Definitions...

[Baji87]

I see these words tossed around a lot in MA conversations, but can we clear up what they all really mean?

I can recall "System" "Family" "Branch" "Style" "Form"...

What would you say is the best definition for all these?

 

[still learning]

Hello, It is amazing our languages have so many words that mean almost the same thing.

In martial arts, systems,styles, are usually referring to a particular art. like this is our systems, or our style, can be apply to any martial art. General term today. Karate styles or Karate systems. It could also be use to refer to techniques. "Our style punches like this." (similar arts).

Family can have more than one meaning. Those schools who belong to one organzition, (branches) can have the same meaning. A branch can be part of a family within one organzition. Mom and Dad?

Form: could be a style or system or refer to as a Kata's'.

The more I try to make this simple the harder it is getting...All those words have many meaning? and it depends on who you are talking too!

Help is needed here?

In our FAMILY of martial artist, is a FAMILY of STYLES, put together by varies fighting arts SYSTEMS, each STYLE has a SYSTEM, and our SYSTEM is in close fighting, that is our STYLE. We have many BRANCHES and each is a part of our FAMILY. Our FORMS are related to chinese STYLE of fighting and FORMS. We refer our FORMS as Kata's, but use the chinese word version of Kata to FORMS instead. Our FORM of fighting is quick and fast, that is our STYLE of fighing in our SYSTEM today. I need my FAMILY to help me? Mom!...Dad? help!

Each person may have their own definitions and explaintons? Please except them ALL!

Boxing has a style to it, and depends on whose system is teaching depends on what you learn. Boxing can take on different forms or styles.

WORDS: can have many meanings and at the same time mean nothing?

Aloha (take my word for it?)

 

[stone_dragone]

I see these words tossed around a lot in MA conversations, but can we clear up what they all really mean?

I can recall "System" "Family" "Branch" "Style" "Form"...

What would you say is the best definition for all these?

The usage of the words depends on the person using them...sorry to seem overly cryptic.

The words are used to categorize and stratify levels of development within the martial arts historically.

When I use the terms, it is often in this type of usage:

It all begins with the student and a teacher. The teacher instructs a particular curriculum that is unique to him based on a Form of armed/unarmed combat - perhaps punching and kicking, or throwing and locking or sword...

Over time his students become instructors and spread this unique curriculum to the world. It now becomes the Unique System.

Certain high ranking instructors add their personal preferences, elements and quirks to their curriculum. Although at the core it is still the same system, now different Styles emerge within the system.

Eventually, the heads of the styles have instructors under them and grant some rights to make decisions for the entire style in their own geographic part of the world, creating a separate Branch of the Style.

The term family can be used loosely to describe either the group of styles in the system or just the group of students that train together on their Forms - patterns of preset movements that teach particular basics, strategies, philosophies and movement concepts.


Then again, you could break the set down differently entirely.

 

[Baji87]

Stone, while terms may be thrown around loosely I think you hit it pretty damn close to on the nail.

Thanks!

 

[stone_dragone]

Thank you much...I've had a lot of practice hitting nails (and missing) since we bought the house!

I've asked myself the question about what a style is about a thousand times...unfortunately I get a different answer each time.