The Art in Martial art

[Yao Sing]

A comment on another thread (more interested in martial than art) got me to thinking about the Art concept of Martial Art and what it means to me as well as wondering what others think it means. I don't think art means the same as other of it. It's not the non-martial aspects like fringe training.

So what is the Art in Martial Art to you?

I generally have a different viewpoint than the rest of the crowd but here's how I see it.

The art comes in when you own the style and can express it in your own way. I believe this goes beyond the basics and becomes more clear as you're able to dominate your opponent.

I'm sure some will see it in basic bread-n-butter moves done in a textbook fashion but to me that's Martial Science. The art can been seen more in the case of the guys who "showboat" and throw unconventional techniques.

Granted there's value in sticking to basics with high success percentage but I don't see any art there at all.

[Punch.HeadButt]

Art is a product of human creativity. Any skill that is learned and practiced is an art, really. Doesn't have to be pretty to be art. It just needs to be a skill that is born from the human mind and refined to a high degree.

I don't make a separation between the "martial" and the "art" in martial arts anymore. Martial art = combative skill. Martial = combative, art = skill.

[dirtyrat]

when i was kid growing up, i taught my self how to draw because my uncle got me hooked on comic books.

later in life i would take art classes, but more than any teacher i studied under was a book i read that changed my take on art.

it taught me that along with the component skills we used (ie shading, cross-hatching, etc) were perception skills (ie. perception of edges, spaces, relationships, lights & shadows, etc) which are more important.

when you learn to see (shift your perception) drawing becomes easy.

this carried over for when i got in involved in martial art or any other art for that matter. so for me, martial art was a way to teach myself, through martial skills, a new way of looking at things in general and at myself in particular.

[bawang]

who gave the term "martial art"?

in chinese the term does not exist. you blind yourself. americans are obsessed with categories and labels , the words themselves overtake the real thing.

[SPJ]

3 words in chinese

1. shu skills or techniques or jitsu in japanese

martial skills or fighting techniques wu shu or bu jitsu

2. dao way, path do in japanese

wu dao or bu do

3. xue study or everything

wu xue

arts are abstracts and all encompassing

wu xue or martial study is all encompassing

etc etc

[dirtyrat]

who gave the term "martial art"?

i blame the guys who invented forms practice.

the term was said to have been used in europe centuries ago.

whatever you call it, it is what it is today (in large part because of the Chinese). for me its more than just self-defense (it actually makes for a poor system; obsolete)....

[YouKnowWho]

Granted there's value in sticking to basics with high success percentage but I don't see any art there at all.

If you can take your opponent down and "smash" his head on the hard ground at the same time, you have reached to the "art" level. Not everybody have this kind of flexibility and balance. That's why it's an "art".

[Crosshandz]

Art:

[Drake]

who gave the term "martial art"?

in chinese the term does not exist. you blind yourself. americans are obsessed with categories and labels , the words themselves overtake the real thing.

We stole your culture, renamed it, and now sell it to kids. We are also taking your womenz.

Chinese think they are taking over the west, but who's eating McDonalds and talking on iPhones?

[hskwarrior]

Chinese think they are taking over the west, but who's eating McDonalds and talking on iPhones?

after hearing what i heard recently on the news about Mickey D's i think i'll pass on everything but their shakes and their fries......

[Crosshandz]

after hearing what i heard recently on the news about Mickey D's i think i'll pass on everything but their shakes and their fries......

The shakes, you got any idea what they put in that stuff to make it so frothy? Dude. If you're gonna eat McD's you just gotta do what the rest of us do: accept it for what it is and focus on the fact that its cheap and that the additives make it taste real good.



ummmmmmmm

[Syn7]

after hearing what i heard recently on the news about Mickey D's i think i'll pass on everything but their shakes and their fries......

its called a shake and not a MILKshake for a reason. stay away from that sh1t man. all of it. the apple slices for the kids are even questionable.

[Syn7]

A comment on another thread (more interested in martial than art) got me to thinking about the Art concept of Martial Art and what it means to me as well as wondering what others think it means. I don't think art means the same as other of it. It's not the non-martial aspects like fringe training.

My comment, yes?

I already said what I think in the other thread.


I appreciate the art. But my focus for even looking at MA's was for combat effectiveness. Even my earler misguided loyalties to ONLY purity were in search of combat effectiveness. I am no form collector, and I never will be. But there are a few I love and will always practice.

I think if health and inner balance is your main focus then you should probably stick to forms and light sparring. No sense of banging yourself up if you don't plan on using it.

[Syn7]

when i was kid growing up, i taught my self how to draw because my uncle got me hooked on comic books.

later in life i would take art classes, but more than any teacher i studied under was a book i read that changed my take on art.

it taught me that along with the component skills we used (ie shading, cross-hatching, etc) were perception skills (ie. perception of edges, spaces, relationships, lights & shadows, etc) which are more important.

when you learn to see (shift your perception) drawing becomes easy.

this carried over for when i got in involved in martial art or any other art for that matter. so for me, martial art was a way to teach myself, through martial skills, a new way of looking at things in general and at myself in particular.

That's a good answer. I like that.

[Syn7]

ummmmmmmm

You have never had a burger from any mcd1cks that ever looked like that. EVER. recently that guy did the side by side shots of the ad and the real thing. A good laugh, for sure. I don't really care what my food looks like, as long as I like the taste and it isn't hurting me.