Martial Arts is NOT just "FIGHTING." Its a "WAY OF
LIFE."MARTIAL ARTS
Martial Arts is NOT just "FIGHTING." Its a "WAY OF
LIFE."
The Martial arts (or the art of war) are based upon understanding, hard work and a total comprehension of skills. Power training and the use of force are easy, but total comprehension of all of the skills of the martial arts is very difficult to achieve. To understand, one must study all of natural movements in all living things. Naturally, then one can understand the martial arts of others. The study of timing and weakness will give you the capacity to knock down the opponent rather easily.
To understand techniques one must learn that they contain a lot of condensed movements. This may look quite awkward. When you start to learn it you will find that it is awkward to you. That is because a good technique includes quick changes, great variety and speed. It may be a system of reversals much like the concept of God and the Devil. In the speed of events, which one is really in charge ? Do they change places with lighting speed? The Chinese believe so and that is what constitutes the YIN and YANG, not really opposites but complementary. To put the heart of the martial arts in your own heart and have it be a part of you means total comprehension and the use of a free style. When you have that, you will know that there are no limits.
Some martial arts are very popular, real crowd pleasures, because they look good, have smooth techniques. But beware. They are like a wine that has been watered. A diluted wine is not a real wine, not a good wine, hardly the genuine article. Some martial arts don't look so good, but you know that they have a kick, a tang, a genuine taste. They are like olives. The taste may be strong and bitter-sweet. The flavor lasts. You cultivate a taste for them. No one ever developed a taste for diluted wine.
Some people are born with good physiques, a sense of speed and a lot of stamina. That's fine. But in martial arts everything you learn is an acquired skill. One has to absorb it. The feeling for it comes from the heart. When it becomes part of you, you know you have it. You succeed at it. You may never fully understand all of it, but keep at it. And as you progress you know the true nature of the simple way. You observe nature's simple way. You experience a life you never had before.
Different forms of Martial arts developed in various parts of the world. For example, JUDO and KARATE in Japan; KUNG FU in China; KALARIPAYATTU in India; SAVATE in France; TAEKWONDO in Korea, etc. Even in each form there are several styles, and it is impossible to list them all. However, there is no such thing as "a good style / form." It depends on the individual, his / her physique and aptitude.
Kalarippayattu from southern India is probably the oldest still-practiced martial art form in the world. As of now, its mostly practiced in Kerala and neighbouring regions of Karnataka and Tamilnadu. It is said that Bodhidharma took this art form to China alongwith Buddhism, which it is claimed to have transformed into Kung Fu and other forms of Chinese martial arts; and were further refined to Karate and Taekwondo....... Ironically, Karate, Judo, Taekwondo, Kick boxing and Kung fu are more popular in India than Kalaripayattu!
China popularised the martial arts through hundreds of movies. Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan have been very successful in taking the Eastern art to the western world.
As mentioned above, martial art is not only for fighting. Its an “art”, which, for some dedicated persons, becomes a “way of life”.
But some degrade it to something like a cult or religion, and with it, comes the negative aspects too. Some of them become so obsessed with a particular style or school, that they try to establish the superiority of their style / schools by beating up the practitioners of some other styles / schools. But the real winner is the one who has studied as many different styles as possible adaptive to his body & mind. No particular style is superior to another.
I have had the opportunity to learn from masters of different styles and sometimes I sought out some really good masters (who unfortunately were not popular as they weren't good businessmen!)...and also learnt a lot from those I taught.
Most of the schools deal only with the physical aspects of Martial arts. These are usually the popular commercial schools with a number of students in crisp uniforms carrying out the drills like soldiers. They are like factories of mass production. The students perform some sets of movements or ‘katas’ for a period of months / years and after which they will be awarded some colored belts or sashes in Kung fu, (though many Kung fu schools have now adopted the belt system to be consistent with the more popular Karate / Judo) as a mark of achievements. (The colored belts may be considered equivalent to the degrees awarded by Universities). But as with the University degrees, the belts are of no use without the knowledge, practice and application.
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