Martial combat fighting is an inherent part of all human beings it is a natural instinct born within humans as part of their function to survive and to defend themselves against death, mainly from external physical threat attacks from wild animals and from fellow human beings. This I consider as the first level of self preservation or self defense.

In the first level every human being by nature instinctively uses their arms swinging wildly against an attacker either closed fist, open fist or using a weapon in hand or covering themselves by protecting their body from getting hit. They also use projectiles such as stone or any objects they can get their hands on to throw it at their attackers. The feet are use naturally to run away and seek cover or to run around their enemy while counter attacking.

Off course the first level of martial combat is not only use as self defense but is also use as an aggression to attack and kill others including hunting animals for food and clothing.

In order to improve their fighting skills, additional training and development of natural self defense abilities including weapons were introduced. From the first level, human fighting abilities have now move up to the next level this I refer to as the second level.

In the second level, training consist of drills on how to improve the striking ability of the arms, the expanded usage of the legs for kicking and the body in learning how to wrestle or grapple. Weapons training is also expanded, from the use of assorted type of weapons such as knives, swords, axes, spears, bow and arrow and the most recently modern guns, warplanes, war ship and etc.

Thus in the second level humans martial combat skills is substantially upgraded and their chance of survivability both against nature and against their fellow human being has improve.

For many the second level is sufficient to survive but to some, martial combat would be develop further into a martial art this involve taking martial combat to a higher and final state of self defense, this final stage is what I would refer to us the third level.

At the third level martial combat is expanded to include proper energy control, focusing, posture, techniques, healing, understanding life and its moral values and virtue but most of all it now includes developing our internal bodily system this include strengthening the heart, improving oxygen, blood and nutrients circulation. As well as exercising other internal organs such as the kidneys, liver, and lungs making sure that the body stays physically, mentally, and spiritually healthy.

Martial combat is transform into martial art through the introduction of forms. Forms serve as a road map to condition the body, mind and spirit into one; it is the blueprint, substance or trademark of a martial artist that totally separates it from a martial combat fighter.

A martial artist is not only concern with combat but has taken the meaning of combat to a deeper realm that would include valuing life and relating martial training to Confucius principle.