| Martial Arts training has been around for literally | | | | stationed in Japan after World War II, the |
| thousands of years. At the core of it, | | | | adoption of techniques and the gradual |
| hand-to-hand combat was a way of life up until | | | | transmission of entire systems of martial arts to |
| the use of guns and other motorized weapons. | | | | the West started. |
| For the most part Martial Arts has now become a | | | | Martial Arts Styles: |
| great way to learn self-defense, get in shape and | | | | As training in most arts has been evolving for |
| learn a new art form. But in order to know the | | | | decades and in some cases hundreds of years, |
| best style for yourself, we first have to look at | | | | there has become quite a variety of different |
| the fundamentals of martial arts and go back in | | | | fighting systems. |
| time a few years to see how it all evolved... | | | | Most notably, the common ones are: |
| Martial Arts Background: | | | | Traditional Fighting Arts - These are systems |
| The teaching of martial arts in Asia has historically | | | | such as Karate, Aikido, Kung Fu and Taekwondo |
| followed the cultural traditions of teacher-disciple | | | | (to a lesser extent.) They are well rounded and |
| apprenticeship. Students are trained in a strictly | | | | focus a lot on the "art" aspect of the system. |
| hierarchical system by a master instructor. | | | | Sport Fighting Arts - These are systems such as |
| The traditional form of martial arts has been | | | | Jujitsu, Brazilian Jujitsu, Judo, Muay Thai, exc... |
| evolving in Asia for centuries. It has always been | | | | These are martial arts at the core but are more |
| a very hierarchal form of training, where the | | | | focused on the sport and competition aspect of |
| student trains under a master for many years | | | | the art (generally speaking). |
| until he himself becomes one and then starts the | | | | Full Contact Fighting - These systems are fairly |
| process all over again. In Aisa and other eastern | | | | new and focus on actual full-contact fighting! The |
| countries, martial arts was and in many cases still | | | | most common one is "Mixed Martial Arts" (MMA). |
| is a large part of life for people. | | | | This is a mixture of the other systems, taking |
| The influence and development of the "traditional | | | | the best fighting aspects of them and combining |
| martial arts" never started until after World War | | | | them into one fighting system that best suites |
| 2. As Western influence grew in the East a | | | | the fighter. |
| greater number of military personnel spent time in | | | | What Is The Best Martial Art For YOU? |
| China, Japan, Korea and elsewhere. Exposure to | | | | That is a great question! The best way to |
| martial arts during the Korean war was also | | | | find-out is to checkout a bunch of schools in your |
| significant. Gradually some soldiers began to see | | | | area. Try one of their free classes or free |
| the value of Eastern martial arts and began | | | | months that many will offer you. Ask a lot of |
| training in them. | | | | questions and after a few tries your going to find |
| With large numbers of American servicemen | | | | an art that will work for you! |