| What is a martial art? | | | | new training products such as the Wavemaster, the |
| A martial art can be defined as any skill that can be | | | | BOB training dummy, the Focus Master. All with one |
| applied in warfare. The word martial means "military." | | | | thing in common, to create a well rounded combat |
| So traditionally, a martial art is a military art. The first | | | | system. |
| things that usually come to mind when discussing | | | | Ideally a martial arts solo training tool should be |
| modern martial arts are leaping, kicking, punching, | | | | workable for all and based on sound theory and |
| blocking, inverting elbows, twisting necks, throwing, | | | | through constant practice develop into sound physical |
| and weapon fighting. But also horsemanship, javelin | | | | application. The ideology and theory would have to |
| throwing, archery, spear fighting, halberd fighting, | | | | take into account all the history of the combat |
| wrestling, knife fighting, rifle, shotgun and pistol | | | | technology of man and give this competition and |
| shooting, demolitions, logistics, and battle strategy | | | | street application. |
| can all be described as the field of martial arts. | | | | The Martialarm Combat Training Partner |
| Anything that a soldier might do in battle is a martial | | | | In a martial arts career you can occationally find your |
| art. | | | | self with no school to go to or no one to train with |
| By martial art usually it is meant aikido, arnis, boxing, | | | | and so out of neccessity the martialarm solo training |
| capoeria, chow gar, choy la fut, hapkido, hsing'i, hun | | | | partner was born. The Martialarm is a Martial Arts |
| gar, jeet kune do, jow gar, judo, jujitsu, karate, | | | | training machine used to develop the entry and |
| kempo, kick boxing, krav maga, kung fu, pa kua, | | | | trapping skills of any martial arts system. It is |
| penjak silat, praying mantis, savate, shaolin, tae kwon | | | | designed to actually test any techniques so to |
| do, tai chi, white crane, wing chun, wu shu and more! | | | | improve the ability to trap and control your |
| As you can see the list is quite long and it is actually | | | | opponents hands and arms. This can be done |
| quite amazing how many martial arts systems there | | | | because the Martialarm moves and reacts like a real |
| are and how many methods of self defense can be | | | | opponent. The Martialarm moves and twists up, |
| formulated. | | | | down, left and right just like a real opponent would - |
| Often within a martial arts school it is taught that 'this | | | | so it can spring forward and it does strike back!. |
| particular system is the best system and it was | | | | The Martialarm Combat Training Partner was |
| created to beat all the others'. Of course every | | | | designed and developed on the following theories |
| martial artist would have the viewpoint their style is | | | | Martialarm Theory |
| the best because that is the style they have chosen | | | | #1) Safety - You must maintain 100% safety when |
| to do, but in reality what they are saying is 'this is | | | | entering into the opponents attack range, this means |
| the best style for me as it suits my temperment and | | | | to limit any variables that could occur by covering |
| I like the teaching environment'. | | | | them. (Methods of entry must be sophisticated yet |
| The changing of the arts | | | | simple, fast as well as safe!) |
| Throughout this history and development of the | | | | #2) Attack - You must have the ability to attack at |
| martial arts and all the combat systems of man our | | | | will, with no concern or hesitation. The attack should |
| training tools have played a vital part in evolving and | | | | incorporate a total control of the opponents |
| perfecting these systems and techniques. | | | | weapons. (Attacks must be structured to have within |
| All the martial arts have been effected by the role | | | | them a 100% defense!) |
| that mechanical devices play whether it be weapons, | | | | #3) Adaptability - Techniques, attacks and defenses |
| dojo mats, breaking boards or even the uniforms we | | | | must flow but not necessarily at a constant pace. |
| wear - all these paraphanialia indentify the martial arts | | | | Adaptability to choose what's next is key! |
| into their systems and style. | | | | Whatever martial arts you choose just be sure you |
| The main players in shaping our new martial arts | | | | do look at a few before you decide and enqire with |
| would be the traditional wooden dummy, wing chun | | | | the school what martial arts equipment they utilize to |
| rings, iron palm ointments and even the system of | | | | get the best from your training. |
| using forms and karta have developed the martial | | | | This article was written by P. Sundbye who has been |
| arts into their current form. | | | | training in various martialarts for the last 11 years |
| Even today modern training tools are common and | | | | including Wing Chun Kung Fu, Aikido, Tong Long and |
| again the martial arts are under development with | | | | the Lee Total Control system. |