What really are Martial Arts?

What really are Martial Arts?

We see social media flooded with examples of Martial Arts, good and bad and everybody will have their opinion on what they feel will work in the real world and what won’t. It always makes for a highly entertaining debate.

But is practising a Martial art just about what works and what doesn’t and isn’t that just an opinion anyway? Can we generalise stuff that well?

I am playing devils advocate in this piece and hopefully you will find it thought provoking.

From my many years of experience in the field of Martial arts I have come to some conclusions on the subject which I would like to share with you, if you indulge me.

Firstly most ‘fighting’ systems we know about are not truly martial arts at all.

I am going to address this from the Japanese arts as they are the most popular plus this is were most of my experience comes from.

Martial arts or Bujutsu as the Japanese called them were specifically arts of Warfare.

For example, the Samurai Warriors were exponents of true Bujutsu.

They trained in bow and arrow, spear, bladed pole, sword, knife and finally unarmed combat. Normally in that order. All the techniques learnt had one purpose and one purpose only to kill the enemy period.

This in general translates to any military force in the world today.

The tactics of kill or be killed are being only applied in times of war. That was their purpose. They weren’t self -defence techniques they were combative fighting techniques which are a different thing.

The Japanese term Bu roughly translates as War or Martial. Jutsu roughly means, science technique or skill.

So, Bujutsu reads as Martial skill or science.

Martial arts were 99% predominately fighting with weapons much the same as our present military.

You are not going to enter a sword fight or fire fight unarmed. It would be total madness and instant suicide.

In the case of the Samurai they mainly fought off horseback with bow and arrow. They were masters of this ‘long kill’. Foot soldiers used a spear or naginata (a bladed pole).

Swords were only employed when horsemen were pulled off their mounts. But again, in close combat even the sword could be cumbersome and fighting with a knife was probably the preferred method. 

As this ensured standing grappling came into play known as Kumiuchi or Yawara which eventually by the 17^th century became Jujutsu the term we are more familiar with. This form of combat in the Samurai era consisted mainly of grappling skills as striking to a full armoured bodied opponent would be ineffective. Joint breaks and trips and sweeps were commonly used.

So, in my research and observations of Japanese Martial arts in their true form they were for warfare with weapons and had little or nothing to do with unarmed fighting skills at all.

Later when the wars had ended, and Samurai were redundant, they entertained themselves with one on one challenges and duels. It was a way of maintaining some of the skills they had learn.

In my eyes this is what can be truly termed as Martial arts.

Very few people really practise martial arts as they were intended unless you are in the special operations military e.g. (SAS, SBS, DELTA, NAVY SEALS or top- level police/security).

The opinion being the public do not need these skills.

So, what are a big percentage of the public training in?

Karate-do, Judo and Aikido that most people refer to as Martial arts are in fact Martial Ways, so they are referred to as ‘Do’ methods.

The term ‘Budo’ is a relatively modern and historically meant a way of life encompassing physical, spiritual and moral dimensions with a focus on self- improvement, fulfilment or personal growth.

These ‘Martial arts’ are really a pale imitation of their original ‘jutsu’ counterparts.

Karate Jutsu v Karate -do

Jujutsu v Judo

Aikijutsu v Aikido

The Do systems main emphasis was not practical application for combat they were more a way of preserving the old school bujutsu methods but in a more acceptable way.

The more brutal, dangerous and pure combative techniques were eliminated to make way instead for a conducive form of ‘Martial art’ that all members of the public, men, women and children could train in for health, fitness, self-discipline and enlightenment and self-defence.

The Self defence aspect wasn’t emphasised over any of the other components.

When the decline of feudal Japan came about, and the end of the Samurai rule things changed dramatically. Times became more peaceful and Japan especially as it became more westernised wanted to bury their violent warring past so the bujutsu arts went underground or disappeared completely.

They felt there was no longer the need to teach killing methods with weapons or with the bare hands.

‘The Martial arts’ re- appeared as sporting contests, ways of fitness and health with elements of self-defence. If you like they had been watered down somewhat to cater for the public.

So rather than the true martial arts dying out totally they were reinvented and re packaged to suit the changing times.

 What most westerners learnt from their travels to Japan over the decades were the ‘do’ methods not the ‘jutsu’ ones.

I always suspected the Japanese kept the ‘real’ stuff a secret for themselves and not give it out to the Gaijin or foreigner!

When World War 1 and eventually World War 2 broke out the combative techniques resurfaced because suddenly we needed to arm soldiers with the quickest and most brutal methods of killing with their bare hands if need be.

They didn’t have years to perfect techniques, it was more like weeks. They needed to train something fast and workable. Elements of the arts of Japanese jujutsu, Chinese Kempo and Karate jutsu re-appeared along with what renowned C.Q.C   instructor Captain Edwart Fairbairn would refer to as gutter fighting. (gouging, biting, butting, stamping etc). These unarmed methods of combat were still always a back up to weapons.

When the two world wars ended close quarter combat instructors such as the fore mentioned Edwart Fairbairn, Rex Applegate, John Styers, Anthony Biddle and Charles Nelson amongst others brought their skills back home with them and set up schools of self defence teaching the close quarter fighting methods they learnt in the military but adapted them slightly for civilians.

You could say that they were modern ‘jutsu’ arts as the emphasis was on defending yourself against all manner of attacks and adapting the techniques to face the threats of the street predator at that time.

Karate, Aikido and Judo also flourished but they were now mainly taught as sporting combat or the Do ways of physical and mental fitness and enlightenment.

It’s not to say these DO systems cannot work in a real situation but they would have to be adapted and trained in that manner which takes time. In their sporting forms they can come up short in a self defence situation.

These arts all carried the grading structure which would get you to black belt where the close quarter combat training didn’t.

To try and put these two different methods into another context lets take the example of two painters.

One can paint your front door beautifully with a nice undercoat and a gleaming gloss finish that you will be really pleased about.

The other can paint you a fantastic family portrait that would not only grace the walls in your house but also any art gallery.

Now both persons are painters but only one is truly an artist and that is the latter one.

Followers of the Do or the way of Martial arts trained beyond basis self defence skills they trained for perfection of their technique in a quest for the then coveted black belt. Laborious repetition was the order of the day. Endless hours of drilling basics. They were methodically painting their own masterpiece.

They were attempting to transcend technique and reach a higher level of understanding just like a PHD student, Professor or any individual striving for a higher level of academia.

This is how you should view the genuine black belt practitioner. They have put as much time, work and effort into their art as the Surgeon, lawyer, sculpture, artist or author.

One of my early Japanese Sensei would often say you can be a black belt in anything if you reach a certain level of competence not just combat techniques.

Those training in just practical combat techniques could be likened to the painter of the front door. Their main interest is a functional and effective job well done. They are not going and philosophise about the merits of the paint and brush stroke they have used no more than the combat exponent will sit and overly examine the merits of a good kick in the balls. As one of my old instructors Dave Turton would say ‘It doesn’t matter about the colour of the cat as long as it catches the mouse.’

I guess in a way MMA brought back what the ‘Martial Arts’ were originally about. Functional techniques to dispatch another person without wrapping it all up in mystic, tradition or ritual. It brought back a rawness and honesty and sorted out what really worked and what didn’t in that one to one Gladiatorial arena.

Yes, it had its comparisons to the gladiatorial arenas of ancient Rome and Greece and I am sure if some country sanctioned it they would have been fighting with swords, axes, knives and all sorts of other shit but in the ‘civilised world’ we had to settle for fists, feet, knees, elbows etc. Hell, we even got rid of bare knuckles, headbutts, groin strikes and head stomping which was allowed in its earlier days.

Many Martial arts purists hate MMA but many Martial arts pragmatists love it saying this is what real Martial arts is all about.

It really comes back down to the question are you a ‘jutsu’ person or a ‘do’ person. Do you view Martial arts techniques as a means to an end or a way of life?

There are many modern self defence systems that practice the practical and street efficient ways whilst denoting the more traditional arts.

But what some of them forget their systems would not exist without the traditional arts. No, you haven’t got to live in the past, but you do need to respect it and reference it when using its techniques, no matter how far they may have come from the original.

Nobody has got the patent on an armbar, punch or kick.

So here is the next question. How long do you think you will train in a modern street system before you get bored?

To be honest you could write what you need to know about the practical side of self defence on a postage stamp.

Let’s face it there is only so many times you can hit somebody before you start looking for some thing else to add in the mix.

Suddenly these all ‘new super practical urban streetwise combat systems’ start to incorporate techniques of Judo, BJJ, wrestling etc.

So, are they still super new and modern or are they just rehashing old stuff?

I believe there may well be new concepts and new methods of teaching but there are no new techniques. The past is our future. I suspect it has always been this way.

I believe Self- defence techniques are a personal thing. Normally your personalised self-defence moves come out of the art you trained in. What works for one will not work for another.

E g.  A wrestler may advocate a low single or double leg? A karateka may emphasis a punch or kick. You get the idea?

An individual looking for some quick to learn self defence moves without devoting years of training in a ‘Martial art’ may seek out these systems but usually only for a short while until they feel they have achieved what they are after and that is all good. They will not make a life time study of them unless of course there are belts, or levels awarded. As human beings like reward for our efforts.

Many people in security have adapted their karate, judo etc for the ‘doors’ or added to it to round out their knowledge. Why?

Well not every situation requires you to rip some body’s throat out, blind them or kick their balls up into their throats.

You may have to control an individual with a lock or hold. You, may have to trip, throw or takedown.

No two situations are the same. If your answer to every potentially threatening situation is smash them into a gooey puddle on the floor you will probably be practising those skills regularly in one of her majesty’s hotels. (prison)

Let’s go back to the start of this article, shall we?

Firstly, forget the deluded looney tunes out there on face book and the crazy shit they pass off as fighting techniques. Also, let’s take out the Mac Dojo’s whose main motivation is making obscene amounts of money at the expense of gullible people and teaching questionable techniques.

The question is now do you follow the ‘jutsu’ principles of purely combative and functional combat techniques with one aim and one aim only to defeat an attacker in as many ways as you can think of and that’s it?

Or are you a person that enjoys the whole package of your chosen art and practise it way beyond just a handful of self-defence techniques. Is this element only a small part of your overall training? Mental, spiritual and physical development is your driving force?

Maybe you like the sporting aspects of your art and this is what you are interested in. You enjoy testing yourself in the controlled arena under a certain set of rules and like pitting your skills against another likewise trained individual?

All the above things are admirable. It is a matter of personal choice.

Many I guess float between one or more of these.

I guess the trouble begins when one individual crosses into another’s territory without the experience or skill in that arena. Now you are swimming in dangerous water.

At one time or another I have swam in all these arenas but never thought of myself as an all-knowing expert in any of them.

What I did do was work fucking hard in those different fields and learnt from the very best. I wasn’t afraid to don the white belt and go back before I went forward again. I then went away and drilled and trained the techniques inside out.

There are too many armchair warriors and would be ninja turtles in this pedalling rubbish. They are doing harm to the genuine people training and teaching the fighting arts.

I can honestly say with hand on heart I have never written, talked or taught about a subject in the martial arts that I had not experienced to some level of competence.

Why?

Firstly, it is about being honest with yourself and secondly being honest with your students and thirdly you will eventually be exposed as a fraud or an idiot somewhere down the line.

I have tried to work on the idea that not everybody may agree with me or like what I teach but hopefully they will at least respect me for my journey. I think that is all you can wish for.

I do firstly think there is a big misunderstanding about what Martial arts really are and secondly are you truly practising or teaching one?

In my opinion the terminology has been used incorrectly.

I suspect most of us aren’t or maybe we don’t want to be.

I feel martial arts have been mis- sold and mis- interpreted to the public. The public conception of Martial arts for many years was misguided and many drew their conclusions from film or tv.

Flying kicks and breaking boards and bricks were the order of the day. Nowadays it is the UFC.

Are any of these an accurate picture of true ‘Martial Arts’?

My thoughts are go and enjoy whatever path you follow and good luck to you who are anybody else to judge you on what you want to do if it is truly the path you want to follow?

Just be careful of instructors that preach that they know it all and are masters of every concept in world of combat. They are either liars or deluded. Such an all-encompassing Master does not exist outside of Hollywood or in some weird individuals mind in the crazy world of social media.

Always teach or talk from experience and know your subject. Do not cross into somebody else’s territory unless you really know what you are talking about and then be very clear what it is you are demonstrating and what it is for.

As usual it is horses for courses. No one combat system is better than another it just depends what you want it for. Be crystal clear about this.

If you seek out the correct sources, you will find an expert in their field.

Here in the UK you will find a sound network of reputable instructors who do know what Martial arts is and isn’t.

Here is Wikipedia’s definition of Martial Arts. Pretty close to what I have said.

‘Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practices, which are practiced for a number of reasons: as self- defense, military and law enforcement applications, mental and spiritual development; as well as entertainment and the preservation of a nation's intangible cultural heritage.

Although the term martial art has become associated with the fighting arts of eastern Asia, it originally referred to the combat systems of Europe as early as the 1550s. The term is derived from Latin, and means "arts of Mars", the Roman god of war.^[1] Some authors have argued that fighting arts or fighting systems would be more appropriate on the basis that many martial arts were never "martial" in the sense of being used or created by professional warriors.’

For more of my background and thoughts you may like to check out my autobiographical account of my 40-year journey in the combat arts entitled When we were Warriors. Available at Amazon or signed copies through www.kevinohagan.com.

Kevin O’Hagan 7^th Dan Combat jujutsu.