| Any discussion of martial arts has to be | | | | Some are said to be circular and some are said to |
| tempered because of an inherent problem. Simply | | | | be linear. Circular styles involve a lot of circular |
| put, there are so many fighting styles that it is | | | | motion in the attacks while linear tend to be direct |
| hard to know what martial arts are exactly. | | | | and head on in approach. Other style classifications |
| When you discuss martial arts, you are really | | | | might be soft vs. hard. Soft style martial arts |
| introducing a very broad and complex subject. | | | | tend to deflect and redirect energy while the hard |
| People have developed a lot of different ways to | | | | styles tend to meet force with force and be |
| classify them and there is sometimes a lot of | | | | more aggressive than defensive. Once again, |
| controversy and disagreement on what art falls | | | | many martial art forms have style elements that |
| into which category. The basic dividing point might | | | | are both linear and circular. They might sometimes |
| be between classical martial arts and non-classical | | | | be soft and other times hard. |
| martial arts. Such things as fencing, archery, or | | | | Yet another way of classify martial arts is |
| even knife fighting might be considered | | | | external vs. internal. The external forms tend to |
| non-classical. Although at one time they might | | | | be more direct and usually are both hard and |
| have shared the characteristics of classical fighting | | | | linear. Weight, strength, and body position tend to |
| arts, they have evolved into something else in | | | | be the major focus of external martial arts. |
| modern times. Of course, there are advocates of | | | | Internal martial arts tend to be soft and circular |
| these arts that would disagree and see them as | | | | and use meditation and self discipline to a higher |
| the most classical forms of all. | | | | degree. Pressure points would be more important |
| Other people try to classify them according to | | | | than blunt force in the attack. |
| the main intent of the art. They might say some | | | | In the end it is hard to try to classify or group |
| are for sport as opposed to pure fighting. Others | | | | the unique variations of martial arts by style or to |
| might be more for exercise and others might be | | | | divide them into any sub-group. They too often |
| more based on philosophy. The problem with | | | | share the characteristics of each other in many |
| separating the types this way is that most martial | | | | ways while still retaining something that makes |
| arts will actually have elements of all of them and | | | | them unique. It might be just best to list them |
| it is hard to say that one is entirely devoted to | | | | with their common names. Regardless of what |
| one of the four groups. An art that is very | | | | they are called, be it fencing, archery, Tae Kwon |
| connected with philosophy might now be a sport | | | | Do, or Karate, they all share the common history |
| although it was originally developed specifically for | | | | of self defense and are joined, ultimately, as the |
| fighting. | | | | basic skills of the Warrior. |
| Another way to classify martial arts is by style. | | | | |