The hundreds of martial arts styles found throughout the world make it possible to classify and compare individual styles in several different ways. For example, they can be sorted into categories, such as Traditional, Sport-based and Weapons-based systems. Or the features of their dominant techniques can be a basis of classification: striking/kicking arts vs. grappling/wrestling arts. And even the philosophical basis or "attitude" found among practitioners leads to distinctions between hard or external arts and soft or internal styles.
Stand-up Vs. Ground Fighting
A complete martial artist, of course, would be have ability to defend herself while standing and while on the ground. While many martial arts schools today are incorporating elements into their teaching, many still stress one fighting style over another. Brazilian jujutsu and wrestling students, for example, often seem most comfortable taking an opponent to the ground to submit him with a joint lock or choke hold. Traditional Karate, Kickboxing and Tai Kwon Do students, on the other hand, are more likely to favor kicking, or strikes with hands, elbows or knees over ground work.
Hard Vs. Soft
A few martial arts, such as Ba Gua Zhang and Tai Chi, have evolved into forms of "moving meditation" in which forceful, offensive techniques have been replaced, in practice at least, with graceful, rhythmic flowing motions, which often conceal strikes, deflections and throws. These internal arts stress control of energy, development of the spirit and Eastern philosophy. Aikido is sometimes included in this group because it aims to redirect the energy of an attacker and use it to dispatch him, in its highest form, without harm. Hard or external martial arts far outnumber soft forms. Karate, Jujutsu, Tai Kwon Do, Savate, Western and Thai boxing, Kung fu and Hapkido are some examples of hard styles.
Traditional Vs. Modern
Some schools still teach their styles the way they have been taught since they were established, going back many generations. Traditional karate, jujutsu and kung fu training can be traced back to techniques developed for actual combat. The strikes, throws and joint locks are still taught as damaging or lethal maneuvers. However, modern martial arts have benefited from sharing techniques and fighting principles, as seen in Jeet Kune Do. Fighting on the ground, for example, can complement a karate style that traditionally limited its techniques to kicking and punching. Adding new fighting techniques to a traditional style can make it more effective, although in the end it is always the skill of the individual practitioner, and not the style per se, that determines the effectiveness of a fighter.
Sports-Based Vs. Combat-Based
Chris Crudelli writes in his 2008 book "The Way of the Warrior, Martial Arts and Fighting Systems from Around the World," that sport-based martial arts "...incorporate training regimes that that prepare a practitioner for sporting competitions rather than solely life-threatening situations." Thus, the injury-inflicting moves of the samurai hand-to-hand combat style of jujutsu, for example, were modified to create judo, now an Olympic sport. The powerful kicks that characterize Tai Kwon Do were incorporated into a set of rules that allowed this Korean art to take its place in the Olympics as well. Aikido is an adaptation of aikijutsu, combined with elements of other unarmed and weapons-based martial arts. Although all but one variation of aikido are not competitive, the cooperative nature adopted by participates to prevent injury has changed the nature of the art to make it, on the surface at least, seem less brutal.
References
- "The Way of the Warrior, Martial Arts and Fighting Systems from Around the World"; Chris Crudelli; 2008
- USGyms.net: Types of Martial Arts
- USADojo.com: Martial Arts Systems and Styles
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