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Articles
What is the difference between a martial sports and a martial arts?
Most experts would define a martial sport as being an athletic activity which emphasises competitive fighting or competitive forms (kata). Techniques practiced in the classroom are the same techniques authorized competitions. Unauthorized techniques (eye-jabs, for example) would not be practiced in the classroom as they serve no purpose in the competitive arena. Fencing, Olympic-style Tae Kwon Do, Greco-Roman wrestling and Judo are examples of martial sports.
A martial art is a combat method whose primary objective is the development of self-defence capability. Frequently these martial art systems develop into complex methods with a great variety of movements and even weapons training. Although some of their techniques would be suitable for competitive fighting, these would represent but a small percentage of the overall method. Although many martial arts schools do not practice with an eye for competitive trials, the latter can be considered of some benefit as they may help develop a better knowledge of ones abilities and weaknesses. Aikido, Iai-jutsu, traditional Kung Fu and traditional Karate are examples of martial art systems.
In the modern era, many martial arts systems are undergoing a profound change: Many traditional Karate and Kung Fu systems are slowly mutating into martial sports or into gymnastic disciplines. Some Judo federations have gone so far as to re-institute traditional Ju Jitsu in an effort to conserve some of the more martial aspects of their art. This because competitive Judo was somewhat neglecting some of the arts original ideas and methods One of the negative aspects of competitive fighting is the fact that such venues tend to considerably reduce the quantity of techniques being utilised in combat. A karate or Tae Kwon Do club that focus 90% of its time on competitive training can be defined as a martial sports club. One that would that would relegate competitive training to a special class while continuing to train traditional techniques ought to be considered a martial arts club.
Article created: 2006-10-07 -- It was read 9560 times
COMMENTS
Sokaku said ...
Bull....A martial art can also be a martial sport just because an art has also a competition part doesnīt mean that itīs only a martial sport (altough I would have to agree on that part when weīre talking about form competition and non full-contact competitions). In fact thereīs nothing more martial than practicing an art realisticaly against a resistant partner and in a full-contact way. In the old days people would fight each other probably with less rules but thatīs because society allowed it. Now wars are fought with guns we canīt provoke people into a fight and therefore to keep the good martial arts alive and to still have a realistic training full contact competitions exist so that we wouldnīt just be left with forms or drills against partners that donīt attack back.
2006-12-17 11:16:10
2006-12-17 11:16:10
2006-12-17
A anonymous user said ...
I understand you mean sokaku but I do not agree with it. Not entirely. Truly an art can be both martial AND sport. But like explained in the article many martial arts are now way too point scoring oriented in their teaching. Like Judo which I abandoned because of that. You would have a hard time finding a judo shcool that is still teahcing the ancient form. Why? Because the quality of the school and the teachers are (wrongly) based on a medals won statitstics. And no this form of judo is not martial anymore.
To put it in simple term Iīd say that when you execute your techniques i you are thinking in terms of rules or points you are practicing a sport not a artial art. And if you are honest you will agree that when you are in competition you are thinking like that not about winning the fight in itsself wich would include strategies like exhaustion and maiming techniques. You will concentrate on what can earn you points. And correct me if I am wrong but when a samourai was fighting an ennemy I donīt think he was giving much concern about getting some points. He was only focused on the best technique to win according to the situation. Like in karate when you hit your opponent on the nose the points you would have scored goes to your opponents... Tell me where is the martial side in that? I donīt need any full contact competition to know if I master my own art (aikibudo). I always saw competition as a way to fight (read use violence) with an excuse to do so for the feebleminded type of martial art practitioners. You cannot prove ANYTHING in a fight that is bound with rules and points since most of the techniques are not allowed. All you can prove is that you are a better brawler than someone else. Not that you master a certain art better than your opponent who could maybe kill you right on the spot with unallowed technique that your competition oriented sensei did not taught you because he thinks publicity and medals.
To put it in simple term Iīd say that when you execute your techniques i you are thinking in terms of rules or points you are practicing a sport not a artial art. And if you are honest you will agree that when you are in competition you are thinking like that not about winning the fight in itsself wich would include strategies like exhaustion and maiming techniques. You will concentrate on what can earn you points. And correct me if I am wrong but when a samourai was fighting an ennemy I donīt think he was giving much concern about getting some points. He was only focused on the best technique to win according to the situation. Like in karate when you hit your opponent on the nose the points you would have scored goes to your opponents... Tell me where is the martial side in that? I donīt need any full contact competition to know if I master my own art (aikibudo). I always saw competition as a way to fight (read use violence) with an excuse to do so for the feebleminded type of martial art practitioners. You cannot prove ANYTHING in a fight that is bound with rules and points since most of the techniques are not allowed. All you can prove is that you are a better brawler than someone else. Not that you master a certain art better than your opponent who could maybe kill you right on the spot with unallowed technique that your competition oriented sensei did not taught you because he thinks publicity and medals.
2008-03-22
Master Christian said ...
Unfortunately Martial sportist wish to calim to be Martial artist as well. This is the competitive fighting nature that can not allow a different perspective. A Martial art can not be both art and sport. This disagreement was the same hundreds of years ago.
2008-05-26
Wado Fighter said ...
I agree with this division between martial art and martial sport. I belong to a system that stresses a traditional approach and have taught my own dojo the same way - with an emphasis on combat! Letīs keep in mind that the focus of combat is the rapid disablement or death of ones opponent - not exactly a useful strategy for martial sport especially one where entertainment dollars are involved and matches are expected to be drawn out for spectators.
Sokaku is correct in his assessment of the value of hard kumite training but misses the point I think. Competition-oriented fighters do not make ultimate commitment to every technique they throw because they know they must keep reserve energy for a long bout. That is the essential difference between martial sport and martial art not the presence or absence of tournaments or full-contact (Bushido) kumite.
Sokaku is correct in his assessment of the value of hard kumite training but misses the point I think. Competition-oriented fighters do not make ultimate commitment to every technique they throw because they know they must keep reserve energy for a long bout. That is the essential difference between martial sport and martial art not the presence or absence of tournaments or full-contact (Bushido) kumite.
2008-09-21
Tom said ...
This is why I never entered anything other than full contact tournaments.
Whatīs the point of wearing gear(unless youīre sparring or training) in an exhibition showing what you have learned and applying it.
You need first to learn how to take a punch before you can give one if you canīt take a punch atleast learn to block it!! :)
Whatīs the point of wearing gear(unless youīre sparring or training) in an exhibition showing what you have learned and applying it.
You need first to learn how to take a punch before you can give one if you canīt take a punch atleast learn to block it!! :)
2009-01-01 tfidas@gmail.com
A anonymous user said ...
I believe that in part both arguments are correct. A martial sport is definetly different than a martial art the art is nearly a way of life and the practitioner normally develops strong bonds with his or her instructors and peers. It truely allows them to learn well and develop their true potential.
That is not to say that a school which teaches a martial art cannot compete with other practitionners be that of a school which only teaches the sport aspect or the art form in a non contact tournament
I agree that full contact sparring is the only true assessment of the output of a fight (provided there were no rules) although I feel it necessary to point out the learning value in a point sparring match. True the opponent may be limited to their striking area and it is light contact but point sparring helps to improve speed acuracy and focus. Just because there is no significant risk of injury does not mean that the competitor wants any more to be hit. And when the competition is serious they truely want to strike true. So to say that they do not know how to block is absurd. For these reasons I require my own students to take part in two non contact tournaments annually.
It also fills them with confidence to carry on their training or to push harder if they did not perform well. For the record I teach an art not a sport but do enjoy the occasional sporting fight. We train hard and deserve the little joys in life.
That is not to say that a school which teaches a martial art cannot compete with other practitionners be that of a school which only teaches the sport aspect or the art form in a non contact tournament
I agree that full contact sparring is the only true assessment of the output of a fight (provided there were no rules) although I feel it necessary to point out the learning value in a point sparring match. True the opponent may be limited to their striking area and it is light contact but point sparring helps to improve speed acuracy and focus. Just because there is no significant risk of injury does not mean that the competitor wants any more to be hit. And when the competition is serious they truely want to strike true. So to say that they do not know how to block is absurd. For these reasons I require my own students to take part in two non contact tournaments annually.
It also fills them with confidence to carry on their training or to push harder if they did not perform well. For the record I teach an art not a sport but do enjoy the occasional sporting fight. We train hard and deserve the little joys in life.
2010-03-24
Ronin said ...
Drop the martial in martial sports... martial mean war so when you hear martial think war. Kendo... kill even if you have the Shinai (the bamboo blade) karate... can easly lead to death a musical kata were you throw your sword in the air to look COOL... execpt disrespecting the kenjutsu itself its completly pointless (by the way donīt throw a katana in the air in front of a Japanese guy (or girl) He wonīt be happy seeing what you might think a toy but for her or him itīs the weapon that made Japan ( of course along with big buch of dudes filled with honor and some times sake... these dudes called themselves Samurai... in english the guy who serve... so please now that you know that stop throwing your sword... even Jian donīt the Chinese are more open on this subjet than Japanese maybe a bite but..... just donīt... the handle is not just for decoration.
2010-04-14
the Ronin who agreed with Sokaku said ...
HEYYY EVERYONE LISTEN TO THIS GUY NAME SOKAKU... HE IS RIGHT AND I ADD... I wish I could go back back in the time of the blade back to when honor was written with metal and blood
2010-04-14
Belfast Brawler said ...
Master Christian. A martial art can be a sport. MMA guys are martial artists and train harder and more realistically than any martial art I have trained in.
Sokaku well said. Nothing more annoying than watching a master throw students around that are going with what he is doing. Might as well watch pro wrestling.
Sokaku well said. Nothing more annoying than watching a master throw students around that are going with what he is doing. Might as well watch pro wrestling.
2010-06-08
Delta said ...
What are you all talking about?? MMA guys train harder and realistically more than People that are not going in MMA? lol Come on thatīs childish... The difference in Sport and arts says it... One is use for sport and the other for the art. Marital arts are deep in knowledge and techniques that permit you to extend your arts in your everyday life its complete. The goal is not to win but to control and flow with your own movement the art in it is to be able not to fight and to know when you need to fight.
The diffference in Martial sports is... to win. You only need so little in technique to win why? because you have rules and because you only need to win not to show your art or your mastery of it but just to plainly win it. It is easier to win in a competition than to live perfectly in harmony with your art but does it make it better? No.
Everything in life lose it goal we consume to much for our own good we want to much to win than to master we skip so many things that eventually we forgot why do we do it... and where we are going.
The diffference in Martial sports is... to win. You only need so little in technique to win why? because you have rules and because you only need to win not to show your art or your mastery of it but just to plainly win it. It is easier to win in a competition than to live perfectly in harmony with your art but does it make it better? No.
Everything in life lose it goal we consume to much for our own good we want to much to win than to master we skip so many things that eventually we forgot why do we do it... and where we are going.
2011-08-02
A anonymous user said ...
guys thats thats bull shit you know that mma is better
2011-11-22