Yoga, a Martial Art?

[Edmund BlackAdder]

I've had a number of strange chats this past few weeks. A fellow I ran into at the library, insisted that Yoga was in fact an ancient martial art, much like TaiChi, practiced by ancient Indian Warriors.

Personally, it sounds like so much ah, "poopoo", to me, and I couldn't find anything while I was there to validate his claims. But, my experience with yoga was seeing it on my local health club listing under "Sensei Bambi", so who am I to guess right?

Anyway, is there any truth in this weird claim?

 

[liuseongsystem]

sure it runs counter to the generalized impression here in America.

in my system, their are said to be Indian influences and in fact we have a form that is called "taichi" but is most like an Indian warrior class form. it is not taichi, it is yoga.

legend or not, it is said that the buddha came from India.

 

[White Fox]

I've had a number of strange chats this past few weeks. A fellow I ran into at the library, insisted that Yoga was in fact an ancient martial art, much like TaiChi, practiced by ancient Indian Warriors.

Personally, it sounds like so much ah, "poopoo", to me, and I couldn't find anything while I was there to validate his claims. But, my experience with yoga was seeing it on my local health club listing under "Sensei Bambi", so who am I to guess right?

Anyway, is there any truth in this weird claim?

I think that the name of the warrior class art was VrajaMukti of something like that. The bodidharma taught something similar to this to his students because they were falling asleep and where hunched over. I think this is where kung fu comes from.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Did some digging.....

"In sixth-century China, because Zen Buddhist monks who meditated for long hours were developing spiritually but weakening physically, Prince Bodhidharma introduced monks at the Shaolin Temple to what later became known as kung fu—a martial art based on Indian yoga. The monks were not only priests but warriors too, and practiced this first martial art on a daily basis."
http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/189_1.cfm

I've found many many sites where yoga and martial arts are linked or taught side by side. Seems like a good combination at least, proper breathing, relaxation, flexibility...all good things for a martial artist.

 

[elder999]

While the bit about Boddhidharma is thought by many to be just a legend, the somewhat counter-intuitive fact is that the physical exercises that most of us think of as yoga, whose name is from the Sanskrit root word yuj for "yoke," or harness, comes from indigenous Hindu wrestling. There are actually practices called "yoga" that don't have any physical exercises at all, but that's not what we're talking about....

 

[beau_safken]

I'm gonna say traditional yoga...

not the new age'y crap that is all over the place

 

[Mcura]

This past weekend, my JKD instructor was remarking that he'd written a paper in his university days on the combative applications of yoga and other culture's indigenous dance forms. The short example he showed me was a "downward dog" pose that translated to a diving knee bar and takedown. And if the practitioner missed the leg, it folds into a forward roll.

His opinion was that every dance form, from the Hawaiian hula to the Maori haka, from the Zulu wardance to Yoga, concealed both healing energies and combative applications. Now having said that, you'd have to really analyze these motions to figure out what these applications are. I'm sure Teacher Betty doing the Sun Salute in SuperFitness wouldn't think of her practices as "martial" in any sense.

Now that I think about it, Pete Kautz wrote of the Tinikling in his website. It's a traditional Filipino folk dance done with long poles that, coincidentally, teaches combative footwork over unstable ground. http://alliancemartialarts.com/tinikling.htm Hmmm ...

At any rate, I can see the validity of some "Warrior" poses in Yoga translating into throws and such.

 

[lhommedieu]

There are some traditional Indian martial arts that incorporate wrestling, stirking, and weapons. Yoga is probably an adjunct practice in these.

I think that also, there is some carry-over to traditional Thai massage and Thai boxing, the traditional Thai martial arts, etc. There is an excellent Dog Brothers student/teacher named Russ Iger who was doing some research into Thai yoga a while back. His take was that the yoga was great in tandem with the FMA and Thai arts that he was practicing.

Cf.

Best,


Steve Lamade

 

[Robert Lee]

Bing that kung Fu can be most any thing you do to improve. You could say yo ga is But To me yo ga is a meditation type posture. Which exhibits flexabilty postions . putting demand on focus of postion. Where a M/A part to say kung Fu training was training towards a warrrior type. tia chi was at ont time very strong M/A but later was incorporated as a more walking Zen of exersise and chi both as a healing and viable body exersise. Now yes it can be turned back into a m/A type of training if one wishes. And as Most M/A style have gone into preserve mode many truths are lost.

 

[blackdiamondcobra]

Been doing yoga for close to 22 years. It is well integrated into the "warrior so to speak" training in the south of india where I train. Our training is well modulated between yoga including yoga with a staff, the martial and healing training, the end product bleeding into one. In my dvd the physical body:indian wrestling and physical culture, I talk about surya namaskar and its relationship to some of the indian wrestling. In Indian wrestling there are links to yoga and definitely massage again is integral.

In thailand, we also have Thai Yoga or hermit stretching, I usually use the first 19 standing postures prior to bare knuckle or krabi krabong training to help strengthen and stretch. Thai Massage is also well integrated into the routines of thai boxers and other thai martial arts. So the integration is well tended there.

 

[RoninPimp]

Yoga is not a martial art imo. Just like strength training is not a martial art. Neither is stretching. Good for a martial artist? Yes. But not a martial art.

 

[Andrew Green]

On it's own I'd say no, but a good thing to help with it, like weight training, skipping, running and many other things that are good for you

 

[Captain Harlock]

It can aid the warrior in obtaining a truer connection with themselves. There are many levels to this thought. On the surface is simple flexibility and energy. At the deeper, a connection to the all.

 

[David Weatherly]

It's an old thread I realize but if anyone's interested they should check out Kalarippayattu.
Traditional Indian martial art with a lot of yoga like stances. It's clear that a style of yoga likely grew out of a martial tradition and begun to be practiced on its own.
David

 

[Xue Sheng]

Interesting I will have to look for more about Kalarippayattu

 

[Gordon Nore]

Interesting I will have to look for more about Kalarippayattu

I saw a Canadian-made documentary series about a journalist, also with a dan in Aikido, I believe -- who visited some different countries and trained various arts. Kalarippayattu was one of the systems featured, and it appears to be very strenuous. The fighters look very much like long-term serious yoga practitioners -- very lithe and stretched out. They also incorporate a massage regimen.

Wish I could remember the name of the series. It was extremely well-done.

 

[David Weatherly]

I saw a Canadian-made documentary series about a journalist, also with a dan in Aikido, I believe -- who visited some different countries and trained various arts. Kalarippayattu was one of the systems featured, and it appears to be very strenuous. The fighters look very much like long-term serious yoga practitioners -- very lithe and stretched out. They also incorporate a massage regimen.

Wish I could remember the name of the series. It was extremely well-done.

That series was called Deadly Arts, the host was Josette Normandeau. She did six seperate episodes. It was a good series. I always thought it was an inspiration for Human Weapon.

David

 

[David Weatherly]

By the way, Deadly Arts is available on dvd.

David

 

[Yoshiyahu]

How can Yoga be Martial Art?

Can yoga be used in War?

Does yoga have punches?

Does yoga have submission holds?

Does yoga have kicks?

Does yoga have elbow strikes?

Does Yoga have take Downs?

Does yoga and Joint Locks?

Does Yoga have knee strikes?

How can Yoga be a martial Art?

 

[Edmund BlackAdder]

How can Yoga be Martial Art?

Can yoga be used in War?

Does yoga have punches?

Does yoga have submission holds?

Does yoga have kicks?

Does yoga have elbow strikes?

Does Yoga have take Downs?

Does yoga and Joint Locks?

Does Yoga have knee strikes?

How can Yoga be a martial Art?

You mind is closed. I cannot open it. I suggest an axe.