There are different reasons people are attracted to martial arts, none of which can be specifically defined.  The explanations are personal and unique to each martial arts lover.  Overall, though, people love martial arts because they represent physicality and artistry all in one.   It’s easy to see how “fighting” and “art” combined together create a fascinating diversion from day-to-day life.  Along with being a personal expression, martial arts interest stems from cultural beliefs, commercialization,  modern expectations, and even borders on sex-appeal. It’s worth a little exploration. After all, it’s love we’re talking about.

1.  Personal Attraction

In the beginning martial arts was not that “attractive” to me.  Soon afterwards, though,  I quietly pledged to keep it a part of my life because I could see the benefits accumulating.  I learned the most powerful truth about myself and that is that I have the ability to be whatever I want, and that’s a far stretch from just performing a kick.

The best part for me is not the actual martial art, although that is what guides me on a daily basis.  Rather, I am captivated because, using a martial arts thought process, mindset, and my own self-discovery, I can motivate others through writings and outreach. I carefully apply my own personal beliefs, abilities, and strengths to my karate and then funnel them back through my life into the lives of others.  It’s a life-line, really, that never stops and travels like blood through my veins.

Karate is part of who I am and has guided me through the twists and turns in my life.  That is part of the martial arts allure to me and what’s kept me learning and teaching all these years. Perhaps martial arts is not a passage way for you, but even for non-martial artists there exists the opportunity to learn about life by being exposed to it from the rest of us.

So, that’s my story; but from where does martial arts fascination come for others?

2.  Cultural Love

Martial arts have evolved through a cultural love, as well.  They have been molded to fit societal needs in many different ways.  Built in strip centers and malls and throughout towns all over the world, martial arts schools have become commonplace in many cultures.

Why are martial arts so widespread?  One reason is because they transcend time and place.  I’ve communicated with martial artists all over the world.  We have different upbringings, religions, and beliefs.  Somehow, there is concrete commonality when it comes to martial arts.  A punch is a punch, a kick is a kick, personal achievement is personal achievement.  No matter where, no matter how, it is an activity, sport, recreation, or competition that brings people from all over the world together.  It is a consistent and dedicated form of communication.

In its most basic form, no words need to be spoken and no language barriers exist.  Martial artists show respect with a bow, or a certain utterance of a word, and encourage each other through  simplicity.  That is artful language and a connection that is difficult to find elsewhere.  Teaching is done through actions and techniques, skills and mindset.  Knowledge, affirmations, strengths and expertise, are shared and move past the ordinary.

All of this can be applied to your life.  Respect and understanding require little verbal communication but very big actions.  Simple truths about the human spirit resonate through martial arts.  You can compare it to the feeling of watching someone survive a catastrophe, or perform a heroic task, for example.  You suddenly become a part of the story, a hero of hope in your own way.  The  human spirit has no boundaries in any culture and martial arts have a way of exploring and presenting this spirit throughout the world.

As more and more people become fascinated with the benefits of martial arts, cultural love for them  will continue to increase and that is a good thing.

3.  Commercialized Appeal

Along with cultural trends, martial arts have also become commercialized and re-shaped a little bit, too.  The commercialized appeal and sensationalism sends the general public a message that martial arts are worth pursuing and are contemporary, important, and interesting.

Incredible movies, merchandise catalogs, and television shows portray martial arts in a certain light.  Kids enjoy watching programs that use martial arts type characters.  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Power Rangers all capture a huge audience because of an excitement factor.  Martial arts movies combine intense skills with humor and interesting story lines.  Each viewer wants to see what happens next.  This creates an awesome delight in the entertainment value of martial arts.  As new movies come up, interest in martial arts increases.

Entertainment sends great messages and creates an appreciation for martial arts.  Appreciation works in life this way, too, if you let it.  Can you open your eyes to something new and appreciate it?  Can you find something spectacular in your day and smile about it?  Can you let the good supersede the bad?  This is all part of the martial way.  The physical practice is great; the mental practice is greater. Behind every good martial arts movie is a great martial arts message.

The traditions and history of martial arts will continue to be commercialized in our modern culture because martial arts are alluring.  That’s the way our culture works.  Buy a ticket to the next show and be entertained; but, more than that, apply some of it to your own life.

4.  Sex Appeal

Martial arts are not intended to be sexy or alluring, although they end up in those categories on occasion.  They are fighting arts.  Their beginnings were not all that appealing and only recently, relatively speaking, were women and children even allowed to learn.  What about the dojo? What’s the appeal there?  It’s a place where hard work and sweat bridge a gap between learning and teaching, katas and sparring, and kicks and punches on a regular basis. Based on the sweating that takes place within its walls, it does not seem to be the most alluring place on the planet!

Like everything where love is involved, (in this case love for martial arts), sex appeal naturally infiltrates.  While not necessarily a negative thing, it is, well…a little juxtaposed to what martial arts really are.  With the help of a growing female presence, martial arts have become alluring for a very unintended reason and that is sex appeal.

I suppose female martial artists are in a category of their own.  They like to be seen as powerful, and they are.  They appreciate the intricacies and nuances of a particular style.  In martial arts, they are equal to men.  With all this professing of being “equal” in martial arts, though, women are still portrayed one-dimensionally in some instances.  They are often put in a different category of martial artist, because, like it or not, they have a sex appeal that is not easy to shake.

A woman, trained in a fighting art is an oxymoron.  Femininity and strength.  Independence.  Individuality.   The interesting mixture is hard to deny.

Women martial artists are also put on a bit of a martial arts pedestal by the general public or by non-martial artists.  I never considered martial arts a masculine activity; for me, every part of womanhood seeps into the crevices of my martial art in some way or another. But, many still see it as a male dominated activity lightly infiltrated by women.  This is appealing for other women who seek to improve their lives, gain control, and flourish; and for men who finally get to see women in a powerful role.

For both men and women, female martial artists are fascinating. Both men and women are intrigued by the powerful, independent, self-motivated woman.

Women have learned to use some of this to their advantage.  Magazine covers and other media show the martial arts woman as beautiful and sexy in order to promote women in the arts.  I suppose on a smaller scale I use a bit of sex appeal through my blog name “The Martial Arts Woman” in order to pique interest in my website.  In the process, others may begin to view me as a strong female presence or a role model for other women,  Sex appeal can be used to make the female martial artist more apparent.

Sex appeal is not inherently a bad thing.  In martial arts, it is a byproduct of women gaining power and wisdom after transforming from the weaker sex.  Yes, it is a cultural thing, and like anything, finding balance between too much and too little is the key.

Full Circle

So, we come full circle.  Martial arts involve a lot of love; love of spirit, love of growth, love of style, and love of achievement.  Each martial artist or any karate lover has different reasons for which they are drawn to it.  This love has transformed martial arts, culturally. It is a phenomenon of sorts. It is not often you hear of someone who has not tried or never been influenced in some way by a martial art.

While movies and television shows and even product catalogs portray martial artists generally as very young, fit, and athletic, I think there are more me-types (everyday, in the trenches types of teachers) out there than what is portrayed.  On my best of days I don’t have rock hard abs like the girls I see on motivational karate posters.  The connector between what is commercialized and what is everyday is the ability to positively share a martial arts message.

Sex appeal is part of our daily culture.  It can be  positive or negative depending on how it is portrayed.  The appeal of martial arts always comes back to the basics:  the amazing conglomeration of a physical and mental application of a fighting art.

I bet you can come up with a few reasons why you love martial arts or why they are so appealing.  Whatever the reasons, just make sure they have to do more with your desire to learn, teach, or share your martial art, than anything else.  Any other kind of appeal is just icing on the cake.

Andrea