Sherman' Martial Arts 888-747-KICK (5425)

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We will be holding a Back to School Parent's Night Out Nerf Gun Battle! Click Events for more details.

Since 1998, Sherman's Martial Arts - Big Vanilla Athletic Club Pasadena has been providing instruction in the martial arts in the Pasadena, MD area.

We hope you enjoy our website and will stop by and visit us if you are in the area. This site is designed to give you information about our facility, our style of martial arts, our staff and provide you with information on how to contact us as well.

A Martial Art can be defined as a system of techniques - physical and mental exercises developed as a successful means for self-defense, both armed and unarmed.

Martial Arts

Techniques, skills and abilities that are martial in nature but do not benefit the practitioner and their community are generally not considered martial arts. Mutual benefit must be a component. Martial arts utilize a variety of combat methods. Some fighting styles emphasize weaponless techniques while others teach the use of weapons. Some styles focus on grappling while others put their emphasis on striking. Weaponless systems use hand, arm, foot, shin, and knee striking and blocking techniques. Some weapons that may be used are the staff, sword, knife, dagger and nunchaku.

Not all forms of self-defense are actually considered to be martial arts. Some argue that unless warriors were using a fighting system in actual combat, it was not truly a martial art. Additionally, there is a difference between martial art and martial sport; the sport application of a combat system is not a martial art. Not all activities designated as martial arts are martial or artistic.

Martial Arts Today

While some developed from warrior combat, other martial arts developed as a means for spiritual and physical development. Strictly defined, martial arts are combat arts, methods for killing an opponent in battle. Martial ways, or, those arts that have a spiritual component, go beyond combat effectiveness.

Today, the martial arts are practiced for health and fitness, sport, law enforcement, spiritual benefits as well as for self-defense.