List of Martial Arts and Fighting Factors

[The BB of C]

Hello everyone. Sometime in the future I plan on writing a master thesis about how to train in all factors of martial arts that play a part in fighting and every day activities. I don't think I got everything though. I'd like you all to take a look at this list (that took me two weeks to compile) and see if I'm missing anything.

(Note: If you're not 100% certain you know what something in this list is, be sure to ask. It's happened more than once that I've had a very different vocabulary from most other martial artists. I like avoiding misunderstandings.)

(Note for future reference: I often use the word 'power' when talking about martial arts. When I say 'power', I'm referring to how well all these factors are trained and balanced within a person. "Power" to me means a compilation of all fighting, fitness and martial arts factors in the physical, mental and spiritual rhelms.)

Physical:

Arm and hand techniques

-shoulder, elbow, forearm, palm, fist, knuckles, chop, foreknuckles, fingers

Balance

Blocking

Bone conditioning

Breathing

Consistency

Coordination

Core

Defense

Diet

Endurance

Flexibility

Forms

Ground fighting

Healing

Joint conditioning

Joint locks

Leg and foot techniques

-knee, shin, top of the foot, blade of the foot, ball of the foot, heel

Offense

Precision

Pressure points

Speed

Strength

-muscle and tendon

Throws

Weapons

Mental:

Analysis

Application

Concentration

Decision making

Improvisation

Insight

Instinct

Logic

Mechanical thought

Memorization

Mind strength

Motivation

Psychological understanding

Reflexes

-regular, idle

Unpredictability

Visualization

Yin/yang of mechanical thought and instinct

Spiritual:

Choices

Determination

Discipline

Emotion

-fear, courage, motivation

Faith

Focus

Internal energy

Meditation

Morals

Patience

Philosophy

Self control

Three-way-balance

Will power

Willingness

-to learn, to fight, to harm, to preserve

[KarateEd]

Under the "mental" section I think it would be a good idea to include Takuan Soho's book The Unfettered Mind and his idea of having a state of "no mind" during combat.

[The BB of C]

Interesting observation. But perhaps that could be classified with instinct. What do you think?

[KarateEd]

I believe it is bigger than instinct. It encompasses "application," "improvisation," "reflexes," "insight," and "unpredictability," maybe more.

You might want read the book before you do much work on the mental section. It is a little book, about 110 pages long, and you can purchase it online, new or used, for under $15.

[The BB of C]

Interesting. I'll check it out if I can remember it.

Any other suggestions?

[bushido_man96]

I think you should look into including "strategy" and "tactics." I'm not sure what category you would put them under, though; perhaps mental. Each is a big part of the Martial Arts, as one's approach to strategies and tactics will determine when/how/why certain techniques are employed.

[kungfumaste3]

If I am your professor I'll give an AAA to your master thesis!

go for it! and good luck to you!

very nice content.

[The BB of C]

I think you should look into including "strategy" and "tactics." I'm not sure what category you would put them under, though; perhaps mental. Each is a big part of the Martial Arts, as one's approach to strategies and tactics will determine when/how/why certain techniques are employed.

That's an interesting suggestion.

But something just occoured to me.

First, you'll need to know that the idea of this thesis is to break down all factors to their lowest and most basic level and explain each one's importance, why it shouldn't be left out, and how it can tie into everything else to create power.

Things like "thoughtlessness", "strategies" and "tactics" seem to already encompass things like analysis, application, concentration, insight, memorization and unpredictability.

What I just thought was that if I use one word for all of those words, I risk not breaking them down to their lowest and most basic level and I also forsee a risk of making one seem more important than the other.

That's just what came to my head now.

Although I suppose I could put subcategories like I did with arms and legs. I should probably just do more research on the mental rhelm. I should review the books I have and look at the one that KarateEd mentioned.

[Traymond]

UNder spiritual you should have

"miso no Kore"

Or

"a mind like water"

[The BB of C]

I like that idea. Elaborate please. Just to make sure we're on the same wavelength with it.