Martial Arts

Martial Arts can refer to any of various sets of fighting skills. Most, but not all, are of east Asian origin, including the well-known kung fu, karate and tai chi. The martial arts can be divided into armed and unarmed arts. Armed arts include swordsmanship and traditional Okinawan weapons. Whereas the Asian martial arts were based in traditions of Taoism or Buddhism. More modern martial arts such as the Israeli Krav Maga, Keysi Fighting Method and Russian Systema focus on fighting techniques.

Aikido is a Japanese martial art. Morihei Ueshiba developed it, synthesizing his martial arts studies, philosophy and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as “the way of unifying with life energy” or “the way of harmonious spirit.” Ueshiba intended Aikido for practitioners to not only defend themselves, but to protect their attackers from injury. It is a grappling style, using entering and turning movements to redirect the attacker’s motion rather than using forceful moves like kicks and punches.

Boxing is a martial art that focuses entirely on fist fighting. Today it is a highly regulated sport, arranged in a series of one- to three-minute intervals known as rounds. A boxing match is won by either knocking the opponent down so they can’t get up, having the referee declare your opponent too injured to continue, or by the judges’ scoring. Fist fighting is natural and intuitive, but the ancient Greeks were the first to make it a sport.

Capoeira, meaning “clear area,” is a blend of martial art, dance and game. It started in Brazil during the 16^th century, a product of the slave trade—it was created and developed by slaves imported from Africa. Participants form a roda (circle) and take turns playing music and sparring in pairs in the center. Capoeira involves fluid acrobatics, feints and extensive groundwork, sweeps, kicks and headbutts. Occasionally elbow strikes, slaps punches and body throws are used.

Chi Kung (Qi gong) is an internal system of physical development, more than a martial art, practiced by Taoists since the dawn of Chinese history. It employs slow, deep breathing, making the body work like a sponge being squeezed, then expanding forcefully. It is quite similar to Tai Chi Chuan but rather than moving through a series of forms and moves, involves strenuous held poses. It is intended to bring Qi, or life force, into the body.

Choi Lei Fut is a southern Chinese style of kung fu practice that features the five animal techniques but is distinguished from other southern styles by long, swinging circular movements and twisting body movements like the northern styles. It was developed by Chan Heung, as a synthesis of the training he received under various masters including Lei Ga and Choi Fook in the 1800s. It is categorized as a soft-hard, external style of kung fu.

Commando Krav Maga, combines the most useful elements of Krav Maga with the no holds barred octagon environment training (like the UFC) and Olympic-level martial arts and mental training. The goal is to teach anyone how to survive any kind of life or death confrontation. In the 1970s, a senior member of the elite Sayaret commando unit developed Commando Krav Maga by improving on the existing system of close combat, incorporating Jiu Jitsu, Krav Maga and other fighting styles.

Dim mak, or death touch, is an ancient and very controversial Chinese martial art. The practitioner, it is said, can strike certain points on the body to cause illness or death. The points are called dim mak points, but are also referred to as vital points and pressure points. The majority are the same as acupuncture points. It is a dangerous martial art and can cause knockout, death, or delayed death. It is believed to have been developed by the founder of Tai Chi.

Yamaguchi Gogen founded Goju Kai. He is famous for introducing free sparring to karate. Before that, Okinawan styles had relied on katas (forms) and predefined attack and defense techniques only. It is very similar in technique and katas to Goju Ryu. It tends to place more emphasis on the sport aspect rather than the conditioning and supplementary exercises of Goju Ryu. Schools today exist all over the world, and are signinfied by the distinctive clenched-fist logo.

Chojun Miyagi, who lived from 1888 to 1953, founded Goju Ryu karate. It is one of the four original Okinawan karate styles. It employs hard and soft techniques, including both circular and linear movements. It also utilizes a variety of hand and foot techniques. Emphasis in Goju Ryu is on supplementary exercises designed to strengthen both body and mind. Its most famous practitioner is Morio Higaonna, the chief instructor of the International Okinawan Goju Ryu Karatedo Federation (I.O.G.K.F.).

Hapkido is an eclectic Korean martial art. It employs joint locks, pressure points, throws, kicks, and other strikes. Hapkido practitioners train to counter the techniques of other martial arts as well as common unskilled attacks. There are traditional weapons, including the short stick, cane, rope, sword and staff. It contains both long range and close range fighting techniques, and emphasizes circular motion, non-resisting movements, and control of the opponent. It evolved from jujitsu after World War II.

Hsing-I is known as Mind Boxing and characterized by five actions, called the five fist elements. These elements are the Splitting Fist, Drilling Fist, Crushing Fist, Pounding Fist and the Crossing Fist. These five basic actions relate to the five elements of traditional Chinese medical theory: metal, water, fire, earth and wood. Hsing-I is a Chinese internal martial art, but its movements are more linear than Tai Chi and involve straightforward attacks. It may have been developed by general Yu Fei.

Iaido is a Japanese martial art associated with smoothly drawing the sword from the scabbard, striking or cutting an opponent, removing blood from the blade, and replacing it. New students might start with a wooden sword, but advanced practitioners use a sharpened metal sword. Because it uses actual metal weaponry, it is almost entirely based on teaching forms, not sparring of any kind. Since it is non-competitive and emphasizes fluid, controlled motion, it is often called “moving Zen.”

Jeet Kune Do is the name legendary martial artist and actor Bruce Lee gave to his combat philosophy in 1967. Rather than a style of martial arts, it is a process for learning and synthesizing various fighting styles. Lee stated his ideals are not so much about accumulating more and more techniques as “casting off what is useless.” He studied many styles but treated them as a sculptor treats a stone, hacking away the “unessentials.” 

Jiujitsu is a modern self-defense system rooted in traditional jujutsu that draws heavily from modern boxing (both western and Thai) and judo but in a street context. It emphasizes defense against modern weapons (guns, knives etc), in contrast with sport systems that either eliminate weapons or train with traditional weapons (sai, sword, etc). Fundamental skills include rolling and falling. Since the system is a real-world system, schools periodically test skills on non-mat surfaces, in parks or on hardwood floors.

Judo, which translates as “gentle way,” is a modern Japanese martial art and combat sport. It originated in Japan in the late nineteenth century. It is best known as a sport competition, where the goal is to throw one’s opponent to the ground, immobilize or subdue the opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an opponent to submit with a joint lock or choke hold. Strikes, thrusts, and weapons defenses are part of judo forms but not competition.

Jujutsu literally means “art of softness,” or “way of yielding.” It is consists of grappling and striking techniques, and evolved among the samurai of feudal Japan as a set of techniques for use when weapons were impractical or forbidden. Samurai often wore armor, and strikes are useless against armor, so pins, joint locks and throws are fundamental to Jujutsu. It is a ‘soft’ style, focusing primarily on grappling and using an attacker’s own energy against him.

Kali, also known as Eskrima, is a class of Filipino martial arts that emphasizes stick and sword fighting. The name Kali is mainly used outside the Philippines and virtually unknown there. The teaching emphasizes skills that were proven effective in battle and could be taught en masse. Its origins are murky, but it has been around quite a while, and it is believed that villagers used it to resist the Spanish conquistadores in the 1500s.

Kapap (Krav Panim El Panim) - Is the original combat system of hand-to-hand combat, defensive tactics and self-defense methods employed by the Israeli Defense Forces, the Israeli National Police, and Israeli special operations and anti-terrorist units. Kapap is considered a practical and true reality based, no-holds-barred system optimized for street, law enforcement, executive protection and military purposes. It originated in the 1940's and is headed today by Lt. Col Chaim Pe'er.

Karate is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands from indigenous fighting methods and Chinese kenpō. It emphasizes strikes such as punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes and open-handed techniques like knife-hands and ridge-hands. Grappling, locks, restraints, throws, and vital point strikes are taught in some styles. It can be practiced as sport, combat sport, or self-defense. Modern training emphasizes a proper kokoro (attitudes), such as perseverance, fearlessness, virtue, and leadership skills. Some styles involve weapons training. 

Kendo, or the “way of the sword,” is the Japanese martial art of sword fighting. It was developed from traditional sword techniques known as kenjutsu. It is practiced wearing traditionally styled clothes and protective armor, using one or two bamboo swords as weapons. Unlike western fencing, kendo uses strikes with a defined edge. It is noisier than many martial arts, as it not only involves bamboo swords banging together but shouts and foot stomps in unison with strikes.

Keysi Fighting Method emphasizes personal growth through self-defense training. Justo Dieguez a Spaniard, and Andy Norman, an Englishman, founded it. Both are certified Jeet Kune Do instructors, and met pursuing the same goals. The Keysi fighting method is free-flowing and makes use of multiple attacking ranges, with or without weapons. The trademark is the thinking man (Pensador) and thinking man attack(pensataq), which emphasizes protecting the head while smashing and opening up the opponent for the finish using all ranges and types of fluid strikes.

Kickboxing is a full contact sport that combines martial arts kicks with standard boxing techniques. It is essentially boxing, with kicks. It is a standing sport, and does not allow continuation when an opponent has reached the ground. No kicks below the belt are allowed, nor are knee and elbow strikes. Japanese boxing promoter Osamu Noguchi created the term kickboxing to describe a hybrid of Muay Thai and Karate that he created in the 1950s.

Krav Maga (which in Hebrew, means “close combat”) is an eclectic, practical military hand-to hand combat system developed by the Israeli military. There are no hard and fast rules, and men and women train the same. It is not a sport. There are no uniforms, although some organizations award rank badges to indicate progress. The guiding principle is no quarter asked, none given, do what needs to be done as quickly as possible and escape. 

Kung fu, also known as gongfu or gung fu is a Chinese term English-speakers use to refer to Chinese martial arts. Its original meaning is different, meaning expertise in any practice, not necessarily martial. The term was not popular until the 20^th century, and found its way to the English language in the 1960s, when it became popular because of Hong Kong films like those of Bruce Lee, and the American television series Kung Fu.

Kyokushin kaikan, which translates to “the society of the ultimate truth,” is a style of stand-up, full contact karate, founded in 1964 by Masutatsu Oyama. Kyokushiin is built on a philosophy of self-improvement, discipline and hard training. It has influenced many of the full-contact schools of karate, emphasizing realistic combat, physical toughness and practicality. The system is based on traditional karate, like Shotokan and Goju-ryu, but incorporates elements of combat sports like boxing and kick boxing.

Muay Thai, which translates literally as “Thai boxing,” is also known as the Art of the Eight Limbs. It is a form of hard, strike-oriented martial art. Muay Thai has a long history in Thailand, and is the country’s national sport. The Muay Thai practiced today differs significantly from the ancient practice of Muay Boran, and has borrowed much from western boxing, including the ring, rounds and boxing gloves. Unlike boxing, Muay Thai uses kicks, elbow and knee strikes.

Ninjutsu is the martial art, of unconventional warfare and guerilla tactics practiced by the shinobi (known outside of Japan as the ninja). Ninjutsue was developed by groups of people from the Iga province of Japan. The shinobi are primarily assassins, scouts and spies. They are known for using stealth and deception. Modern ninjutsu deals only with techniques relevant to armed and unarmed combat, but the original discipline included meteorology and geography—necessary for assassins, but not martial artists. 

Nippon Kempo is a Japanese martial art known for full-contact bouts. Muneomi Sawayama developed it in 1932. It places an equal emphasis on striking techniques using hands and feet, immobilization and controls, projections and take-downs. It borrows from other arts including judo, jujutsu, aikido, karate and wrestling. Practitioners fight and practice while wearing protective gear, due to the full contact nature of the style. Many techniques illegal in other combat sports are legal in kempo.

Pa Kua is a Chinese internal system, involving Qi Gong breathing exercises as well as weapons and meditation. It is known for its evasive footwork, such the signature-move circle walking and spiraling, coiling, drilling, spinning, and twisting movements, as well as palm heel strikes. Pa kua is taught as much for its health benefits as for its martial arts combat effectiveness. Don Hai Chuan founded the art in Beijing, China during the 19^th-century Qing dynasty.

The Indonesian martial art of Pentjak Silat began originally as a weapons style of combat. It has borrowed much from its neighbors, India and China, synthesizing these elements into a unique style combining. The result was a style combining kicking and striking techniques with a variety of weapons techniques. There are hundreds of schools amongst the thousands of Indonesian islands, each with their own stylistic identity. Some of them also teach magic, healing and mystic powers.

Sambo, is also known as sombo or cambo. It is a modern martial art developed in the former Soviet Union. The word is an acronym in Russian that means self-defense without weapons. It has its roots in Japanese judo and traditional folk styles of wrestling. The founders of sambo were Vasili Oshchepkov and Viktor Spiridonov. They independently developed two different styles with the same name. Spiridonov is officially regarded as the founder of the Sport Sambo.

Savate, also known as boxe francaise, French boxing or French kickboxing, is a French martial art which uses both hands and feet for striking and combines elements of western boxing with graceful kicks. Only foot kicks are allowed, no knee or shin kicks. It is possibly the only style of kickboxing in which the boxers wear shoes. In fact, the word “savate” means “old shoe.” It has its roots in street fighting but today is practiced as sport.

Mabuni Kenwa, was an Okinawan karate master who studied both Gojo ryu and shorin ryu. He invented Shito Ryu. It is a combination of the kata and techniques of both styles. Traditional Okinawan weapons are also taught. The style is known for square stances and linear strikes. The most famous practitioner is Fumio Demura, who has written several books on Shito Ryu and traditional Okinawan martial arts weapons, such as the sai, nunchaku and tonfa.

Shorinji Kempo is a form of kempo founded by Doshin So in 1947. He combined Zen Buddhism with the fighting style. It is a religion as well as a martial art, much like Shaolin kung fu, which it is based on. It could be described as a combination of karate, judo, aikijujitsu within a kung fu framework. This art has no killing moves, and emphasizes doing minimal damage, because of its Buddhist reverence for all life.

Shorin Ryu, founded by Sokon Matsumura, is one of the four original Okinawan styles of karate. It employs more hand techniques than foot techniques and relies on high stances. It includes traditional weapons practice as well. The Shorin-Ryu kata was developed as a system of communication as well as defense. The Japanese occupiers forbade the Okinawans from meeting in groups, so they communicated through kata. The traditional weapons such as nunchaku, sai and kama evolved from farm implements as weapons were outlawed.

Shotokan is one of the four main karate schools in Japan. It is known for its long and deep stances, as well more linear movements. Shotokan has few of the  circular movements found in Okinawan styles of karate, and does not rely on body conditioning and supplementary training exercises. Many consider Shotokan Karate a sport style of Karate. Many practitioners would prefer that Shotokan revert to a traditional, non-sports martial art as conceived by founder Gichin Funakoshi.

Shukokai is a cluster of related styles of Karate developed by Chojiro Tani in the late 1940s. The first dojo where Tani taught his style was opened in Kobe, Japan in 1946 and named Shuko Kai, meaning the "Way for All" Club. The style is  built around the study of body mechanics, and is known for its force-maximizing 'double hip twist.' Thanks to the hip twist, it is known as one of the hardest-hitting styles of karate.

Sumo is a form of competitive, full contact wrestling wherein two wrestlers (rikishi) try to push each other out of a circular ring (dohyo) or force one another to touch the ground with anything except the soles of their feet. The sport originated in Japan and is not practiced professionally anywhere else. The sumo tradition is very ancient, and even today the sport includes many ritual elements linked to the Shinto religion, such as the use of salt for purification.

Systema, a popular Russian style of martial arts has roots that date back to the 10th century and is deeply woven into the history and terrain of this country. Resulting from it’s central location, Russia had to repel invaders in battles from all directions north, south, east, and west while dealing with a variety of difficult terrain and climates. Known for its freezing winters and blazing hot summers, this made any battles in Russia difficult, to say the least. As a result of these factors, Russian warriors acquired and developed a style that combined the will of the spirit with tactics that were practical, deadly, and effective under any circumstances. The style of Russian fighting that in some ways resembles Tai Chi, is based on natural movements and is freely structured with no strict rules, rigid requirements or limitations. It combines hand to hand, weapons (blade and firearms) and other forms of training to develop its fighters.

Tae Kwon Do, or “the way of the fist and the foot,” is a Korean martial art, practiced widely as a sport, and the national sport of South Korea. In terms of number of practitioners, it is the world’s most popular martial art, and is Tae Kwon Do sparring is now an Olympic sport. The art emphasizes kicks, because the leg has greater reach and power compared to the arm. It also employs blocks, punches and sweeps.

Tai ji Quan is the most popular internal Chinese martial art. It is practiced for its health and longevity benefits as well as its martial arts effectiveness. Some training forms are familiar to westerners, as Chinese people practice them in parks around the world. Most modern styles developed from one of the five traditional schools: Chen, Yang, Wu/Hao, Wu and Sun. The origins are murky and ancient, but the oldest documented style is Chen family’s, dating from the 1820s.

Taiho Jutsu, defined as a martial arts system of "control and restraining" techniques was created for the Japanese police forces in the mid 1940’s. The police wanted to design their own unique combative and restraining system including the study of "keibo" (baton training), "toshu" (against unarmed attack), "seijo" (handcuffing techniques) and "hikitate-oyobi" (carry and control or restraining and forcing a prisoner to their feet). Modern day Taiho Jutsu, the Shudokan Taiho Jutsu system for example, is a combination of techniques from Yoshinkai Aikido (the system taught to the Tokyo Riot Police), and techniques from Japanese Jujitsu, Goju Sabudokai, Hapkido and Ninjitsu. Techniques are taught with safety (of both officer and assailant) in mind and are applied with minimal damage to an opponent with a combination of wrist controls, arm controls, submission holds and joint locks.

Tang soo do is an empty handed, Korean martial art geared toward self-defense. The name means “The Way of The Chinese Hand,” and the style is eclectic, borrowing from Okinawa and China as well as its native Korea. It uses both kicking and striking techniques. It is best described as both a hard and soft martial art. In 1965, the Tang Soo Do Association was established. Its practitioners are traditionalists, in contrast with sport-oriented Tae Kwon Do.

Otsuka Hironori created Wado Ryu in Japan in the first half of the twentieth century. It is one of the four primary styles of Japanese karate. Hironori used his extensive knowledge of Shotokan Karate, Jujutsu, grappling and Tai Sabaki to synthesize Wado Ryu. It does not include the kind of body toughening exercises often employed by other styles of karate, preferring to use Tai Sabaki, or body movement, to evade attacks. It is a hard, strike-oriented martial art.

Karate originated in Okinawa, and Uechi Ryu is one of the four original styles. It uses many kicking and striking techniques drawn from Chinese Kempo. Uechi Ryu borrows some of the Goju Ryu kata (forms), notably Sanchin, Sanseiru, and Sean. It also borrows other elements from Goju Ryu, such as low leg kicks, grappling and takedowns. It is a hard martial art suited for close range fighting. It was founded by Kanbun Uechi in the late 1800s. 

Wei Kun Do – “The Way of the Integrated Fist” was developed by Martial Arts and film legend, Master Leo Fong. It finds its roots in Bruce Lee's Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do, Angel Cabales' Serrada Escrima, Remy Presas, Low Bun, , T.L Wong, Western Boxing, and also Choy Lay Fut, Sil Lum, and Wing Chun Kung Fu. Taking the most practical techniques and tactics from each style, Wei Kun Do is made for reality fighting.

Wei Kun Do, also focuses on developing methods whereby a practitioner can hit without getting hit, fight without fighting and perceive in any situation despite an opponents size and strength. Wei Kun Do develops the inner skills that will help a person to overcome and transcend some of life's difficulties and adversities. It is said that, "WKD strives to teach the practitioner how to become the technique rather than do the technique."

Master Fong migrated to the United States with his parents at the age of 5, and settled in Widener, Arkansas. He holds Black Belts in Tae Kwon Do, Karate, and Arnis. In 1996 Dillman's Karate Institute International honored him with a 10th Degree Black Belt.

Wing Chun, which translates to “forever spring,” is a southern style of Chinese kung fu that specializes in aggressive, close-range combat. Legend has it that a young woman, Yim Wing Chun, refused to marry a local warlord, who insisted he would only let her go if she beat him in a fight. A local Buddhist nun, Ng Mui, taught her kung fu, and the style that evolved from her beating the warlord is Wing Chun.

Hiroo Mochizuki founded the relatively new style of Yoseikan karate in the 1960s. He trained under his father, Minoru Mochizuki, one of the greatest martial arts master of the time, who in turn trained directly under Gichin Funakoshi, the man who brought karate to the Japanese mainland in 1921. Hiroo was accomplished in several martial arts including aikido, judo, Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-ryu, jujutsu, kobudo, iaido, kendo, jojutsu, and kempo. He synthesized elements of these into what is now Yoseikan.

Though this compendium of martial arts styles and their descriptions is long, it in no way claims to list and describe every style and system known. Martial Arts are studied on all corners of the globe by student and master practitioners everywhere, both to learn self defense and the defense of others in difficult situations as well as to bring their own selves (the practitioner) under submission mentally (temperament, spirit) and physically.

Master Practitioners have volumes of history and knowledge of their arts to share. By opening doors to a variety of styles, the Martial Arts offers a way to further develop peace, self discipline, self respect and respect for others, effectively opening doors of communication and camaraderie between individuals and nations.

"So that we may walk in peace."
Krav Maga Grandmaster, Imi Sde-Or (Lichtenfeld)




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