Clubs began to spring up everywhere, people flocked to be trained so they could be like Bruce Lee! The reality of that was somewhat harsher! Soon, may realised that to reach even a fraction of Lee’s ability required years of painstaking practise! The first martial art to really explode as a result of Lee’s film was Karate.
Adverts sprang up, and all of a sudden, you could find a club to train at! Karate is perhaps one of the most well known of all the martial arts, with a rich history and tradition spanning centuries.
So Karate clubs began to boom, along with other martial art styles, which began to gain interest from a Western culture suddenly smitten with the lure of Eastern mysticism and legends.
As with the Bruce Lee films, along came another Hollywood Blockbuster that was to push martial arts back into the public domain…Karate Kid.
Popularity rose through more films, with stars such as Jackie Chan, who, with his unique blend of undoubted skills and comedy, made Chinese martial arts seem fun to learn.
So there we have it, a very brief history of the rise in popularity…But! Here we are in 2008, and despite all the publicity, do you know which martial art is which? I hope the following will give you some guidance: Karate – Probably one the most recognised.
Karate is a very traditional martial art, where you will certainly learn respect for others.
Taekwondo is, predominantly, a martial art based around kicking techniques.
Judo is a very effective self defense art, teaching you how to put locks and holds on an opponent, and how to throw.
A well established Olympic sport, it offers an alternative to more traditional ‘combat’ style martial arts.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu – This is the fastest growing martial art style in the world today.
Although similar to Judo and Ju Jitsu, the Brazilian art concentrates much more on getting your opponent into a submission by locks, holds and chokes.
Choi Kwang Do – Another Korean art, this concentrates mostly on the practical side of ‘what works in reality’.
Often thought of as an ‘old people’s’ martial art.
In some ways, it is sad that, as a result of the modern age, there are also some excellent, but increasingly forgotten martial arts worth investigating.
Segal is a world recognised master of Aikido, it is one of the single most effective martial arts for self defense sadly, it receives little publicity nowadays.
Even if you study one of the more popular styles, Aikido or Hapkido are definitely worth considering as a second martial art.
Today, choosing which martial art you want to do is actually much easier than you think.
Learning to defend yourself, and others, is only one aspect of Martial Arts, but Martial Arts is not about learning violence.
Often your Instructors can supply you the equipment you need, but if you feel their prices are too high, check out the Internet of a Martial Arts Magazine for guidance.
Find Aikido in your local area
