Who is a Martial Artist?

[CagedWarrior]

Personally, I consider myself a fighter. I have no real desire to be a martial artist, and I wish more distinction was drawn between the two.

[b3n]

Personally, I consider myself a fighter. I have no real desire to be a martial artist, and I wish more distinction was drawn between the two.

You can be a fighter and a martial artist. What style do you do?

[Why_Worry]

But also i cant call myself a martial artist. I dont think anyone can relaly call themselves a martial artist because it just seems like too egotistic. I dont have a problem calling myself a karateka as that just states i practice karate, but a martial artist implies that i am very good at the martial arts. Others can call you a martial artist and if your the sensei then there is nothing wrong with telling the students how things work and that your sensei but i am jsut a karateka. My senseis are martial artists as they are very good and understand the spiritual and zen concepts in it as well. Its confusing to describe how and when one is a martial artist.

It reminds me of zen where one can not be truely be told what or when a person becomes a martial artist or who is but has to really just know. You just have to understand when it happens or when someone else is. But if you understand you still shouldnt going around bragging about it.

One of my goals is to be able to really consider myself a martial artist but that wont happen for years until then when my friends call me one i will just say not relaly i'm not really very good, but once i consider myself one i will still say that, just maybe every once in a while i will say something that doesnt say i'm bad but doesnt say i'm good, so yeah. Its confusing too, but i know what i mean at least.

[Adonis]

some one who practices martial arts. Even from day one can be a martial artist. Or is a martial artist. Some matial artist are better then others. THere are good ones and not so good onest but regarless still a marital artist.

[jarrettmeyer]

I like this answer...

... I don't have a problem calling myself a karateka ....

As long as I study karate, I will be a karateka. Beyond that, I don't like definitions. Concepts like "artist" are supposed to be abstract. I would hate to put the term "martial artist" in a box.

[beAns]

Personally the title martial artist doesn't mean alot to it. It'll only bring arrogance on to a user. Yea sure it can also work as a reminder of what you're really suppose use it and when.

Martial artist is just like the title cop. So you got good cop and bad cop. So you got evil wicked monk and the honorable righteous monk.

After all, yes as long as you want to be consider as a martial artist then you are. Maybe not a very strong one, but thats not really a problem (with 8 hours of training everyday and set teh goal as entering the cage fight and getting the free style fighting license in 3 months) just kidding about that last part

[Steve_K]

There's nothing egotistic or arrogant about the title "Martial Artist". It's just like the title of "Musician". Do you think someone is arrogant because they say they are a musician? Granted, it can be worn arrogantly, simply because the martial arts involves fighting, and some consider those who can fight to be superior to those who can't. That's why when some people learn that you practice martial arts, even if it is from someone other than you, they immediately begin to defend themselves with statements such as "well I'm a street fighter" or "You can't beat me up, I fought a blah blah blah" even though you yourself said nothing about you involvement in martial arts.

People need to realize that "martial artist" doesn't parallel the statement "I can beat you up, therefore I am superior to you", it just means that "this is something I enjoy doing and I have applied myself to it because it benefits me and makes me feel good in many aspects of my life, and it just so happens that I can protect myself if physically threatened"

Because there are so many people that feel threatened to know if someone practices martial arts, I personally avoid divulging such information about myself until it is entirely relevant and I am around people I know and who will not feel threatened, because there is no threat in that fact.

[Thruhiker]

Webster says

Main Entry: martial art

Function: noun

: any of several arts of combat and self-defense that are widely practiced

- martial artist noun

____________________________________________________________

Main Entry: art form

Function: noun

1 : a recognized form (as a symphony) or medium (as sculpture) of artistic expression

2 : an unconventional form or medium in which impulses regarded as artistic may be expressed

____________________________________________________________

Would a Martial Artist be one that practices the Martial Way? Wouldn't it be a generic term to encompass a group of people that are partaking in a form of martial arts.

[Adonis]

every one is rigt. Seems that its open to interpration. Besides the dictionary defintion. every one seems to have there own opinon as to what a martial artist means to them. There for they are right because it there opinion on what it means to them.

even though opinons vary. Its up to the individual's interpration.

[Why_Worry]

every one is rigt. Seems that its open to interpration. Besides the dictionary defintion. every one seems to have there own opinon as to what a martial artist means to them. There for they are right because it there opinion on what it means to them.

even though opinons vary. Its up to the individual's interpration.

Good answer. I have thought that before but no one seems to listen when you write stuff liek that.