There are many martial arts styles in the world. Every culture has its own martial arts style, which they have been practicing for centuries, but not all martial arts styles are famous. Some of them are well-known and practiced throughout the world, while others are practiced in only their respective cultures.
Martial arts literally means the art of war or the way of war. It means learning the techniques, skills and moves for protecting and defending yourself against criminals or street crimes. There are many distinct styles and schools of martial arts. Sometimes, schools or styles are introduced by individual teachers or masters, or as a brand name by a specific gym.
Martial arts and defense sports have remained popular for many years. They are known and liked not only by fighters themselves, but also by the entire society. If you want, there are many martial arts clubs around. Get to know the most popular martial arts styles and choose something for yourself. What is Martial Arts? Martial arts are a kind of competitive sport that concentrates on ways of fighting and defending yourself. Practicing martial arts can help people of all ages stay healthy, feel good, and become better versions of themselves.
Various martial arts styles come from different places worldwide. People who practice martial arts learn how to use hand strikes, punch and kicking techniques. They also practice block attacks, as well as how to grapple with opponents. Training teaches important values like mental discipline and respect. Many martial arts focus on more than just fighting. They also implement philosophy and ways to stay calm and focused. People often compete in martial arts tournaments to show off their skills.
Martial arts have deep historical roots, with some styles dating back thousands of years. For instance, Shaolin Kung Fu, originating from the Shaolin Monastery in China, is believed to have been developed in the 5th century AD.
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It is not trivial to distinguish "traditional" from "modern" martial arts. Traditional martial arts are deeply rooted in the cultures and histories of their countries of origin. Modern martial arts, such as Krav Maga, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), prioritize practical self-defense and real-world applicability.
Deciding between traditional and modern martial arts depends on your personal goals and interests. If you’re drawn to the cultural and philosophical aspects of martial arts along with a structured approach to learning, traditional martial arts may be the right choice. Regardless of the path you choose, both traditional and modern martial arts offer numerous benefits, including improved physical fitness, increased confidence, and a greater sense of discipline.
Here are some of the most popular martial arts styles practiced today:
We can gather various martial arts styles according to their common elements:
- Grappling or Ground-Fighting Martial Arts
- Striking or Stand-up Martial Arts Styles
- Low-impact or Meditative Styles
- Weapon use Martial Arts Styles
- Hybrid Fighting Styles
- More Non-classified Styles
These examples cover a range of styles within each category. They show the diversity presented in the martial arts landscape.
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Grappling or Ground-Fighting Martial Arts
These styles emphasize close-quarters combat and techniques on or near the ground. Examples include:
- Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)
- Judo
- Sambo
Striking or Stand-up Martial Arts Styles
These styles teach practitioners how to defend themselves while on their feet by using blocks, kicks, and punches. Examples include:
- Karate (Various styles like Shotokan, Goju-Ryu, etc.)
- Taekwondo
- Muay Thai
- Boxing
- Kickboxing
From Karate to Capoeira: A Comprehensive Guide to Different Martial Arts Styles,
Low-impact or Meditative Styles
These styles incorporate meditative and physical elements. That’s why we don’t officially call them martial arts sometimes. Examples include:
- Tai Chi
- Aikido
- Qigong
- Hatha Yoga
Weapon Use Martial Arts Styles
The weapons used come from national traditions usually. Examples of these styles are:
- Kali (also known as Eskrima or Arnis)
- Japanese Kenjutsu (swordsmanship)
- Chinese Wushu (which includes forms with various weapons)
Hybrid Fighting Styles
These blend elements of striking, grappling, and ground-fighting from various martial arts. For example:
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- Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)
- Krav Maga
- Jeet Kune Do
Even more martial arts styles that exist include, among others, some interesting mixtures of fighting and dance, like the brazilian capoeira.
Top 20 Most Popular Martial Arts Styles
Let’s have a look at the list of 20 most popular types of martial arts with their descriptions.
- Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ): BJJ focuses on taking the opponent down to the ground, gaining a dominant position, and uses techniques to force them into submission, for example joint locks or chokeholds.
- Judo: Currently known around the world as an Olympic sport, Judo means “gentle way”. Its goal is to immobilize the opponent using safe techniques.
- Sambo: ‘Sport sambo’ or Sambo wrestling is originally a self defense sport. Stylistically it’s similar to old-time judo, and in a lot of ways influenced by it.
- Karate: Its name means “empty hand”, which underlines a fight with no weapon. Currently there are more than 100 styles of karate and 3 typical approaches: Karate as a fight to the death, as a self-defense lesson and as work on your mind.
- Taekwondo: A martial arts style and a national sport in Korea. Currently also an olympic discipline. Its name is a combination of Korean words meaning foot, wrist and consciousness.
- Muay Thai: Sometimes called Thai boxing, is a martial arts style and full-contact combat sport. It takes elements from Muay Boran, the traditional Thai martial arts. Muay Thai is a stand-up striking sport, with two competitors in the ring throwing punches, elbows, knees and kicks at each other.
- Boxing: A combat sport and a martial art in which two people throw punches at each other for a predetermined amount of time. The place of combat is a limited boxing ring.
- Kickboxing: A sporting discipline in which you fight using both boxing punches and kicks. This sport develops physical skills in a holistic way: strength, speed, endurance, flexibility, and sense of rhythm.
- Tai Chi: Tai Chi Chuan (Taijiquan) is an ancient Chinese art of relaxation, meditation and fighting. These practices are associated by some sources with Chinese philosophy. Not considered strictly a martial arts type sometimes.
- Aikido: According to the founder’s philosophy, aikido focuses on overcoming oneself instead of cultivating violence or aggressiveness. Awareness of the present moment shows aikido as a form of meditation too. Not only a combat sport.
- Kung Fu: It’s a Chinese martial art. The style of fighting involves special punches and kicks. You can learn kung fu for self-defense or exercise. The first idea of Kung Fu is discipline or skill achieved through hard work and practice. Not necessarily mentioned as martial arts originally.
- Hatha Yoga: It’s a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines. The practice of yoga might not be a martial art by definition. But through the centuries until today yoga and martial arts have inspired and complemented each other and are deeply intertwined.
- Sumo: It’s a form of competitive full-contact wrestling. An act aims to force the opponent out of a circular ring. Touching the ground with any body part other than the soles of one’s feet also means losing.
- Japanese Kenjutsu: It is one of the four central martial arts of pre-modern Japan. There are a multitude of kenjutsu schools and traditions. That’s why this art of swordsmanship is so diverse internally.
- Chinese Wushu: Wushu literally means “martial art”. It features various forms of Chinese martial arts including tai chi.
- Kendo: At its core, kendo or the “way of the sword” teaches techniques and styles of swordsmanship to participants using bamboo swords and protective armor. It originates from kenjutsu, but in the 18th century the bamboo swords started to be used for training.
- Mixed Martial Arts (MMA): A full-contact combat sport incorporating striking, grappling and ground fighting. The contact sparring techniques in MMA source from various combat sports worldwide.
- Krav Maga: It’s a self-defense system developed for the Israeli military, incorporating techniques from boxing, wrestling, judo, and karate, among others. It’s a mix of self-defense techniques and using the available objects for this purpose.
- Jeet Kune Do: A martial arts philosophy and fighting style founded by Bruce Lee, which emphasizes minimal movement with maximum effect and incorporates elements from various martial arts.
- Brazilian capoeira: Actually it’s not a fighting sport, but live music, dance and choreography, coming from Brazil. Why is it sometimes classified as a martial art? Probably because the tradition of performance emphasizes not only the flowing movements but also meaningful hand strikes and other striking techniques.
Here's a table summarizing the key aspects of some of the most popular martial arts:
| Martial Art | Origin | Focus | Techniques |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muay Thai | Thailand | Striking | Punches, kicks, elbows, knees |
| Taekwondo | Korea | Kicking | High and fast kicks, hand techniques |
| Tai Chi | China | Meditation in motion | Slow, graceful movements |
| Kickboxing | Japan/USA | Striking | Punches and kicks |
| Karate | Japan | Striking | Punches, kicks, knee strikes, elbow strikes |
| Kung Fu | China | Varied | Strikes, kicks, acrobatics |
| Aikido | Japan | Redirecting energy | Joint locks, throws, pins |
| Judo | Japan | Grappling | Throws, ground-based techniques |
| Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu | Brazil | Ground fighting | Submissions, joint locks, chokes |
Whether you are looking for self-defense skills, physical fitness, or mental discipline, the world of martial arts offers a wealth of options to explore. Each style has its unique characteristics, history, and philosophy, providing a rich and diverse landscape for practitioners of all levels.
Different Martial Arts Styles Around the World (Source: Wikipedia)