Sports
Martial Arts of the World
Major martial arts styles from around the world with origin country, type, and founder.
martial artsfightingcombatsportsself-defense
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Martial Art↕ | Origin↕ | Type↕ | Founder↕ | Description↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karate | Japan (Okinawa) | Striking | Gichin Funakoshi | Striking art using punches, kicks, knee strikes, and elbow strikes. |
| Judo | Japan | Grappling / Throwing | Jigoro Kano (1882) | Throwing and grappling art. Olympic sport. 'The gentle way.' |
| Taekwondo | South Korea | Striking (kicks) | Choi Hong Hi | Known for spectacular kicks. Olympic sport. Korean national martial art. |
| Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu | Brazil | Grappling / Ground | Gracie family (1920s) | Ground-fighting art focusing on submissions, chokes, and positional control. |
| Kung Fu (Wushu) | China | Mixed | Ancient traditions | Umbrella term for Chinese martial arts. Hundreds of styles including Shaolin. |
| Muay Thai | Thailand | Striking | Ancient Thai tradition | 'Art of eight limbs' — fists, elbows, knees, shins. Thailand's national sport. |
| Boxing | Ancient Greece / England | Striking (hands) | Ancient traditions | Punching art with footwork and head movement. One of the oldest combat sports. |
| Wrestling | Ancient civilizations | Grappling | Ancient traditions | Oldest known combat sport. Takedowns, pins, and ground control. |
| Aikido | Japan | Grappling / Harmonizing | Morihei Ueshiba (1920s) | Redirecting opponent's energy. Joint locks and throws. Defensive philosophy. |
| Krav Maga | Israel | Self-defense / Mixed | Imi Lichtenfeld (1930s) | Practical self-defense system developed for the Israeli military. No rules. |
| Capoeira | Brazil (African roots) | Mixed / Dance | African slaves in Brazil | Martial art disguised as dance. Acrobatic kicks, sweeps, and music. |
| Sambo | Russia/USSR | Mixed / Grappling | Vasili Oshchepkov (1920s) | Soviet martial art combining judo, wrestling, and striking. Combat and sport variants. |
| Fencing | Europe | Weapons (sword) | Medieval European tradition | Sword fighting with foil, epee, or sabre. Olympic sport since 1896. |
| Hapkido | South Korea | Mixed | Choi Yong-sool | Dynamic Korean art with kicks, joint locks, throws, and weapons. |
| Wing Chun | China | Striking / Close range | Ng Mui (legendary) | Close-range Chinese art. Bruce Lee's original style. Centerline theory. |
| MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) | Global (modern: USA) | Mixed | Modern: UFC (1993) | Combines striking and grappling. Draws from boxing, BJJ, wrestling, Muay Thai. |
| Silat | Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Indonesia) | Mixed | Ancient Malay tradition | Southeast Asian martial art with strikes, grappling, bladed weapons. |
| Kendo | Japan | Weapons (sword) | Samurai tradition | Japanese sword fighting with bamboo swords (shinai) and armor. |
| Kushti / Pehlwani | South Asia (Pakistan/India) | Grappling / Wrestling | Ancient Mughal era | Traditional South Asian wrestling practiced in akharas. Deep roots in Pakistani Punjab. |
| Sumo | Japan | Grappling | Ancient Shinto ritual | Japanese ritual wrestling. Massive wrestlers in a clay ring. National sport of Japan. |
| Systema | Russia | Mixed / Self-defense | Russian military tradition | Russian martial art emphasizing breathing, relaxation, and fluid movement. |
| Lathi | South Asia (Pakistan/India) | Weapons (staff) | Ancient tradition | Staff fighting art from the Indian subcontinent. Used in rural Punjab and traditional sports. |
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