At first glance, martial arts and yoga seem like opposing forces and philosophies, but these two health maintenance systems have more in common than meets the eye. For a moment, consider the similarities between Tai Chi and Hatha Yoga. Within the warm-up, you notice very similar movements, philosophy and principles.
Why is the “climbing the mountain” stance so similar to the Warrior I stance? Is it coincidence, luck or a common bond? Why does Kundalini have movements that resemble martial arts punches, kicks, and footwork? Are Kung Fu forms an extension of Vinyasa? Each has been referred to as moving meditation.
It is agreed that the place of origin of most Asian martial arts is the Shaolin Temple. Apparently, the monks of the Shaolin temple had become very skilled in meditation, but they had not developed a health maintenance system to sufficiently train their bodies.
In the sixth century AD, Bhoddidharma, a visiting Buddhist monk from India, began teaching the monks at the Shaolin temple a form of physical health maintenance, believed to be Yoga. Boddidharma is also said to have been a member of the warrior caste. Therefore, he too should have had practical knowledge of Kalarippayat; an indigenous indian martial art.
Boddidharma is said to have reached a very advanced level of meditation. The body can be trained to a certain extent, but the mind must also be trained. This is the cornerstone of all martial arts training. How many times have we heard of the three conflicts of mind, body and spirit?
This is why every martial arts school should promote a Yoga class. The healing aspect of Yoga is highly beneficial to all martial artists, regardless of their style. Some karate and kung fu centers have incorporated Yoga as part of the class schedule. The reason was to attract the mothers, who were hanging around the waiting room, to pick up their children.
While there is a demand for yoga classes among women, some martial artists, both male and female, will join in to feel the healing benefits, meditate, increase flexibility, and much more. The fact is that, just like martial arts, there are many styles of Yoga.
Some are very physical and require a lot of stamina. So there is no end to the possibilities of where the need for Yoga might fit within a karate or kung fu studio. After all these years, it seems that yoga and martial arts will be back together.