The Academics of Martial Arts

A question came up in class last night that really helped me put this topic into perspective. The question was one that led into a conversation of the philosophy upon which our art is based. This blog isn't about a specific art, but Martial Arts in general, so I won’t get into the specifics. The question is important because of where it led and the fact that all martial arts are based upon philosophies. To work towards mastery of a martial art, a practitioner has to study, understand and embody the philosophy upon which that specific art is based.

I am certain that many will disagree with this concept...I have read plenty of internet discussions specifically contrary to it. Many feel that the only true martial component is the physical. I definitely won’t disagree with the fact that a martial art is not real, unless it is based in the martial. By it’s definition, martial arts are about warfare, fighting. As with anything else though, there are always different ways to achieve our desired end, winning the fight. The philosophy upon which the art is founded determines the path we take in the fight.

But, the human body is the human body - therefore all fighting styles work the same.

Do they? Yes, the human body is the human body, and the human body works in a

specific way. There are many similarities and overlap amongst the different arts. There are still differences. A good analogy is that food is food...the purpose of food is nutrition, but each country, each ethnicity, each region develops its own flavor and cuisine. Likewise, different regions and cultures have developed different fighting arts that have different “flavors”.

Along the same lines of human bodies working the same way, a good martial artist has to know about the physiology of the body, how it works and a lot more. This just supports my overall statement.

You can’t master martial arts only focusing on the physical aspects, there is a need for the intellectual. In fact the intellectual is in ways just as important as the physical.

In a recent conversation, a friend/student was lamenting the amount of martial skill that seems to have been lost. He brought up firsthand stories of artists that had great, almost supernatural abilities. I countered with scientific advances and knowledge that we had gained. Though, there does always seem to be a movement to embrace the new. Academically, embracing the new without also learning from our ancestors is not a recommended path at all.

As Martial Artists.. it is our job to learn from this existing body of knowledge. Study what our ancestors have left for us and add to it where appropriate. With thousands of years of experience behind us, my guess is that this is mainly a journey of rediscovery. 

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