What is the purpose of learning a martial art?

[arrrrffff]

MA's allows one to train their bodies so that their mind and body are able to resonate. In chinese, Gong Fu means hard work - perfection or mastery of something, whether it be in the kitchen, gym or on paper.

So you could say a great chef like Gordon Ramsey, or philanthropist/computer guru Bill Gates, or any of the Olympians out there competing in Beijing right now has good Gong-Fu.

That's the purpose of a martial art - intense focus, discipline, being in tune with one's body and have complete mastery over it - perfecting ones field of work. There are many great reasons which the above posters have delved on. That's THEIR reasons. Everyone has their own.

 

[BubblyMasquerade]

Any of you play splinter cell? What kind of Martial Art does Sam Fisher use? I think its called krav magna?

 

[emptym]

Jackie Chan's take on the purose of martial arts in The Onion:

Whenever I'm paid $200,000 to demonstrate my martial arts abilities and give a short speech to a gathering of young people, I always speak about the same thing: the epidemic of violence we see in our society today. Why do so many kids think using their fists is the answer to all of life's problems? Where do they get these ideas? That's why I'm using my status as the world's most famous martial arts movie star to teach children an important lesson. Never, ever take a fist to another person unless you're profiting handsomely from it.

I hope we all know what the Onion is.

 

[Gradstudent78]

Originally Posted by arrrrffff

MA's allows one to train their bodies so that their mind and body are able to resonate. In chinese, Gong Fu means hard work - perfection or mastery of something, whether it be in the kitchen, gym or on paper.

Keep in mind that the use of the term Gung fu to reference chinese martial arts is a relatively recent use, so if your trying to get at it's original purpose or use by your discussion here, it would most likely be more practical in nature as you go further back in time with more self development ideas come later. Much the same way that japanese arts went from a more practical bujutsu focus to a budo focus.

So saying that the prupose of a martial art is the following, really depends on your perspective and isn't necessarily an absolute.

That's the purpose of a martial art - intense focus, discipline, being in tune with one's body and have complete mastery over it - perfecting ones field of work.