174 Martial Arts Quotes

Following is our list of martial arts quotations and slogans full of insightful wisdom and perspective about learning martial arts.

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Famous Martial Arts Quotes

Martial art is a form of expression, an expression from your inner self to your hands and legs. — Donnie Yen

The martial arts are ultimately self-knowledge. A punch or a kick is not to knock the hell out of the guy in front, but to knock the hell out of your ego, your fear, or your hang-ups. — Bruce Lee

Martial arts is not about fighting; it's about building character. — Bo Bennett

Martial arts is not about fighting; it's about building character. — Robert Foster Bennett

Martial arts should be part of every girl's education. — Esha Gupta

I’m doing what I love to do. Martial arts is my everything. It’s my life, my philosophy, how I think, who I am. — Valentina Shevchenko

The ideal in Martial Arts is humanitarianism. Accomplishment uses diligence as a goal. — Yip Man

For me, the martial arts is a search for something inside. It's not just a physical discipline. — Brandon Lee

Karate is a form of martial arts in which people who have had years and years of training can, using only their hands and feet, make some of the worst movies in the history of the world. — Dave Barry

The children right now, the young children, everybody should go to a martial arts school. Why? Because as soon as they go to a martial arts school, they learn discipline. — Jackie Chan

The true science of martial arts means practicing them in such a way that they will be useful at any time, and to teach them in such a way that they will be useful in all things. — Miyamoto Musashi

As a lifelong practitioner of martial arts, I'm trained to remain calm in the face of adversity and danger. — Steven Seagal

To practice Zen or the Martial Arts, you must live intensely, wholeheartedly, without reserve - as if you might die in the next instant — Taisen Deshimaru

Self-defence, self-confidence, discipline and self control. The values you learn are priceless. — Rickson Gracie

Students of any art, including Karate-do must never forget the cultivation of the mind and the body. — Gichin Funakoshi

Short Martial Arts Quotes

  • I've been doing Tai Chi on and off for 20 years. The fundamentals of all martial arts are the same. — Terence Stamp
  • Fighting is a sport; if you're not humble it's going to bring humbleness to you. — Mike Tyson
  • Karate is like boiling water: without heat, it returns to it's tepid state — Gichin Funakoshi
  • The true Martial Artist is not the one who fears change, but the one who causes it to happen. — Ed Parker
  • ...most warriors only perform tricks. The way of the warrior is filled with soul and feeling — Miyamoto Musashi
  • As far as possible, I want nothing more than to don my training gi and teach Karate. — Mas Oyama
  • Don't mess with me! I'm a black-belt! — Michael Rooker
  • I used to do kickboxing, because I liked the cute outfits. — Monica Keena
  • Judo is the way to the most effective use of both physical and spiritual strength. — Kano Jigoro

Top 10 Martial Arts Quotes

No Fear, No Hesitation, No Surprise, No Doubt — Miyamoto Musashi

Without Knowledge, Skill cannot be focused. Without Skill, Strength cannot be brought to bear and without Strength, Knowledge may not be applied. — Alexander The Great

The biggest coward of a man is to awaken the love of a woman without the intention of loving her. — Bob Marley

Don't be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams. — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Remember, success is a journey not a destination. Have faith in your ability. You will do just fine. — Bruce Lee

Don't pray for an easy life, pray to be a stronger man. — John F. Kennedy

Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless - like water. - Bruce Lee

Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless - like water. — Bruce Lee

True karate is this: that in daily life one's mind and body be trained and developed in a spirit of humility, and that in critical times, one be devoted utterly to the cause of justice. — Gichin Funakoshi

The purpose of the study of judo is to perfect yourself and to contribute to society. — Kano Jigoro

The hardest thing of all is to find a black cat in a dark room, especially if there is no cat. — Confucius

Martial Arts Image Quotes

Our fears don't stop death, they stop life. - Rickson Gracie quote

Our fears don't stop death, they stop life. — Rickson Gracie

If there is effort, there is always accomplishment. - Kano Jigoro quote

If there is effort, there is always accomplishment. — Kano Jigoro

Spirit first, technique second. - Gichin Funakoshi quote

Spirit first, technique second. — Gichin Funakoshi

I have a high art, I hurt with cruelty those who would damage me. - Archilochus quote

I have a high art, I hurt with cruelty those who would damage me. — Archilochus

Martial arts quote You're a work of art. Not everyone will understand you, but the ones who do, will never forget about
You're a work of art. Not everyone will understand you, but the ones who do, will never forget about you.

Humble Martial Arts Quotes

The big, strong, tough guy goes to class, and he keeps getting tapped by the skinny, technical guy. It begins to change him. It makes him humble. That's what Jiu Jitsu does to you. It makes you humble. — Relson Gracie

Always enter like a kitten and leave like a lion. But NEVER enter like a lion and leave like a kitten. Always be humble. — Carlson Gracie

The humble man makes room for progress; the proud man believes he is already there. — Ed Parker

Martial arts quote The art of knowing is knowing what to ignore.
The art of knowing is knowing what to ignore.

Through courtesy you will take a humble attitude toward your opponent in training & be grateful to him. — Shigeru Egami

For me, I learnt from jiu-jitsu and martial arts to be humble and to go forward in life in a positive way. — Ricardo Liborio

Learning Martial Arts Quotes

Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend. — Bruce Lee

Once a kata has been learned, it must be practised repeatedly until it can be applied in an emergency, for knowledge of just the sequence of a kata in karate is useless. — Gichin Funakoshi

The teaching of one virtuous person can influence many; that which has been learned well by one generation can be passed on to a hundred. — Kano Jigoro

Martial arts quote Youth is the gift of nature, but age is a work of art.
Youth is the gift of nature, but age is a work of art.

In randori we learn employ the principle of maximum efficiency even when we could easily overpower an opponent. — Kano Jigoro

Life itself is your teacher, and you are in a state of constant learning. — Bruce Lee

I am learning to understand rather than immediately judge or to be judged. I cannot blindly follow the crowd and accept their approach. I will not allow myself to indulge in the usual manipulating game of role creation. Fortunately for me, my self-knowled — Bruce Lee

Martial arts quote There is nothing more truly artistic than to love people.
There is nothing more truly artistic than to love people.

Even today, I dare not say that I have reached a state of achievement. I'm still learning, for learning is boundless. — Bruce Lee

To be honest I had learnt martial arts for a girl. So I started learning the art to impress her, but eventually I started loving martial art more than the girl. So later it became a habit it became fun. — Akshay Kumar

Like everyone else, you want to learn the way to win, but never to accept the way to lose - to accept defeat. To learn to die is to be liberated from it. So when tomorrow comes you must free your ambitious mind and learn the art of dying! — Bruce Lee

I am not teaching you anything. I just help you to explore yourself. — Bruce Lee

Martial Arts Inspirational Quotes

The ultimate aim of Karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants. — Gichin Funakoshi

Fear is not real. The only place that fear can exist is in our thoughts of the future. It is a product of our imagination, causing us to fear things that do not at present and may not ever exist. That is near insanity Kitai. Do not misunderstand me, danger is very real, but fear is a choice. — Will Smith

Some succeed because they are destined to, but most succeed because they are determined to. — Henry Van Dyke

It is difficult to understand the universe if you only study one planet — Miyamoto Musashi

If you don't give up, eventually you will break the cycle and you will overcome any obstacle. — Lyoto Machida

For it is easy to criticize and break down the spirit of others, but to know yourself takes a lifetime. — Bruce Lee

The truth is outside of all fixed patterns. - Bruce Lee

The truth is outside of all fixed patterns. — Bruce Lee

What you habitually think largely determines what you will ultimately become. — Bruce Lee

I’ve been in martial arts for so many years, so to hold the belt of UFC and be on top of the biggest organization, it will be represented in this belt. — Valentina Shevchenko

If you want peace, stop fighting. If you want peace of mind, stop fighting with your thoughts. — Peter McWilliams

Mixed Martial Arts Quotes

I am a shark, the ground is my ocean, and most people can't even swim. — Rickson Gracie

A black belt only covers two inches of your ass. You have to cover the rest. — Royce Gracie

I’m a mixed martial arts fighter. But at the end of the day, all experience will help. And experience I got from that fight, it will help me to win this fight. — Valentina Shevchenko

Mixed Martial Arts is a dangerous practice that could result in injuries and loss of life. — Akshay Kumar

I do mixed martial arts, mainly kickboxing. — Gail Porter

Watch and enjoy Mixed Martial Arts, and if some people are thinking about doing it, they must be very careful and think about enrolling in training first, they must make a thoughtful decision before actually doing it. — Akshay Kumar

I would like to apologize to Brock Lesnar, his family, the UFC and the UFC fans for my stupid remarks. I respect Brock, all the other fighters, and the sport of mixed martial arts. I’m sorry that I stepped out of line. — Frank Mir

Everybody's beatable. Mixed martial arts, there's many ways to win, and that also means there are many ways to lose, as well. — Bas Rutten

Train hard, get good coaching and don't forget that its mixed martial arts. Don't get tied into one style of fighting and focus on multiple disciplines. — Chuck Liddell

Mixed Martial Arts is wonderful to watch, it is very practical but dangerous at the same time. You have to be very careful when doing something like that. — Akshay Kumar

Martial Artist Quotes

There is a difference between a fighter and a martial artist. A fighter is training for a purpose: He has a fight. I’m a martial artist. I don’t train for a fight. I train for myself. I’m training all the time. My goal is perfection. But I will never reach perfection. — Georges St-Pierre

The biggest gift I received as a martial artist is without a question the capacity to be in peace. — Rickson Gracie

The best part of falling is getting back up again. — Sayings

A fight is not won by one punch or kick. Either learn to endure or hire a bodyguard. — Bruce Lee

It isn't the mountains that wear you out; it's the pebble in your shoe. — Muhammad Ali

The man who is secure within himself has no need to prove anything with force, so he can walk away from a fight with dignity and pride. He is the true martial artist--a man so strong inside that he has no need to demonstrate his power. — Ed Parker

Those who are unaware they are walking in darkness will never seek the light. — Bruce Lee

A good martial artist does not become tense, but ready. Not thinking, yet not dreaming. Ready for whatever may come. When the opponent expands, I contract; and when he contracts, I expand. And when there is an opportunity, "I" do not hit, "it" hits all by itself. — Bruce Lee

Don't fear failure. Not failure, but low aim, is the crime. In great attempts it is glorious even to fail. — Bruce Lee

A good teacher protects his pupils from his own influence. — Bruce Lee

Kung Fu Quotes

Now climb, young grasshopper, so your Kung Fu won't be weak. — Ilona Andrews

Treat every moment as a gift, that is why it is called the present. — Deepak Chopra

Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That is why it is called the present. - Eleanor Roosevelt

Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That is why it is called the present. — Eleanor Roosevelt

Today is a gift from God - that is why it is called the present. - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Today is a gift from God - that is why it is called the present. — Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them. — Bruce Lee

Your story may not have such a happy beginning, but that doesn't make you who you are. It is the rest of your story, who you choose to be. — Michelle Yeoh

Teaching my kids programming on an Apple c is like kung fu training in the primitive wilderness. — John Carmack

Kung fu lives in everything we do. It lives in how we put on a jacket and how we take off a jacket. It lives in how we treat people. Everything is kung fu. — Jackie Chan

When I was a kid, I would make kung fu movies with the kids in the neighborhood, and I would be the guy behind the camera directing everybody, but they were all very silly little shorts and comedy bits. — Dan Fogler

I need something to do when I'm not working, or I crawl up the walls. So I've just taken up kung fu. I was looking for some kind of calming, relaxing activity. I tried yoga, but it wasn't really me. — Ian Hart

Jiu Jitsu Quotes

Jiu-jitsu puts you completely in the moment, where you must have a complete focus on finding a solution to the problem. This trains the mind to build that focus, to increase your awareness, your capacity to solve problems. — Rickson Gracie

Sometimes, you don't have to win, you cannot win. but that has nothing to do with losing. — Rickson Gracie

Jiu Jitsu is a mousetrap. The trap does not chase the mouse. But when the mouse grabs the cheese, the trap plays its role. — Helio Gracie

The Jiu Jitsu I created was designed to give the weak ones a chance to face the heavy and strong. — Helio Gracie

The pine fought the storm and broke. The willow yielded to the wind and snow and did not break. Practice Jiu-Jitsu in just this way. — Kano Jigoro

Jiu-Jitsu is like a philosophy. It helps me learn how to face life. - Helio Gracie

Jiu-Jitsu is like a philosophy. It helps me learn how to face life. — Helio Gracie

If you are not comortable to deal with an opponent 50 lbs heavier than you, there is something wrong with your Jiu Jitsu. — Rickson Gracie

A real jiu-jitsu fighter does not go around beating people down. Our defense is made to neutralize aggression. — Helio Gracie

Jiu-jitsu is personal efficiency to protect the weaker, which anyone can do. It is the force of leverage against brute force. — Helio Gracie

A boxer is like a lion, the greatest predator on land, but you throw him in the shark tank and he's just another meal. — Renzo Gracie

Karate Quotes

Seek perfection of character. Be faithful. Endeavor. Respect others. Refrain from violent behaviour. — Gichin Funakoshi

Karate is not a game. It is not a sport. It is not even a system of self-defense. Karate is half physical exercise and half spiritual. The karateist who has given the necessary years of exercise and meditation is a tranquil person. He is unafraid. He can even be calm in a burning building. — Mas Oyama

No matter how you may excel in the art of Karate, and in your scholastic endeavors, nothing is more important than your behavior and your humanity as observed in daily life. — Gichin Funakoshi

You may train for a long time, but if you merely move your hands and feet and jump up and down like a puppet, learning karate is not very different from learning a dance. You will never have reached the heart of the matter; you will have failed to grasp the quintessence of karate-do. — Gichin Funakoshi

When you look at life think in terms of karate. But remember that karate is not only karate -- it is life. — Gichin Funakoshi

The heart of our karate is real fighting.There can be no proof without real fighting. Without proof there is no trust. Without trust there is no respect. This is a definition in the world of martial arts. — Mas Oyama

Karate is Budo and if Budo is removed from Karate it is nothing more than sport karate, show karate, or even fashion karate-the idea of training merely to be fashionable. — Mas Oyama

Lord save us from off-handed, flabby-cheeked, brittle-boned, weak-kneed, thin-skinned, pliable, plastic, spineless, effeminate, ossified, three-karat Christianity. — Billy Sunday

Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to go to his class. - Choi Hong Hi

Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to go to his class. — Choi Hong Hi

The best fighter is not a Boxer, Karate or Judo man. The best fighter is someone who can adapt on any style. He kicks too good for a Boxer, throws too good for a Karate man, and punches too good for a Judo man. — Bruce Lee

Black Belt Quotes

Of those who start TaeKwonDo training, only about 5% stick with it until they achieve the Black Belt Rank. Then perhaps 80% of those who earn a Black stop there. — Duk Sung Son

Well everyone's a world class ground fighter until they get a punch to the face. So that's how I deal with all these ground fighters like everyone else. I hit 'em in the head and there goes your F**king black belt. — Mark Hunt

Energy is felt once the cards are dealt With the impact of roundhouse kicks from black belts that attack the microphone like cyclones or typhoons I represent from midnight to high noon. — GZA

A black belt is a white belt who never quits! — Renzo Gracie

A black belt is nothing more than a belt that goes around your waist. Being a black belt is a state of mind and attitude. Even though surrounded By several enemies set to attack, Fight with the thought That they are but one. — Morihei Ueshiba

I love going shopping. I have a black belt in it. — Russell Crowe

1-2 out of every 100 students reach Black Belt and of those only 1 out of every 1,000 achieves his 2nd Dan — Mas Oyama

Punch a black belt in the face, he becomes a brown belt. Punch him again, purple. — Carlson Gracie

I've never been beaten up! I'm a black belt in Run-Fu. — Tre Cool

Last week I lost my temper in my karate class. Man, I'm not doing that again until I'm a black belt. Because I can tell you there's a difference between taking karate and receiving karate. — Demetri Martin

Self Defense Quotes

If violent crime is to be curbed, it is only the intended victim who can do it. The felon does not fear the police, and he fears neither judge nor jury. Therefore what he must be taught to fear is his victim. — Jeff Cooper

When a government betrays the people by amassing too much power and becoming tyrannical, the people have no choice but to exercise their original right of self-defense — to fight the government. — Alexander Hamilton

Oppressors can tyrannize only when they achieve a standing army, an enslaved press, and a disarmed populace. — James Madison

If you find yourself under lethal attack don't be kind. Be harsh. Be tough. Be ruthless. — Jeff Cooper

Those who beat their swords into plowshares usually end up plowing for those who kept their swords. — Benjamin Franklin

The right of self-defense never ceases. It is among the most sacred, and alike necessary to nations and to individuals. — James Monroe

A tree never hits an automobile except in self defense. - American Indian Proverbs

A tree never hits an automobile except in self defense. — American Indian Proverbs

He who is cornered will fight. — Afghan Proverbs

Self defense is a primary law of nature, which no subsequent law of society can abolish; the immediate gift of the Creator, obliges everyone to resist the first approaches of tyranny. — Elbridge Gerry

Even the lion protects himself against flies. — African Proverbs

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Read quotes by Miyamoto Musashi

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Read quotes by Gichin Funakoshi

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More Martial Arts Quotes

No one will hit you harder than life itself. It doesn't matter how hard you hit back. It's about how much you can take, and keep fighting, how much you can suffer and keep moving forward. That's how you win. — Sylvester Stallone

True strength is not always shown through victory. Stand up, try again and display strength of heart. — Rickson Gracie

For the choke, there are no "tough guys". With an arm lock he can be tough and resist the pain. With the choke he just passes out, goes to sleep. — Helio Gracie

One must try, everyday, to expand one's limits. — Mas Oyama

The path of Martial Arts begins and ends with courtesy. So be genuinely polite on every occasion. — Mas Oyama

Always remember that the true meaning of Budo is that soft overcomes hard, small overcomes large. — Mas Oyama

Judo helps us to understand that worry is a waste of energy. — Kano Jigoro

Judo teaches us to look for the best possible course of action, whatever the individual circumstances. — Kano Jigoro

Civilize the mind but make savage the body. — Mao Zedong

The Art of Peace is medicine for a sick world. There is evil and disorder in the world, because people have forgotten that all things emanate from one source. Return to that source and leave behind all self-centered thoughts, petty desires, and anger. Those who are possessed by nothing possess everything. — Morihei Ueshiba

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