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Martial Arts
Popular term refering to
a large variety of fighting sports, most of which originated in the Far East. The term can
be slightly deceptive. The word martial is derived from Mars, the Roman god of war. Most of the so-called martial arts,
however, are not combative in their purest form. Some are meditative forms of
self-discipline with strong religious overtones. They emphasize a mental and physical
state of total awareness that dissolves the consciousness of difference between the self
and the world.
It is probable that martial arts
originated in India among Buddhist monks about the 5th century BC. From there they were
taken to China then to Japan. As practiced today the better known of the arts emerged from
Zen Buddhism in Japan. One goal of Zen is a state of individual enlightenment and
detachment from the world. Japanese samurai, or warriors, found in Zen a means of
improving their combat readiness and ability to fight (called bujutsu). Samurai who
steeped themselves in Zen became indifferent to fear, discomfort, and the threat of death.
The building, or dojo, in which a samurai learned his arts was originally part of a
Buddhist temple complex. The martial arts teacher, or sensei, was the master of his
dojo, and his position often was hereditary.
Some martial arts, such as jujitsu (or
jujutsu), karate, kung fu, and ninjutsu, are primarily combative. Others emphasize the
meditative, the "way of enlightenment," though highly skillful methods of
self-defense are part of their training. Among these are aikido, kendo, judo, and tae kwon
do. All of these words share the syllable do, which means "the way to
enlightenment." Do is the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese tao
(see Taoism).
In Japan and Korea students of the
martial arts are ranked according to their progress. The ranking system has become common
in the United States and Europe as well, though the quality of training may not be as
exacting as in the Far East. There are ten ranks (except for judo, which has 12), and a
colored belt is worn by the student to signify his standing. The darker the color, the
higher the rank. The black belt, or degree, represents the highest attainment. There are
explicit rules for wearing belts and for tying them if they become undone during a
contest. See
Martial Arts Products.
Related videos:
Amazing Masters
of the Martial Arts.
Black
Belt Karate.
Deadliest Art,
The - The Best of the Martial Arts Films.
Essentials of
Karate.
Internal Power
("Chi") in the Martial Arts.
Japanese Masters
of Karate.
Karate
By Fumio Demura.
Martial Arts
Sculpt & Shape.
Mystic Origins of
the Martial Arts.
Secrets of the
Unknown: Ninja - The Real Story.
Yoga & The
Martial Arts.
Related books:
Advanced
Explosive Kicks.
Advanced Pressure
Point Grappling-Tuite : Dillman Method of Instant Self-Defense.
Complete Idiot's
Guide to Martial Arts.
Complete Idiot's
Guide to T'ai Chi.
English Martial
Arts.
Qigong for Health
and Martial Arts: Exercises & Meditation.
Speed Training:
How to Develop Your Maximum Speed for Martial Arts.
Tae Kwon Do: The
Ultimate Reference Guide to the World's Most Popular Martial Art.
The Complete
Idiot's Guide to Tae Kwon Do (Complete Idiot's Guides).
The Essence of
Shaolin White Crane : Martial Power and Qigong.
The Martial
Artist Business Kit.
The Ultimate Book
of Martial Arts.
Zen in the
Martial Arts.
Click
here for more related
books.
Further info:
Barrel's Martial Arts
Links.
Bubishi.Com.
Martial Arts Products.
Yahoo's
Martial Arts Directory.
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