Tugs and Kicks
Music and Martial Arts are two distinct practices of art that people often polarize. They’ve placed so much distinction on each that most, if not all, don’t even acknowledge the traces of connection between them. Little do we know that music plays a significant element in the historical development and contemporary execution of different martial arts.
Today, martial artists and musicians are stereotypically differentiated. On the one hand, martial artists are seen as athletes imbued with auras of dominance, courage; people who more or less have a fit, muscular physique. On the other hand, Musical Practitioners are often polarized and differentiated from that of “athletes.” Musicians are often perceived as nerds or geeks throwing away their time playing musical instruments.
The disparity between musicians and martial artists (athletes) contribute to the perception that the fields from which each come from have a huge differential gap. Thus, the mentality that music is far and insignificant to the topic and field of martial arts. However, Brazilian Capoeira, Iranian Zoor Khane, Indo-Malay Silat/Silek, Chinese Kung Fu, and Senegalese Laamb wrestling are only some among many forms of martial arts that makes use of music as an accompaniment in the physical executions of artful movements therefore we discover that music and martial arts aren’t two separate worlds after all.
In Thailand, music has always influenced the historical and cultural development of Mhuay Thai. The cultural essence tied to the music reinforce the authenticity of the martial arts itself and its early beginnings mark the existence of music as an element that transcends time and the evolution of culture.
Sarama refers to the rhythmic music that is used as an accompaniment during actual matches. On the other hand, Ram Mhuay/Phleng Muay refers to the music played before the actual fights. The Sarama has a more upbeat tempo as compared to the Ram Mhuay/Phleng Muay because the former is used to intensify the atmosphere in order to encourage fighters to fight harder. Both are performed by four musicians (during and before the fight/ritual), each playing their own set of Oboes (Thai drums or cymbals).
As opposed to the early ties between music and Mhuay Thai, In Korea, music’s influence to the historical development of Taekwondo has only occurred recently. In poomsae (set of movements performed with a purpose of expressing mental and physical requirements of offence and defense, defining movement pattern, coordination and change of pace), music plays an important element because it dictates the rhythm and tempo with which movements executed are strictly based on. It sets the beginning and the end of the performance and sets the atmosphere of intensity required for the demonstration of movements. –This incorporation of music with the art itself began 10-15 years ago. ![endif]--
Being a practitioner of the said art for 15 years, music specifically rhythm, plays a significant role in Taekwondo. Rhythm is vital for body coordination and muscle memory; it exposes the body to recurrent patterns that conditions one to perform moves, at one point, automatically. Music (Rhythm) improves and develops the sensorimotor of a person. Being immersed in two activities at once (hearing music and performing bodily movements) makes a person not only capable of reacting automatically to music, but it develops his cognition to function at the interface of mind and body, reaching to a certain extent that it gives him the ability to predict certain activities, hence muscle memory.
Though music and martial arts are two distinct forms of art, we must be aware of the traces of connection between them, for this knowledge uncovers the spectrum of possibilities and developments for each field. The convergence of music and martial arts as illustrated by the historical development of music to Mhuay Thai and its recent influence on Taekwondo shows not only the close relationship but the reciprocity of value as the former influences the cultural development of the latter and the latter becomes an extension and fulfillment of the former.