While many cultures have developed martial arts styles, the ones you most see in popular media are largely of Asian origin. Many different Asian styles have developed over the years, both modern and traditional, unarmed or with weapons. The Asian styles generally cultivate a balanced approach to combat, combining physical training and conditioning with philosophy and emphasizing discipline and mutual respect.
Hard
Hard martial arts styles have powerful, quick movements, such as kicks, punches and blocks. Among them you can count Japanese karate, Korean tae kwon do and some forms of Chinese kung fu. Hard styles require physical strength, which you develop by practicing the style and related exercises. While originally developed as weaponless hand-to-hand fighting techniques, some schools supplement their training with traditional Asian weapons. Some of these, such as the nunchuck and kama, were farmers' tools adopted for self-defense.
Soft
Aikido, judo and tai chi are examples of soft Asian martial arts styles. They emphasize defensive movements, leverage and economy of motion. If you execute a soft-style technique properly, you can gain an advantage over a larger opponent who relies on strength alone. Because they use fewer linear, quick movements than hard styles, they cause less joint strain for practitioners over age 50 while still providing the benefits of exercise.
Weapons
While some martial arts emphasize unarmed combat, others employ or dedicate themselves to a variety of weapons. Kendo, the Japanese "way of the sword," instructs its students in the proper use of edged weapons such as the katana. Tae kwon do students may practice with a long wood staff called the bo and dagger-like knives called sais. Nunchucks are short sticks connected by a chain or rope which, according to Dan Lowry of "Black Belt" magazine, farmers traditionally used for threshing grain. As with other Asian martial arts, the student learns philosophy and mental training along with the physical technique.
Sports
Many students compete in Asian martial arts tournaments. For reasons of safety and to simplify the rules, most tournaments only allow participants from their own association or style. Popular styles, such as karate and tae kwon do, have full calendars of competitions around the world. Judo has been an Olympic sport since 1964. Sumo, a traditional Japanese wrestling style, has a history of tournaments dating back to the 1600s.
Member Comments