Since time immemorial, all civilizations have developed their own forms of martial arts. This process took time and effort. The reasons behind developing all these different types of martial arts were varied and certainly were not just for fighting.
Daoism and Zen Buddhism heavily inspired several East Asian forms of martial arts; this makes them different.
All types of martial arts that fall under this category stress heavily on the mental and spiritual side of the arts and how they can enable an individual to focus their energies.
Meanwhile, forms that have developed in Central Asia usually stress more on the self-discipline side of things. These forms believe that a human should train to become a complete human being with discipline and dedication.
However, nowadays, it is more about staying fit. Training for any sort of martial arts engages our bodies as well as our minds, which is very important.
Consistent training would not only prepare us to avert violent situations but would also enable us to deal with all sorts of diseases and mental health issues.
Hence, the reasons for getting into martial arts can be recreational, as a sport, or as a means to keep up your physical and mental fitness.
No matter what your reasons are, we bring you different types of martial arts styles so that you can choose which one suits your needs the best. Here we go!
Top 10 Martial Arts You Need To Know About:
With around 190 recognized styles of martial arts present in the world today, the choice can feel like a cumbersome task.
Nonetheless, we are here to provide a complete guide on some of the best and deadliest martial arts forms that you can learn. However, keep in mind that none of these styles are ranked, and each one is as deadly and beneficial as the next.
On that note, let us look at 10 types of martial arts that you can check out for yourself in 2024.
Karate
Place of origin: Japan
Karate started its journey back in the 1900s and eventually rose to prominence. It is one of the more prominent on the list; some experts even call it one of the “best types of martial arts” one could learn.
Even though Karate primarily originated in the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa, located in the southern part of Japan, there is a heavy Chinese influence in its development. The style teaches an individual to focus mostly on the weak points of their opponents.
This is one of the styles that rely on full body control to land devastating blows. Karate is a varied style and can be further divided into several other schools like Chitō-ryū, Kyokushin, Shūkōkai, etc., making it a versatile style.
Even though the art form primarily relies on hand-to-hand combat, it also teaches an individual to wield different types of martial arts weapons like staff, knives, etc.
Krav Maga
Place of origin: Israel.
Developed primarily for the Israel Defense Forces, it is a combination of several martial arts forms.
With a varied combination of techniques used in aikido, judo, karate, boxing, and wrestling, it is one of the most prominent types of mixed martial arts currently in the world.
The founder, Imrich Sde-Ora, primarily found this form to teach people from different law enforcement agencies to defend against unarmed and armed attacks.
Currently, Eyal Yanilov, the right-hand man of Imrich Sde-Ora, is the head of the International Krav Maga Federation. It is one of the most flexible types of martial arts, as it prepares an individual to deal with a threat in a varied manner.
Tai Chi.
Place of origin: China.
It developed in the Chinese subcontinent by practitioners such as Yang Chengfu and Sun Lutang in the early 20th century. This form of martial arts is famous for its health benefits.
According to some sources, “Tai Chi also adopts the Daoist ideals of softness overcoming hardness, of wu-wei (effortless action), and of yielding into its martial art technique, while also retaining Daoist ideas of spiritual self-cultivation.”
Therefore, there are multiple influences that helped in the formulation of this technique.
Due to its stress-relieving capabilities, Tai Chi has been classified as one of the few types of martial arts that can be used to improve the physical and mental health of senior citizens.
Aikido.
Place of origin: Japan.
A style of martial arts that emphasizes inner growth more than winning, it is one of the most unique types of martial arts on this list. Founded by Morihei Ueshiba, it is a non-aggressive martial art style you can check out.
Aikido relies heavily on locks and takedowns; it is primarily aimed at avoiding or putting an end to an altercation instead of hurting the ‘opponent.’ Therefore, it can be termed as one of the best types of martial arts to end a fight.
Due to its nature, it can be seen as ineffective in a real combat situation. However, it does depict meditative qualities, which have their own benefits.
Taekwondo.
Place of origin: Korea.
Experts term this style of martial arts as one of the ‘most systematic and scientific’ ways of fighting. With a history that dates back to 600 AD, it was a form of fighting that developed in tribal Korea.
However, contemporary Taekwondo started in the 1940s. This form of martial arts relies heavily on kicking forms that are entertaining and technical at the same time.
Experts found martial arts traditions such as Taekkyon, Subak, Gwonbeop, and Karate have played their roles in the development of this style of fighting. Currently, Taekwondo is recognized as an Olympic sport.
Kalaripayattu.
Place of origin: India.
Originating in modern-day Kerala, it is one of the oldest surviving forms of martial arts in India. The art form includes strikes, kicks, grappling, preset forms, and weaponry to deal with a threat.
Moraingny.
Place of origin: Madagascar.
Originating during the Maroseranana dynasty, it is a form of bare-fisted fighting technique. Moreover, it is indigenous to modern-day Madagascar and designed to stave off tribal attacks. Nowadays, it is mostly seen as a combat sport.
It is technically a “half-distance or long-range fighting sport with punches predominating but with some kicks permitted,” similar to Taekwondo. One fun fact about the style is that there is no standardized mindset.
As a result, the techniques of fighters from different villages can differ considerably. Subsequently, with the advent of the internet and other means of media, Moraingny seems to have been influenced by different forms of fighting like the Brazilian Capoeira, etc., making it one of the best types of martial arts to learn if you have a knack for learning MMA or mixed martial arts.
Sambo.
Place of origin: Russia.
Developed in the USSR for elite units of the Red Army. It is a style of fighting that primarily belonged to the unarmed self-defense techniques used by defense forces.
However, with the rise of crime, other classes, like security guards and private bodyguards, began learning the techniques.
Viktor Spiridonov and Vasili Oshchepkov were the two pioneers of the style. They also played a major role in laying the basic groundwork.
Today, Sambo is one of the most versatile types of martial arts that has several different branches. These could be Freestyle Sambo, Self-Defense Sambo, Concrete Sambo, Special Sambo, Beach Sambo, FCF-MMA or Sport Sambo, and Combat Sambo.
Kendo.
Place of Origin: Japan.
With a rich history of over 200 years, it is the form of fighting that samurais employed. In this form, ‘nihonto’ or swords play a major role. This type of fighting relies heavily on the usage of Katanas. Kendo descended from the oldest Japanese sword combat form, Kenjutsu.
You can primarily categorize the fighting techniques into ‘shikake-waza’ or initiating a strike and ‘ōji-waza’ or defending an incoming strike.
Kendo is a style of martial arts that requires patience and the ability to accurately anticipate the opponents’ strikes. Therefore, it is known to build focus and precision amongst its practitioners. This is the only martial art on the list that relies solely on weaponry.
MCMAP – Marine Corps Martial Arts Program.
Place of origin: United States of America.
It is a combat system that was developed by the United States Marine Corps in and around 2001. This technique is an amalgamation of existing and new techniques of hand-to-hand combat.
With the shift of the US government towards counter-insurgency, MCMAP became one of the building blocks of the said efforts.
Unlike LINE, MCMAP is aimed at incapacitating the threat instead of killing it.
Influences of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Wrestling, Judo, Capoeira, Sambo, Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu, boxing, Savate, kickboxing, Isshin-ryū Karate, Muay Thai, Taekwondo, Kung Fu, Aikido, Hapkido, Eskrima, Sayoc Kali, Jujutsu, Krav Maga, Iaido, Kendo, and Kobudocan be clearly found in the development of MCMAP.
Therefore, this is also a versatile technique that has extensive influences from the different types of martial arts, both old and new.
Final Thoughts:
In summation, every fighting technique listed here in the ‘types of martial arts list’ focuses on different aspects of mind, body, or hand-to-hand combat. Therefore, it is not easy to find the ‘best’ among the lot.
Nonetheless, we have tried bringing to you some of the most prominent and functional hand-to-hand combat techniques that you can take up as a hobby or a lifestyle.
No matter what your needs are, choosing any of the ones from the list would help you to develop certain qualities that would certainly make your lives better and let you be more in control.
In the end, the only thing that all of these techniques teach is to ‘be in control’ no matter what.
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