Grappling

From: Examiner

In Japanese Martial-Arts, there are at least three known styles that are considered to be grappling, or joint manipulation, type of self defense.

We must understand that the styles I will be mentioning briefly, these styles, such as karate, were utilized during the days of the Samurai and the Ninja.

Japanese martial arts developed during the days when Japan and its history were always in battle among with or against each other for power or for liberty, when claiming Japanese Family Klan’s or tribes that had a deep soul searching for their identity in Japan.

Japanese ShotoKan Karate

Many people today are now becoming familiar with Jiu-Jitsu as MMA is dominating the Entertainment Networks such as UFC and WEC, and other fighting programs around the world. During the Vietnam War, U.S. Soldiers were at least trained in Judo or Karate, for the purpose of having to fight in battle in times of low ammunition, and now Judo is part of an Olympic sport other than Tae Kwon Do (Korean Martial Arts).

Judo Competition

Aikido has been revived in movies by such actors as Steven Segal, which is an art to consider as fighting without fighting, or closely translated as “Way of Harmonious Spirit”. Remember that Shotokan Karate adds a flavor of both Aikido and/or Judo, if what not, at times some Jiu-Jitsu in some Martial Art Schools. Basically these Japanese arts branch out themselves as time and history had changed the image of Japan. It’s really back to the Samurai days, when these styles were used in combat, and to govern order in Japan.

Steven Segal Instructing in Japanese

Steven Segal Fight Scene

How can one person distinguish of the arts, when they all look so similar to each other, when the audience just sees two people trying to dominate one over the other? The only simple answer to that question is to learn and study for yourself, and analyze from your own experiences, as you are able to interpret what is Japanese Martial Arts. Or in this case comparing Traditional Martial arts from Mixed Martial Arts, what you see in Television from the fighting matches, you will not get the full picture.

Fighters such as Lyoto Machida and George St. Pierre are some prime examples the audience can view from what is the Japanese Martial-Arts when used in MMA fighting matches in the UFC. They use their skill and training to dominate their opponents and use the knowledge they have gained from instructors who have the skill and mastery in Japanese Martial-Arts.

Jiu-Jitsu Demonstration

Today, many ask, what is the Japanese Martial Arts? If there are various forms, which branch out to an incomplete martial-art, then why the several of styles are mixed in MMA matches that also includes other forms of fighting such as Muy Thai/Kickboxing?

Remember that the Japanese have always had a complete form of martial-arts, except as it is today, different schools or instructors, had their interpretation of self-defense, that was identified to their environment and situation. MMA events on television does not give the full detail on the history or the understanding of the arts other than having two professional athletes go head to head to win and make a living out from fighting.

MMA Training

The difference with MMA what you see in Television, from fighters who claim that they are Martial-Artists, comparing to those who have studied traditional Martial-Arts especially in Japanese Martial-Arts, would be comparing to a high school drop out who picks up what he/she knows from what they learned out of a book, and comparing to a college educated student with a Bachelor Degree in a specified field.

The real difference is knowing how to come out of a fight without being harmed and using the knowledge learned from Masters in Japanese Martial-Arts. Also the time and training the student puts into the art and master himself to become a Martial-Artist. What you add to the training, and how you apply it, is how you learn from the mistakes when learning how to fight.

That is what the Martial-Arts is really about, learning from your weaknesses, understanding your strengths, and improving on your fighting style, either in life threatening situation or in competition, such as MMA events.

~武德为首, Martial Art Virtue comes first