Hello Luis,

I am a martial artist for the past 35 years, have lived in 7 different countries and run a Undergraduate Combat sports coaching degree. That said, the question you pose is very open to interpretation.

I would start with understanding the position of trait or state / fixed or fluid personality. To understand any debate focused on psychology the starting point most likely will fall on the concept of trait (fixed) or state (fluid) personality types.

Next I look at your suggestion that the biomechanics of a martial art has an influence on multiple personality. While this is an interesting suggestion I am not sure that it holds much credence in its current state.

If we consider that martial arts has a number of predominant movements and classify them into: grappling/throwing, striking and both then it is possible to examine that question. I am leaving out martial arts which focus entirely on weapons as they fall into their own mechanics which are mostly different to each weapon (swords, archery, single hand and double hand weapons, throwing weapons and in some cases weapons that need gunpowder). Having taught wrestling and karate I can attest to the fact that I have had wrestlers who are better suited to do striking arts and visa versa. However, I have never found any research which supports this possibility. To my knowledge there is no correlation between a specific martial art and multiple intelligence.

Finally, I wonder why you have chosen Kalaripayattu as a focus art? Certainly, you are a practitioner? This would lead to bias. My experience with Martial Arts is that it is not the Martial Arts its self but rather the instructor that creates an environment which allows students to develop. This development is not synonymous with the development of multiple intelligence.

Now if you are talking about using multiple intelligence to classify students (much like education) then I ask, "To what extent?" A student often picks a martial art because of convenience (proximity and cost) and/or previous family members/friends experiences. I am not sure if you take the trait approach to multiple intelligence what good that knowledge would do?

In concluding it is interesting to think that the type of martial art might have an effect on personality but my personal position is that personality has some fixed components but is also somewhat fluid. Moreover, as I mentioned above the instructor has the largest influence on the student - the martial art is simply a tool to deliver the development (physical and mental) from the instructor to the student.

Kind Regards

Dear S.M Galloway

Thank you for taking this time to read my question or comment, I appreciate your dedication in the answer

1- Martial arts are a topic that impresses me a lot and although I have been a part-time practitioner sometimes (I am a doctor in emergencies). My interest is to know more about the subject and look for new approaches that other sciences can give us about this

2- I chose the Kalaripayattu only as an example, as an art that I respect a lot. The martial arts are varied and I dare say with very different personalities.

3- Each practitioner of martial arts is different, each one advances at a personal way and sometimes they do not advance. This intrigues me: If we can create some scale or measuring instrument that can determine this?

4- Biomechanics is an impressive science and its indisputable utility. Thanks to this I could have the first scientific contacts towards martial arts, I hope that other sciences like psychology or psychiatry can also give us their opinion. At no time I criticize it or at least it is not my intention

From one scientist to another from one martial artist to another thanks

The best

Try also the theory of physics which is applied in wing chun martial arts..

Thanks for reading this question, correct is one of the martial arts that I use for my theories