Brawler, Fighter of MA ?

[Kenpo Gary]

What if any is the difference between a brawler, a fighter and a marital artist?


Kenpo Gary

[kenpotex]

most brawlers and fighters could kick most martial-artist's butts?


okay, I'll be serious for a second...

My definition of the term "brawler" is the guy that goes out and tries to get into fights just for the heck of it, or because he enjoys it, or whatever. When I hear the term "fighter," I think of a professional athlete like a boxer or MMA competitor who uses their training in the ring. Martial-artist, in my mind, means someone who studies the martial-arts (of any type: empty-hand, firearms, etc.) on a regular basis.

That said, "fighters" are martial-artists as well and I guess brawlers technically could be (presuming they train) if we go with my rather literal definition of the term martial-artist.

[punisher73]

I guess for me I would define them as follows

BRAWLER: Person who when fighting has no formal training and usually relies on strength, natural ability and pain tolerance as his main tactics to winning.

FIGHTER: Person who has had some formal training and implements some type of strategy and tactics to his gameplan. Can still "fight" like a brawler but he/she knows the time and place to use that skill set. Has both physical and mental skill when it comes to fighting.

MARTIAL ARTIST: Person can be a fighter and may know how to fight, but that is not their only focus. Person focuses on all three levels of training, Physical/mental/spiritual (or emotional). Their training isn't ONLY a vehicle of a physical nature, and therefore learning to fight might be a last consideration and place more importance on other developments. They might be a "fighter" as well, but do not neglect the other two areas for their personal development.

[punisher73]

I agree with your definitions brother but unfortunately I believe in many cases a brawler and a fighter/boxer will beat most MA's. The reason: Many MA's don't train with the intensity neccesary to overcome the brute strength of a brawler with a bad attitude

I do agree with you on this. That is why I said some MA's can be fighters, but not all MA's are depending on their focus, I truly believe that there are 4 aspects to learning a MA and some people focus on one or two (spiritual aspect--or harmony/peace with others, sport, heritage--liking the history and tradition of what they learn, and bujutsu or the warrior skills). The people I have trained with learned the "warrior" before the "scholar" so to speak. I think many MA's today try to start at the scholar and think they "understand" the warrior when in reality they don't and never truly learned to be the warrior.

[FGarza]

What if any is the difference between a brawler, a fighter and a marital artist?


Kenpo Gary

I think a Brawler/Fighter are those who sometimes fight without considering the consequences.

And a Martial Artist is a student of an Art(s) and only fights if absolutely necessary.

The reason that many Brawlers/Fighters can beat a Martial Artist is because many Martial Artists don't train with the same intensity that a Brawler/Fighter fights with.

Many Brawler/Fighters are angry individuals who have "issues".

Some Brawler/Fighters get into martial arts where their anger and issues are guided in a positive direction.

I used to be a Brawler/Fighter. I used to have a lot of anger and hate in my heart. I got lucky and found a good instructor who happened to be into Kenpo, who helped me change my life.

[Eastcoastkenpoist]

I would say unless we are in a movie, we are all 3.

We are a Martial artist when we can anticipate or see the attack coming and cause pain first and continue causing it until the altercation is over.

We are fighters when we allow it to become a fight. ( exchange of blows )

We are brawlers when we have been struck hard enough to make us think about the pain, or taken off balance enough that we make the "Oh" face. Then we better become brawlers and scratch, bite, claw, and tear until we can get back into a fight and hopefully control the cycle until we are MA's again.

My 2 cents

[Kenpo Gary]

The brawler is very dangerous in that he often throws caution to the wind.

Kenpo Gary