What is martial arts?
People have their own preconceived ideas on what martial arts is. While some think of it as self-defense, others simply base their understanding off movies. Truthfully, martial arts can be considered to be all of these things. Originally martial arts was defined as any act that occurred in battle.
But in reality martial arts is a general term for many different styles of self protection. With dozens of disciplines and styles, the breadth of the martial arts world is as deep and intricate as it is old. If you’re new to the practice or have never taken a class before, the whole thing can feel a bit daunting.
What is the history of martial arts?
Historically, martial arts were military and defensive in practice, but modern martial arts are derivatives of those practices for sport and exercise. These can be divided in to armed, unarmed, and self-defense practices.
Different forms of martial arts were created all over the world, across many civilizations, but the most popular modern forms of martials arts originated within Asia. Martial arts actually consists of various different practices, including karate, krav maga, tae kwan do, jiu jitsu, and many more. In general, martial arts’ main philosophy is the task of learning self-defense while also building one’s character, both mentally and physically. It is an extremely versatile, deep practice that does an incredible amount for one’s body, mind, and spirit.
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How many types of martial arts are there?
There are countless forms of martial arts throughout the world, but these nine forms of martial arts are widely known: kickboxing, Karate, Aikido, Taekwondo, boxing, Krav Maga, Muay Thai, Capoeira, and kung fu.
How to learn martial arts
The best way to learn martial arts is to take a martial arts class. Not only will you surprise your muscles and your mind by asking them to try on something new, but you may also surprise yourself with what you are capable of. Martial arts can be a great test of this. It can seem entirely intimidating if you’re new: a new language, a new way of moving, ceremony and customs that might feel unfamiliar. It can be a bit overwhelming when held up against your own fitness tradition, which might mean a treadmill and an occasional dumbbell press.
Identify which style of martial arts you’re most interested in, whether thats boxing or tae kwan do, and sign up for a class. The instructors will guide you through the moves, make sure you’re performing them all correctly while getting an amazing workout in.
