Have you ever been in a discussion about which martial art is best, what is martial art vs martial sport, or which of all these are practical for self defense?
This is one of the most debated and most misunderstood topics of martial arts discussions. Martal arts, martial sports, and self defense are three distinct forms of learning and learning progression, each having their own time and place for application.
The misconceptions come from the lack of understanding or the lack of insight into the relationship between the three. Allow me to elaborate. First, I will start by providing basic definitions.
What are Martial Arts? Keywords: Organized, Combat Oriented, Systems or Styles, built on tradition, culture and deep history. They develop physical, mental, emotional and spiritual attributes as applicable to the specific styles.
What are Martial Sports?
You train to go the distance in an environment with RULES.
What is Self Defence? Keywords: Quick, Effective. What to do if I am in immediate physical danger.
Martial Arts are the umbrella representation for all Martial Sports or Self Defence. How?
I will use a simple analogy. You study Engineering for 4 years but after your undergraduate degree you decide to specialize in Engineering and you pursue a postgraduate degree (1-2 years typically). Without the knowledge gained in the 4 year undergrad program you simply will not have the necessary tools to pursue a postgrad program.
Your undergrad degree is likened to your Martial Arts training while your postgrad degree is likened to Martial Sports or Self Defence. Without knowledge of a specific Martial Art or Arts, you do not have the tools for the sport or self defence. It’s just not possible. If you look at specific techniques online or take a crash course in self defence, I guarantee that every strike, every kick, every technique belongs to one or more Martial Art.
A good Martial Arts practitioner understands his Arts to the extent that he knows which aspects can used effectively in a self
defence scenario, which attributes or techniques can be used in the ring in a competitive environment or which techniques can be choreographed to look impressive in front of a camera. Every technique you are taught is added to your toolbox. You decide which tool is used based on the job.
Which is most effective, Martial Arts, Martial Sports or Self defence? What is practical martial arts or practical self defence? These are the biggest questions and the source of most contention. Can all vehicles take you from point A to point B (let’s assume that the vehicles in question all function as designed)? It depends on the terrain, distance, time available among others. I can get from my house to work on a bicycle or car but it’s not practical or feasible to take a plane (assuming that it’s within close distance). Likewise the most practical mode of transportation from Calgary to Hawaii is not by car but by plane. Similarly, when it comes to learning and applying martial arts, every application is unique.
An individual training for a martial sport (Boxing for example) knows that he needs stamina so he trains daily to gain that attribute. His diet needs to be specific. He uses a jump rope as a tool for footwork improvement. He trains with gloves because the rules require it; However someone who is just focused on quick and effective actions in a self defence situation learns about assessing the situation, pressure points, striking points etc. Vastly different training. Similarly, a marathon runner trains to run for over 2 hours but a 100m sprinter knows that his race is done in around 10 seconds. They both use their legs to run but they are used differently because the application is different.
Your learning is not limited to what your instructor teaches but it is limited by your own mind and what knowledge you allow it to absorb. Guro Dan always says “What you discover is more important than what you are taught”. This statement embodies the philosophy of Jeet Kune Do because in practicing techniques you discover what works for you and what does not. All you need to do is open your mind to have an understanding of what you are taught. When you learn your arts, allow yourself to see how every technique can be applied to various situations. Your instructor drives the bus but the onus is on you to take in the scenery along the journey.
Marvin Ishmael is the owner and head instructor of the Western Canada Martial Arts Academy