From: izar@sunnie.huji.ac.il (Izar Tarandach)
Subject: (sorry if this is a repost) FAQ
Reply-To: izar@cs.huji.ac.il
Organization: Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
Date: Sun, 1 Dec 91 14:40:01 GMT


Archive-name: rec.martial-arts.FAQ
Last Modified: Nov. 01, 91
Version: 1.3

(note: - this text is EXTREMELY UNCOMPLETE - if you can add something to it,
please mail me.Thanks in advance.)

	    Martial Arts NewsGroup - Frequented Asked Questions 
	==========================================================

	My thanks to all those that helped in the outline & development of this
idea.
	This FAQ is not intended to be a Martial Arts Bible, but to give some
help to those that are looking for a place to start, or those more experienced
that would like to know more about some different style, have a particular
doubt, etc.
	Suggestions, opinions and additions would be most welcome.
	The latest version of this FAQ can be FTP'ed from cs.huji.ac.il,
in the pub directory.I hope to be posting this FAQ every 1st of the month.

===============================================================================

1) What is a Martial Art ?
2) What kind of Martial Arts are there ?
3) What are the different Arts, Schools, Styles ?
4) Which Martial Art should I study ?
5) This guy says that his style will make a Full Certified Warrior & Killer
   out of me in 3 months - is it serious ?
6) How do I choose a School ?
7) Should children study Martial Arts ?
8) A small bibliography, to be completed.
9) I believe/don't believe in X.Should I train Y ?
10) I opened my "Weenie-Tweenie Super Hyper Academy - The Nest of The Fighter
    Eagles (tm) (c)" and I want to post it for the world to see.Should I ?
11) What is Greenoch ?
12) Sources of information (addresses, etc.)

===============================================================================

1)What Is A Martial Art ?

	A Martial Art can be defined as a system of techniques, physical and
mental exercises developed as an effective means for self-defense, both unarmed
and with the use of weapons.The origin of Martial Arts is a controversial
issue,and we can see signs of them in  Greek, Egyptian, African, Japanese,
Chinese, Thai, as well as in a lot of other cultures.

2)What kind of Martial Arts are there ? 

	Martial Arts can be generally divided in "soft" and "hard","internal"
and "external".
	By this division we mean that Arts that make use of circular motions,
channeling and diverting momentum to unbalance an opponent - like Tai Chi,
Aikido or Ninjutsu - are considered soft, while Arts that use strikes, kicks,
like Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Muay Thai, are considered hard; "internal" and 
"external" is a more subjective concept, orthogonal to "soft" and "hard", that
is found in the Chinese styles.

3)What are the different Arts, Schools and Styles ?

	This is a question with many, many answers - some could say that there
are as many styles as there are martial artists.So, we'd like to introduce some
of the most popular Schools, with some Styles names where applicable:

	Jujutsu -       some say that this is one of the first Arts to appear.
			It is a very complete system, encompassing throws,
			locks, kicks and punches.

	Karate 	-	one of the most popular MA's, Karate started in Okinawa
			and was later brought to Japan by Gichin Funakoshi
			Sensei.Today it is common to find "Traditional" and
			"Competitive" Karate - traditional being the formal
			Okinawan styles,and competitive those styles directed
			mostly to championships.Styles include Shorin Ryu,
			Shotokan, Goju Ryu,Isshin Ryu,Shito Ryu,etc.Karate is
			based on linear kicks and punches,being a very
			effective self-defense system.
	
	Judo	-	regarded as a sport, Judo continues to attract people
			looking for a healthy form to develop themselves, and
			it is a good form of self-defense, based on throws,
			leverage and control of the opponent.

	Aikido	-	a soft art that emphasizes neutralizing forceful
			attacks by redirecting their force.The Aikido stylist
			attempts to take control of the attacker's momentum
			and redirect it into a throw or takedown.
	
	Tai Chi Chuan - a combination of traditional Chinese external styles
			with Taoist principles, Tai Chi has evolved into many
			styles:	Yang, Chen, Old Chen, Big Wu, Little Wu,Sun
			and innumerable sub-styles, being characterized by
			slow,graceful movements.Although many people practice
			Tai Chi	for its health or spiritual benefits, with
			proper training it can be an effective Martial Art.

	Kung Fu	-       the generic name for hundreds of individual Chinese 
			fighting arts, soft and hard, internal and external.
			Kung Fu include grappling, striking, nerve-attack and
			many weapons training.

	Kendo 	-	A derivative of kenjutsu, wherein the practitioners
			wear protective armor and use simulated swords (split
			bamboo called a `shinai') to `spar' against one
			another. Strike	areas are limited as are moves.Some
			kata are retained from kenjutsu between individuals.

	Iaido 	-	the Japanese art of drawing the sword for combat.The
			object is to draw the sword perfectly, striking as it
			is drawn, so that the opponent has no chance to defend
			against the strike.

	Kenjutsu  -	the combative use of a sword.There is a large amount of
			two-person work on this, mostly with wooden swords.
			Sparring is done scarcely by developed students,and
			there is a strong side of spiritual and philosophical
			study, similar in aways to that of Aikido.

	Muay Thai -	Thai Boxing, involving boxing techniques, hard kicking
			and knee and elbows strikes.Known for the high level 
			of physical conditioning developed by it's pratictioner
			It is regarded as the national sport in Thailand.

	Kali      -	A Filipino Martial Art, derived in large part from 
			stick and sword fighting, and also encompassing other
			weapons,and empty hand self defense.

	Eskrima -

	Silat 	-	

	Tae Kwon Do   -  A Korean kicking and punching art, with emphasis on
			 the kicks.Many of the techniques are similar to
			 Shotokan Karate, but there is usually a greater
			 emphasis on the sport aspect of the Art. 
	American Kenpo-	

	Capoeira -	A Brazilian Martial Art, Capoeira was born in the
			"senzalas", the places where the slaves were kept.
			It consists of a stylized dance, practiced in a circle
			called the "roda", with sound background provided by
			percussion instruments, like the "agogo", the
			"atabaqui", etc.
			
	Ninjutsu -	A generally soft Japanese Martial Art, incorporating
			armed and unarmed combat and based upon efficient use
			of momentum and body mechanics.The Ninjutsu martial
			artist strives to evade attacks in such a way that he
			places himself in an advantageous position from which
			a simple use of leverage or movement of his body
			weight can take down or control his opponent.

	Savate   -	A French Martial Art, developed in the last century,
			encompassing kicking techniques somewhat similar to 
			Tae Kwon Do or Karate, punching techiques from Western
			Boxing and stick fighting techniques based on French
			rapier fighting.Its origin and relationships, if any,
			to other Martial Arts, are unclear.	

4) Which Martial Art should I study ?

	That's a question that only you can answer, maybe with a little help of
your physician.While some people advocate that "my style fits any individual",
it is very discussable of someone would adapt to *any* style.Also, it depends
*HEAVILY* on your objectives - what are you looking for ?
	Advices of many experienced Martial Artists here on NetLand coincide
in the point of "go, experiment, look around, ask - then decide".
	Many people change from one style to the other.While this is a common
pratice, accepted in the means of development, it is known that the first style
is normally the one that leaves the base, the more profound "marks".Try to
choose a style that suits your needs and at the same time offers you a kind of
"challenge" to go on learning.

5) This guy says that his style will make a Full Certified Warrior & Killer
out of me in 3 months - is it serious ?

	See, while many people enter the Way of the Martial Arts trying to be
the deadliest persons in the world, it is not true that the final objective of
the Arts is this.Many Masters already said that the best battle someone can win
is that one that he doesn't fight.So, don't expect any miracle to come down on
you, any light to come thru your window in the night and make you the most
skilled fighter - it will all depends on your dedication, in your objectives
and in the amount of training you get.
	
6) How do I choose a School ?

	This can be answered maybe in the same terms as question 4.
	The environment where you'll learn and train, the people that will be
your partners, all this plays a very important part on the process, aside from
the instructor himself - you'll need some basic trust in the individual, as a
beginning.
	Don't get impressed by the size of the place - just be sure that you 
feel ok in there.Go, watch some classes (without participating), then ask to
participate - see if the behavior of the students changes by the fact that
there is a new person in their class.Check the approach the higher rankered
students take on you - their help will be most important in your advancement
in the Art you choose.

	A quick and dirty check list, for you to complete with your own
points, is:

	- how good are the students ?
	- is there a mix of upper and lower ranks ?
	- do they move the way you would like to ?
	- is the atmosphere in the school relaxed and friendly, but serious ?
	- are there students of both sexes ?
	- does the school differentiate between tournament and self-defense ?
	- does the school differentiate between forms and function ?
	- are allowances made for students with physical limitations ?
	- do the students get personalized attention ?
	- do they help one another ?
	- do the senior students seem fit and relaxed ?
	- ...

7) Should children study Martial Arts ?

	In a very general answer, yes.Of the many people that contributed in
the making of this FAQ, a lot of them demonstrated their support to the idea
of children studying MA: some listed the effect on their behavior (control of 
aggressiveness, energy, etc.) and some even touched the self-defense issue...In
fact, for a child the Martial Arts can provide a mean to deal with
self-assurance in an early stage and an approach to respect and discipline.
	The style that a child should take is a totally different question,
and is directly influenced by the style, if any, of the parents.It will of
course be very interesting if the child can pratice together, or at least in
the same school as the parents.
	The teaching of Martial Arts to children, considering now very young 
children, is normally in a way of "playing" Martial Arts, that sometimes can
make things confusing for parents that don't participate/know/understand this
side of the teaching: children often learn without being aware that they are
learning.

8) A small bibliography, to be completed:

	"Go Rin No Sho - The Book of the Five Rings" - Miyamoto Musashi
	"The Essence of Ninjutsu" - Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi
	"Budo Jiten" - F. J. Lovret
	"Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts" - Draeger & Smith
	"The Art Of War" - Sun Tzu

	In general, books from the Kodansha Editors carry a reputation of beingserious and at the same time direct and objective.

	... and a lot more - this list will grow with time.

9) I believe/don't believe in X.Should I train Y ?

	In here goes a lot of discussion, possibly not in the scope of this
nwsgroup.One can try to say "my Art is better/more complete/whatever nonsense
than yours", and he can EVEN base himself on experience and/or prejudice.But
normally it is considered non-ethical from a Sensei/Sifu/Master/Teacher to
try to *impose* his own views into his students.Now, some Arts require a
background, or even a mindset oriented to a certain aspect of its origins.So,
if you see yourself contemplating the possibility of studying one of these
Arts, be sure to enter one that won't go against any of your basical beliefs
unless you are ready to change or modify them - of course your ability to
absorb the right teachings will be conditioned to the way you approach your
study.

10) I opened my "Weenie-Tweenie Super Hyper Academy - The Nest of The Fighter
    Eagles (tm) (c)" and I want to post it for the world to see.Should I ?

	Again, this answer depends a lot on how you see the ethics present in
the Net, the relations between your ego and your pocket, and the way you do it.
	According to the charter of the Usenet, this place shouldn't be used to
advertisements with the intent of making money.Second, it is not always 
interesting for the reader in Iceland to discover that a KickingButt-Do Academy
opened on Kuala Lumpur.Either limit your distribution, or post in the newspaper
- it will be more guaranteed that you find your public.

11) What is Greenoch ?

	Sorry, but this is not the place to disclose such a secret.


12) Sources of information (addresses, etc.)

        Soke John J. Williams
        Box 2335
        Station A
        Moncton, NB
        E1A8J3
        Canada          (506) 382-6349

        Soke Williams is affiliated with the International Martial Arts League
        (IMAL) and is head(?) of the Canadian Ninja Society.  They maintain a
        complete catalog of all martial arts schools in North America.  Write
        or call.  Simply state that you were refered to him as such a source
        and are in need of MA schools/instructors in whatever part of the
        country you are interested in.

-x-x-

	The people that made this list possible:

Al Bowers         - bowers@skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov    (Iaido,Kenjutsu,Kendo)
Andrew Vida	  - osan@cbnewsb.cb.att.com
Dakin Burdick     - burdick@copper.ucs.indiana.edu  (Tae Kwon Do)
David C Carr      - dccarr@ihlpf.att.com
Douglas Cohen     - doug@eng.umd.edu                
James E. Ward     - jew@rs6000.sunquest.com
Lauren Radner     - radner@tngmoon.cray.com         
Michael Robinson  - robinson@cogsci.berkeley.edu    (Tai Chi Chuan)
Mikel Elvins      - mikel@apple.com			
Peter Hahn        - hahn@anubis.network.com 		
Stephen Northcutt - snorthc@relay.nswc.navy.mil
Steven List       - itkin@mrspoc.transact.com
Izar Tarandach    - izar@cs.huji.ac.il              (Karate/Ninjutsu)

(...) and many other names that  I possibly left  out - if you have  any
additional questions on the listed styles, please contact.Questions were
created to be answered...


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Hope that helps,

D

-- 
========================================================================
Dave Smythe   N6XLP    dsmythe@netcom.com (also dsmythe@cs.stanford.edu)
Newsgroups: rec.martial-arts