If you’re looking for the best of martial arts in Colorado Springs, Briargate Taekwondo has the class for you!
In this month’s post, we take a brief look at the history of martial arts throughout the world.
Table of contents
Martial Arts: A History
Introduction
Martial Arts is a fascinating field that has been around for centuries.
The word ‘martial’ comes from Mars, the Roman god of war.
Therefore, artistic styles related to fighting in ancient Rome were called Martial. Today we know these arts as Historical European Martial Arts, or HEMA.
They were taught throughout Europe during various time periods, including the 15th century. Hence, a marital artist is a practitioner of martial arts.
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A Deeper Look at the History of Martial Arts
Martial arts are incredibly diverse systems of codified practices and traditions. Furthermore, they share one objective: to defeat an opponent or defend oneself from physical threat.
The ways in which they do this vary greatly depending on the style practiced. Broadly speaking these disciplines can be broken down into two categories – those with self-defense purposes (such as karate) and those forms that use a weapon.
Some martial arts are linked to spiritual or religious beliefs/philosophies such as Buddhism, Daoism, or Shinto, while others have their own spiritual/non-spiritual code of honor.
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Martial Arts Across the Globe
Martial arts are not uniquely an Asian practice. Hand-to-hand combat was used everywhere in Europe long before it became popularized in movies, and there are even some European styles that still exist today!
One example is Savate.
Savate was developed on ships and relies heavily on footwork and fencing movements. Consequently, it has been modified over time due to the specific needs of a battlefield.
In the Americas, Native Americans have a tradition of open-handed martial arts, that includes wrestling. Hawaiians have historically practiced arts featuring small and large joint manipulation
Moreover, a mix of origins occur in the athletic movements of Capoeira that was created in Brazil by slaves, based on skills brought with them from Africa.
The different styles of martial arts have a lot in common, but one thing that sets them apart is how they teach fighting techniques.
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However, some systems focus on sparring or forms (katas) – which are routines done alone and with someone else- while others prioritize self defense skills through training camps.
Martial arts have a huge variety of techniques and focuses. They can be divided into three groups: striking, grappling or weapon training.
These vary widely within each category, but all share some similar qualities, such as focus on precision over power mentality, common among softer genres like tai chi.
Examples of Martial Arts
Finally, here is a short list of a few martial arts examples that make use of a certain area or focus:
- Punching — Boxing (Western), Wing Chun
- Kicking — Capoeira, Savate, Taekwondo
- Other strikes (e.g. Elbows, knees, open-hand) — Muay Thai, Karate, Shaolin Kung Fu
Grappling
- Throwing — Glima, Judo, Jujutsu, Sambo, Shuai jiao
- Joint lock — Aikido, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Hapkido
- Pinning Techniques — Judo, Wrestling
Weaponry
- Traditional Weaponry — Fencing, Gatka, Kendo, Silambam, Kali
- Modern Weaponry — Eskrima, Jogo do Pau, Jukendo
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