The meaning, teachings, and whole point of martial arts is definitely not violence. The intent of martial arts is, and has always been, to train, educate, and improve the mental health and physical well-being of the participant. It has always held true that some have used the martial arts against people in violent acts, but this is clearly against the majority of their original intents.

Whilst there are many legends concerning the origin of the varying martial arts styles, it can be largely observed, even during recent history, that they are generally respected, and not usually feared in normal situations. This indicates that most martial arts-related violence has more to do with the circumstances under which the violent acts were committed than with the fact that martial arts techniques were used. Unlike guns, knives, and other lethal equipment, martial arts are not material tools to be utilized for violent purpose, but rather a structured method of bodily movement used as a vehicle both for self-defense and self-betterment. As such, all responsibility for negative or positive actions and outcomes and intent lies with you!

Even in televised MMA martial arts tournaments where contact is allowed and to the casual observer, the intent seems to be to bloody the opponent as much as possible until he or she submits, the fighting is not used to impart lethal or long-lasting damage. Although violent actions such as strikes, sudden movements, and blocks are all commonplace, violence as intent is not, so martial arts might not entirely fit the profile of a violence-oriented activity.

Martial arts like Taekwondo, Judo and Karate all have rich cultural backgrounds, steeped in the rich history of Zen Buddhism, Confucianism, and Shinto philosophical traditions. These largely forbade use of martial arts for negative intent, or unwarranted violence. The traditional fighting style of Taekwondo was designed to be a powerful form of self defense. It is the national sport of South Korea, and the name approximately translates to ‘the way of foot and fist’.  A great way to train is to engage in a friendly sparring and of course with the proper adidas sparring gear! Practice targets, pads and sparring blocks can help you train with live targets that don’t get hurt!

When martial arts are used for violence, they become nothing more than tools in the wrong hands. In the long run, the martial arts are only as violent as the martial artist, conversely, they may be used for peace and inner harmony.

Karate is a martial art that was developed in Okinawa in the Ryukyu Islands. When considering a martial art as a new hobby or way of keeping fit, many have justifiable concerns as to how violent martial arts actually are. As Shotokan Dojo, the Chief Instructor once pointed out - with the media portraying film icons using martial arts training to attack and kill, it is no wonder that many view the practise as too aggressive to be considered a viable new hobby for them or indeed their child.

The concern is largely unfounded; martial arts are defensive rather than offensive, and the greatest self discipline is a basic requirement. The martial art exists in many forms.

Taekwondo is the national sport of South Korea. Beneficial effects from mastering this martial art include learning self defense techniques, as well as getting a full work out with plenty of stretching. Mixed martial arts involves striking and grappling, making it a full contact sport. Another very popular variation is Judo which originated in Japan in the 1800's.

Learning a martial art such as taekwondo, karate, judo or mixed martial arts can be a very beneficial thing to do rather than taking on some other sport, such as baseball. As well as all the health benefits, learning a martial art is also a fantastic way to get out and to meet new people. Not only that, but learning martial arts can build up a person’s self esteem, as well as respect, concentration and courtesy.

It is a proven fact that martial arts are actually much safer than many of the other school sports that may be on offer, like football or rugby. Additionally, in the instances of children who have special needs, such has suffering from attention deficit disorder, or any other instances of difficulty with learning or suffering hyperactivity, it is highly recommended for them to learn martial arts.

Many classes centre around sparring which is very much about the training of kicking and punching, but if this is too aggressive for you, you may want to find another class where this is not the focus; albeit safe and well protected.

Martial Arts have been known of and practised in Asia for hundreds of years, but their steadily rising popularity in the west is relatively recent in comparison. There are many different styles, but one of the most well known and most practiced is Judo. It is one of only two martial arts practiced as a viable competitive sport in the Summer Olympic games.

Many martial arts disciplines have been studied and practised for many hundreds of years; so Judo, which comes from Japan and has only been around since the 1800's, is very new indeed. It was founded by professor Jigoro Kano who had taken previously studied older martial art forms, such as Shin'y?-ry?, Kit?-ry?, and Jiu-Jitsu and then changed and unified some of what he called disconnected principles and forms of Jiu Jitsu. The student's martial arts' abilities; as well as their mind, body, and character, were all important elements of his form of Kano Jiu Do, or Judo; as well as keeping many of the same principles and techniques.

The word Judo specifically means "way of gentleness", and may be referring to the soft method of indirect force on the attacker and using his force against him by adapting well to given circumstances to your advantage as they may change. A classic move in Judo is a move to the side, meaning your attacker will fall as a result of his own force. Kano did not want his discipline to be based on a principle of killing as was the case with other older martial arts styles; rather he wanted students of Judo to use the discipline to improve all aspects of their lives.

The name that refers to the students of Judo have changed over the years. originally, students were referred to as Kenkyu-sei - meaning 'trainee' - and the instructors were called Judoka. Students of Judo are now called 'Judoka' and instructors in the art are called 'sensei'. The place where Judo is practised is referred to as the dojo. The uniform worn by all within the dojo is called a judogi.

The study of Judo involves learning and perfecting many different forms and techniques. Some of these are throwing and grappling forms, standing and ground-fighting techniques, old and modern styles of self-defense, and both the Ancient and Five forms of modern Judo. Students compete in what is called sparring to check for understanding of the methodology and learning of each student as well as determine any rank graduation.

Whether you have a Taekwondo uniforms or a Karate Gi one of the most important pieces of equipment will be that of your belt.    The colored belt grading system is an integral part of almost any popular martial arts training regimen. Some dojos and schools may use a more complicated version incorporating more gradations or colors, but at its heart the belt system is a simple way to visibly track a student’s progress and expertise. Today’s martial artists employ a ranking system which was first devised back in 1883 by the founder of Judo Jigoro Kano.

Opinions on the exact origins of the belt system differ. It has been suggested that the warriers belt and the colour reflecting his skill level came about as a result of the warrior making his belt change colour naturally through the grime and sweat of his labour. Eventually the belt would become so dirty that it turned black, denoting years of practice and the resultant expertise.

This is not altogether true and is a somewhat romanticized version. A dirty belt would not have been likely to show the bright greens, blues, and oranges used today. A likelier explanation can be found in the usual order of colors: white, yellow, green, brown, and black. In the past instead of simply purchasing a new belt, the old one would be dyed from white to yellow, brown to black etc. Many modern students simply purchase a new one, since most people do not often perform their own textile production. As symbols of hard work and developed skill, students often naturally want to hang onto old belts as keepsakes, and can get through many in a short period of time.

Many modern dojos use an expanded array of gradations. The color progression is currently white, yellow, orange, green, blue, purple, brown, red, and black. The exact order may differ slightly, and certain schools also denote additional ranks with a stripe or other decoration before the student progresses to the next color. The black belt is often regarded by many to be the last in the ranking system; what is less known is that there are still the same amount of ranks, or Dans, to go as have already been achieved.

Once the black belt has been achieved the ten Dans begin – there is still a whole wealth of expertise to be gained and experience to be accumulated; just as a graduate begins on a career she has trained for, so a black belt martial artist begins the next phase of training. Higher Dans are usually shown with bars or other insignias added to the basic Black Belt, or with different color combinations.