Boston Martial Arts
Martial arts were originally developed as a mechanism for self-defense. The origin of martial arts may be traced back to our own atavistic and primal instincts, especially the urge for self-protection as well as the fight-or-flight mechanism. Though we are now living in the midst of sophisticated contraptions, those primal instincts have not been altered by time or evolution. This means that martial arts have not lost their relevance in the modern world, even though stupendous advancements made by science have provided us with state-of-the-art war ammunition. In fact, the very presence of these sophisticated war weapons underscores the importance of mastering martial arts for self-defense. The more sophisticated the weapons, the more skilled we need to be in martial arts! We still need to protect ourselves against external dangers posed by other humans, who act as substitutes for the ancient predators. This underscores the importance of martial arts.
Martial arts are also referred to as war arts. The latter term also provides us with a short and crispy definition of martial arts. A study of martial arts is in fact a study of human flesh and blood, human nature which is a complex product of many instincts, urges and drives. So a serious study of martial arts can provide us with valuable glimpses, if not insights into human nature. As many believe, martial arts is not just physical; it is also mental. The truth is that it is more mental than physical. Almost all human activities are more mental than physical, though we often assume the reverse. Any perspicacious observer will agree that martial arts has got more to do with our minds than bodies. Thus the student who delves into the depths of martial arts may get pleasant shocks as he discovers that the dividing line between martial arts and other human disciplines such as psychology, psychiatry and the human sciences is often blurred and thin and at certain points of intersection, the line is so thin that it is practically non-existent.
The term self-defense refers not only to physical defense but also to mental or psychological defense. To defend ourselves, we need to be aware of weather and climatic conditions as well as the various environmental factors that might act as
potential risk factors in future, the general political climate prevailing in one's nation, the bellicose ambitions of the various belligerent fringe groups among native tribes, etc. Martial arts has to do with the risks and dangers arising from people and can have little role in facing natural calamities. The techniques of martial arts were passed down orally from generation to generation before the advent of printing and other media. Now-a-days, resources pertaining to martial arts are available on a multitude of media, including the visual and auditory media.
One of the most important benefits of being trained in the martial arts is that it facilitates the reduction of our vulnerabilities. As we learn martial arts, we become good at assessing risk and this aids us in taking precautions against perceived dangers. Thus we ensure our safety by learning martial arts. This process of risk assessment is never a symptom of our cowardice or even our paranoia. It is a logical act of addressing the potential risks involved in our lives so that we can keep them at bay and make our lives more comfortable. It makes us more alive and alert and adds to our self awareness, rendering us more receptive to stimuli and also more responsive to the changes taking place in the natural environment that surrounds us.
Almost every nation of the world developed its own style of martial arts depending on the geographical peculiarities, tension and clashes between the warlike native tribes, etc. To cite an example, in Asian countries such as China and Japan, a group of people named war lords exercised control on land and food and monopolized trade using martial arts. The Native Americans had their own martial arts to ensure the safety of themselves and also to protect their resources from foreigners. Many Indian states had their own martial arts for a multitude of purposes.
Today there are various styles of martial arts. The experts of the field often criticize the way in which martial arts teachers train students today saying that the masters often overlook the various conditions of a real world attack. This can make the students ill-equipped to face the dangers of the real world, thereby defeating the real purpose of martial arts, namely effective protection against external dangers. The student who is trained in the cozy comforts of the martial arts school may not get any real practice in defending himself against multiple attackers or those attackers who brandish dangerous weapons.
At a school, the students are required to practice within the limits of rules and regulations. These rules mat act as unrealistic constraints which cramp the student's style and also hamper the student from practicing in a way that will equip him with the necessary fighting skills that real life contingencies may call for. In real life the student may have to face unruly and refractory citizens who will have little regard for the rules and who might even indulge in foul play while in a particularly bad drunken stupor. In real life the student may also face criminous robbers, cold-blooded murderers, dangerous con men and who not. The teacher of martial arts should take all these into consideration as he trains the students. The imaginative teachers will be able to devise out ingenious methods of incorporating real-life conditions and circumstances in the classrooms by exercising their fecund imaginations.
The importance of martial arts in today's world cannot be overemphasized. Besides acting as an ideal mechanism of self-defense, martial arts as a sport can enhance our health and keep us fit and strong, both mentally and physically. Martial arts also play a key role in boosting our sense of body awareness. Moreover, martial arts can be real fun and can make us happier, thereby enhancing the quality of our lives.
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