Classification system of the martial arts...thoughts? - Fight Forum - MMA - UFC - Boxing - K1

w0264007 · 11-01-2006, 08:13 PM

Just a thought... For sake of clarity, can we come up with some standardized catagories of martial arts?

I have read a few discussions here on sherdog about what constitutes a martial art, or what is considered a traditional martial art vs a combat sport vs just pathetic. I propose the following categories: TMA, SMA, H2H, MMA.

TMA=Traditional Martial Art

Its not about how old it is, its about attitudes and training methods. TMA use less full contact sparring (randori or kumite...depending on the form), and the sparring that is done ffull speed is done at reduced power. The traditional point system matches, as well as styles which use lots of kata are all TMA.

TMA can be sub-categorized a few ways: hard vs soft, external vs internal, predominantly grappling vs predominantly striking, and whether or not it was intended for use in military combat, or as self defense and exercise. (these categories exclude strictly weapon styles because the purpose of the classification is for reference to MMA).

hard vs soft: hard styles emphasize strength and training the body to deliver devastating blows. Soft styles focus on agility and quickness and moving out of the way, using an opponents weight against him.

external vs internal: external styles emphasize use as self defense and hand to hand combat. Internal styles emphasize the spiritual aspects of Budo/Tao, and resort to violence as a last resort.

grappling styles use throws, joint locks, chokes, and pinning techniques to defeat an opponent. Striking styles use hands, feet, knees, and elbows to get the job done.

Examples of militant styles include ju jutsu and aiki jutsu, non-military styles include karate and shaolin kung fu.

As the philosophy behind a martial art is less important than the styles list of techniques and functionality, I propose that external vs internal, and combat vs exercise be left out of this taxonomy. leaving hard vs soft, and grappling vs striking as subcategories of TMA.

SMA=Sporting Martial Arts

This includes all styles of martial arts which have been adapted for use in a combat sport. Boxing, Muay Thai, Kodokan Judo, Brazilian Jiu jitsu, and Greco-Roman wrestling are all examples of this category. They implement full contact sparring or randori, and focus on effectiveness over form. Any martial art adapted to full contact competition would be a sporting martial art.

Sub categories would be by type of technique: whether grappling (Judo, sambo), or striking (boxing, savate); as well as how a winner is determined: whether by pinfall or submission (grappling), or by Knock Out or Ref Stoppage (striking).

H2H=Hand 2 Hand

This includes all styles of martial arts, whether ancient or modern, in which the purpose of the art is to defeat an opponent in a life-or-death situation, and in which all methods of attack are included. These include Krav Maga, combat sambo, and such classics as the keysi fighting method. The focus of these styles varies depending on the nature of the training: self defense, law enforcement, military unarmed combat.

MMA=Modern Martial Arts

These include styles which reject traditional training methods of martial arts instruction and focus instead on the eclectic: what is effective. This category may be superfluous (as there is a large overlap with Sporting Martial Arts), however, I feel that it fills the niche between TMA and Sporting Martial Arts...I'd appreciate your thoughts.

Sub-categories include distinction between grappling, striking, and mixed styles.

Crashsti · 11-02-2006, 08:00 AM

this topic is occasionally brought up in Black Belt magazine. i feel there is really only 3 categories, Traditional, sport and self-defense/combat. its not the art that defines its place but the desired goal. this is where the confusion takes place. you get alot of traditional martial artists claiming that thier art is self-defense or would do well in sport fighting. sport fighters generally know where they stand and are never really an issue. true self defense systems are based on real life situations, not theoretical outcomes. you don't wear a Gi and there are no belts. yet at the same time people take Kung-fu for self defense when the chances of being attacked by someone using the crane stance is unlikely.

MTKrav911 · 11-02-2006, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crashsti

this topic is occasionally brought up in Black Belt magazine. i feel there is really only 3 categories, Traditional, sport and self-defense/combat. its not the art that defines its place but the desired goal. this is where the confusion takes place. you get alot of traditional martial artists claiming that thier art is self-defense or would do well in sport fighting. sport fighters generally know where they stand and are never really an issue. true self defense systems are based on real life situations, not theoretical outcomes. you don't wear a Gi and there are no belts. yet at the same time people take Kung-fu for self defense when the chances of being attacked by someone using the crane stance is unlikely.

I agree 100%. The biggest challenge I face as a Self-Defense kickboxing instructor is parsing the differences between students I know have a lot of Traditional Martial Arts training, and helping them get off those habits of deep stances, etc. Many of them adapt well to the simpler forms of self defense using elbows, knees, concentrating more on boxing and kickboxing combinations rahter than flips, throws, and spinning around that most TMA systems use.

And what's more odd, is when some go directly to our Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes and it's as though someone opened up pandora's box. We have for example this 6 time U.S. Karate champion guy who had no idea (even with all the exposure MMA has these days) that it was possible to actually fight off of your back and be successful. Now he's all but dropped his traditional training and is so hooked on BJJ he's thinking of also joning AKA which is close to the gym I workout at.

Crashsti · 11-02-2006, 11:49 AM

i have heard similar stories. i think Pete Sell of UFC fame has a story like that. he did TKD and one day the Gracie academy stopped in for a challenge and choked everyone out. Sell was like WTF!!! and immediately gave up TKD in favor a BJJ.

Crashsti · 11-02-2006, 11:59 AM

like i said, it really should be classified by the intended goal. if you want to be a UFC fighter train in MMA, if you want self-defense train with people who have hands on experience with that field, since its more than just knowing how to throw a perfect sidekick. as for the traditional arts, i have always believed the joy of traditional arts was to learn something that has a history and philosophy behind it. Traditional arts go beyond the physical movements and are in fact art.