whats the difference between a martial art and a martial sport?

Question

someone told me TKD and Brazilian jujitsu are martial sports and then things like Japanese jujitsu are martial arts. if anyone knows the difference please tell me. or at least tell me what styles fall in what category.

Answer 1

Normally this is a term used by people who never spar, and think that what they practice is somehow better because of some Asianophile culture side they associate to it.

There is no difference, really TKD is a Martial Art, BJJ is a Martial Art, they are all Martial Arts.

However, there will be some people who will claim that these other Martial Arts that compete against each other, are actually just "Sports" whereas they adhere to some higher principle making it an artform.

That is just crap honestly, taught by people whose arts do not stand up to pressure testing and competetion. These same people will say they never go to a tournament because "What I do is too deadly to practice at a tournament".

What they really mean is "I have never been in a fight in my life, and I am afraid to actually test my techniques to find out how worthless they are against a resisting opponent"

I will get some thumbs down for these answers, but it is important you realize that there is a vast group of Martial Artists that feel that unless you are spending time practicing a form 1000 times, and reading the Hakakure and the Art of War, that somehow you will be more of a "Martial Artist".

The truth is real Martial Artists fight, and they hone their technique through combat. Otherwise your training is worthless. Martial Arts that compete and pressure test their arts are the most effective period.

Without sparring, without learning timing, body language, movement, speed, and reaction, you are not going to be a better fighter.

No matter how many Chi Sao sessions you do, no matter how many times you do a kata or form or hit a bag, you will not be a better fighter.

Martial Arts true intentions was betterment through combat, and a means of fighting better. In the old times schools tested themselves against other schools constantly to see who was better.

This wasn't about pride, but about making your technique the most effecient.

Read this article when you get a chance:

http://www.straightblastgym.com/aliveness101.html

Don't let someone try to sell your art short because it actually competes and tests itself.

Mostly this terminology is used by someone trying to defend their non sparring, non competeting, non fighting, Martial Art.

Martial Arts are about a lot of things, but being a fat white guy in a Kimono is not one of them.

All Martial Arts should be a sport, it should give you fitness, conditioning, strength, and should be something you compete in to become better.

Your mastery of techniques come from being able to apply them against someone who knows they are coming and are are doing everything to stop it, but are unable to. Not done on a cooperating opponent, or done in the air.

Anyway, you should get some good answers here, and some that are just Asianophilic sycophants who have some mystic idea of what Martial Arts are about, and buy into focusing Chi and using Dim Mak.

They are generally the same people who think that a Shaolin Monk is the ultimate in unnarmed combat, and that Ninjas used magic.

Don't let it get to you, ignore that sort of talk from someone. Martial Arts are about you, your style and art form, and what you get from it.

Dictionary.com defines Martial Art as thus:

–noun any of the traditional forms of Oriental self-defense or combat that utilize physical skill and coordination without weapons, as karate, aikido, judo, or kung fu, often practiced as sport.

or

martial arts) a traditional way of fighting in sports such as judo or karate


It also defines sport as:
1. an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc.

Don't let people who don't know any better define things for you.

Do what you enjoy doing, and let the changes in yourself speak for what it is you do.

Answer 2

Meh, its hard to tell these days, i dont think you can trully be prepared for a real confrontation without fighting under pressure and i dont think training puerly for sport will give you a good self defence. So people who say there cant be any sport in MA are wrong and people who only look at sports are also wrong, like in everything its all about a balance between the two

if you have a scale of MA on one side and Sport on the other TKD would lean alot to the Sport side, BJJ would be in the centre and jujitsu on the MA side, however being totaly focused on MA isnt necessary a good thing

PS: i think some teachers say this as an excuse to make their art look better instead of toughening it up like they probably should by bringing in competitions and harder physical training

Answer 3

First off - Cunamo dude - AWESOME ANSWER! This is a bad question to begin with. Why don't we compare a toy car to a real car? or an apple to a freakin watermellon. lol Martial arts are not martial sports. remember I got big nuts so I'm not gonna slap the mat and sign out here. I enjoy watching MMA, but will disagree with any baby arses that are gonna cry that they can't call themselves Martial artist. so what! Martial artist then cant call themselves Martial sportist. Whats up with the "goo goo" baby crap with everyone? I see everyones point. Dude, the guy that says "recent insurgence" I've heard the word "Martial sportist" alot so knock off attacking people that aren't here as I talk to the guy your referring to via email. he knows his crapola. But I know more ;o) How about anyone calls it whatever they like ehhh? Martial acting depends on who the actor is. Yes they have fight scenes, but some are Martial artist and some just have a month or two of practicing moves.

Answer 4

I will make this a short and easy answer for you rather than a drawn out one.

Sport Karate is exactly that, a sport. IT focuses teachhing you more on competition than Art would.

Martial Art without the sport focuses more on the whole art and does not usually care about competitions and do not compete in any way.

Some schools try a mix and it works and other don't. That is the only differance. One focuses more on teaching you sport competition than the other.


* I have more to say now. I don't ever recall reading that by stating that it is a sport makes it any less an art just a differant form of art. MANY Kickboxers are JUST sport karate, BUT they do and are real ma with black belts, they just choose to participate in MA in a more sports competition rather than the old traditional way of just doing kata hour after hour with blocks and punches and never doing or rarely doing any kumite. SO many martial artists become sport martial artists by choice to be more active in fighting, esp full contact. That does not not make it an art still. Just a differant form or art than traditional MA.

Answer 5

Some people feel that when you commercialize a martial art, like TKD, for the sake of just point fighting, then it takes away from the art of it. When points are introduced, then it's a game, hence a sport because it requires so much training and physical effort and technique. People that train for the sport aspect of it, usually don't train for what might actually be considered self defense and what they learn usually isn't very applicable in the street if need be. BJJ on the other hand, i feel is still a martial art, just because it can be used for both sport and self defense. as far as what fits in to what category, depends mostly on how you intend to train and use it. Pure Korean TKD, to me, is still considered a martial art, but when you get into ATA and stuff like that...then we're talking sport. It's then highly commercialized and promoted as a sport.

I know there are people that have something against MMA and the UFC. Yes, it's a sport, but i would consider most of these athletes as martial artists as well, because they may train for more than just to fight. you can be both. like i said, it's how you apply it to your life whether or not it's gonna be a sport or an art.

According to purist there's a difference between the 2, but i feel that both are martial arts. it doesn't matter if its for traditional/purist purposes or for sport. it depends on your attitude towards what you're learning and why you're learning it. also, people tend to have their own deffinition and opinion about everything. Just remember to have respect for others and for what they put effort into, and have respect for yourself. you can always learn from some one else.

***this is an edit add on***
if there is such a question about if a "martial sportist" is a "real martial artists"? how about are "martial actors" like bruce lee, chuck norris, let li, jackie chan, samo hung, van damn, etc "real martial artists?"

Answer 6

it depends on how the style is performed. in these olympic style tournaments its probably going to be a martial sport. even so its still a martial art performed as a sport. if it were not for the martial art there wouldnt have ever been a sport of it. every style is a martial art, its just what else you do with it that depends if its a sport or not.

Answer 7

A martial art teaches you how to survive a life or death situation. A martial sport teaches you to compete in a simulated combat arena. The difference between a real life situation and a simulated event are plain. In a sporting event there are rules to make things fair, increase the entertainment value and add structure. There is arena and officials. There are time limits, there are physical boundaries,there are two or more prepared participants.
A real life situation is unfair, unexpected, uncontrolled, unbound and potentially fatal.

This is not to say that most of the top martial athletes could not defend themselves. They physically have the moves and power. A martial sport could most likely be used in the street depending on the quality of the athletes training.

Answer 8

Martial Sport is the practical application of Martial Arts within a competitive setting.

Answer 9

A martial sport is based on the effectiveness of the fighting skills only. A martial art is both effective as a means of combat but is so much more than that. In fact you can practice martial arts without ever fighting.

Answer 10

martial sports are more often seen on tv than martial arts. As with many sports, it is mostly for the purpose of money and entertainment. However, a martial art is a way of life that involves continuously improving yourself both as a fighter and as a person.

Styles don't particularly fall under certain categories. It all depends on the fighter.

Answer 11

Here's my take on it... It's a very complex subject for me, so I'll reserve the right to be wrong as I get "new info."
A martial sport refers to a competition. For instance, one can do competition karate, and get really good at doing cheesy made up kata with Brittany Spears music or some nonsense. Or you can get really good at scoring points in sparring, which would never hurt someone in a fight.. (i.e. the reach out jab that gets 90% of points in competitions, I'll let you throw 3 of them at me, and I'll throw one full power attack and do more damage)

The reason TKD is often considered a martial sport is because, for good or ill, it's designed as the National Sport of Korea. (Taught in the school systems as such as well) TKD is intimately tied together with it's competitions.
LIkewise Brazilian Jiu Jitsu appears to be deisgned to win UFC type submission games. (That doesn't mean it is designed as such.. It just appears that way to me.. I may get more information in the future to repute this thought)
So, martial sports are designed for a specific competition. Any ability to function as a martial art (with goals of retaining martial tradition from a specific martial class , Obtaining Englightenment, Training for actual Civil Self-Defense) are side effects, not central to the Martial Sport.... In a martial art, those things are central.