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Martial arts
You don't have to be Bruce Lee to reap martial arts benefits. A broad term that covers many disciplines, martial arts started out as forms of unarmed combat used mainly in Asia. In many cases, they evolved into a full system of spiritual beliefs based largely on Buddhism. Today martial arts represent ancient sports that continue to enjoy huge popularity.
Whether used for self defense, spiritual development, getting fit or a combination of all three, the different forms represent different traditions. What they share is an emphasis on coordinated movement that can be used in self defense without the use of modern weaponry.
For example judo comes from Japan. Somewhat similar to wrestling, it is based on the principle of non resistance. Karate is also Japanese but uses precision blows to disable an opponent. Tae kwon do is somewhat similar to karate but originates from Korea. Kung Fu is Chinese and essentially combines the tactics of judo and karate. Ninjitsu is traditionally associated with Japanese spying and realies on stealth and the ability to surpries an opponent. T'ai chi is less violent and is more of a Chinese form of disciplined exercise. However all of these different methods place great importance on the meditative and spiritual aspect of their practices.
The aim is not only to get fit but also to ensure that the body and mind are spiritually in tune. It's about discipline and respect as well as knowing the moves involved themselves. Many practitioners train for years working their way up through different levels. These are sometimes represented by wearing different coloured belts to demonstrate the stage of development that the wearer has achieved.
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