Can the sport of professional AirSoft be considered as a modern-weapon-based martial art?

Question

Just wondering that. And before you give me your answers, please remember that a martial art is not always about hand-to-hand combat, but it has more like a general definition. Martial arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for combat. Period, it doesn't need to have hand-to-hand techniques. Kendo and fencing for example, doesn't use any hand-to-hand techniques, only sword fighting, and they are still considered martial arts.

So I was wondering, what about a modern sport that makes use of modern tactics and weapons use like Airsoft? Can it be considered a martial art in the future?

Answer 1

Actually yes it can.  I've seen some pretty well organized air soft teams out there that resemble U.S. Army Rangers and train like Rangers as well.  Most of their teams seem well organized and that is a good indicator of decent team leadership as well as team work.  here's such a well organized team: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwVbBaQZW... Air soft is all international now with teams from around the world so I'd say it's easily recognized as an "official international weapons based martial art".  Keep in mind though that hand-to-hand training should be jujitsu based before I'm personally all like, "Air soft is a total package" though. hehehehe........

BTW is there a "Air Soft Military Science Course" that Airsoft team leaders can attend? I mean like an actual academy or school for team leaders?  If not I could make some big bucks off of that idea huh?  I could call it the "William J. Perrin, Sr. Airsoft Military Science Academy" and put it out in the desert to honor the old sh*thead.   He rescued down naval pilots in clandestine operations in North Korea from 1950 - 1953 and then went straight into the Army afterwards to teach communications to signal corps. teams.  Quite an extrodinary man.

Answer 2

If your using it to defend yourself or someone else from harm then maybe. However it probably wouldn't get recognized as a martial art, probably more as a combat sport that doesn't train very realistically, because there not real bullets. Not only that, but other weapon based martial arts have a range of different techniques, there's only so many ways you can shoot a gun.

Answer 3

It is under the category of sissy-based martial art