought empty handed using this famous Japanese Martial Art.

Gichin Funakoshi invented Karate. He impressed the then Emperor of Japan by showing his skill and started teaching this Japanese martial art in Japan in 1921.Within five years, Karate became the most popular Japanese Martial Art. Funakoshi also opened a training hall (dojo) in Tokyo. Thus, Karate gained popularity inside and outside of Japan.

Aikido is another popular Japanese Martial Art. It is a purely traditional art and a very strict one at that! It is a self-defensive type of art. The name “Aikido” defines the characteristic of this art. “Ai” means harmony, “Ki” means source of energy, & “Do” means the way. These three words together mean that it is a way of keeping harmony in the body by using the spirit of energy. Aikido has a religious influence and practitioners believe that it’s the way to save mankind from danger or evil.

Juijutsu is an ancient art. The word “Juijutsu” means gentle art. Ironically, it is a martial art based on several joint locks & throwing techniques of the body to attack enemies. It is very effective method of defense against an armed opponent. Many Japanese martial arts advocate’s believe that Jujutsu is the ancestor of all martial arts in Japan.

Additional martial arts include Kendo and Judo. Kendo is a martial art which utilizes words. It’s a fencing martial art that requires a lot of discipline and skill. This art differs greatly from Judo, which is a unarmed combative sport. It’s rules are very complex and it is one of the most popular Japanese martial arts practiced globally.

Indian Martial Arts have existed ever since times of antiquity or what is commonly known as the pre-Gupta period. India refers to martial arts in Sanskrit as “dhanurveda,” which translates to the "science of archery." For the Indians, martial arts have traditionally been considered to be a branch of knowledge aside from fighting techniques.

The fighting styles in Indian martial arts vary according to the region they came from and the time period they were established in. These include Dravidian martial arts such as Kuttu Varisai, kalaripayat, Gatka, Varma Kalai and some other older forms. The systems of Indian Martial Arts consisted of both armed and unarmed fighting along with meditation and other forms of mental conditioning. Like most fighting systems, the Indian version is linked to religion which is Hinduism in this case.

Those who are familiar with yoga poses will find that some of the positions are used in Indian martial art fighting techniques and these poses can also be seen in Hindu temples that house statues and paintings of deities and warriors. The principles of yoga, ayurveda and tantra, such as life energy or prana, meridians or nadi, energy points or chakra, and pressure points or marmam, are all part of Indian Martial Arts.

The use of weapons has been an integral part of the art of fighting in India ever since the beginnings. Indians used the basic types of weapons including spears, swords, axes, short bows, and long bows that were either made of wood or tipped with metal. When India began to experience technological advancements, the weaponry improved as it was made with flexible wootz steel.

The martial arts of India have influenced other Asian combative sports, especially in Southeast Asia. After the British colonized India, the martial arts systems began to lose their prominence because more Europeanized methods of fighting were used to train the police force and other officials. However, some forms of Indian martial arts have prevailed and continue to be taught to students across the globe.

Chinese Martial Arts are the most traditional martial arts in the world as they existed prior to the 12th century. Chinese Martial Arts include hundreds of different styles and it is undoubtedly the most versatile martial art in the world.

Some of martial arts fighting styles that are still practiced today are types of Kung Fu including Bagua, Drunken Boxing, Eagle Claw, Five Animals, Hsing I, Hung Gar, Lau Gar, Monkey, Praying Mantis, White Crane, Wing Chun and Tai Chi Chuan. Some styles are copied from the movements of animals; while others are inspired by Chinese philosophical thoughts, myths, and legends.

Chinese Martial Arts always emphasize a basic skill, such as strength training, staff sparring, fencing, and eight methods of Shaolin. All of these methods are very effective for becoming an expert in Chinese Martial Arts. According to some Chinese experts, the martial arts of China are the ancestors of all types of martial arts practiced in Japan, Korea and Tibet. Many different techniques have derived from the arts of China, which have ultimately been very influential on Martial Arts practiced across the globe.

Chinese Martial Arts can be classified into two major categories and these are External, or softy style and Internal, or hard style. Sometimes, Chinese Martial Arts are divided according to location including the Northern category and the Southern category. There are more classifications of martial arts based on religion, styles, and so on. Each category has some distinction in style and technique. These are some of the most fundamental reasons that masters begin to create different forms of martial arts.

Apart from general classification, modern contests are divided in to six categories. They include empty-handed forms, weapon forms, choreographed forms, group practice, sparring competition, and power demonstration. Four general steps can describe all the various techniques of these arts. These are kicking, throwing, striking and controlling. Different techniques can be performed at different levels in Chinese Martial Arts. For instance, a beginner will not be given the same instructions as a veteran practitioner.

In a competition, all of these basic steps must be demonstrated by the competitor to earn full points. Eight qualities of a performer are attentively judged in a Chinese Martial Arts contest. These qualities are hands, eyes, body technique, steps, strength, spirit, breath, and ability. While these are not judged in Olympic martial arts competitions, they are judged in most tournaments.

Chinese Martial Arts have produced many eminent martial art practitioners. All of them have had important contributions to the martial art that is now popular throughout the world. Some of them are NG Mui, Wong Fei hung, Huo Yuanjia, and Ten tigers, all of whom have had a strong influence in the culture and society of China.

Chinese Martial Arts has influenced other parts of world as well. In the United States, the fighting systems from China have been very popular since the 1960's and their popularity continues to increase. Several Television shows have aired based on Chinese Martial Arts. There isn't a country in the world where a Chinese Martial Arts training center does not exist