Martial arts have shaped the world’s military forces for millennia and continue to do so despite the many military technological advancements made in the past few centuries.
While the days of battles taking place on open fields with soldiers going head on against each other with hand-held weapons and their limbs are long gone, martial arts training remains an irreplaceable part of many military programs.
Martial arts and the world’s militaries are so closely linked that military bodies developed some of the most popular styles practiced today. For example, Muay Thai is evolved from the ancient martial art Muay Boran, developed for Thai soldiers to quickly dispatch enemies. Also, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a derivative of Jujutsu, the fighting system used by the Samurai on Japanese battlefields.
This article will explore the impact martial arts have had on how military recruits are trained from the dawn of civilization.
A Look Back At The Role Of Martial Arts In Ancient Military Training Programs
Most people today view martial arts as sports, but these fighting systems were often developed for warriors to use on battlefields. Until several centuries ago, most human warfare were fought up close with soldiers wielding weapons and often not using their limbs if necessary. This created a need for soldiers to be masters of hand-to-hand combat since it’s easy to get disarmed when fighting in close quarters.
Some examples of ancient civilizations that used martial arts to prepare soldiers for combat include:
- Roman Empire: Roman soldiers were trained in Pankration, a wrestling-heavy style that allows strikes.
- Ancient Japan: The samurai were the warrior class of ancient Japan, and Jujutsu was a vital part of their training. This isn’t the modern Jiu-Jitsu most people have come to know. Ancient Jiu-Jitsu was brutal, with matches ending only when one competitor could no longer continue.
- Ancient China: Chinese Kung Fu wasn’t invented when Bruce Lee was born. The ancient style has been around for over 4,000 years and has been a massive part of Chinese military training. Martial arts wasn’t just used to teach soldiers how to defend themselves; it was a way to instill attributes like discipline, focus, and resilience in recruits.
Martial Arts In Modern Military Programs
Martial arts play a vital role in many military training regimens worldwide. These combat styles teach soldiers valuable hand-to-hand skills and develop their toughness, problem-solving skills, and ability to function in high-stress environments.
Some of the ways martial arts training fits into modern military programs include:
1) Close Quarters Combat (CQC)
While technology once increased the distances at which combatants engaged each other in battle, modern military tactics have had the opposite effect. Urban warfare is now the norm in many military engagements, putting soldiers in close quarters with opposing forces.
As a result, the need for hand-to-hand combat is higher than it’s been in the past few centuries, with many military programs focusing on gun disarmament techniques and moves that can be used to neutralize opponents in tight quarters.
MMA is one of the newest martial arts and undeniably the most effective since it uses techniques from various martial arts like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing, Muay Thai, and Judo. Many military forces have swiftly incorporated mixed martial arts to their training curriculum due to it’s effective combat style for hand-to-hand combat, it’s ability to covers all aspects of fighting, and the intense exercise training it provides soldiers, helping to improve their endurance, functional strength, and composure in stressful environments.
BJJ is becoming increasingly popular as part of military training because of its focus on ground fighting techniques that allow soldiers to subdue combatants without hurting them. In today’s smartphone-crazed world, where a video of soldiers manhandling enemy combatants can quickly go viral and cause lots of controversy, there’s a high need for law enforcement and soldiers to be able to control hostile people on the ground without causing significant damage. Think of peacekeeping forces worldwide trying to win the hearts of local populations.
Modern military organizations realize that there’s more to martial arts than self-defense. Valuable traits like restraint, focus, and precision can be drilled into soldiers through martial arts, making them more effective at their jobs. A strong advocate of BJJ is retired U.S. Navy SEAL Lieutenant Commander Jocko Willink, who practiced BJJ during his active years and continues to do so today. Watch this short clip where he explains how BJJ aligns with the military’s core values and beliefs.
The Non-Combat Benefits Martial Arts Training Offers Military Programs
Many people focus on the physical aspects of martial arts training, like learning how to fight, but people who train are quick to tell you that the most significant benefits of learning any combat style are psychological.
Some of the psychological benefits soldiers, and anyone else who trains martial arts, enjoy include:
- Increased Focus: Martial arts training demands complete focus to understand the techniques being broken down and use them effectively. Training forces you to stay in the moment and concentrate on what you’re doing, an invaluable trait on the battlefield. You wouldn’t want the soldier next to you in a warzone daydreaming while enemies attack, would you? Life in the military is filled with pressure, and martial arts training gives soldiers the tools they need to stay calm through anything thrown at them.
- Improved Mental Toughness: Going head-to-head with your training partners while learning martial arts helps to build resilience. You’ll make mistakes and get knocked down, but you’ll learn to get up and keep going.
- Increased Self-Confidence: Martial arts training provides a fast feedback loop that allows practitioners to evaluate the progress made because of their training. One day, you’re struggling with a technique and throwing it like a seasoned martial artist the next day. This feedback loop helps to build confidence and increases a soldier’s trust in other skills they’ve learned in the military.
Martial Arts And Military Training Go Hand-In-Hand
Martial arts have been a part of military training programs for millennia because many techniques they teach work in real-life scenarios. On top of that, martial arts also teach soldiers build attributes that give them an edge on battlefields, like resilience, discipline, and mental focus.
With that being said, the benefits gained in the military can also be enjoyed by anyone through martial arts! If you’re looking to build discipline, mental toughness, and peak physical fitness, why not give martial arts a try?
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