Martial arts, combat sports and combat systems. How are they different?
Terms such as “martial arts”, “combat sports” or “combat systems” are often used interchangeably in colloquial language. In fact, they make part of a basic classification of combat disciplines according to the methods and purposes they are employed for. What is the classification like?
- Martial arts mainly focus on psychological and physiological development. Controlling your own body and emotions, as well as finding an inner balance is much more important than vanquishing your opponents.
- Combat sports, as the name suggest, are all about sporting rivalry. Workouts focus on winning against competitors in formal one-on-one face-offs and championships.
- Combat systems are intended to ensure quick and effective elimination of opponents in real-life conflict situations. They are most often derived from the hand-to-hand combat methods and techniques used by modern armies. The non-military versions are often taught in various types of self-defense courses.
Martial arts training – what should you expect?
The movements and techniques typical of specific martial arts styles can give you a sense of what you can expect during the training process. Watch a class first to find out if that particular style will be the right fit for you.
- Punches and kicks – e.g. boxing, kick-boxing, karate, taekwondo, Muay Thai.
- Grabs, locks and throws – e.g. aikido, judo, sambo, Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
- Mixed techniques – ju-jitsu, MMA, shoot boxing, Krav Maga, etc.
- Armed combat – kendo, fencing, but also Krav Maga and other combat systems.
Also take into consideration the level of physical contact resulting from the rules of particular discipline and the safety principles applied by the school during training sessions.
- Light contact: participants use protective pads, while punches are not delivered with full force. Striking some areas of the body is prohibited. The use of brutal or dangerous techniques is penalized.
- Semi / medium contact: participants use few protective pads. Punches are not delivered with full force, what matters is speed and technique. Participants are allowed to e.g. aim for the opponent's head.
- Full contact: participants only use the most essential protective gear or none at all. Punches can be delivered with full force. There are few restrictions and they apply to techniques which do not comply with fair play principles or carry the risk of serious injury.
The teaching methods and contact levels can vary between specific disciplines and martial arts schools. Brutal training is not suitable for beginners, so make sure you start your martial arts journey by selecting limited-contact training sessions.
Martial Arts: Something for the Body
In general, martial arts training involves high-intensity strength and endurance exercises. It involves many muscle groups, translating into quick enhancement of your fitness level. How does the body benefit from martial arts treatment?
- Better fitness: martial arts training improves cardiorespiratory fitness. You will not tire as easily and particular organs of your body will function more effectively.
- Weight loss: an hour-long martial arts class will burn between ca. 450 and more than 1000 calories, depending on class intensity and your body weight. Martial arts training also turns up the metabolic rate and burns fat more quickly.
- More strength: martial arts practice will also help to improve your muscle tissue. But it is not about building an incredible muscle mass, but about achieving maximum strength to body weight ratio. In this respect, martial arts are quite similar to functional training.
- More flexibility: stretching is an integral part of any martial arts training. The increased flexibility of your muscles and tendons will give you a greater range of motion and reduce your susceptibility to injury.
- Healthy body shape: martial arts develop postural muscles, which are responsible for the correct body posture. You will not only look better, but you will also avoid back and joint pain often associated with a sedentary lifestyle.
- Healthy heart: martial arts training includes elements of high-intensity interval training (HITT). This type of activity lowers blood pressure, helping to keep your heart and circulatory system in a good condition.
- Good habits: martial arts practitioners often make an additional effort to achieve the next level of proficiency in their discipline. Daily physical activity, a healthy diet and the right amount of rest are recommended for everybody.
Martial Arts: Something for the Mind
To a large extent, martial arts owe their popularity to people who believe they offer interesting paths of spiritual development. For many enthusiasts, martial arts are not only about physical exercise, but also about continuous character building and self-improvement. What are the results?
- Less stress: east Asian martial arts usually involve breathing exercises and meditation practice. They reduce everyday stress levels, promote relaxation and enhance the ability to focus on everyday activities.
- More balance: the awareness and mastery of one's own feelings are among the fundamental values of martial arts. Martial arts training improves self-esteem and teaches you how to control aggression and other negative emotions.
- Mental resilience: martial arts boost the ability to cope with fear, overcome difficulties and recover from failures. Strength of character is an asset helpful in any life situation.
- Discipline and respect: by mastering martial arts you learn to be respectful towards yourself and other people. You internalize principles which make you a better person in your everyday life.
- Sense of meaning: the philosophy underpinning martial arts requires students to aspire to specific goals and develops the methodology to achieve them. This improves the apprentices’ self-esteem and fosters personal growth.
Are martial arts safe?
Action heroes move like acrobats, deal lethal combinations of blows and bravely endure strikes that should result at least in a heavy knockout. Popular culture has created an image of martial arts as something quite showy, but at the same time potentially dangerous or even lethal.
Another popular myth about martial arts is that many people confuse training under the guidance of professional coaches in safe conditions with a street fight, where there are absolutely no rules and where the attacker is not trying to simply score a point, but to hurt its victim.
This has little to do with reality. The risk of injury in martial arts does not significantly differ from that associated with other popular contact sports, such as football or basketball. The difference resides in the nature of the bodily injury you are exposed to when practicing the sport. Although the idea behind martial arts is to “hurt” the opponent, the most frequent side effects of training and sparring sessions include superficial scratches, bruises or light contusions.
The essential rules for preventing injury in martial arts are similar to those valid in any other sports discipline. Warm-up and stretching exercises, following the correct technique and complying with safety rules while exercising minimize the risk of injury.
However, if you are concerned that you martial arts journey may end badly, you can choose some styles with minimum contact (e.g. tai chi, capoeira) or schools which emphasize working with you own body rather than fighting against your opponent.
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Sources:
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https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00080/full
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1756-5391.2010.01107.x