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 can be grouped by type or focus, or alternatively by regional origin. This article focuses on the latter grouping of these unique styles of martial arts.
For Hybrid martial arts, as they originated from the late 19th century and especially after 1950, it may be impossible to identify unique or predominant regional origins. It is not trivial to distinguish "traditional" from "modern" martial arts. Chronology is not the decisive criterion, as, for example, "traditional" Taekwondo was developed in the 1950s, while the "modern" hybrid martial art of Bartitsu was developed c. 1900.
A large portion of traditional martial arts can be categorized as Folk wrestling (see the separate article), although in some cases a folk wrestling style and a modern combat sport may overlap or become indistinguishable from each other once the sport has been regulated.
Grappling is a fighting technique based on throws, trips, sweeps, clinch fighting, ground fighting and submission holds.
Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defence; military and law enforcement applications; competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; and the preservation of a nation's intangible cultural heritage.
Self-defense is a countermeasure that involves defending the health and well-being of oneself from harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force in times of danger is available in many jurisdictions.
Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting sport based on striking and grappling, incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to martial arts:
Submission grappling, also known as submission wrestling, submission fighting, or simply grappling, is a martial art and combat sport that focuses on ground fighting and submission techniques. It is a hybrid discipline that incorporates elements of various martial arts such as various wrestling styles, judo, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Submission wrestling is practiced both as a competitive sport and as a training method for self-defence and mixed martial arts (MMA).
Sparring is a form of training common to many combat sports including kickboxing. Although the precise form varies, it is essentially relatively 'free-form' fighting, with enough rules, customs, or agreements to minimize injuries. By extension, argumentative debate is sometimes called sparring.
A combat sport, or fighting sport, is a contact sport that usually involves one-on-one combat. In many combat sports, a contestant wins by scoring more points than the opponent, submitting the opponent with a hold, disabling the opponent, or attacking the opponent in a specific or designated technique. Combat sports share a long history with the martial arts.
Bartitsu is an eclectic martial art and self-defence method originally developed in England in 1898–1902, combining elements of boxing, jujitsu, cane-fighting, and French kickboxing (savate). Dormant throughout most of the 20th century, Bartitsu has experienced a revival since 2002.
Hybrid martial arts, also known as hybrid fighting systems or sometimes eclectic martial arts or freestyle martial arts, referred to as mixed martial arts or fighting systems that incorporate techniques and theories from several martial arts. While numerous martial arts borrow or adapt from other arts and to some extent could be considered hybrids, a hybrid martial art emphasizes its disparate origins.
Edward William Barton-Wright CE, FRSA, MJS was an English entrepreneur specialising in both self defence training and physical therapy. He is remembered today as one of the first Europeans to both learn and teach Japanese martial arts and as a pioneer of the concept of hybrid martial arts.
German Ju-Jutsu is a martial art related to traditional Japanese Jujutsu, developed in Germany in the 1960s using techniques from Jujutsu, Judo, Karate and various other traditional and modern martial arts. Its governing body in Germany is the DJJV. Its competitive sport aspects are coordinated internationally by the JJIF ; Ju-jutsu under JJIF rules is a part of the World Games and World Combat Games. The system is taught to the German police forces.
Mark DellaGrotte is an American former professional Muay Thai kickboxer and a trainer in Muay Thai. He is the owner and operator of the Sityodtong USA Branch in Somerville, Massachusetts, and was certified and appointed by Master Yodtong to be recognized as an international conservator of Thai style boxing. Mark also has extensive training and is certified in the arts of escrima, Pencak Silat, Jeet Kune Do, savate, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Although the earliest evidence of martial arts goes back millennia, the true roots are difficult to reconstruct. Inherent patterns of human aggression which inspire practice of mock combat and optimization of serious close combat as cultural universals are doubtlessly inherited from the pre-human stage and were made into an "art" from the earliest emergence of that concept. Indeed, many universals of martial art are fixed by the specifics of human physiology and not dependent on a specific tradition or era.
Erik Paulson is an American mixed martial artist. He is the first American to win the World Light Heavyweight Shooto Championship in Japan.
This martial arts timeline is designed to help describe the history of the martial arts in a linear fashion. Many of the articles for particular styles have discussions of their history. This article is designed to help visualize the development of these arts, to help better understand the progression of the separate styles and illustrate where they interrelate.
Jujutsu, also known as jiu-jitsu and ju-jitsu, is a family of Japanese martial arts and a system of close combat that can be used in a defensive or offensive manner to kill or subdue one or more weaponless or armed and armored opponents. It was coined by Hisamori Tenenuchi when he officially established the first school of jiu-jitsu in Japan. A subset of techniques from certain styles of jujutsu were used to develop many modern martial arts and combat sports, such as judo, aikido, sambo, ARB, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and mixed martial arts.
The World Combat Games is an international multi-sport event featuring combat sports and martial arts. The games were founded by SportAccord as a way of bringing various martial arts and combative sports to an international audience. The World Combat Games are also accompanied by a cultural program that reflects the ancient traditions and values of martial arts as well as their contribution to modern society. The games are recognised by the International Olympic Committee.
Suffrajitsu is a term used to describe the application of martial arts or self-defence techniques by members of the Women's Social and Political Union during 1913/14. The term derives from a portmanteau of suffragette and jiu-jitsu and was first coined by an anonymous English journalist during March 1914.
Naser Kalantari is an Iranian professional mixed martial artist, who competes in the Welterweight division in SBC. In the SBC47 event, he won in the co-main event in the city of Sombor, Serbia, over Dževad Muftić from Bosnia and Herzegovina. A professional competitor since 2015, Kalantari has won five matches out of his seven professional matches. He has won a silver medal at the 2016 Pankration Asian Championships, a gold medal and a bronze medal at the 2017 Hokutoryu Ju-Jutsu World Championships, a gold medal at the 2017 Pankration World Championships, a silver medal and a bronze medal at the 2019 Hokutoryu Ju-Jutsu World Championships, a silver medal and a bronze medal at the 2022 Combat Ju-Jutsu European Championships, and two silver medals at the 2022 Combat Ju-Jutsu Asian Championships in Uzbekistan.