Pushing out the FAQ

Question

Since there has been a lot of discussion regarding the scope of the site in the past, I think it is time to push out something concrete and organize what has been presented thus far. Based on what Nick proposed, I've fleshed out something a little more thorough.

Note: Some of these linked meta posts are for reference. Not all of them have to exist in the FAQ, but some might be useful.

Edit: I've proposed the FAQ as a community wiki answer. Please feel free to update it and add/remove content as necessary. The first proposed version will live in this question revision. I want to give this about a week before pushing it out.

Update: Since it has been about a week, I'm going to be pushing this out to the actual faq. There haven't been too many updates or feedback, but the ones made have been helpful. Any future amendments to the faq should be raised in a new meta post.

Answer 1

Martial Arts is a site for students and teachers — beginners, experts, professionals, and enthusiasts — of all martial arts. If you have a question about…

• Characteristics, regimens, history, and culture of martial arts systems worldwide
• Execution, instruction, and practice of techniques (with or without weapons)
• Martial arts equipment (including use, maintenance, and construction)
• Analysis of tactics and strategies from historical competitions, tournaments, and sparring matches
• Evaluating and choosing martial arts given specific criteria (e.g. grappling, high kicks, self-defense, etc.)
• Conducting or teaching martial arts classes, workshops, or seminars
• Injury prevention within the context of martial arts training

…then feel free to ask. Please do a search to check that no one else has asked first, though.

Questions that should not be asked on Martial Arts include:

• Recommendations for schools or teachers in area X (too localized)
• What martial arts system is "best" or if you should practice art A instead of art B (not constructive)
• Theatrical or stage combat that focus more on theater or entertainment (for role-playing, re-enactments, etc.) (off-topic)
• Fitness issues unrelated to martial arts (off-topic, please ask on Fitness & Nutrition)
• Martial arts movies, comics, science fiction, or fantasy (off-topic, please ask on Movies or Science Fiction & Fantasy)
• Business aspects of running a martial arts school (legal advice, retention, location, advertising, etc.) (off-topic)
• General injury treatment or medical advice (off-topic)
• If martial artist A would beat martial artist B (not constructive)

Above all, remember that your question should have a clear answer. It should not prompt extended debate or invite opinion. If your question is not related to an actual problem you face or trends away from martial arts to a different subject, it probably does not belong on this site.

If you are unsure whether the scope of your question is appropriate for the site or not, feel free to bring it up on the Martial Arts Meta for discussion.