Martial arts (literally meaning arts of war, but usually referred to as the fighting arts) are systems of codified practices and traditions of combat. Martial arts all have similar objectives: to physically defeat other persons or defend oneself or others from physical threat. Some martial arts take a great deal of their underlying theory from beliefs systems. Most specifically, Buddhism, and in Asia have been practiced in harmony with others, such as Hinduism, Taoism, Confucianism or Shinto while others follow a particular code of honor. Martial arts are considered both an art and a science. Many martial arts are also practiced competitively, most commonly as combat sports, but competitions may also take the form of “forms competition.”
No matter their origin, code of ethics or moral foundation, all martial arts are saturated in a repertoire of similar techniques and skills that can be classified as martial arts basics. This holds true for traditional martial arts and modern mixed martial arts styles. Some martial arts basics include striking, kicking, leg kicks, sweeps, punches, slaps, finger pokes, parries, evasion tactics, footwork, elbow and knee strikes, and specific kinds of stances that reflect defensive or attacking positions. Other basic skills that may occur within specific sets of styles include takedowns, throws, head butts, grappling, chokes, rolls, ground techniques, wrestling, joint manipulation, stomping, submission holds and striking vital areas of the body. Mastering martial arts basics is usually accomplished through repetition, forms, sparring or fighting.
Martial Arts for David Chan
The martial arts for me is truly a way of life. For the longest time Karate has been my model of the martial arts way of life. At the early stages of my martial arts understanding, I didn’t really know any different. As I progressed in Karate and eventually achieving black belt status, I did not feel that I mastered any level of combative experience. I think like many people first perceive martial arts, that a black belt is a status of some sort of combative mastery. The reality is that a black belt in martial arts does not mean mastery of anything combative, but more to show that the person is a serious student of the martial arts. I needed to seek the truths about what the extent of martial arts really can be in true combative form. I decided to go against martial arts traditions of studying just one discipline.
Traditionally in the martial arts, especially the Asian martial arts, studying multiple disciplines are greatly frowned upon. I had concerns at the time leaving something that I had built such a strong connection with, but I was like a child that had to leave their parents at some point. After experimenting with other martial arts I realized that there were different philosophies and ranges in martial arts. Realizing what I was exposed to at the time, no martial arts was able to negotiate all the different combative situations and ranges effectively. The martial arts at that time were clearly defined between striking and grappling. The styles of martial arts were even distinguished even further. The striking arts can be clearly differentiated with predominantly punching styles or predominantly kicking styles. The grappling styles can be clearly differentiated with predominantly competition style wrestling or brutal styles of joint manipulations. I knew that my path in martial arts study was not over with just a promotion to black belt status in one discipline.
Enlisting in the US Army afforded me to study the long rang martial arts of projectiles. As the distance closes my studies of Filipino Martial Arts focuses on blunt and edged weapons’ fighting. My Karate is the study of empty hand to hand fighting. When the distance between the enemy and I has closed with the fight possibly going to the ground, I use Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Gracie Combatives is the official beginner program of the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy. In this program, students learn the 36 most important techniques in a fun, safe, and cooperative training environment.
Beyond blue belt, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu consists of hundreds of advanced techniques, all of which we have organized into a clearly defined, systematic curriculum called the Master Cycle.
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Gracie Bullyproof is a confidence and character development program for kids and has been proven as an effective countermeasure to bullying.
Women’s Self-Defense is a comprehensive self-defense program for women based on proven verbal, physical, and psychological defense strategies tested and proven effective over nearly two decades.
Uechi-Ryu Karate is widely known for their hard body conditioning, unique circular blocking techniques, and half-hard half-soft fighting concepts. Regarded as one of the original styles of Karate introduced to the world.
CDT is our comprehensive program for Military and Law Enforcement professionals. Developed and refined over many years, the techniques featured in the CDT program have been adopted by virtually every federal and state law enforcement agency in the US as well as all five branches of the US Armed Forces.
We offer all training programs in group and private lessons. Review the benefits of each before deciding which is right for you.
“In martial arts, there is a spectrum from dreams, to theory,
to sport, to kill.”-David Chan
“I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.”
–Confucius
Institute of Combative Arts™ 