What exactly is a TMA?

[ShoriKid]

Do I consider ARMA to be traditional? yes, I do. But, I don't fall into that lay person catigory. For most people what differentates ARMA/Western sword play from Japanese sword arts will come down to the philosphy and the liniage issues. I see where your coming from bushido_man, I truely do, but your perhaps asking the right question to the wrong crowd.

As I said and DWx's link shows, you seem to need a "uniform", a tracable history/liniage that you can say, "I learned this from this guy, who learned it from the 34th grand master", and a lot of what is looked for is that philisophical, quasi-religous bent. I meantioned the arts most people will consider 'traditional'. Getting Kali, Thai Boxing{which has a traditional root}, folk wrestling of various nations etc recognized as 'traditional' is going to take work.

[bushido_man96]

I have read the dictionary definition of the term "martial arts." I have written a forthcoming article on the topic as well. Needless to say, I am not impressed with our dictionary definitions. Simply stated, the definition is not accurate.

As for whether or not what the ARMA does is Traditional or traditional will unfortunately be decided by those who feel that the only true forms of "Martial Arts" are those that come from the Orient. Even in the Orient, the religious aspects of weapon usage (i.e. katana) aren't as old as many think. When the firearm came about, that is when some of the major swings in the religious aspects took place. As for what the goals of the European Knight and Japanese Samurai goes, they were the same; to win on the battlefield.

I think that is about as "traditional" as it gets.