The History Of Martial Arts & Its Styles

Martial arts, as a whole, are fighting systems built around philosophies. They usually cover both empty-hand and weapons forms of fighting, and may or may not involve contact when sparring. Martial arts are different from straight self-defense classes because of the philosophical bent and concentration on body control and body energy. Martial arts may teach you to hit, but also how to work with energy such as qi, proper respect within the system and historical aspects to the system.

Why Needed

Martial arts systems start out of necessity. Even if the exact origin is completely lost to history and shrouded in legend, there's usually some aspect of need about it, based on health needs and self-defense. Systems can evolve and change within themselves, spawning related schools with slightly different procedures or training. As students advance and begin to teach, they may add little changes here and there. Other times a practitioner may decide the system needs a complete overhaul, such as when Bruce Lee created Jeet Kune Do because he didn't like how long it could take to win a fight using Wing Chun.

Shaolin Kung Fu

The history of Shaolin kung fu is contentious, with rival factions ranging from descendants of the ancient monks at the Shaolin temple to the Chinese government all claiming to have the real story. Shaolin is one of the older martial arts, but according to the Shaolin Gung Fu Institute, it wasn't the oldest. A common story is that Bodhidharma, or Tamo, a Buddhist priest from India, gained entry to the Shaolin temple in China and realized the monks there were very weak. He modified yoga exercises to suit the monks and build up their strength, basing many of the forms on animal movements. Over time, these evolved into Shaolin kung fu, which is partly known for its animal-style forms such as snake. The Shaolin Gung Fu Institute notes the exact timing of the transition from health routine to martial art is unknown but probably occurred as a response to local bandits and animal attacks in the area of the temple.

Karate

Karate is a catch-all term for multiple Japanese martial arts. Its origins lie partly in China and partly all over Japan. The story goes that the kung fu introduced to the Shaolin temple found its way to Okinawa, and it was combined with indigenous forms of fighting from both Okinawa and Japan. Thomas A. Green, editor of "Martial Arts of the World," writes that "bujutsu" or "martial ways" received official government recognition in A.D. 794. Much of the Okinawan form developed in response to weapons bans, meaning the inhabitants had to be able to defend themselves effectively using bare hands.

T'aekyon

T'aekyon is an old Korean martial art that is at least 1,300 years old and is most likely the basis for modern Taekwondo, notes the American Taekwondo Association. Practitioners began combining Japanese and Chinese techniques with Korean martial arts in the 1900s with some controversy; according to the ATA, the newer techniques didn't have the kicks and power of the Korean styles. Taekwondo was the brainchild of General Hong Hi Choi, who created it in 1955 as a way to collect and unify the various styles in Korea. Separate styles still exist, such as Tukong Moosul, which is used in the South Korean Special Forces.