Life Lessons from a Martial Artist

By Anurag Barman

It is often misunderstood by many people that martial arts are just about fighting and violence. Well, this is totally a wrong concept. For those who don’t have much idea about martial arts often keep a negative image of it. But surprisingly, for someone who has been practising it feels it is something which is very special and different from any other activity. The world of martial arts is such that if one enters it and feels the magic within it, then it is sure and certain that they can’t leave it easily. When it comes to the actual meaning of martial art, like any other art form, it is also an art form in its first place. Be it Kung-Fu or Karate, every martial art teaches non-violence as its basic principle. As said by Jackie Chan in his 2010 famous flick “The Karate Kid” that Kung-Fu is meant for peace and not for violence.

Talking about the history, nobody has exact records of how it started. But ancient accounts trace the origin of martial arts to be started by an Indian Buddhist monk called BODHIDHARMA. It is believed that he travelled from an Indian monastery to China instructing in the areas of Buddhism. During his visit, he introduced Buddhist monks, in the Shaolin Temple, to a form of mental and physical conditioning and training involving a set of 18 postures imitating temple idols. As a result, these monks became the most formidable fighters in China. As Buddhism became popular, it spread throughout other Asian countries like Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Korea and Japan. An increased interaction between these countries allowed for some comparisons and further development of their fighting styles, and also variations in styles became apparent between countries by the practitioners for e.g. Kung-Fu, Wu-shu, Tai-chi in China, Judo, Karate, Jijutsu in Japan and many more.

There has always been a controversy as to which is the best martial art form. Actually, no martial art form can be called the best one. Every martial art whether it is Taekwondo or Wing Chun has their own uniqueness. A person can become the best martial artist if he or she practises their art with utter faith and dedication. There is a wide range of martial arts starting from the traditional ones which are practised by people of a certain community or region to the internationally recognised ones which are very popular in the sports arena. In India only, we have various styles of martial arts. Kalaripayattu is a famous Indian martial art form from Kerala and is one of the oldest fighting systems in existence. Gatka is another martial art which was basically developed by the Sikhs of Punjab. Similarly, Thang-Ta is a popular Manipuri Martial Art which is also known as Huyen Lallong. In the present times, the most popular form of martial art is Taekwondo. In 2009, the South Korean government published an estimate that Taekwondo is practised by 70 million people in 190 countries. It is also recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and is often seen playing in every multi-sport event.

Most of the martial artists of the present generation have been influenced by the martial arts used in action films. Every martial artist of today’s time is either a follower of Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan. Bruce Lee, who is considered to be the father of martial arts has influenced many young people to the world of martial arts. Even great action stars like Tony Jaa and Scott Adkins consider him to be their idol. But there are many who use this great form of art in a wrong way. It is true that a martial artist is capable enough to fight with any kind of person. But that doesn’t mean that he or she will show off their skills to dominate someone or the other. It gives a wrong impression to the other people and it is also the reason why parents don’t allow their kids to learn this art. A true martial artist always keeps his or her skills within themselves. Obviously, they have the right to use it at the time of self-defence in extreme conditions. Nowadays, it has become a necessity to learn martial arts especially for women because no women should be depended on men. Learning martial arts will not make them self defended but also give them a new personality. The power of martial arts is such that it can totally change a person’s character. It can help to control one's anger to a great extent. At the same time, one can inculcate the qualities of discipline, respect, self control, wisdom and humanity within them. Many people who are practising it admit that they have changed a lot after entering the stunning world of martial arts. The life of martial arts is so vast like education that he would not be able to complete everything within it even if he is ready to spend his whole life in it. Starting from a white belt holder to a Grandmaster, there are a number of hand and foot techniques along with blocking and other works. Every martial art form has its own detailed sequence of movements, known as “Katas”, which gives them their identity from the other ones.

Every time a practitioner learns a new technique, he or she enters a new level where his confidence increases along with integrity. The fancy kicks which include the hook kicks and the spinning techniques make a performer really very attractive if performed perfectly. Moreover, when weapons are used by a martial artist, the level of performance becomes a classic one. Above all the glory and charm, there is also a lot of pain behind being a good martial artist. It is not always easy to perform a kick or any type of technique. It takes a lot of time as well as patience to make it perfect and do it safely. Besides these, there is always a risk of getting injured or hurt not only in fight bouts but during practise sessions also. But the passion and love for doing it leaves behind all the pain and agony.

The feeling of being a martial artist can be understood by a martial artist only. If somebody practises it, he or she will be a different person and that feeling can’t be explained to someone who doesn’t know it.