MARTIAL arts — the term itself is so powerful that it doesn’t need any explanation but for clarification’s sake, it is basically a codified system and tradition of any of the various fighting sports or skills which can further be divided into armed and unarmed arts.

Martial arts involve broad range of activities, ranging from fighting techniques, physical exercise to mental and behavioural discipline. It is used today around the world for self-defence, exercise, health, spiritual growth, law enforcement and athletic competitions.

The origin of martial arts is believed to have been in the regions of ancient Asia that now comprises China, Korea and Japan. Though each of these regions claims to be the proud originator of martial arts, it is widely believed that it began in several countries all at the same time.

Besides physical fitness and self-defence, martial arts have several other benefits such as gaining confidence, skills like empathy, self discipline, responsibility and balance. As these skills are not innate, they need to be taught and childhood is the ideal time for this because children learn things quickly and through this sport they can easily learn self-discipline as well as other behavioural skills.

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The benefits of martial arts

Fitness: To avoid any chances of being overweight or unhealthy, you need to have a physical activity as part of your routine. Martial arts offer you a chance to become supremely fit and healthy.

Focus and stillness: All styles of martial arts teach you to focus, be still and be challenged. The skills thereby developed in your personality are there forever.

Learning to take hits: You learn how it feels like when you are being hit. Literally, a blow will lead you to disappointment and grief. In life, we take hits by failing in something, and often it becomes too discouraging. One should not sit back and weep; martial arts teach you to take hits, one after other, but you learn to stand up again. Accepting the fact that you will be hit would enable you to relax and protect yourself. Ironically, learning to take a hit will make you learn how to avoid it.

Self-confidence and self respect: Someone is always bigger, better and stronger than you, and there are also others that are small and fragile. Martial art teaches you to respect all in the same way. It is the technique that you learn and the confidence you gain by having to face opponents of all sizes. Thus you learn sense of respect for others and confidence that you all are equal.

Mind and body connection: Have you heard the phrase “being paralysed with fear”? Well this exactly shows how your mind controls your body by making you numb in any unsafe situation. Your emotions play a major role in your physical actions and for this you need to have synergy. Martial arts training teaches one to see, feel, listen and act in coordination; mentally and physically, everything has to be unified.

Holding your energies: An ordinary person exerts force in an amateur way whether it be nailing with a hammer, cutting a block of wood with an axe, untying a knot, etc., they often end up in aching muscles; it is because normally people don’t know how to apply force in the right way. In martial arts you learn to hold back your energies, divert them and exert them in a specific direction on specific part or an object.

Sense of empowerment: You don’t need any device or weapon to protect you if you have a sense of empowerment. Use it wisely and keep your body fit throughout your life.

Girls, it’s time to roll your sleeves too! Through my learning the art of karate and Taekwondo, I realised how important it is for a girl to have some training in martial arts. Martial arts training can develop an unshakable confidence in girls and they can retain their strength, confidence and all their energies in any situation.

For instance, you are taught to maintain eye contact with your opponent, and determine, through each movement of your opponent’s eye, what his/her next move will be so that you act accordingly.

So a girl trained in martial arts will never be vulnerable in any situation. The idea is not to be a ruffian but to have the guts to stand up against all odds.

There are many styles in martial arts, some are hybrids and some are still under development ... here are some very famous and popular styles around the world

MMA: Mixed martial arts

It is one of the fastest growing sport and style in martial arts. As the name suggests, it is a combination of various martial arts styles rather than just one. It is a full contact sport that allows a variety of fighting styles to be used (including martial and non-martial arts techniques).

Ninjutsu

What comes to mind when you think of black suits, stars and unfathomable weapons used by masked people — of course, ‘Ninjas’! This art is called ninjutsu and the practitioner is called shinobi or ninja. Ninjas use stealth and deception techniques — escape, self-defence, archery, medicine, explosives and poison are also part of their training. It is believed that ninjutsu was developed between the 13th and 16 centuries in Iga and Koka, in Shiga prefecture of Japan. The first open usage of ninjutsu during a military campaign was in the Gempei War, according to a medieval ninja document Shoninki, when the general chose warriors to serve as shinobis during a battle.

Judo

Judo, means ‘gentle way’. It is a modern martial art that originated from late nineteenth century in Japan. The art was founded by Jigoro Kano, who, as a youth, was often picked on and bullied. Judo is also a part of the Olympic Games since 1964. The main goal in judo competition is to throw one’s opponent to the ground or make him submit through a joint lock or choke-hold.

Taekwondo/ Tae kwon do

It is a Korean art of self-defence and the Korean national sport and one of the oldest forms of martial arts (reaching back over 2,000 years). Its training involves learning a system of blocks, kicks, punches and open-handed strikes, as well as varying forms of take-downs, throws and joint locks, all of which develop strength, speed, balance, flexibility and stamina.

Taekwondo is known for its emphasis on kicking techniques, as compared to other martial arts such as karate. Students learn prearranged sequences called poomsae in taekwondo and kata in other martial arts.

Karate

Karate means ‘empty hand’ in Japanese. Originated centuries ago in the island of Okinawa, Japan, the art did not catch on in mainland Japan until the early 1900s, when Master Gichin Funakoshi simplified the self-defence techniques and brought variety into it.

Karate stresses striking techniques, such as punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands (karate chop). So contrary to taekwondo, which emphasises legs or kicking techniques, karate tends to focus more on hand strikes. There are many different styles within karate which include shotokan, kyokushinkai, shito ryu, wado ryu, goju ryu, etc.

Kung Fu/Wushu

Kungfu means ‘skill or ability in any skill’, however, ‘Wushu’ is the modern name for this Chinese martial arts. Thousands of years ago, the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma created the art to help his students concentrate during meditation. Kung fu training involves fighting with weapons, meditations and studying different fighting styles from animals.

There are literally hundreds of styles in kung fu/wushu developed with the time; some styles include physical exercises that mimic animal movements, while others are inspired by Chinese philosophies, religions, and legends.

Some of the most famous styles are shaolin, wing chun, tai chi, monkey style, drunken boxing, eagle claw, hung gar, five animals (shaolin kung fu), and praying mantis.

Muay Thai

It originates from Thailand and is also the national sport of the country. It’s a full contact sport that makes prominent use of punches, kicks, elbows and knee strikes. The basic philosophy of muay thai is that every part of your body, even the vulnerable ones, can be turned into deadly weapons.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu/BJJ

It is currently the most popular martial art around the world and among MMA. This is a combat sport and a self-defence system that focuses on grappling and ground-fighting techniques.

Borrowing from Japanese judo, it was founded and created by Carlos and Helio Gracie. BJJ promotes the concept that a smaller and weaker person can successfully defend against a bigger and stronger one by using proper techniques and most notably, taking the fight to the ground, and then applying joint-locks and chokeholds to defeat the other person.

Aikido

Considered a grappling art, Aikido is a Japanese martial art performed by flowing with the motion of the attacker rather than opposing it straight-on. This requires less physical strength, as the practitioner directs the attacker’s momentum with entering and turning motions, followed by various throws or joint locks.

Hapkido

It is a Korean martial art which uses joint locks, kicks, punches and other striking attacks. Weapons such as sword, nunchaku, rope, cane, and staff are also used. Hapkido focuses on using circular motions, non-resisting movements and control of the opponent, using footwork and body positioning to gain leverage and avoid strength against strength.

Aikido and hapkido are thought to share a common history, but they differ significantly in philosophy, range of responses and execution of techniques.

Capoeira

This art comes from Brazil. Capoeira was born in the slave slum areas of Brazil hundreds of years ago. Originally, it was meant to be a technique by which runaway slaves could defend themselves against attackers, but soon its practice came to be outlawed due to its ‘dangerous nature’. As a result, practitioners disguised it as a dance by which it lives on today.

This style uses music provided by drums and other instruments which help set a rhythm for the game which consists of two participants using acrobatic play as well as kicks, sweeps and headbutts.

Arnis/Escrima/Kali

These are weapon-based martial arts that come from Philippines. They include rattan sticks, knives and swords. Fighters in the very effective fighting styles use intricate footwork, stances, blocking and disarms to take out opponents.

Jeet Kune Do (JKD)

JKD is developed by the famous martial artist and actor Bruce Lee. It is an eclectic and hybrid martial art system with simple and direct movements. The basic concept is minimal movements with maximum effects and extreme speed. It is referred to as “a style without style” or “the art of fighting without fighting,” as said by Lee himself.

Unlike most traditional martial arts, JKD is not fixed or patterned. It was named for the concept of interception or attacking while one’s opponent is about to attack. Lee believed that styles had become too rigid and unrealistic, to him combat was spontaneous, and that a martial artist cannot predict it, only react to it, and that a good martial artist should “be like water” to move fluidly.

Thus the art works by using different ‘tools’ for different situations, where the situations are divided into ranges, which is kicking, punching, trapping, and grappling, where martial artists use techniques to flow smoothly between them.

Kata

Kata is a Japanese word describing detailed choreographed patterns of movements practised either solo or in pairs. Kata or formal exercises are systematically organised series of offensive and defensive techniques performed in a set sequence.

To put it simply, it is an imaginary fight, you fight with imaginary enemies attacking you from different directions. Every movement in a kata has a meaning defining either defence or offence.

The Dan ranking

Dan is a ranking system. It was devised by Honinbo Dosaku (16445-1702) for Go (a Chinese game). It was used to indicate the level of one’s ability (expertise) within a certain subject matter. Later, Dan ranks were transferred to martial arts by Kano Jigoro, the founder of Judo in 1883.

There are ten Dan levels of black belt, each promotion requires somewhat longer time to achieve than the last. Usually a proficiency test is not required after fourth Dan, the promotion being based more on years of experience and on “contributions” to the advancement of karate.

Celebrities who are martial art experts

Besides, Chuck Norris, Jet Li, Jackie Chan or Bruce lee there are so many Hollywood celebrities you won’t believe are trained in martial arts that it would be difficult to name them all. However, we have chosen some of those you may have never considered them as expert in the field.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has a black belt in judo. Putin took up the art in adulthood and has mastered his black belt, maintaining his practice and training sessions throughout his rule.

Barack Obama, the President of the United States holds a black belt in taekwondo. He was given the belt by the president of South Korea, and it’s honorary. But it doesn’t mean he has no martial arts experience. He actually holds a green belt in Taekwondo he actually earned through practice when he was younger.

Prince Albert of Monaco has a black belt in judo.

Sarah Michelle Gellar: Star of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a 1st Dan black belt in taekwondo.

Sean Connery: He’s trained with a black belt in kyokushin karate.

Jennifer Anniston: She is trained in budocan.

Nicolas Cage and Jim Carrey both are trained in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Keanu Reeves: Well Reeves is reported to have learnt over 200 martial arts moves for his role in the Matrix films.

Elvis Presley: He is no longer with us but when he was alive he was a big fan of kenpo karate and through his hard work and practice he earned a seventh degree black belt in it. He also practiced Taekwondo, though without a black belt.

Christian Bale is trained in kung fu, and he showed off his skills in the Dark Knight films.

Actor Wesley Snipes has been practicing martial arts since he was a teen. He is a fifth Dan black belt in shotokan karate, a third Dan black belt in taekwondo and a second degree black belt in hapkido. He also practices kung fu, capoeira, eskrima and Brazilian jiu jitsu.

Robert Downey Jr.,: Star of Iron Man and Sherlock Holmes is trained in wing chun kung fu.