What is the difference btw a Martial Artist and a Fighter??

Question

I've heard people saying they're not neccessarily the same thing...
what's the difference ??

Answer 1

Like ninedemons said, the fighter we talk about are sport fighters (MMA, kickboxing, Muay Thai etc)

So I will go by that sort of definition. Some people I feel are way off base.

Yes a fighter trains for competetion, he trains to fight under adrenaline based situations. A fighter (such as MMA) are most definately Martial Artists, in the sense that they have practiced a martial art and have honed it to effeciency and tested it's abilities.

A martial artist trains for the art. Not for a fight or a competetion but for an appreciation of the art itself. While it does make them better as a fighter, they may never have a chance (hopefully) to utilize their skill against an unknown opponent. They train for love of the art, for self betterment through the art.

A fighter trains to win fights, that is his own self fulfillment. To learn techniques to help him be a better fighter, to try those techniques and hone them in a combat adrenaline based situation.

A Martial Artists has some skill to win fights: Fitness, self control, discipline, an understanding of his body. That doesn't necessarily gain a victory, but it does help versus someone who has none of that.

A Fighter trains to win fights. He has the same tools :Fitness, self control, discipline, and understanding of his body, along with tools he has: experience in an adrenaline situation and how to control it, an ability to go against his own body's natural reactions to know what the natural reactions are going to be in others, and how to adapt his skill set to a different fighter or body style because of experience in doing so.

He has hit people in the face hundreds of times, he has performed his skill on a fully resisting opponent nearly every time he trains. He spars with skilled opponents who are also trying to beat him. He fights against skilled opponents who legitimately want to hurt him.

So simply put a fighter trains to win fights, and Martial Artist trains to master the art.

Answer 2

"Martial art, like any art, is an expression of the human being" -Bruce Lee

I believe the answer lies in the phrase "martial artist." A martial artist is a practitioner of the martial arts. Like any artist, a martial artist pays special attention to his technique and the details of his art. A martial artist would then probably be characterized by a greater discipline, and a greater technique.

A fighter, by definition, is a person who fights. This could range from someone who randomly picks a fight in a bar when he's drunk to a man he spent his life practicing to be a championship kickboxer.

A fighter and a martial artist are not necessarily two different things. A fighter can be a martial artist, and a martial artist can be a fighter. Again, the main difference is that a martial artist practices an art, and a fighter just needs to fight. A fighter is not inherently worse than a martial artist.

Answer 3

After 10 years of Martial Arts in multiple styles I can hopefully answer the question.

Ignoring all the discussions on when it is right or wrong to fight, I can summarize it this way.

Martial Arts provides you the tools to fight along with self discipline.

A fighter is simply someone who hits people (or get hits if they aren't good at it). Street fights typically have no rules.

I, for example, practiced martial arts for over 10 years. Any sparring I have done has always been in a controlled setting with an opponent who has agreed to spare with me under a set of rules to protect each other from serious injury. I have been in very few "fights" in my life and would not consider myself a fighter. Combat becomes more like a game of mental chess with your opponent than a rage stricken tirade.

One might correctly argue that Martial Artists don't aways make good fighters. The simple and effective act of gabbing someone very hard in the eye ball isn't something that compassionate human beings do regardless of how many years of martial arts training they have.

Answer 4

I believe who comes from judo will never consider martial art as a mere way of learning how to hurt ot kill.
Fighter is anybody,with weapons or using his own body as a weapon.
The martial art goes beyond age,time,strength,anger,competition.
It is love for improving yourself.It is initially a physical training then gradually you start to get the real feeling of what is all about.It becomes menthal before being physical.And as the fighter wants to eliminate the opponent,the judoka needs the uke for practising the technique.If I consider the traditional judo as Jigoro Kano taught,there is not at all the intention or final purpose of finishing the opponent or kill.
And I guess this can be true for other Japanese martial arts.Don't know about thai things and quite suspicious about 'em

Answer 5

A fighter wants an award for winning,a martial artist just wants to win with no stress.A fighter stops when the referee says or the bell rings, a martial artist stops when the situations over.a fighter thinks he can kill,a martial artist can.Do I need to go on?fighters are thugs and dont care if they hurt themselves in the process,a martial artist,minimum impact maximum damage.

Answer 6

What kind of fighter?

On this forum, we're talking about those who actually fight as a sport.

The different is fighter are those who use martial arts as a sport to test their skill against other fighter.

Martial artist simply learn or take part in non contact tournament with ton of rules and pads.

Answer 7

Martial arts is a lifestyle, a philosophy, and a discipline.

A dedicated martial artist devotes his or her life to it and incorporates it, all aspects of it, into his or her life.

A fighter throws punches. Fighters like to fight. Fighters like to brag about how good they are at fighting.

A traditionally trained martial artist will not describe himself as a fighter because that is not the goal of the martial arts. Learning to fight is a side benefit and the traditional martial artist is also trained in NOT fighting. Part of the training is in how to handle yourself, a situation, and others in such a way that you do not need to fight.

There is a huge difference.

Answer 8

A wish there were more questions like this on this board.

1) A fighter fights when he wants to. A Martial Artist only fights when he has to.

2) A fighter knows how to fight. A martial Artist not only knows how to fight but also knows when & when not to fight.

Answer 9

wow being a martial artist and being a fighter is very different. almost opposite. sure they both know how to fight, but a true martial artist would avoid a street fight at all costs. even if it were to run away. fighters that just want to kick other peopls rear train to do so. most martial artist train to improve therselves and for self defence.

Answer 10

In an organized fight:

A fighter will go full contact with the opponent, trying to beat him by force.

A martial artist will try to score points by using speed and agility with single kicks and punches, rarely seriously injuring the oppnent.