Is Martial Arts overrated? I have seen many times in dojo that strength and fitness just overwhelmed technique

Answer 1

Yes, The winning combination is technique, fitness, and strength. I believe good technique is important, and fitness and strength are important as well. Yes size matters, however it is not the only thing that matters. Also not every student has the heart to really be a fighter. So equally important is heart, or you could say inner strength.
All these make a good fighter: Heart, strength, Technique, fitness to go the distance.
Martial Arts can be the edge only in combination with these four things. IMHO

Answer 2

The answer is that the dojos you witnessed this in were not very good, or that the students you saw in this manner were not trained well or not using the techniques properly. If you truly learn a martial art from an experienced, knowledgable sensei, that is one of the founding points which you learn - strength and how to balance it, I mean. The fact that it wasn't taught to the students speaks poorly for the schools. Unless you were watching beginners spar, it doesn't bode well for the dojos. Unfortunately, this is the way that things are becoming, specifically in the states. It's hardly martial arts at this point in time, only really a shell of what they once were.

Answer 3

No...they are not overrated in my personal opinion. However, martial arts are not only about overcoming an opponent in my humble opinion.

To your specific point though - you really cannot compare workouts in the Dojo when people are training to a physical defense situation with an aggressor. If all techniques in the Dojo were executed as they would be in a physical defense situation, student numbers would drop precipitously as injuries and severe damage resulted.

The same is true of those who believe Jiu-Jitus to be the dominant and most effective martial discipline as a result of observation of MMA sport matches. The safety rules and courtesy demands of working with partners in the Dojo or competing in a sporting event inhibit a significant amount of technique and power that would otherwise be employed when defending oneself in the street against an unknown aggressor.

Sure, in the Dojo or in the sports ring, endurance and power may be incorrectly viewed as dominant and superior, but against a technically superior and competent workout partner an experienced observer would likely see debilitating or deadly strikes that are pulled, controlled, and never fully applied long before the brute power or strength is effectively employed.

All things, of course, are subject to the whims of luck and the abilities of the individuals on any given day. Balance in all things is the objective to aim for. A balance of power, speed, technical ability, and tactical and strategic understanding will stand you in a much better position than an overemphasis in one are over another.

This again is why I personally see the martial arts as thoroughtly pertinent, effective, and important in the modern world. A good school, a quality instructor will work to build a balance in all of their students - and this balance will include many things beyond the pure physical aspect of defense. Having the mental capacity to understand and comprehend tactical and strategic concpets, having the mental fortitude and self-confidence to walk away from a confrontation that does not have to become physical, having the strength to be compassionate and empathetic - all are vital in my opinion to building a quality martial artist.


Ken C
9th Dan HapMoosaKi-do
8th Dan TaeKwon-Do
7th Dan YongChul-Do

Answer 4

Real life training, a certain amount of fitness and technique are a winning combination. And really making it part of your life, not just in the dojo. My father was in the USNavy during WW2, and told me how and why he got into martial arts (BB in JuJitsu and Aikido). He was in a restaurant owned by a little oriental guy in Honolulu when 4 USMarines came in and got rowdy. The little guy set aside his cane(!) and proceeded to kick butt and throw all 4 Marines out of the place. Then he picked up his cane and went back to work. On the other hand I know that I have been in the dojo with certain people who were literally so huge I couldn't get my hand around their wrist to do a technique. That's where real life training comes in.

Answer 5

A more skilled fighter is going to have a better chance against a fighter of lesser skill OF THE SAME SIZE.

Other than Brazilian Jiu Jitsu' and a few other styles, most of the time, you won't be able to take out a fighter much larger than yourself.

Martial Arts isn't a magic bullet.

Often it puts you at a disadvantage in the real world because most styles only train you to fight other martial artists.

Yeah, the Martial Arts is overrated.

Answer 6

And I'm sure you've heard that the body must be trained as well as the mind yeah? Martial arts, like any other 'arts' does not stand to be judged nor labeled. It just is. One could compare it to the clouds, Existing, without a care, but being affected by it's reality. It is, regardless of differing ideals or thoughts of people or things. In the same way, how you 'judge' and declare martial arts is up to you, and what you are but it will be what it will be. And that is, in my quite unkowledgable opinion, formulated on ideas based on only on what I have seen, a way to keep body and mind sharp, with the given of a way to walk, seeing what you are, and possibly to show to the world.
So my answer, not for me, and many people may be uninformed of what the reality of martial arts.

Also, just training body without technique in mind isn't really martial arts, so some 'practitioners' may just be moving their bodies, to no advantagoes purpose.

Answer 7

Ever heard the story of Perseus? He was small and weak, but his father was Zeus. In a dream a seagull messenger from his father told him to, instead of fighting against the force of his opponent; use his own force against him.

It is not really a matter of technique... it probably has to do more with a mental state...

In the same way one can always APPLY an equation mechanically, even though one does not understand it. The real strength is in understanding what, for example, E=Mc^2, really means - instead of just plugging numbers in and getting an answer without really knowing why.

Brains always has the tendency to beat brawn if applied correctly… Explain how puny little human survived the Ice age by taking down gigantic Mammoth...

Answer 8

The martial artist who is overwhelmed by strength put himself in a position to be overwhelmed. If you are in a striking art then the more experienced fighter should be using good body movement (tai sabaki) directly to the side and/or off at angles to avoid the strong fighter's advances. Using good quick combos that combine hands and feet and that change levels to pick the bigger stronger guy apart, etc.
In a grappling art it's all about strength vs weakness. That's NOT to say the overall strength of a person. It's about you bringing as much of your body to bear down on one smaller part of your opponent's body. One of the most powerful techniques is juji gatame, cross body armlock, because you use your entire body to defeat the arm of your opponent. Look at all joints locks, they have the same principle: ude garame (bent arm lock) is two arms vs one arm, kote gaeshi (wrist turning) one or two arms vs wrist, and so on. So the smaller opponent should be able to pick the RIGHT TECHNIQUE AT THE RIGHT TIME to defeat his less experienced but stronger opponent.
All that being said, of course sometimes strength will win due a bad choice by the experienced fighter. But overall, you will be better able to defend your family, friends and yourself with martial arts training than without.

Answer 9

Well you have to take in part american martial artist or out of country because I dont think America Knows the real essence of martial arts all they see is flying kicks and cool throws teach me that i dont care about the rest i just want to learn this.... you take a real martial artist and his technique will always win brute strength i have seen 250lbs pound guys get tossed like nothing key

Answer 10

Most Styles? Yes. In America in this day and age? Especially. Some styles were as much about culture as fighting. For example, the weaknesses of Karate/Tae Kwon Do may not be apparent when fighting other people who know only Karate/Tae Kwon Do. Karate was developed and shaped as much by the Japanese culture as by truely finding efficient fighting methods. And in a closed culture, as Japan was for a large part of it's history, how are they supposed to know it's not as efficient as others? Arts like jiu-jitsu came from Japan, but were only studied by the "lower classes", and it was not acceptable to admit that your teacher or your art was insufficient. BUT, there are/were efficient techniques that could make someone successful in a fight against someone with strength and fitness, it's just how do you find a school that can really teach them? In the days of lawsuits and soft people, a lot of the training methods that led to really learning to use an art effectivelly, simply aren't used. And, after a couple of generations of teachers, you now have people teaching arts who have never been in a real confrontation in their life. Not saying they should have gone out looking for fights, but there is no way they can be sure they know their art well enough to truely defend themselves. To me, it's about learning "principles". Body positioning, how to deal with adreniline/fear, how to throw a strike (hint, use palm strikes and low kicks), how to grapple, how to take a punch. If someone boxes/kickboxes and grapples/wrestles, they are likely prepared as possible as far as technique goes. The only exceptions as far as classical martial arts, MIGHT be the internal arts of China (BaGua, Tai Chi and Hsing-I). But be prepared to study for AT LEAST a decade before you can use them to fight, IF you could ever find a genuine teacher. If you happen to be interested, the book "The Power of Internal Martial Arts" by BK Frantzis is intersting.