 
by Alex Bragg
It might seem impossible to us to break a rock with a fist, or to catch a sword with with only the palms of our hands. Who would believe you could land you back on a pile of glass - and then pick yourself up, unscratched? Some guffaw at these feats, believing them to be only showmanship. But others, willing to believe that maybe the human condition can exceed the norm, are drawn to the practices that unlock these abilities. They are the martial arts. And while some of the greatest action flix in history are martial arts movies, most people cannot get a real appreciation of these films without some background on the subject. This guide will not only provide you with a good overview of martial arts around the world, but might convince you to take up one form or another yourself.
America has been fascinated with the fighting arts from the East. There was Bruce Lee in the Sixties and Seventies, followed by the rash of mystical Ninja movies in the eighties. Now on the Nineties we pay $49.95 for the Pay-Per-View experience of full contact events like the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Perhaps we admire the raw fighting skills displayed by martial artists, the way they condition their bodies in order to pummel others into the ground.
Is this what martial arts is all about - knowing how to beat someone up? How to defeat someone in a fight? If that were the case, then martial arts should be long gone. It should be apparent to anyone these days that all you really need to win a fight is a gun. You could train your whole life and know how to break cement blocks with your head (as some actually do) but it won't do you much good against a well-aimed bullet.
However, think about what causes people to buy guns, and you'll have the reason to study martial arts. A gun is simply a tool for control. People use them to gain control over a situation where they might feel powerless and frightened - what is produced is fear. And that, in a nutshell, is why over half the time someone does end up in a fight and gets hurt. Someone fears a particular outcome, whether it is fear of bodily injury, fear of looking the coward in front of peers, or even fear of being a coward in your own eyes.
To be prepared, to have the confidence not to be afraid - this is the aim of any true martial art. Physical training leads to something more than the ability to throw a punch or kick. As any psychologist will tell you, better health improves your energy and self-esteem. But martial arts takes it one step further in developing the person's spiritual nature, where you learn more about who you are. This is what makes it an art. Before you know it, you might take a different view on life, one where you're empowered, but know enough to where a situation doesn't have to have a negative outcome.
Yes, there are times when conflicts arise when there aren't any guns. There are times when its only you and your dukes, and guess what? You could teach that person a thing or two. However, the true lesson might be in simply walking away from it. If it's a matter of physical fighting, then you'll know your own limitations - as well as the limitations of your opponents if you've developed an eye for it. And, in the words of the immortal G.I. Joe, "Knowing is half the battle."
Let's start with the history of Martial Arts and move on from there... |
