Martial Arts vs. Fighting Arts

Martial Arts vs. Fighting Arts

"Judo isn’t really good for self-defense.", "Traditional karate competitions without contact aren’t very exciting.", "Tai Chi doesn’t do anything for aerobic fitness.", "Taekwondo is just a sport." Comments like these are often heard in martial arts circles. Often they come from people who consider themselves far more experienced and competent than they may actually be. When we hear such statements, we should carefully consider what is really meant. More importantly, when evaluating any aspect of a martial art, we need to be clear about what that art was actually designed for.

Most serious practitioners understand the distinction between a martial art and a fighting art. Martial arts are disciplines that were either practiced by a warrior class or evolved from such disciplines. Fighting arts, on the other hand, were developed for other purposes, for example for self-defense or as a sport.

Thus, judo is a martial art that evolved from the grappling and throwing techniques of the samurai. Kung Fu, however, is a fighting art developed for self-defense or for combat against bandits.

It is important to understand exactly what an art was designed for. No fighting art, whether martial or otherwise, is without boundaries. All have more or less specific goals. Sometimes these are multifaceted, yet they always have clear limits. They must be evaluated according to these goals – not according to the desires or needs of individuals.

Classical Japanese martial arts – for example, Bujutsu – do not contain methods or strategies to deal with the threat posed by firearms. Apart from formations in war, firearms played only a minor role during Japan’s feudal period. It would therefore be unrealistic to spend years in a dojo training 17th-century swordsmanship in order to defend oneself against firearms.

Another often-heard example: “Karate is no good once it goes to the ground or comes to grappling.” This may be true, partially true, or true under certain conditions. What is undeniable is that karate was primarily developed as a striking art. Some techniques can be used for grabbing, but karate is not primarily intended for grappling. (By the way: Okinawa has its own indigenous grappling arts, which were well known to many karateka at the time karate developed.)

The charge “judo is no good for self-defense” must be seen in historical context. Jigoro Kano did integrate self-defense methods into judo, but he did not intend to create a pure self-defense art. His goal was rather a physical, moral, and social way of life centered on throwing and ground techniques. Whether and how judo is useful for self-defense in everyday life is an interesting discussion – but that is not the primary purpose of the art.

Practitioners should not see these distinctions as criticism. “So you mean Taekwondo is useless on the street? But I’ve seen a Taekwondo fighter knock a robber out cold with a spinning back kick!” I do not doubt such stories. However, the point is: an art can be used for something other than it was originally intended for. That “something else” does not make it the art’s primary purpose. A surgeon might be able to use a filleting knife as an emergency scalpel, but that does not mean its primary purpose is surgical.

Many practitioners fall into a kind of tunnel vision. They see so many layers and so much depth in their art that they realize a lifetime is hardly enough to master it completely. This insight is a sign of genuine growth – but it can also lead to the mistaken assumption that their art “can do everything” and is the answer to every situation.

Tai Chi has remarkable benefits – however, aerobic training is not one of them. No matter how one practices Tai Chi, the heart rate will hardly stay elevated long enough to improve aerobic fitness – and that is exactly not the purpose of Tai Chi. Non-contact karate tournaments may seem boring if one does not understand their intent – but those who do can discover plenty of excitement.

Again: When we identify the primary purpose of an art and describe its boundaries, this does not mean it cannot be used for other things. Taekwondo was created primarily to give young men in 20th-century Korea, uprooted and discouraged by war, a meaningful outlet. That does not mean it has no other value.

Knowing what your art is for, why it was created, and how it developed is crucial to understanding your art and your place in it. It is an essential part of one’s martial education.

Highlight:

It is important to understand exactly what an art was designed for. No fighting art, whether martial or otherwise, is without boundaries. All have more or less specific goals.