Six Freedoms of Martial Arts
In January of 2023 we rolled out the first draft of The Six Freedoms of Martial Arts. Since that time, this code of conduct has been discussed and shared heavily across social media.
At whistlekick we stand for a great many things - and all of them fall under a very simple umbrella: we love traditional martial arts and work hard to support those who participate.
You can read about these below, or watch them.
Does your school uphold the six freedoms? Consider hanging this poster where others can see it.
The Six Freedoms of Martial Arts
- The Freedom to Train...
The freedom to train in martial arts empowers individuals to express themselves for physical, mental, and emotional development. That being said, every martial artist has the freedom to train what, when, where, why, whom, and how they want.
- The Freedom to Remain Private...
In martial arts, the freedom to remain private should always be respected. Every martial artist has a choice to decide how much information they want to disclose. Whether about who, what, when, where, why, and how they train.
- The Freedom to Determine...
How you define martial arts will depend on yourself. There is no single definition of martial arts that applies to everyone. You have the freedom to determine what martial arts is and if others don’t agree with it, it’s fine.
- The Freedom to Become Better
People around the world know martial arts can improve their lives, so it is everyone's right to improve themselves in and out of training martial arts. The freedom to become better in/at/from martial arts is important because it nurtures personal growth, confidence, and a sense of achievement.
- The Freedom to Live Your Training...
The freedom to live your training in martial arts means integrating martial arts principles into daily life and applying practical skills. Self-defense is usually used in most cases. To protect yourself and also, your loved ones.
- The Freedom to Compete
- There are a variety of reasons why martial artists practice martial arts. The freedom to compete is a personal choice. Martial arts competition is not the only way to apply what you learn. You can always apply martial arts learnings to other areas of your life.
Below, the complete video of all six freedoms, as originally aired.
For a list of Martial Arts Schools that have pledged to uphold the Six Freedoms of Martial Arts, please click here.