Don't let the inherent brutality fool you; martial arts are, in fact, an art. The results of combat may not gel with your personal sensibilities, but it's almost impossible to argue that the dynamic and balletic movements exhibited by top-tier martial artists aren't akin to the grace and beauty of high-level dance. Beyond the stunning physical expression on display in a match, the training process for any martial arts bout is equally compelling.
Prior to the advent of videos and the internet, aspiring martial artists had to rely on illustrated guides and photos that broke down complex techniques step by step. Although instructional videos have primarily rendered the aforementioned approach obsolete, there are a few illustrated guides that serve a practical purpose as well as an aesthetic one. The Instagram page Takedownnotes creates gorgeous minimalist art that showcases Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu techniques in an art style that evokes the graffiti work of Keith Haring.
