There are three types of martial arts schools; historical or traditional, sport and self-defense. Every school contains aspects of all three, but every school focuses on one.

Historical/Traditional
This school is focused on doing things exactly the way master X did it 2,000 years ago. The moves, stances and strikes must be perfect and there is only one way to do a particular technique or move. These schools often avoid any improvements or modifications to old techniques. Effective, but rigid.

Sport
My sister holds a 3rd degree black belt in Tae-Kwon-Do and her school fits this description. They have many "forms" that must be memorized to achieve rank advancement. Their sparring is focused toward scoring points more than doing damage. They host and travel to competitions where excellence in forms or sparring for points is the focus. They require pads when sparring, but no one wears a cup. The groin is an illegal target and they never use it. These schools are super popular and out number all other schools at least 10 to 1.

Self-Defense
This style of school spends most of their time on damage to the attacker. They work hard on the "combat mindset" and being aware. Chuck Sullivan, mentioned earlier, used to bring old couches and bar stools into his school and have the students spar in street clothes. He figured if you're gonna learn to defend yourself, you might as well practice it in an environment that you're likely to be in. Techniques are taught, but only to learn the movements. The idea is to use whatever is necessary for the situation that presents itself. Precision is not the goal, effectiveness is. These types of schools are not popular. Invariably they include some pain in the instruction because they seek to be as real as possible. Being hurt is different from being injured. Hurt means you feel some pain, you walk it off and get back to work. Injured means you're bleeding or need medical attention. A true self-defense school will include some pain, it's the nature of the business, but they work hard not to injure any student. This is why they are not popular and only 20% of the students stick with it long enough to earn a black belt.


Please don't take the previous as an attack on different schools, it's not. Anyone who devotes themselves to a course of instruction in any martial art will be able to effectively use it to defend themselves. I'm just pointing out that there are differences. Let's face it, all empty hand martial arts were developed to defend against tyrannical governments that outlawed fighting implements. This is why I say, I am the weapon. Anything I'm holding is just a tool.

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Freedom isn't free.