Most intriguing martial art?

[tkd4life]

What do you guys think the most intriguing martial art is, and why?

I personally think that aikido and hapkido are because of the philosophy. The whole idea about the "dynamic sphere" and being able to defend yourself without necessarily "hurting" your assailant. Just a thought =P

[sirdarksol]

Aikido is a good one. Personally, I think kyudo and naginatado are both extremely intriguing due to their heavy spiritual aspects.

[disgruntled]

i don't think i have heard of kyudo or naginatado

[tkd4life]

kyudo is japanese, it's the art of the bow...naginatado...is also japanese, it's a long stick with a blade on the end. Usually women practice it, but men can too. It's pretty awesome too, I might say

[sirdarksol]

The naginata is the Japanese halberd (which does amount to "stick with a blade on the end ;D). Women practiced it as a form of self defense (this is the weapon that I'll periodically talk about being the one thing samurai truly feared, because it could easily be used to hamstring an opponent, which would end a samurai's career, but not his life). Priests practiced it as a form of meditation.

[tkd4life]

Have you ever practiced either of the two? Anyway, what do you practice SDS? haha

[disgruntled]

any reason that the naginata was used mostly by women? does it resemble a tool they would normally use and therefore would have access to?

[tkd4life]

well, the naginata was light...that's all the info i can give you! haha

[disgruntled]

there are a lot of light weapons.

[sirdarksol]

It wasn't really light. It's a 4-6' length of thick wood with a steel blade attached to the end. However, the wide two-handed grip does offer easier control. The length of the weapon grants an advantage over the shorter katana, something that would be necessary to give a woman (who didn't live and breathe combat the way a samurai did) a chance in a fight against an attacking samurai. It may also have been that the naginata was seen as more elegant, due to the curving, flowing method of its use. Lastly, because a woman couldn't wear/wield a sword, the naginata may have been the next best thing.