Monday, January 14, 2013
You dont need that AR-15
The writings of the founding fathers show that their primary concern when they included the Second Amendment was not criminals or whitetail deer - it was a check on the government itself. Having just fought a war with a government, they identified that a citizen cannot form or join a militia with a simple handgun, they need to maintain comparable arms. You may be familiar with the text, so I'll summarize - the Militia, Defined as an armed citizenry (more or less) by 10 USC 311, is what was identified as necessary, not hunting or personal security. With that being said, the Supreme Court has held at least twice...once in the Miller case I believe, that the Second Amendment protects the individual's right to own a weapon that is comparable to those of the military at the time of said citizen - (I.e. muskets in 1780's, M1's in WWII era and M-4/M-16 or "Bushmasters" today) or what folks are calling an assault rifle.
I am not saying that every person needs to have an AR 15, what I am saying is that the Constitution is not about "needs", its about rights. My honest concern is that a few folks, using fear as a motivator for support, are seeking to impose their opinion (which is counter to the founding fathers', Constitution, and Supreme Court's) on every law abiding citizens (which is the definition in 10 USC 311 of the militia), under false pretenses and emotional straw-men arguments, when many of them have demonstrated complete ignorance of (at best) and total disdain for (at worst) guns in general. When the same people that said they have to pass a bill to find out what's in it (again demonstrating ignorance, apathy, or both) are looking at a hot-button issue like this, it is accurate to say that I fear that our elected officials are likely to err in the direction of taking away Second Amendment rights. It's about so much more than hunting rifles and handgunsSee More
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Legitimacy in the Martial Arts
Over the years, I have joined a few martial art forums (online communities) and lurked (read without contributing) on quite a few more. The topic of “legitimacy” seems to rear its ugly head every now and again and I'd like to discuss it a bit now.
For some it is something to be desired, to others it is to be expected. A common thread in all of the discussions is often that a person is somehow less of a martial artist if they fail to have a “legitimate link” to a master in the art’s home of origin, and by the same logic is less of a teacher to their students as they pass their bastardization on to another “illegitimate” generation.
Don’t get me wrong…I am not talking about someone who is willfully lying to prospective students regarding their lineage. Such a person should be exposed in a civil manner and the students given the truth. But, what’s next? It is the students that I am concerned about. What about the dedicated student, who through years of hard practice and study have developed skills on their own, regardless of their “illegitimate” nature. The instructor merely passed along the erroneous lineage information that he was given.
In this example, we have a good teacher with a strong foundation and excellent ability to transmit ideas and concepts. To me, it is the teacher’s lineage that is in question…not their abilities. Does the teacher have strong fundamentals and more advanced knowledge? Yes. Does he pass those fundamentals, principles and concepts to the next generation? Yes. Does he have a “legitimate” black belt lineage through the art’s founder? That is the part that is in question.
Oftentimes there are jokes, asides and snide remarks regarding a person who learned from any source other than a “legitimate” inheritor of a system or instructor with direct ties to the art’s country of origin. The reality is that there are those people who are excellent martial artists without the trappings of a long family tree; people who have never had the good fortune of studying with an “accredited” high ranking instructor from their chosen art.
If a musician teaches himself how to play the piano (or better yet, learns from a book), does it mean that he is not really a piano player because he didn’t go to Julliard School of Music? Should he stop telling people he is an accomplished piano player? If he then teaches his grandson how to play piano and read music, does that mean that his son isn’t a real musician? Is he, somehow, a fraud? I agree that if he claims to have played at Carnegie Hall and never did, and is making money from a false reputation, then that is fraud and a crime. If his grandson, on the other hand, realizes that “Pappy” wasn’t telling the truth and teaches his students under no such pretense, then I see it as a name redeemed and an art passed on to the next generation.
On one particular forum, I have found some accomplished martial artists who have devoted their lives to their chosen art, only to find that they have been duped in regards to the “legitimacy” of their instructors. People say “they can still practice martial arts, just don’t call it ***jutsu.” What would they call it, then? It isn’t one thing and it isn’t the other. Does their teacher’s lies somehow detract from their own abilities? Should they be kept from teaching students because their skills came from training with a fraud? I say “no” on both accounts.
I submit that the martial arts, specifically one of my chosen arts - Karate - are folk arts. They are designed to be passed from person to person, generation to generation, changed and adapted. That which is strong will remain and those changes that aren’t will go to the wayside. Sometimes information is passed by books (such as the Bubishi or Tao of Jeet Kun Do). As technology improves, the number of methods that information can be transmitted increases. People don’t change. There will always be those who are drawn to teach what they know to others, regardless of the method that they learned it. Knowledge is knowledge, skills are skills, regardless of their source. True skills can come only from hard work. Solid knowledge comes through study, analysis and application. “Who is your teacher?” is a more important question than “who was his teacher?”
Ultimately, we will not ask about your teacher or his teacher, but we will ask to see your students, for they are your resume and your qualifications.
For some it is something to be desired, to others it is to be expected. A common thread in all of the discussions is often that a person is somehow less of a martial artist if they fail to have a “legitimate link” to a master in the art’s home of origin, and by the same logic is less of a teacher to their students as they pass their bastardization on to another “illegitimate” generation.
Don’t get me wrong…I am not talking about someone who is willfully lying to prospective students regarding their lineage. Such a person should be exposed in a civil manner and the students given the truth. But, what’s next? It is the students that I am concerned about. What about the dedicated student, who through years of hard practice and study have developed skills on their own, regardless of their “illegitimate” nature. The instructor merely passed along the erroneous lineage information that he was given.
In this example, we have a good teacher with a strong foundation and excellent ability to transmit ideas and concepts. To me, it is the teacher’s lineage that is in question…not their abilities. Does the teacher have strong fundamentals and more advanced knowledge? Yes. Does he pass those fundamentals, principles and concepts to the next generation? Yes. Does he have a “legitimate” black belt lineage through the art’s founder? That is the part that is in question.
Oftentimes there are jokes, asides and snide remarks regarding a person who learned from any source other than a “legitimate” inheritor of a system or instructor with direct ties to the art’s country of origin. The reality is that there are those people who are excellent martial artists without the trappings of a long family tree; people who have never had the good fortune of studying with an “accredited” high ranking instructor from their chosen art.
If a musician teaches himself how to play the piano (or better yet, learns from a book), does it mean that he is not really a piano player because he didn’t go to Julliard School of Music? Should he stop telling people he is an accomplished piano player? If he then teaches his grandson how to play piano and read music, does that mean that his son isn’t a real musician? Is he, somehow, a fraud? I agree that if he claims to have played at Carnegie Hall and never did, and is making money from a false reputation, then that is fraud and a crime. If his grandson, on the other hand, realizes that “Pappy” wasn’t telling the truth and teaches his students under no such pretense, then I see it as a name redeemed and an art passed on to the next generation.
On one particular forum, I have found some accomplished martial artists who have devoted their lives to their chosen art, only to find that they have been duped in regards to the “legitimacy” of their instructors. People say “they can still practice martial arts, just don’t call it ***jutsu.” What would they call it, then? It isn’t one thing and it isn’t the other. Does their teacher’s lies somehow detract from their own abilities? Should they be kept from teaching students because their skills came from training with a fraud? I say “no” on both accounts.
I submit that the martial arts, specifically one of my chosen arts - Karate - are folk arts. They are designed to be passed from person to person, generation to generation, changed and adapted. That which is strong will remain and those changes that aren’t will go to the wayside. Sometimes information is passed by books (such as the Bubishi or Tao of Jeet Kun Do). As technology improves, the number of methods that information can be transmitted increases. People don’t change. There will always be those who are drawn to teach what they know to others, regardless of the method that they learned it. Knowledge is knowledge, skills are skills, regardless of their source. True skills can come only from hard work. Solid knowledge comes through study, analysis and application. “Who is your teacher?” is a more important question than “who was his teacher?”
Ultimately, we will not ask about your teacher or his teacher, but we will ask to see your students, for they are your resume and your qualifications.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Kung Fu Systems and Karate Styles? What's up with that...
While spending a sleepless night thinking about this a few years ago, I came to the following categorizing conclusions and I thought that this was as good a place as any to share those ideas:
Art: Physical expression of an idea, concept, or emotion; tangible or intangible; purposely created by a thinking and feeling sentient being.
Types of Art: Literature, music, "physical art" (dance, martial art), etc
Martial Arts: Physical expression of a specific philosophy or set of philosophies using combat-type movements and scenarios (either real or imagined).
- Differs from a Combat system or a Martial Sport; Each generally lacks a "higher" philosophy around which it bases it's operation.
- Are generally categorized by similar domninant combative methods and tactical doctrine (I.E. - throws vs kicks vs joint locks)
- can be further categorized by region of origin (I.E. - Korea, Japan/Okinawa, China, Indonesia, Nevada, etc)
Types of Martial Arts: Karate, Taekwondo, Judo, Arnis, Boxing (if taught with an underlying "higher" philosophy), Kung Fu
Martial Art System: a general method of achieving a more specific philosophical goal relative to the teachings of a particular individual or group of individuals; an overall "how and why" within a specific martial art; has distinct exercises and forms, if applicable, that distinguish it from other systems of the same art
Types of Martial Art Systems: Goju Ryu, Shorin Ryu, WTF TKD, Praying Mantis, American Kenpo
Martial Art Style: specific method of teaching a martial art system within the confines and philosophy of said larger System (see above); usually focused upon the teaching methods of a specific instructor (past or present); often uses similar but separate methods to teach the same material
Types of Martial Art Styles: Japanese Goju Ryu, Southern Tiger, Ed Parker’s American Kenpo
Martial Art Schools: refers to the specific methods and practices of a particular instructor and their students and not the physical location
Types of Martial Art Schools: AC Wiley’s Nahate Goju Ryu, Jimmy Cole’s Songham TKD, Royce Gracie’s BJJ
Often an individual teacher will have a method different enough from others within the same style that the SCHOOL will develop, over time, into a new style (over time is the key phrase there). That style will grow and change into a separate system as more students learn from this instructor or his students. If it is individual enough to stand on its own, the system could eventually turn itself into a separate art.
For example (simplified): Higaonna learned martial arts from Ryu Ryuko and other teachers, he taught the art Nahate (later Karate) to Miyagi; Miyagi taught karate at the school level, it was different enough to warrant being named a different style (Goju Ryu); The style gained a following and split into Okinawan and Japanese Goju Ryu (Two styles of the now System); Each split into different styles of Japanese and Okinawan Goju Ryu based on the different instructors methods and now there are Okinawan, Japanese and American SYSTEMS of Goju Ryu, each with their own styles and those having their own separate schools.
My thoughts…
Art: Physical expression of an idea, concept, or emotion; tangible or intangible; purposely created by a thinking and feeling sentient being.
Types of Art: Literature, music, "physical art" (dance, martial art), etc
Martial Arts: Physical expression of a specific philosophy or set of philosophies using combat-type movements and scenarios (either real or imagined).
- Differs from a Combat system or a Martial Sport; Each generally lacks a "higher" philosophy around which it bases it's operation.
- Are generally categorized by similar domninant combative methods and tactical doctrine (I.E. - throws vs kicks vs joint locks)
- can be further categorized by region of origin (I.E. - Korea, Japan/Okinawa, China, Indonesia, Nevada, etc)
Types of Martial Arts: Karate, Taekwondo, Judo, Arnis, Boxing (if taught with an underlying "higher" philosophy), Kung Fu
Martial Art System: a general method of achieving a more specific philosophical goal relative to the teachings of a particular individual or group of individuals; an overall "how and why" within a specific martial art; has distinct exercises and forms, if applicable, that distinguish it from other systems of the same art
Types of Martial Art Systems: Goju Ryu, Shorin Ryu, WTF TKD, Praying Mantis, American Kenpo
Martial Art Style: specific method of teaching a martial art system within the confines and philosophy of said larger System (see above); usually focused upon the teaching methods of a specific instructor (past or present); often uses similar but separate methods to teach the same material
Types of Martial Art Styles: Japanese Goju Ryu, Southern Tiger, Ed Parker’s American Kenpo
Martial Art Schools: refers to the specific methods and practices of a particular instructor and their students and not the physical location
Types of Martial Art Schools: AC Wiley’s Nahate Goju Ryu, Jimmy Cole’s Songham TKD, Royce Gracie’s BJJ
Often an individual teacher will have a method different enough from others within the same style that the SCHOOL will develop, over time, into a new style (over time is the key phrase there). That style will grow and change into a separate system as more students learn from this instructor or his students. If it is individual enough to stand on its own, the system could eventually turn itself into a separate art.
For example (simplified): Higaonna learned martial arts from Ryu Ryuko and other teachers, he taught the art Nahate (later Karate) to Miyagi; Miyagi taught karate at the school level, it was different enough to warrant being named a different style (Goju Ryu); The style gained a following and split into Okinawan and Japanese Goju Ryu (Two styles of the now System); Each split into different styles of Japanese and Okinawan Goju Ryu based on the different instructors methods and now there are Okinawan, Japanese and American SYSTEMS of Goju Ryu, each with their own styles and those having their own separate schools.
My thoughts…
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Hard or Soft? Coming back from Open Heart Surgery
So as some folks know, a year ago I was standing on the corner of Death and 31st streets due to some heavy duty infections and associated operations. One of my staunchest hopes was to come out of the experience with my previous martial skills recognizable, if improved. During my recovery, I started slow and ugly doing my kata (as I remembered them) and my Chinese Kenpo master form. It wasn't pretty at all, but it was still in there.
If you have never had such a major surgery that requires you to be under anesthesia AND a paralyzing agent, I would highly recommend that you avoid it at all costs. Apparently there is something about having someone elbow deep in your chest and your heart splayed open that is not compatible with involuntary twitching. When I came out of the anesthesia, I had absolutely no ability to voluntarily move anything on my body from my eyelids to my toes. Essentially, I started from absolutely zero ability to move and had to relearn how to walk. To say that the experience was unpleasant would be like saying that Hitler had minor control issues.
So once I learned the basics - foot in front, step, etc - and got to the point that I could ambulate for a few minutes at a time, I worked my forms and kata. To be certain, they were unrecognizable at first. Eventually, through training, perseverance, practice and study I have come back to a skill level resembling a trained martial artist. I make no claims at mastery and won't bother to pretend that my form is anywhere near what it once was, but it is improving every day...and that's what the journey is all about.
So for a year I have focused on my Kenpo and my Nahate Goju. I have been sharpening the sword back to use and, God willing, will continue to. What had been lacking up until recently, however, was my pen to my sword, my soft to my hard, my yin to my yang. Finally recognizing this and taking action on it, my beautiful wife and I purchased a guitar so that I could re-learn music and develop the other half of my spirit. So far, I'm loving it! I look forward to the time of day when I can go downstairs to our family room and just pick away on the Takamine's strings and build calluses until it hurts, never quite sounding "good."
You see, I may never be as good at martial arts as I once was...perhaps I never was in the first place, but that's another thought for another day. I may never get good at the guitar, either. Although it's the basic idea to sound better, it's never going to sound as good as I want it too. I suppose if I ever got good at martial arts or the guitar, then I'd have to take up something else. In the mean time, I love training in the martial arts and I love playing on my guitar. I like to think that one helps me with the other, but I'll never tell which...
Until next time...
If you have never had such a major surgery that requires you to be under anesthesia AND a paralyzing agent, I would highly recommend that you avoid it at all costs. Apparently there is something about having someone elbow deep in your chest and your heart splayed open that is not compatible with involuntary twitching. When I came out of the anesthesia, I had absolutely no ability to voluntarily move anything on my body from my eyelids to my toes. Essentially, I started from absolutely zero ability to move and had to relearn how to walk. To say that the experience was unpleasant would be like saying that Hitler had minor control issues.
So once I learned the basics - foot in front, step, etc - and got to the point that I could ambulate for a few minutes at a time, I worked my forms and kata. To be certain, they were unrecognizable at first. Eventually, through training, perseverance, practice and study I have come back to a skill level resembling a trained martial artist. I make no claims at mastery and won't bother to pretend that my form is anywhere near what it once was, but it is improving every day...and that's what the journey is all about.
So for a year I have focused on my Kenpo and my Nahate Goju. I have been sharpening the sword back to use and, God willing, will continue to. What had been lacking up until recently, however, was my pen to my sword, my soft to my hard, my yin to my yang. Finally recognizing this and taking action on it, my beautiful wife and I purchased a guitar so that I could re-learn music and develop the other half of my spirit. So far, I'm loving it! I look forward to the time of day when I can go downstairs to our family room and just pick away on the Takamine's strings and build calluses until it hurts, never quite sounding "good."
You see, I may never be as good at martial arts as I once was...perhaps I never was in the first place, but that's another thought for another day. I may never get good at the guitar, either. Although it's the basic idea to sound better, it's never going to sound as good as I want it too. I suppose if I ever got good at martial arts or the guitar, then I'd have to take up something else. In the mean time, I love training in the martial arts and I love playing on my guitar. I like to think that one helps me with the other, but I'll never tell which...
Until next time...
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Getting Started
Lao Tzu is usually credited with the thousand miles-single step thing, and I suppose that anytime you want to start something it's best to start at the beginning. Since this is the beginning of what I hope to be a long running enterprise, we will begin at the start.
If you are interested in starting martial arts, the first question you should ask yourself is "why?" The reasons for starting such an activity are legion, for they are many, and understanding your motivations for such an undertaking will go a long way towards finding the right art and teacher for you.
Many times, the process for beginning a martial art goes something like this...
Bob (random & easily spelled name) sees a martial art movie or local demo and thinks that it would be neat to start kuhrotty (karate's common pronunciation). Bob then goes to the internet and looks for a school in his local driving radius and picks the one with the coolest website. Eventually, Bob - not knowing what he really wants out of the arts other than "those cool moves" - goes to the school with the coolest website and signs up. Unfortunately, the art is not ideally designed for his build...or the instructor is too "hardcore"...or it just doesn't seem as cool as it did on TV. For any of the above reasons or thousands more, Bob quits thinking that all martial arts are alike and not for him at all.
This is a very common and sad scenario. I feel that the martial arts have something to offer to EVERYBODY. The issue is that there are so damn many arts that it's often too daunting of a task to begin understanding where you fit into the entire picture.
Before I offer a review of what art is for you, I must give this caveat...if you don't live in a metropolitan area, you may have to commute significantly for an in person instructor. If it's not available, there are options that I will discuss later.
As a martial arts instructor, I have to caution you against asking your martial artist friend what you should study. On the one hand, he or she might have your best interest in mind and will direct you well. On the other hand, they might tell you "Oh, I can teach you..." which may or may not be a good idea. If you are going to do that, I highly recommend doing research yourself first, so you can ask the right questions.
What are the right questions? I'd say THAT is the best question. I implore you to not seek answers, but better questions. Here are a few to ask yourself first...
1. Why do I want to study martial arts? Do I seek self-defense, physical conditioning, tradition, social activity, competition, or something else?
2. What is my current physical health level? This is very important, as you must ensure that you are in healthy enough condition to begin various arts...some are much more cardio intensive than others while some specifically start slow and build you up.
3. What kind of setting do I want to study in? There are large schools, backyard dojos, gyms, and everything in between. Some offer private instruction, some only offer group lessons.
4. What level of contact am I willing to participate in? Martial arts all have some level of contact eventually. If you are looking for less touching, a forms based art might be for you...otherwise an MMA school might be what you are looking for.
Asking yourself these questions is a great start to finding your way into the martial arts. Hopefully, these questions will lead you to more questions and you can find better answers. After all, it IS all about finding a better question. until next time...
If you are interested in starting martial arts, the first question you should ask yourself is "why?" The reasons for starting such an activity are legion, for they are many, and understanding your motivations for such an undertaking will go a long way towards finding the right art and teacher for you.
Many times, the process for beginning a martial art goes something like this...
Bob (random & easily spelled name) sees a martial art movie or local demo and thinks that it would be neat to start kuhrotty (karate's common pronunciation). Bob then goes to the internet and looks for a school in his local driving radius and picks the one with the coolest website. Eventually, Bob - not knowing what he really wants out of the arts other than "those cool moves" - goes to the school with the coolest website and signs up. Unfortunately, the art is not ideally designed for his build...or the instructor is too "hardcore"...or it just doesn't seem as cool as it did on TV. For any of the above reasons or thousands more, Bob quits thinking that all martial arts are alike and not for him at all.
This is a very common and sad scenario. I feel that the martial arts have something to offer to EVERYBODY. The issue is that there are so damn many arts that it's often too daunting of a task to begin understanding where you fit into the entire picture.
Before I offer a review of what art is for you, I must give this caveat...if you don't live in a metropolitan area, you may have to commute significantly for an in person instructor. If it's not available, there are options that I will discuss later.
As a martial arts instructor, I have to caution you against asking your martial artist friend what you should study. On the one hand, he or she might have your best interest in mind and will direct you well. On the other hand, they might tell you "Oh, I can teach you..." which may or may not be a good idea. If you are going to do that, I highly recommend doing research yourself first, so you can ask the right questions.
What are the right questions? I'd say THAT is the best question. I implore you to not seek answers, but better questions. Here are a few to ask yourself first...
1. Why do I want to study martial arts? Do I seek self-defense, physical conditioning, tradition, social activity, competition, or something else?
2. What is my current physical health level? This is very important, as you must ensure that you are in healthy enough condition to begin various arts...some are much more cardio intensive than others while some specifically start slow and build you up.
3. What kind of setting do I want to study in? There are large schools, backyard dojos, gyms, and everything in between. Some offer private instruction, some only offer group lessons.
4. What level of contact am I willing to participate in? Martial arts all have some level of contact eventually. If you are looking for less touching, a forms based art might be for you...otherwise an MMA school might be what you are looking for.
Asking yourself these questions is a great start to finding your way into the martial arts. Hopefully, these questions will lead you to more questions and you can find better answers. After all, it IS all about finding a better question. until next time...
What is a Martial Artist?
What is a Martial artist?
I suppose a good place for me to start on the matter is to discuss what the difference between "an art" and "art" itself is. The premise of defining an "Artist" as "one who creates art" is correct, but incomplete. I would submit that an artist is "one who creates art; one who practices or studies an art."
So what is "an Art" versus "art"? I present that "an art" is a craft or skill honed by its body of practitioners to the point that a person outside of that body of practitioners can recognize that a product of that art is out of the normal scope of daily life and is, in fact, something that transcends the ordinary. That product can be called "art." something lasting that produces an emotional reaction in those who experience it through any combination of the senses. Do martial arts fit that description?
I would also submit that the term "martial art" is somewhat misleading to its purpose - imposing ones will on another or preventing them from imposing theirs on you (really, that's what militaries do). In martial terms, what most of us as "martial artists" study would better be described a craft or skill. When many people conceptualize a "martial art," what actually comes to mind is a physical and mental skill cultivated through training.
By the premise here, a person who can spontaneously produce a technique or combination using a system of physical basics in such a way as to efficiently solve the problem at hand is better described as a craftsman, not an artist. The craftsman enters the realm of artistry when that technique or combination produced is of such unique quality that it leaves a permanent emotional or psychological impression on those who experience it through any combination of the five senses.
All that being said, there are different cultural terms for what I, as an American English speaker, call Martial Arts. In Japanese, we have Bugei, Bujutsu and Budo. All of which begin with "Bu," or War/Military, and follow up with way, skill, etc. None of them mean "Art." In Chinese, we have Kung Fu, Chuan Fa and Wushu - Meaning "Skill","Fist law" and "War Skill." None of them discussing "art" either (my Japanese and Chinese aren't all that good, so forgive me if I got those a little skewed." Most cultural terms for "art" are specifically related to their medium.
The artist and the craftsman are two sides of the same coin. Both are driven by innovation and the need to fill a void with that which they create. They are driven by their own motivations to constantly improve. They both either get better daily or stagnate, depending on whether or not they continue to practice (like medicine).
Admittedly, this definition is incredibly limiting whereas another purpose of "art" is to liberate us from the day to day existence of the mundane. In the end, whether or not you call yourself or someone else a martial artist, a martial craftsman or a marital arts practitioner, know why you are doing it and get the most out of it that you can.
So what is "an Art" versus "art"? I present that "an art" is a craft or skill honed by its body of practitioners to the point that a person outside of that body of practitioners can recognize that a product of that art is out of the normal scope of daily life and is, in fact, something that transcends the ordinary. That product can be called "art." something lasting that produces an emotional reaction in those who experience it through any combination of the senses. Do martial arts fit that description?
I would also submit that the term "martial art" is somewhat misleading to its purpose - imposing ones will on another or preventing them from imposing theirs on you (really, that's what militaries do). In martial terms, what most of us as "martial artists" study would better be described a craft or skill. When many people conceptualize a "martial art," what actually comes to mind is a physical and mental skill cultivated through training.
By the premise here, a person who can spontaneously produce a technique or combination using a system of physical basics in such a way as to efficiently solve the problem at hand is better described as a craftsman, not an artist. The craftsman enters the realm of artistry when that technique or combination produced is of such unique quality that it leaves a permanent emotional or psychological impression on those who experience it through any combination of the five senses.
All that being said, there are different cultural terms for what I, as an American English speaker, call Martial Arts. In Japanese, we have Bugei, Bujutsu and Budo. All of which begin with "Bu," or War/Military, and follow up with way, skill, etc. None of them mean "Art." In Chinese, we have Kung Fu, Chuan Fa and Wushu - Meaning "Skill","Fist law" and "War Skill." None of them discussing "art" either (my Japanese and Chinese aren't all that good, so forgive me if I got those a little skewed." Most cultural terms for "art" are specifically related to their medium.
The artist and the craftsman are two sides of the same coin. Both are driven by innovation and the need to fill a void with that which they create. They are driven by their own motivations to constantly improve. They both either get better daily or stagnate, depending on whether or not they continue to practice (like medicine).
Admittedly, this definition is incredibly limiting whereas another purpose of "art" is to liberate us from the day to day existence of the mundane. In the end, whether or not you call yourself or someone else a martial artist, a martial craftsman or a marital arts practitioner, know why you are doing it and get the most out of it that you can.
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