happysod

I tried not to ask this question, but it's been bugging me for a few days now so here goes.

I was recently asked by a beginner to aikido (in the pub natch) what was the difference between a martial art and a self defence. Now I knew to the depths of my mat-broken little toe that there was a difference. But after a few beers and the inclusion of some modern codified schools of self defence in the argument, my certainty's wavering.

So, what are peoples thoughts?

(So far I failed to convince myself on the "developed for war" as opposed to a non-lethal self-defence system and the "spirituality" aspects don't always seem central to some of the martial arts around)

Yours with that niggling thought I've missed something major...