Martial Arts: Sport or Self-Defense?

When we think of sports, we typically picture games that include a ball or anything that is competitive and entertaining. So where does martial arts fall into this category? Sports, by definition, is as simple as “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.” When people think of martial arts, the first thing that comes to mind usually is not the term “sports,” but rather “self-defense.” So, which is it more of, a sport or self-defense?

There are many forms of martial arts, many created to defend oneself, while others were devised specifically for competition. So, what do some MBHS students think of martial arts? There are mixed feelings on the topic. Most people know that martial arts is a sport as well as self-defense. While there are some students that agree that martial arts is more of a sport, many others disagree.

David Yang, Senior, believes that it is more of a sport. However, many others disagree with this. Fellow seniors George Bermudez and Henry Popovic both believe that it is more self-defense. Bermudez agrees that it is “like a sport,” claiming that it shouldn’t be used against people unless for self-defense, and so is more suitable as such. Popovic also agrees with this, stating that it is best utilized in the real world as self-defense. Other students, such as one anonymous Senior, however, slightly disagree with this, claiming that “it’s not a sport” because “people who teach it usually say it’s for self-defense.”

Although martial arts categorically fall under both sport and self-defense, the majority of people tend to associate it with self-defense rather than deem it a sport.

Senior Marko Read brings up a very different thought, and rather than agreeing with either side, claims that “it’s an art” and “a form of expression,” citing a quote from the famous Bruce Lee, “To me, ultimately, martial arts means honestly expressing yourself. Now, it is very difficult to do. It has always been very easy for me to put on a show and be cocky, and be flooded with a cocky feeling and feel pretty cool and all that. I can make all kinds of phony things. Blinded by it. Or I can show some really fancy movement. But to experience oneself honestly, not lying to oneself, and to express myself honestly, now that […] is very hard to do.”