The True Martial Artist

[Rick_72]

A lot of good points here. I don't know if I'd disagree with it, but I'd question one of your bullets....-Does not think his/her style is better than another....I think believing your training in the best system is essential to giving it your all. If you don't believe that what your doing is the best way, why would you be doing it at all?

However, you don't have to be cocky or obnoxious about it to believe your style is the best.

[bushido_man96]

Confidence, not cocky. There is a fine line between the two.

As far as the fighting thing, being able to defend yourself successfully is important for a martial artist. The question is, how should you go about proving it? Through tournaments? They don't resemble the street enough. NHB contests? Not everyone is cut out for it, nor has the time to train for it. So how do you prove it?

[Rick_72]

As far as the fighting thing, being able to defend yourself successfully is important for a martial artist. The question is, how should you go about proving it? Through tournaments? They don't resemble the street enough. NHB contests? Not everyone is cut out for it, nor has the time to train for it. So how do you prove it?

Why do you have to prove it?

[bushido_man96]

As far as the fighting thing, being able to defend yourself successfully is important for a martial artist. The question is, how should you go about proving it? Through tournaments? They don't resemble the street enough. NHB contests? Not everyone is cut out for it, nor has the time to train for it. So how do you prove it?

Why do you have to prove it?

Personally, I don't think you have to. I am making the point in relation to some of the other comments made in earlier posts.

[Zorbasan]

saying that your martial art is the best style is like saying that the sport you play is better than all other sports.

it doesnt have to be the best to give it your all, you just have to like it the best.

[elbows_and_knees]

Many people may have asked, "what is a ture martial artist?" Well, here are some points of a good martial artist.

-Trains to the best of his/her abilities and tries their hardest

-Shows respect and discipline towards themself and others

-Does not think his/her style is better than another

-Enjoys training in the martial arts

-Helps others who are in need

 

-Isn't cocky or arrogant about their martial art

There are many characteristics of a good martial artist. Please add on if you'd like to .

The catch about those that I've italicized is that they have nothing to do with improving your fighting skill. To me, a true martial artist is someone who is refined in the area of fighting and bases their approach to it based on experience and logic- being a nice guy or helping others makes you a nice guy- it doesnt make you a martial artist. I firmly believe that if you dont like those who are arrogant or have a bullying personality, learn how to fight better than they do.

NICE... usually I'm the only one here who feels this way.

[elbows_and_knees]

Many people may have asked, "what is a ture martial artist?" Well, here are some points of a good martial artist.

-Trains to the best of his/her abilities and tries their hardest

-Shows respect and discipline towards themself and others

-Does not think his/her style is better than another

-Enjoys training in the martial arts

-Helps others who are in need

 

-Isn't cocky or arrogant about their martial art

There are many characteristics of a good martial artist. Please add on if you'd like to .

The catch about those that I've italicized is that they have nothing to do with improving your fighting skill. To me, a true martial artist is someone who is refined in the area of fighting and bases their approach to it based on experience and logic- being a nice guy or helping others makes you a nice guy- it doesnt make you a martial artist. I firmly believe that if you dont like those who are arrogant or have a bullying personality, learn how to fight better than they do.

I would respectfully disagree. I think being a good person is absolutely essential to being a true martial artist. Otherwise you are just a good fighter, but not a martial artst. I think ot all goes back to the philosophical roots of the arts.

the term martial in itself dictates war. a martial art is an art of war, nothing more. What happens is people become caught up in the nostalgic view what a martial artist should and shouldn't be. the shaolin temple combined there arts with philosophical, spiritual and other aspects, because they were monks.... those are things inherent to them. However, those teachings made their ways into arts they influenced in other countries as well. the japanese did the same - the samurai incoporated such into their teachings. But many of the samurai also engaged in homosexual activity... that is among things that aren't known, because it doesn't fit into that over romanticized view.

martial arts that pre-dated shaolin were about nothign other than learning how to fight. An excellent example of this is shuai chiao. In modern ages, MA that are not based on offshoots of anything shaolin influenced will not include these things either. boxing, wrestling - it's NOT becuase they are sports - they are very martial arts. Notice, you don't hear / learn about it in european arts, european sword arts included, AFAIK. krav maga would be another example.

That's not to say that bettering oneself spiritually and learning more philosophically are not good things - they are. However, you can partake in a religion for spirituality and read about philosophy. They are not prerequisites for a martial artist.

[elbows_and_knees]

I agree being a honorable / good person is essential. I personally am saddened by the people that think martial arts are only about fighting. There is so much more to it. Remember the Okinawans are very peaceful people they fought to save their lives, that is how karate came to be.

There is more to it because we added things to it. it wasn't always there, as I stated above. Heck, even in the case of the okinawans. they may have been peaceful, but they weren't all good, humble and passive. However, when they attacked, THEY FOUGHT BACK - that is martial. that has nothing to do with a peaceful nature.

Also, I could be wrong, but wasn't te around before the 14th century?

[elbows_and_knees]

A lot of good points here. I don't know if I'd disagree with it, but I'd question one of your bullets....-Does not think his/her style is better than another....I think believing your training in the best system is essential to giving it your all. If you don't believe that what your doing is the best way, why would you be doing it at all?

However, you don't have to be cocky or obnoxious about it to believe your style is the best.

I dunno... I don't think muay thai is the best out there, nor do I think capoeira and judo are the best out there. However, different people find different things to drive them. I like to compete. that is what drives me to give it my all. I have to make myself as good as I possibly can in order to maximize my chances of being victorious.

[elbows_and_knees]

saying that your martial art is the best style is like saying that the sport you play is better than all other sports.

it doesnt have to be the best to give it your all, you just have to like it the best.

No, it's not. sports are drastically different. soccer and volley ball are nothing alike. basketball and cricket are nothing alike. martial arts tend to at least share the same basics, given they have the same methodology (grappling or striking). you can't say basketball is better than cricket, but you can say rugby is better than football, for example. I can't say muay thai is better than judo, but I could say that muay thai is better than american karate.

Note that I'm not saying muay thai is better than american karate, I'm just illustrating how you can make a difference if you want to.