What do you consider as Traditional Martial Arts, Modern Combat Arts or Sport Martial Arts?

Question

I have my own opinions, but I'd just like to hear the opinions of some of the folks out there (preferably people who HAVE studied Martial Arts with at least one year of experience, and not anyone who has never devoted any real time to Martial Arts)

Sarcastic answers will get a bad rating from myself when I read it, this also goes for non constructive bulls**t answers that're WAY off the point.

so come on fellow Martial Artists I'd like to hear your views.

Answer 1

Traditional martial arts are styles that have been successfully used in combat. They are not mixed with other martial arts ( this is a slippery slope as some traditional arts are formed from other traditional arts).
A traditional martial arts practitioner follows a tradition that has been handed down in a documented lineage from the founder of the style.
I believe all traditional martial arts come from the old world. These are styles that were founded prior to the new world (North America) being populated. These styles were developed prior to firearms being widespread in combat.
Any style that formed in America would be a new world style. Any style that mixes two old world styles after the discovery of the new world would be a new world martial art or perhaps a mixed martial art.

I consider sport arts to be styles founded for the purpose of physical fitness, entertainment, competition, point sparring or other non self-defense application.

A combat system, I will not comment on this as I do not have any experience in this.

Just to be clear I feel these different styles all have a valid place, but a person must know what they are training in before they waste years learning something they discover is not what they sought out to learn.
I also feel that quality and frequency of training are far more important than style.

Answer 2

You have some great answers by Sensei Scandal, Pugpaw, SiFu Frank and Stillcrazy. A few other did well too. I will not mention the names of the others. I'm not sure why some even bother to respond. I guess it goes back the Sensei Scandal question. Since there are so many great answer I will keep my comments brief. Martial Arts - Like Possum said it was designed for war or during the time of martial law. Self defense is included in it. Self Defense - This is a term that people use to define something similar to a crash course on martial arts. You do not learn the entire curriculum you learn a few techniques on how to escape if attacked or grabbed. Often this is a class for women and or children. Some use this as a way to market the real classes. The student should realize that the training that they have is sufficient and they need to know more and that they need more practice. Unfortunately there are those that leave a self defense class and believe that they are equipped to defend themselves if necessary. Martial Sport - This is not a term. In actuality it is just a sport. It is not budo. This a game or contest in which the athletes use a limited amount of techniques in order to win a contest or to build their ego. It has rules and a referee. Can a style be more? Within martial arts it should contain self defense. But there is much more repetition and training than is a basic self defense class. You will fine some techniques taken from martial art in the sport, but you lose the intent of the training. Sports intent is to win a trophy, medal, or contest and build your ego. Martial arts the intent is to survive by any mean necessary. Self defense class is to hopefully survive and promote your real martial arts class(recruitment). it is just a sample of the art.

Answer 3

First, I'll be the first to admit that I'm not really up to speed on Asian martial arts, but I am extremely familiar with Western Martial Arts, which ARE a distinct family of combat arts.

Traditional, I would use that terms for the historical stuff. Swordsmanship using the rapier, longsword, messer, anything else than Olympic weapons. The use of other weapons such as the poleaxe, the long and short spear, mounted combat, wresting, dagger-work, you name it. There are more masters out there than you can shake a stick at.

Modern, I would use this to describe anything that has come up after the mid 18th century, where armed close combat was becming less and less of a reality and more of a sport. In this I include the use of the smallsword and saber, but this is also mixing in with sports martial arts. However, amongst the modern styles are also those that were developped in North America, such as the styles involving the bowie knife, the navaja and the particular techniques developped for military and law-enforcement close-combat.

Sport martial arts, we're here talking about boxing, Olympic fencing, sportive archery and modern (non-WWE) style wrestling.

Answer 4

A traditional art is one that was created for a specific purpose, and has not been altered from that original state. A good example would be Shinkendo, taught by Toshishiro Obata. While there is little modern application for the japanese sword, the art is still alive and thriving. Modern Combat arts are a wide variety of modifications of the traditional arts, or combinations of arts, such as those taught by the US military. They generally have a broader application, or a more modernized approach. For example, Kenpo involved weapons take-aways that included swords, but Sensei Ed Parker saw that the sword was no longer a common weapon and modified the art into American Kenpo, which included more practical modern street applications. A sport martial art is one that teaches you to score points for a specific tournament style, which sometimes can dilute the intention of the art, changing it from how to defend yourself into how to avoid being scored on. Tae Kwon Do has seen such a transformation into a "sport martial art."

Answer 5

Good Question. Sports Martial Arts I would consider as traditional, Modern Combat Arts are for those wanting to learn self-defense, also for security, police and military personnel.
I have studied both. Judo and clinch fighting can be used both ways. Americanized Kenpo-Karate on the other hand is for Agressive self-defense and traditional competitions.
Pressure Point Control Tactics; It very useful in self-defense, but that is not a traditional martial arts.

Answer 6

Okay, let's see. First off though, excellent question.

Traditional combat arts :

I would define these as a style of fighting derived from real experiences on the battlefield...or simple everyday streetfighting when close-quarters was more commonplace (i.e., pre-firearm age.)

Now, many of these styles have kept it very..."by the book" if you will, and haven't altered a single thing since they were originally founded.

Now, some 'traditional' combat arts transcend well into the modern world, whereas others, quite simply do not.

Most traditional combat arts still have usage of ancient weaponry, sword/staff/knife for example...and all their myriad variants, but others include material that easily translates into modern weaponry (handguns or an extendable baton, for example.) Principles of timing, spacial relations, balance and so forth are universal in their applications.

Now, Modern Combat Arts :

I would include amongst this list styles like Brazillian Jiujutsu, Muay Thai, Capoeira, MMA, etc.

Basically, these are modern arts that have roots in traditional martial arts but have 'evolved' per se into modernized applications of their original techniques. A removing of the philosophies, spiritual tanets, and moral teachings, with a switched focus to fighting only.

Now, one could include I suppose Krav Maga or Kokkar Black Cobra military training into this section as well one would think.
If one takes a second to consider, they're modern versions of ancient roots....designed around modern warfare tactics versus ancient warfare tactics.

BJJ from Fusen-Ryu Jujutsu, Muay Thai from Krabi Krabong, Capoeira from it's ancient usage by African slaves, and MMA mix-matching of numerous traditional martial arts...though, I'm more inclined to list MMA in the last category. It's on the fence.

Lastly, Sport martial arts :

I think these have a more pronounced meaning of 'art' than the others. They've removed the kill or be killed mentality and have in turn moved more into the competition and athleticism category.

Taekwondo, Wushu, Judo, modern Wrestling (no longer Pankration, but Grecco-Roman).....those XMA guys, and other arts fall into this section if anything by bad teaching sadly.


I hope that explains the question well,

take care,

Ryan

Answer 7

traditional martial arts: Karate, TKD, Judo, Kung-Fu, aikido, judo, jujitsu(Any type of chinese traditional combat, and some forms of kick boxing.) why because they hold high to there past moral values and stay true to there art.

Modern Combat arts: Boxing, CQC, Krav Maga, Karate-do, Taekwanjitus, some forms of wushu, and brazilian jujitsu. Anything that has been modified for newer ways and progressive thinking.

Sports martial arts. Kickboxing, boxing, BJJ in north america, Tae-bo and TKD. A martial art that has become more of a sport and is used against another person of the same school, mostly used to entertain and keep fit.

I have been training for many years now, to be a profiecient fighter and a schooled enlightened person making the martial arts what intrests me. I take Kung-Fu and have for roughly three years of school training and six years of training in that till i can find a more profiecient school and move. I cross train because in order to become a better fighter you want to get into otehr fighters heads so taking modern CQC is excelent. And i have know problem with training in sport martial arts to stay fit. good luck on not getting pig headed sarcastic answers!

Answer 8

Sports Martial Arts are for show, for competition, for gaining points, for earning medals. The "traditional" moves are there, but you don't aim/discipline/condition yourself to kill with them.

Traditional Martial Arts are for killing, maiming, living to see another day. Anything goes and every useful move you could possible make belongs under this heading unless someone really found a brand new way to punch, kick, arm-bar or grapple. And no, no one has for a long long time. TMA doesn't mean staying in one style. It means perfecting one's techniques and skills to the best of one's abilities with all the available resources. Most TMA these days are composites of several even older TMA styles. I suppose during their creation, they were called Mixed MAs. Mix and match has always been the way of perfecting each individual's ability to fight.

Modern Martial Arts are re-badged Traditional Martial Arts. The same punch, kick, armbar or grapple moves under a new naming scheme or moving sequence to satify some "founder's" ego, Just like the TMAs back in their infancy. Except maybe some of the new founders aren't as hardcore as the older ones who had to kill for a living.

Answer 9

Traditional Martial Art's I would consider Chinese and Japanese style art's, KungFu and Karate.
Modern Combat art's would be Muy Tai and the one the the Israels army uses.
Sports would be Tae Kwon Do, no disrespect intended but it is in the Olympics and also UFC a MMA.

Answer 10

Traditional martial arts are based from people defending their country and family. These people had to fight for their lives. If you look into the history of your Korean martial art, it will explain all this to you. Also it teaches how to conduct yourself through society and not become a bully. Look into the Hworrang who used to defend Korea. Good luck with your training.