Types Of Martial Arts
When I was a kid, I used to be a huge fan of the martial arts. Although my parents are pacifists and would not let me take karate with my friends, I used to dream of one day being some kind of samurai assassin. I knew all about the different types of martial arts, and would often debate which one was the best with my friends. We would have endless discussions about subjects we did not really understand, and often get into arguments that in retrospect seem pretty silly.
Nowadays, I realize that it isn’t about what type of martial art is stronger so much as what appeals to you the most. You see, there are many different types of martial arts, but their strengths and weaknesses lie more in how the style is applied more than in the style itself. A good fighter in one art system can always beat a mediocre fighter in another one, no matter which type of martial art is better.
Nevertheless, understanding the different types of martial arts can help you find something that appeals to you. Very aggressive straightforward sorts of people tend to prefer a martial art like karate, tae kwon do, or kung fu. These are generally primarily striking types of martial arts, focusing on exerting the maximum force possible to cause your opponent as much harm as you can. Although they will eventually allow you to develop subtlety and evasive capabilities, their main strengths are physical conditioning, stopping power, and overall aggressiveness.
Grappling types of martial arts, on the other hand, focused on restraining your opponents or making it impossible for them to strike you. Aikido is the most defensive of these arts, but it is extremely powerful. In aikido you learn to harmonize with your opponents motion, deflecting attacks by using his own aggression against him. Judo is also this type of martial art, but focuses more on grappling and pinning than on throws.
There are also types of martial arts that combine both striking and grappling. One of the most famous examples of this kind of martial art is jujitsu. In this well known art you learn to pin your opponent, disable him with joint locks, and punch and kick the heck out of him. It is a particularly brutal art, and one often favored by professional fighters. Nonetheless, it can also be a handy defensive art. It can be used to disable much stronger opponent by using principles of leverage.
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