What is a martial art as opposed to self defense or combat sports?

Any martial art can be turned into a "combat sport". All you have to do is establish a set of rules and regulations. All fighting systems in the entire world can be used in both self defense application and competition fighting. All you have to do is train how you want to use it.

Not so much ignorant in this case as simply ticked at the MMA/UFC fans who seem to think that MMA fights are legitimate fights. I also get quite ticked whenever i see something saying that bjj or muay thai is the best martial art in the world or how its easy to get anyone to the ground and that ground is the best form of fighting or some other MMA fandom comment. MMA is a ring sport meant to showcase an ATHLETES ability, as supposed to what you would do in a real situation. Most MMA fighters would never actually take someone to the ground in a fight, and i personally think that some MMA fans need to learn the difference. But at the same time, i have to say that bjj is NOT simply a sport. It can and is used for self defense. BJJ has techniques meant for street fights and self defense just like any other combative sport. You would get destroyed if you thought that a Capeoirist was a simple dancer or that an aikido blackbelt was just some guy with fancy footwork. BJJ is a martial art and it can be used for self defense, its just a shame that bjj has become so linked to MMA that people can't seem to differentiate the two.

Any of these martial arts will do. In fact, each and every art these days are evolving and could turn into a combat sports since it is the mode. For example karate, if we speak of the latter we think the old school thing like its stances but now, it is already evolving to a all around sport which could be used in the streets and in the ring.

1) A martial art is technically a system of maim and killing techniques used by military forces in close contact with the enemy. Traditional martial arts are many times based on old warrior arts like those used in the old times in China, Japan, Korea, ...etc.

2) Self-defense is anything you do in order to save yourself from injury, or death. Self-defense relates only to altercations that you must deal with because you can't get away. If someone defending themselves goes beyond the point of rendering the attacker incapable of or desiring to cause harm, it is no longer self-defense in the eyes of the law.

3) Combat Sport.......??? That is a contradiction of terms. Sport is not realistic Combat since it is limited by rules to keep the participants safe. Combat is not sport since its purpose is to maim or kill the enemy. There simply is nothing that can correctly be called a "Combat Sport".

NOTE: the list you posted is impossible to classify exactly. some of these are sports. Some are self-defense systems. Some can be done as martial arts, or Sports, depending on how practiced and in what venue they are used.

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They are all martial arts. Most people, when you say "Martial Arts" think Karate, Bruce Lee, and exotic weaponry. Swords, knives, barehanded, sticks, anything you can learn to use as a weapon is a martial art. Think about what you picture when you hear the words "Martial Law". I think of the old west and men who learned to use a gun so well they could put a round through a flea's butt at 400 yards. They learned to use a weapon with skill. Sometimes a weapon is an implement of some sort, sometimes it is your bare hands and feet. Martial arts have been around since Biblical times. David (the one who killed Goliath) was a martial artist, he just had a slingshot instead of nunchaku.

All MAs were originally created for self defense. Anything that has rules is a combat sport. In the end it depends on how its taught.

no they are not all martial arts

i ask this question a few months back and the tc here gave some great responces as to the definition of martial arts, martial sports (combat sports) and self defense

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AgTma...

FMA is a war art THATS BEEN AROUND SINCE 13000 BC