Brief History Of The
Martial Arts
Martial Arts view the mental and physical aspects
of a person as equal elements. The traditional martial artist thinks of health
in terms of the physical, mental and spiritual aspects. These combine to form a
unique whole and attempt to maintain a healthy balance of these three elements.
Traditional martial arts help one return to a healthy state through techniques
learned in Tai Chi (ki gong or chi gong), Shaolin, Tae Kwon Do, Hap Ki Do, Moo
Sa Sool and other forms of martial arts.
Traditional martial arts (also known as Moo Sool or
Moo Do) can be traced back over five thousand years in history. The thinking
behind these prehistoric beginnings is that natural human instincts lie at the
very foundation of all martial arts techniques. A human being's first defensive
reaction was simply to run away, dodge the attacker, or protect their body by
squeezing it tightly into a ball. If the attack continued, then pushing the
attacker away to try to eliminate the danger became the next option. These serve
as the foundation for many martial arts techniques. If the attacker remained,
then the natural instinct for the victim was to pick up an object and use it as
defense against the attack. These objects consisted of stone or wood and became
the first martial arts weapons. Ultimately, it is a very basic human instinct
simply to avoid any unhealthy environment to maintain a healthy life of wisdom
and balance. This lesson still remains at the very heart of proper martial arts
teachings.
Since its prehistoric origins, the martial arts
have developed a variety of techniques. They include the use of fingers, hands,
elbows, feet, etc . . . and even certain weapons of various length and material.
Modern martial arts have developed into many different kinds of
"styles" throughout the world. Each "style" is designed
according to each individual practitioner's needs. Today, with this vast
proliferation of martial arts "styles," the role of the expert is of
the utmost importance. Whether the martial arts are passed on in a positive or
negative light is directly dependent on the influence and practice of the
instructor and master, and no one else.
The real history of martial arts must be said to
have developed when the human race began to develop. From these early origins to
today, the proper training of the mind, body and spirit have been the very
center of traditional martial arts. In modern times, it has become ever more
difficult to find good, quality experts in the traditional martial arts. These
experts are still concerned with the original goals of overall life improvement
that includes wisdom and peace of mind. It is catastrophic to the student not to
find such an instructor. The organizations outlined in this publication were
founded to help serious students find quality teachers of traditional martial
arts.
