A History of Martial Arts

**Eudemic** · Posted On: 10/05/2012 9:38pm

So. I accidentally stumbled across this yesterday

http://www.spinecenter.com/legacy/Pu...tml/chap1.html

and reading through it I couldn't keep myself from thinking that it needed to be posted here. It's like. . . An 8th grader tried, without having any personal experience and only using MAP and Wikipedia as resources, to write himself a history report on the topic of Martial Arts.

Either that or the author was making an active attempt to include every example of stupidity, mistakes, and misunderstandings which have developed around eastern martial arts as practiced in the West (but still maintain a completely serious tone.)

Please give it a quick read. It will make you feel better about yourselves.

**W. Rabbit** · Posted On: 10/05/2012 10:00pm

Hahaha this references the Lin Kuei

**Mr. Machette** · Posted On: 10/05/2012 10:58pm

That has GOT to written by a school kid.

**goodlun** · Posted On: 10/06/2012 1:38am

wow sort of kind of missed those 1000s of years before civilization or I guess those where all peaceful like and nobody ever tried to stir up **** with other people.

**Arskanator** · Posted On: 10/06/2012 2:51am

Sorry, but I had to stop at the part when the text mentions the Lin Kuei, my brain tried to escape out of my ear and I had to chase it down.

For those of more mental fortitude, does he mention kalaripayattu anywhere in there?

Also, awesome found OP. *pushups*

**Sisyphus** · Posted On: 10/06/2012 4:50am

"Though we can't be sure, martial arts' roots seem to be in China"

Really... please allow me to retort.

The genesis of ape man bone ryu - the source of ALL MA styles that followed!

**doofaloofa** · Posted On: 10/06/2012 5:02am

So Star-Gate is the origen of Martial Arts?

**Styygens** · Posted On: 10/06/2012 10:38am

WTF???

I'm still trying to figure out why this essay is associated with the California Spine Center.

Oh, and:

The creator of modern Ninjutsu is Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi. There is some controversy regarding his Ninja lineage. But he shrugs it off. As far as the martial arts world is concerned, he is the grandfather of Ninjutsu. Many people from all over the world have made the pilgrimage to his Dojo in Japan. He owns a Ninja museum with many items from the Ninja past on display.

Dr. Hatsumi's martial arts career began in a very dramatic way. His father was an alcoholic who, often in drunken stupors, brandished a knife at home. As a young boy, Hatsumi had to hide from his drunken father. By listening to the rhythm of his father's footsteps, the boy recognized the drunkenness before his father entered the house. As Hatsumi got older, he learned Ninjutsu and other martial arts to control his father before putting him to bed.

Dr. Hatsumi's Ninjutsu teacher was Toshitsugu Takamatsu, a fearsome person who had spent many years in China learning martial arts. His sheer prowess earned him the name Mongolian Tiger. He learned his skills from Chinese boxers and other martial artists. Takamatsu lived to be an old man. He attributed his longevity to transforming himself from a Mongolian tiger to a house cat.

The following story demonstrates the wisdom and ruthlessness of Hatsumi's master: Once, Takamatsu drew his sword, instructing Hatsumi to grab the blade. At first Hatsumi thought his master was joking. After realizing his master's seriousness, without further hesitation, Hatsumi grabbed the blade. Remarkably, he was not cut. The master also tested him in other ways, such as stealthing quietly behind him and delivering a swift blow with his sword. Sensing danger, to avoid the cut, Hatsumi flattened himself on the floor. These tests are written in the Ninjutsu syllabus for granting high levels of training. To pass them without death or injury, one must have total confidence in himself and his teacher.

Modern Ninjutsu is known for its humanitarian commitment toward community values. Students are encouraged to use their training and knowledge to be better citizens and students. Ninjutsu students of the 2Oth century are known to each other and have no desire to form a secret Ninja society.

This is good stuff.

On Aikido:

Uyeshiba's pupils said he possessed supernatural powers. Some accounts claim an ability to read the minds of his pupils, to sense their actions before they moved. It was even said that he had the capacity to move instantly and invisibly, from one point to another, a feat that he declared was hazardous; it shortened his life. Uyeshiba was truly a very unusual person. None of his pupils mastered all of his skills. However, they developed the art in their own individual ways.

Whoa.

On Judo:

Today, Judo is essentially a competitive sport, which its founder, Dr. Jigoro Kano (1860-1938), wished to avoid. Nowadays, it concentrates on crowd participation and commercialization, and a win-at-all-costs attitude.

Bad Judoka. Shame on all of you...

Ouch.

Throwing Fish Nets

Fish nets were thrown to surprise and control opponents

Where's Spartacus?

**doofaloofa** · Posted On: 10/06/2012 11:30am

Crowd participation?

This could get ugly

**P Marsh** · Posted On: 10/06/2012 12:10pm

Originally Posted by Styygens

How do you surprise someone with a net? ITS A NET! They're going to see it hanging out of your belt or where ever you keep it.

Originally Posted by doofaloofa

Crowd participation?

This could get ugly

I'd watch it on TV. The Olympics would be much more entertaining if every competitor was on the floor at the same time, an extra point for every weight class your opponent has on you sounds fair.