Morgan 1 Caison Morgan Dr. Uzzie Cannon Composition/Rhetoric September 21, 2005 Misconceptions of Martial Arts Taekwondo, the art of the hand and foot, is one of many martial arts often mistaken to be something it is not. Typically, one trained in Taekwondo is not capable of killing someone instantly nor are they able to do gymnastics such as back flips. Another misunderstanding is that Taekwondo, along with other martial art forms, is Karate and from China or Japan. Though many believe this common misconception, in truth, there are many different martial arts from many different places,each with its own unique style and background . The definition of martial arts is “various methods of unarmed combat, originally used in warfare in East Asia” (pastornet.net: Definition of Martial Arts). Furthermore, it is an art form “shaped by East Asian philosophical concepts, notably Zen Buddhism” (Ibiblio.org: FAQ). So to be called “the ancient art of butt kick” just does not fit the description of true martial arts. Most martial art forms, in fact, are centered around selfdefense as well as reaching spiritual enlightenment, a goal of Zen Buddism. As a tenyear student of Taekwondo I have always been told that I was learning the art of selfdefense, and looking for a fight was wrong. In addition to being a student, I am a teacher of Taekwondo and find it disappointing to hear from my students that Taekwondo, a Korean martial art, always comes from Japan, or more commonly, China. Fortunately,
Morgan 2 the history behind Taekwondo as well as all martial arts is one much more elaborate then the typical child may believe. Martial arts history dates back to 700 B.C. where the peoples of ancient Greece practiced Pankration, the art of complete strength, composed wrestling, grappling and throwing, and boxing techniques. Even the Romans gazed on and participated in the dangerous gladiatorial sports, another form of martial arts. However, it was the Asian cultures that gave us the martial arts we know today. Chinese martial arts date back as far as 5000 B.C. influencing the modern hand-to-hand combat. Used on the battlefield, these martial art skills were taught as a type of self-defense, as it still is today. Though the Chinese were a major influence, every martial art did not derive from China. Japan gave us Kyudo, the art of the bow, whereas Korea gave us Taekwondo, the art of the hand and foot. In total, there are over 250 martial art forms found all over the world. Dated back to almost 5,000 years ago, Kung fu is one of the central martial arts found in China. There are several hundred forms of Kung fu, some being focused on powerful movements, while others are focused on defensive, fluid movements. One popular type of Kung fu is Shaolin Kung fu, created by the Shaolin monks of East Asia. Shaolin Kung fu is most known for its use of meditation and animal movements as an art form. Its styles include: The Dragon, The Tiger, The Crane, The Snake, and many others. Along with Kung fu came the most famous martial artist of all time, Bruce Lee. Bruce Lee not only managed to create two styles of Kung fu, but, through his movies, brought the idea of martial arts to North America thus influencing the martial art forms we know and love today.
Morgan 3 Another Asian martial art is Aikido. Invented in Japan by martial artist O Sensai, Aikido was created as a peaceful way to settle conflicts, thus giving it its meaning “the way of harmony.” Combining flowing movements and pressure points such the wrist, elbow, and shoulder joints is what makes Aikido an effective martial art. In fact, Aikido is such an effective fighting system that it is found as the basis of many police selfdefense and arrest systems in several countries. Jujitsu, which means “compliant art,” is the way of using flexibility to overcome strength. Jujitsu is an empty-handed fighting system (meaning no weapons were used) consisting of strikes, punches, blocks, kicks, holds, locks, and mainly throws. As a style predominantly known by samurai warriors, it was not until 1532 that it was first taught to common townspeople. A man named Takenouchi Ryu set up a school for first fellow people in need jujitsu for self-defense. It was later modified and developed into another form called Judo by Jigaro Kano, thus explaining the similarities between Judo and Jujitsu. Like any martial art, Jujitsu requires much practice and determination to master while building self-discipline and self-confidence in those who study it. Another commonly mistaken martial art is Karate, meaning “the way of empty hand.” Created in Okinawa, Japan, it was a martial art created from Okinawan fighting methods influenced by Chinese martial arts. It was in 1921 that Karate was first introduced to the Japanese mainland where it spread and developed. Today, there are four styles of Karate: shotokan, wado ryu, shito ryu, and goju ryu. Though each is slightly different, they are all composed of high-energy punches, strikes, and kicks. All four styles focus on maintaining a strong mind and body, understanding themselves and the relationships they hold with others, and focusing on the path to self-knowledge.
Morgan 4 Similar to Karate is Taekwondo, “the art of the hand and foot.” Taekwondo, unlike most martial arts that have been developing for thousands of years, is fairly new. Only after World War II did the development of modern Taekwondo begin. Taekwondo, like many martial art forms however, was created for self-defense during times of war. It is a fighting system much like Karate, but with many more kicks, giving one reason as to why it was made an Olympic sport. There are many types of Taekwondo including ITF (International Taekwondo Federation) Taekwondo, the WTF (World Taekwondo Federation) Taekwondo, and ATA (American Taekwondo Association) Taekwondo, each different by the intensity during competition and the rules of competition. Similar to Karate, Taekwondo focuses on self-discipline, self-confidence, perseverance, and respect. Since the time of great martial artists such as Bruce Lee, movies all over the world have been focusing on the “ancient art of butt kick.” It is these types of statements that lead to the common misconceptions made by many about martial arts. Movies such as “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and “The Matrix” are good examples of misleading films in Hollywood today. On a more realistic note, movies starring Jet Li such as “The One” and Jean Claude Van Dame such as “Bloodsport” promote misleading notions about certain martial art forms and what can and can’t be done. Even television shows such as “The Mighty Morphing Power Rangers” show the typical “gymnastics infested” martial arts. However, there are some exceptions to the problem when dealing with movies and television shows. Movies starring Bruce Lee properly portray Kung fu without any unnecessary additions. “The Karate Kid” is another good example of correct portrayal of a martial art. In the movie a student is taught karate from Okinawan man leaving in the
Morgan 5 United States. With this example the martial art is represented correctly, as is the background of martial art itself. Luckily enough we have movies, such as these to set the public and youth straight. To understand the differences in martial arts not only shows signs of intelligence but shows signs of respect. It prevents certain stereotypes thus saving much time and grief. It also aids in the understanding of what’s true and false, the difference in reality and fantasy. No, the “good guy” does not always win, nor is the “bad guy” always as bad as they are made out to be. But in the end it is the ability to recognize these common misconceptions and misunderstandings that help us to understand that which is our real world.
Morgan 6 Works Cited Buckley, Thomas. Taekwondo. Chanhassen, MN: The Child’s World. 2004. “Definition of Martial Arts.” A Christian Response? (17 June 2005). 19 September 2005. “Frequently Asked Questions from alt.zen.” Ibilio: The Public Library’s and Digital Archive (1 September 2005). 19 September 2005. “History of Martial Arts.” Creative Fighters Guild School of Martial Arts. Virtual Space Ltd. 19 September 2005. Knotts, Bob. Martial Arts. New York, NY: Children’s Press. 2000. “List of Martial Arts.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia (26 September 2005). Wikipedia. 19 September 2005 Mitchell, David. Martial Arts. New York, NY: DK Publishing, Inc. 1997. Randall, Pamela. Aikido. New York: PowerKids Press. 1999. Randall, Pamela. Ju Jitsu. New York: PowerKids Press. 1999. Randall, Pamela. Judo. New York: PowerKids Press. 1999. Randall, Pamela. Karate. New York: PowerKids Press. 1999. Randall, Pamela. Kung Fu. New York: PowerKids Press. 1999.
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