[vorpalhex]

The goal of many modern martial arts is to bring the discipline and training to a civilian population. These are fighting techniques that were made more kind, then taught to the population as a mix of exercise, discipline and training.

Not all martial arts follow this, but many do. The goal isn't to teach you how to win a street fight (take krav maga if you want to learn that), but to keep you active and help instill discipline through a fighting art.

A good test is this - if there are competitions, it's probably a civilian-ized fighting form. If you used serious fighting moves on someone in a competition, it would be unsafe and you would hurt your partner.