\u201cThe purpose of all our training is to find peace within ourselves.\u201d <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Shifu Yan Lei<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The term \u2018Martial Arts\u2019 originates from Latin. It means \u2018arts of Mars\u2019, referring to Mars, who was the Roman God of war. Others have dubbed it the \u2018Art of War\u2019 after the ancient Chinese military treatise by Sun Tzu, which was created around 5th\u00a0Century BCE.<\/p>\n Its military connotation, \u2018kill or be killed\u2019. It is a philosophy that lingers on in many forms of self\u00a0defence\u00a0around the world belonging to different traditions, cultures and religions.\u00a0Martial Arts in its modern sense has become an all-encompassing\u00a0title describing combat systems which have been practiced for\u00a0millenia.<\/p>\n The earliest evidence of Martial Arts (as a specific practice) is through illustrations of fights. As an example, an ancient Egyptian Fresco depicts the art of\u00a0Wrestling during military training at Beni Hassan.<\/p>\n Contrary to popular belief, Martial Arts are not just from ancient Asia. They are both past and present, universal to most cultures and societies worldwide.\u00a0In Europe for example, Pankration and Boxing were a part of Greek Olympic Games.<\/p>\n Professional Mixed Martial Arts has become popularised in the media. TV shows, movies, and live fights make Martial Arts seem like a way to gain fame, money and stardom.<\/p>\n The media glorifies the more dynamic\/violent moves for the entertainment factor. Kicking your opponent to the head will always gain more attention than calmly walking away from the fight.<\/p>\n Video games also glorify the violent aspects of Martial Arts. There is usually an emphasis on the injuries, blood and even the success in killing your opponent.<\/p>\n In these cases it is the media that is encouraging the violence. Watching and participating in violent games can desensitise adults and children, therefore increasing their violent behaviour.<\/p>\n History, more overtly accounts for the harder more war like forms of Martial Arts. And that is because many elements of Martial Arts were used for war.\u00a0 But that’s the type of training that is used in combat, and shared with the world.<\/p>\n Included in many types of Martial Arts, (harder styles included) there are many softer practices and teachings. These\u00a0 have a very spiritual, artistic or health conscious purpose.<\/p>\n Throughout human history, there have been multiple uses for Martial Arts. This has brought about multiple styles, each with their own purpose or outcome.<\/p>\n Over time various forms of Martial Arts have been born. Some softer, or more health based, others harder and more combat based. Many of which have elements of both hard and soft. What describes which Martial Arts are or are not, is a truly a subjective topic.<\/p>\n Just like anything that develops over time, variations are formed, outcomes are\u00a0altered,\u00a0and intentions changed. Martial Arts are no exception to this rule.<\/p>\n It\u2019s in the name,\u00a0striking arts can of course on the surface be\u00a0seen as violent. When you\u2019re learning how to kick and punch it can be impossible to explain how it is not violent to some.<\/p>\n There are some forms of Karate which will focus on forms, and katas, and have very little contact between students.<\/p>\n Whereas in Kickboxing you\u2019ll find that many schools will have sparring as part of their\u00a0curriculum.<\/p>\n Maybe you have watched MMA or Boxing which have really risen in popularity. Again, these sorts of fights result in bruises, cuts, broken bones and various types of bodily trauma. However, it is important to understand that these are trained professional athletes.<\/p>\n Not only do they know how to give a punch, they know how to take one too. Years of conditioning means their bodies and minds are more prepared for a higher level of impact, compared to the average person. They fight with skill, not violence. Pure violence would not win titles, tactics, skill and determination is what gets them there.<\/p>\n Depending on what you consider violent, this kind of contact training may\u00a0be seen as more aggressive or violent. Some\u00a0other\u00a0popular examples\u00a0of striking arts are\u00a0Taekwondo, Wing Chun, and Boxing.<\/p>\n BJJ (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) is a grappling art\u00a0well known for advocating that they train in a much\u00a0safer\u00a0way. This is due to the non striking\u00a0efforts of their submissions.<\/p>\n This is done by mixing in elements of\u00a0throwing, locking, and\u00a0using your\u00a0opponent’s force, and weight against them.\u00a0This weight manipulation and energy transfer however is not for the faint hearted (unless your\u00a0ready to learn something new).<\/p>\n Grappling arts have great impact and create great force when used correctly.<\/p>\n More modern styles\u00a0of grappling arts include Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. While more traditional\u00a0ones include Judo and Wrestling.<\/p>\n Nothing screams violence like a weapon.<\/p>\n It is thought that Karate came into existence when weapons were banned in Japan. It is no secret that the Samuai\u00a0sword was used\u00a0for little more than attacking.<\/p>\n However, in modern times many weapons are used to perform artistic performances. They can also be used in self defence when needed.<\/p>\n All around the world a whole host of weapons are used in various Martial Arts,\u00a0including sticks, swords, knives etc.<\/p>\n This group of Martial Arts\u00a0is a very broad and\u00a0wide reaching\u00a0set of practices. Everything from the\u00a0well known Tai Chi, to Bone Setting and Chinese Medicine fall into this category.<\/p>\n It is arguably more difficult to categorise these Martial Arts as violent.<\/p>\n So you see, Martial Arts itself is so broad and diverse that it is hard to categorise. And to categorise the whole as violent would be difficult to justify.<\/p>\n It\u2019s much harder to justify Chinese Medicine as violent than a contact sport such as MMA.<\/p>\n There are some with some more violent themes than others, but it is important to look at the whole rather than of specific elements.<\/p>\n Read our blog Which Martial Arts Style Should I Choose<\/a> to explore your options.<\/p>\n For a fun spin on learning how Martial Arts can be taught without violence take a peak at the FitRoots comic. Just click the button below\u00a0 <\/a><\/p>\n Whether it’s for yourself, your child, or someone you know, Martial Arts skills bring a whole host of benefits. But, just like anything they come with their own set of risks too.<\/p>\n Here are just a few of the mental benefits of Martial Arts:<\/p>\n Here are just a few of the physical benefits of Martial Arts:<\/p>\n Apart from the benefits listed above, Martial Arts is a great way to set goals for young children, teens and adults. Goals may start with achieving your next belt, but quickly become a transferable skill that can be applied to all areas of life.<\/p>\n Read more about the Benefits of Martial Arts for Kids<\/strong> <\/a>here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Like any physical activity, Martial Arts comes with a set of risk of injury. This is increased if the appropriate care, guidance and strengthening does not occur.<\/p>\n Just like with anything, the more informed we are, the better prepared we are. And that means we could potentially reduce the risk of injuries in Martial Arts.<\/p>\n Here are some things you can do to reduce the risks:<\/p>\n There should be an emphasis on the art and not the violence when training.<\/p>\n Many are hesitant about enrolling themselves or their children into Martial Arts because it may promote violence. This is important to bear in mind. Particularly for your child. You don’t want to hear they have been beating others up at school, or their siblings at home.<\/p>\n But, just like anything they will find their path with the guidance of their peers, instructors and parents.<\/p>\n The Art of War <\/a>text\u00a0so\u00a0accurately\u00a0depicts how the Chinese military\u00a0used Martial\u00a0Arts for their military strategies and tactics.<\/p>\n It became part of the syllabus for military candidates and is said to have given inspiration to Takeda Shingen (1521-1573) for the famous battle standard\u00a0“F\u016brinkazan<\/a>” (Wind, Forest, Fire and Mountain), meaning fast as the wind, silent as a forest, ferocious as fire and immovable as a mountain.<\/p>\n Put simply, we cannot\u00a0categorise\u00a0and box such an\u00a0age old human practice which is something so tied to our history and development.<\/p>\n We rarely question whether music is relaxing or\u00a0energising\u00a0in\u00a0favour\u00a0of one over the other. It is both and neither, depending on the time of day, setting and mood.<\/p>\n There are a whole host of different\u00a0types of\u00a0Martial Arts,\u00a0which provide students with both similar and\u00a0very unique\u00a0skills from one and other. Let\u2019s consider the style\u00a0of Martial Arts\u00a0a vehicle to what a student\u00a0is aiming to\u00a0achieve,\u00a0and\u00a0explore the reasons\u00a0they\u00a0begin their journey.<\/p>\n Undoubtably violence related\u00a0due to the nature of being attacked.\u00a0This however does not mean\u00a0you\u00a0will learn to defend violence with violence. There are many techniques that can be learnt in Martial Arts\u00a0that do not use striking force, but rather redirection of an\u00a0attacker’s\u00a0force.<\/p>\n When you train in\u00a0Martial Arts\u00a0you will develop\u00a0a better sense of awareness, giving you better judgement. This will teach you how to distinguish a threat from something worth dismissing.\u00a0This heightened awareness will also allow you to\u00a0maneuver\u00a0around\u00a0your attacker and redirect their force in your\u00a0favour. Manipulate their own moves to work against them. These are skills heavily used in grappling Martial Arts.<\/p>\n That being said, these\u00a0tactics will not always be the best call of action. There may be\u00a0scenarios\u00a0where you will need to strike your attacker\u00a0to ensure your safety.<\/p>\n When you are on your path to\u00a0self development\u00a0you embark on a personal journey. While many\u00a0start\u00a0their journey with a combat or contact based Martial Art, fighting is very rarely the intention.<\/p>\n In\u00a0fact many are unsure when it comes to the contact, sparring elements of training initially. Understandably of course, this is where you know you could get hurt. Sometimes the thought of getting hit is much worse than the reality, or most times actually. Providing that you’re at a school where the existing students know not to knock a newbie out.<\/p>\n Ironically, it is the sparring element which really brings students to get to know themselves and understand the purpose of their training. It is through this practical application of all the theory and skills learnt that many learn how to connect the dots not just in Martial Arts but in life too.<\/p>\n Ask most parents why they have enrolled their child into Martial\u00a0Arts\u00a0and you will get most saying that they want to develop their child\u2019s focus and\/or discipline. This runs true for adults too even if they don\u2019t say it (or know it yet).<\/p>\n The repetitive nature of Martial Arts, and the\u00a0accomplishments\u00a0of achieving\u00a0perfect technique and form take time. This can only be achieved by practicing over and over\u00a0again,\u00a0and\u00a0developing the\u00a0self patience\u00a0and discipline to stick with it, even when\u00a0its\u00a0not going your way.\u00a0Through this practice you will develop \u2018empty mind\u2019, or \u2018mushin\u2019, a mental state\u00a0free from\u00a0anger, fear, or ego.<\/p>\n With\u00a0mushin\u00a0Martial Arts becomes a way of life.<\/p>\n Fitness classes are popping up everywhere,\u00a0ladies\u00a0kickboxing\u00a0and boxercise\u00a0are the new \u2018in\u2019 trend.<\/p>\n It must be mentioned that while on the surface you may \u2018feel\u2019 you are\u00a0Kickboxing or\u00a0Boxing in these classes these are not\u00a0transferable\u00a0or practical techniques.\u00a0These are more branded aerobics classes with a twist.<\/p>\n However, if you do decide to find a genuine Martial Arts class that teaches the likes of Kickboxing or Boxing, you will learn transferrable skills as well as get fit, build strength and lose an extra pounds.<\/p>\n Higher intensity Martial Arts such as MMA, Muay Thai, Kickboxing,\u00a0etc\u00a0will push you to your limits while engaging your mind as you really need to focus to get the techniques right. You\u2019ll burn a sweat\u00a0without even\u00a0realising\u00a0it and the time. And if you really give your all you will feel it the next day. Martial Arts works your body as one unit and not your muscles in isolation.<\/p>\n Expect to see your physical fitness and strength reach a new level if you train consistently in the right Martial Art.<\/p>\n Many adults see hitting pads as a great stress relief (which it is). However, the more you practice the more you\u00a0realise\u00a0that the stress relief eventually comes from focusing your mind and putting it\u00a0into\u00a0a sort of meditative state as you train. This is not only the case with Martial Arts, many\u00a0activities\u00a0can have this affect you just need to know how to tap into that focus.<\/p>\n Similarly, we find many parents coming and asking us to help their child who has \u2018too much\u2019 energy and to burn it off.\u00a0When kids have no outlet for their energy this can usually turn into frustration at home and challenging\u00a0behaviour. Martial Arts is known for helping kids and their parents with this. Kids\u00a0with lots of energy\u00a0burn\u00a0it\u00a0off and more importantly learn how to\u00a0channel\u00a0it in a positive way, using it to enhance their skills.<\/p>\n One of the most essential by products of learning Martial Arts is improving confidence. Quite often this goes unnoticed by students as this happens at a much slower pace than learning how to kick and punch.\u00a0Naturally, training our minds takes more time than our bodies, and training our spirit takes a little longer than that too.<\/p>\n Watching students grow in confidence is one of the reasons why so many instructors love what they do, and why so many parents value their child\u2019s training.\u00a0This is especially true for those children who start Martial Arts because they are being bullied. Ending bullying is so much more about building confidence than learning how to physically defend yourself. The aim in Martial Arts is to diffuse the fight before it happens.<\/p>\n Find out more about Stopping Bullies with Martial Arts here<\/a>.<\/p>\n No matter what Martial Arts you choose, rest assured you will develop confidence. This comes as a result of joining a\u00a0community\u00a0of students all working to better themselves, the combat aspect\u00a0and also\u00a0the improvement in your own skill.<\/p>\n With all these\u00a0self-development reasons for people starting, it would make you question why so many deem Martial Arts violent.<\/p>\n And it\u2019s not crazy to question such a claim.<\/p>\n Many Martial Arts schools will train hard, maybe a little harder than needed despite having intentions of\u00a0self development. And a lot of the time\u00a0the\u00a0are a few people there to let off some steam, and that could have another student on the end of\u00a0it.<\/p>\n If this is a concern of yours, these types of students or schools can definitely\u00a0be\u00a0avoided if you do your research properly.<\/p>\n Read our 5 signs of a bad Martial Arts school<\/a> before you start your school search. Save yourself time and money by choosing the right school the first time around.<\/p>\n Are you looking for a way to learn more about how combat doesn’t have to be violent?<\/p>\n Take a look at what can happen when the right mindset is applied.<\/p>\n Download The FitRoots Comic<\/a> Series Today here<\/a>!<\/p>\n When some people take up Martial\u00a0Arts\u00a0they find the develop laser sharp focus, others feed their ego.\u00a0Just like anything Martial Arts can bring the best and worst out of us.\u00a0This should be understood before any student begins their journey.<\/p>\n Martial Arts, even though you learn from others is very much a solo journey. It is not a traditional team sport where you can rely on your team and therefore those who choose to develop both mentally and physically will eventually learn to Master their Lives with Martial Arts both inside and outside of their training.<\/p>\n It\u2019s important that you have an open mind when it comes to Martial Arts. You never know what you could be missing out on. Very few\u00a0realise\u00a0that it may be that the school they tried or the style they saw on\u00a0t.v.\u00a0just wasn\u2019t the right fit and put them off.<\/p>\n Martial Arts is a physical activity, however there are immense amount of mental and spiritual training involved too.<\/p>\nOrigins of Martial Arts<\/h2>\n
Media Portrayals of Martial Arts<\/h2>\n
Violence in Video Games<\/h3>\n
Historical Portrayal of Violent Martial Arts<\/h3>\n
Which Martial Arts Are Violent?<\/h2>\n
Striking Martial Arts<\/h3>\n
![\"MMA-Sparring\"](\"https:\/\/fitroots.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/MMA-Sparring.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"Martial-Arts-Comic\"](\"https:\/\/fitroots.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Page-2-scene-04-1024x590.png\")
Grappling\u00a0Martial Arts<\/h3>\n
Armed Martial Arts<\/h3>\n
Health & Spiritual Martial Arts<\/h3>\n
\n![\"Martial-Arts-Comic\"](\"https:\/\/fitroots.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/FitRoots-Comic-1024x463.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nRisks and Benefits of Martial Arts<\/h2>\n
Mental Benefits\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Physical Benefits\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Risks of Martial Arts Training<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Reduce the Risk of Injury<\/h3>\n
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The\u00a0Art of War\u00a0Vs\u00a0The\u00a0Art of\u00a0Peace<\/h2>\n
![\"Furinkazan-wind-forest-fire-mountain\"](\"https:\/\/fitroots.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Furinkazan-wind-forest-fire-mountain.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhy People Start Martial Arts<\/h2>\n
Self-defence<\/h3>\n
Skills\u00a0– Life skills and physical skills\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Focus and Discipline\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Physical\u00a0Fitness and\u00a0Strength\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Stress Relief\/Channeling\u00a0Energy<\/h3>\n
Confidence<\/h3>\n
So, How is Martial Arts Violent?<\/h2>\n
![\"Martial-Arts-Comic\"](\"https:\/\/fitroots.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Martial-Arts-Comic.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fitroots.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Martial-Arts-Comic-1-1024x861.jpg\")
<\/p>\nHow Martial Arts Develops Within The Individual<\/h2>\n
![\"Martial-Arts-Comic\"](\"https:\/\/fitroots.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/FitRoots-Comic-768x347.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"