What You Need to Know About Martial Arts written by: MMASHOP.DK
Martial arts are a series of physical combat techniques used in fighting, defense or sport. These originated mainly in Asia especially Japan , and traditionally encompassed elements of philosophy or religious practice. There are many forms of martial arts all over the world, both traditional and modern. Martial arts have been popularized by films and sports, making them a part of modern culture, sport and fitness practice.You will need high quality kampsportsudstyr
Classification
There are hundreds of martial art styles, all with diverse skill sets and techniques. Martial arts can be classified in many ways. These are:
· Attack or defense orientation.
· Country of origin.
· Use of weaponry or not.
· Main technique or strike used e.g. throws, kicking, boxing or pressure points.
Martial arts have evolved over the years, with different masters, gyms or Asian cities modifying the traditional styles into individualized forms. This makes a proper classification both difficult and imperfect. There are properties common to most forms of martial arts. These are:
· High levels of physical fitness.
· Use of hands, feet, legs, or weaponry to make hits or throw opponents.
· Defensive maneuvers such as blocking, evasion and redirection of assaults.
· Opponent immobilization through joint locks, grappling holds and chokes.
· Development of strength, stamina, speed and balance to execute techniques.
Major types of martial arts
Most martial arts developed from ancient Asian styles that have been used for centuries. Some have been made into popular sports or fitness regimes, while others are used in serious military combat or defense. These are the major forms of traditional and modern martial arts.
Karate
This is a famous Japanese style that was developed in Okinawa . Karate is an attack minded martial art that predominantly uses the hands to lead an offense. Karate strike methods are punching, kicking, hand chops, and knee and elbow strikes. Evasive moves and hand blocks are used for defensive purposes. You will need karate Gi.
Judo
This is a Japanese defensive martial art that focuses on throwing an opponent to the ground then immobilizing them. Techniques used include chokes, strangle holds and grappling. Strikes are not allowed in the sport, though the Kata features hand and feet strikes.
Tae Kwon Do
This is one of the oldest forms of martial arts. It originated in Korea and is now the most popular martial art in the world. It is very similar to karate although it focuses mostly on kicking. Other skills include punching, joint locks, take downs and throws.
Muay Tai
This is a style from Thailand that has an eight point, contact strike method. This is different from other martial arts that use the four primary contact points i.e. hands and feet. Muay Tai makes extensive use of elbows and knees in addition to the hands and feet.
Jujitsu
This is a Japanese martial art that usually involves disarming an armed opponent without the use of weaponry. The opponent’s momentum is used to throw him or redirect, rather than block or counter. Other techniques used are pins and joint locks. Strikes and evasive moves are also employed.
Martial arts have been modified in military combat, in combination with weapons such as knives and bayonets. Practices such as Tai Chi are mainly slow, fitness exercises that don’t use combative skills. For what ever martial arts style you chose you will need Kampsportsudstyr - Martial arts are a wide ranging art form that allows an individual to choose a style that suits their physical capability or preference.
