Is archery a fighting art?

[KaratekaAikidoist]

I've heard of a MA that uses a 6ft bow. It has a lot of mental preperation and such before you actually "fire" but I don't know the name. I've decided to take up archery after my grandpa gave me his very old compound bow. Granted, this is not a martial art, is archery still considered a fighting art? I was interested because I don't feel there is any art in pulling a trigger on a gun or on a crossbow and I wanted to try this.

[Dragon]

im not to sure about that one. I think ninja used this weapon

[KaratekaAikidoist]

I know the ninja used bows but this wasn't it. Its main feature was the state of mind the archer is in, I think it started with a k. I just want to know if archery has any fighting value even though your not likely to have a bow with you on the street.

[KaratekaAikidoist]

Come on! ANSWER SOMEONE!!!!!!!

[karate_woman]

Maybe this will help:

 

http://www.negia.net/~pdarden/kyudo/

 

Also, kyudo is recognized by the Butokukai as a martial art.

 

Here is a quote from the above noted web site:

Kyudo, the Way of the Bow, is the oldest of Japan's traditional martial arts. The bow has been used in Japan since prehistoric times. From the fourth to the ninth century, close contacts between China and Japan had a great influence on Japanese archery, especially the Confucian belief that through a person's archery their true characters could be determined. Over hundreds of years archery was influenced by the Shinto and Zen Buddhist religions along with the pressing practical requirements of warriors. Court nobles concentrated on ceremonial archery while the warrior class emphasized kyujutsu, the martial technique of using the bow in actual warfare.

[SBN Doug]

Come on! ANSWER SOMEONE!!!!!!!

 

Sorry, I was tied up yesturday.

 

http://www.karateforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=1144&highlight=archery

 

We have archery (Korean style) as part of our art.

 

Kyudo and Zen archery are a couple of stand alone srchery arts. One from Japan, and one from China. However, many arts incorporate these into their style as well.

[KaratekaAikidoist]

Well, I know some bow arts are considered martial arts. I'm just asking if a regular compound bow is a fighting art. I'm not taking an art. I'm saying if I just took up plain archery, is it considered a fighting art.

[karate_woman]

Well, I know some bow arts are considered martial arts. I'm just asking if a regular compound bow is a fighting art. I'm not taking an art. I'm saying if I just took up plain archery, is it considered a fighting art.

 

It is considered a weapon capable of killing people, often used in battles in history.

[KaratekaAikidoist]

Yeah but sticks were used to kill people way back when. I'm not sure if thats a yes or a no. (no rudeness meant)

[karate_woman]

Yeah but sticks were used to kill people way back when. I'm not sure if thats a yes or a no. (no rudeness meant)

 

Is there a particular style of archery you're interested in? Why does it have to be considered a fighting art? What does "fighting art" mean to you? Practical? Formerly used in battles? Currently used in battles?

 

In my mind archery is mixed with both hunting and warfare and always will be, regardless of its current uses. My Dad still uses a bow to hunt deer as it extends his hunting season beyond what he can do with his rifle. Whether it is an "art" or not depends on how the training is done, I suppose. A couple of archery martial arts have been pointed out to you, but you dismissed them as irrelevant for your purpose so I'm at a loss. What makes something an art vs just shooting an arrow is probably a mix of tradition, history, practice and ritual.

 

Here is a site on archery. http://www.archeryisfun.com/ Good luck