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The most popular types of martial arts. Stand up for yourself: which martial art to choose

All types of martial arts originate from ancient times, when fighting styles were developed and used on enemies to protect families, villages and tribes. Of course, at first the old martial arts were rather primitive and did not reveal the capabilities of the human body, but over time they were improved and transformed into completely different directions, making them more cruel and aggressive (Thai boxing) or, conversely, soft, but no less effective (Wing Chun). ).

Ancient martial arts

Most historians consider wushu to be the ancestor of all martial arts, but in refutation of this there are other opinions supported by facts:

  1. The very first martial art arose in 648 BC and was called "Greek pankration".
  2. The Turkic people, who lived on the territory of modern Uzbekistan, developed the martial art "Kerash", which became the ancestor of modern martial arts.
  3. The Hindus, like other peoples, also practiced the creation of an effective method of fighting and, according to many historians, it was they who laid the foundation for the development of martial schools in China and the rest of the East.

Note: the third hypothesis is considered the most realistic, and its study continues even now.

Martial arts: types and differences

In the East, martial arts have a completely different purpose than in Europe or America, here everything is not so much in self-defense as in the spiritual development of a person through the performance of physical tasks, the correct overcoming of which allows you to reach the next level of harmony of the soul.

The best types of martial arts in European countries are based solely on self-defense and the protection of a person and society, but in the oriental arts of warfare everything is completely different, there cripple a person is considered not the best solution to the problem.

When considering martial arts, China most often starts with China, which, according to many people, introduced the martial arts of oriental origin to other states, but there are many other countries in the east that practice their martial arts and gain followers around the world with great success.

Karate and judo are the most popular martial arts. Types, of course, are not limited to just two styles, no, there are quite a few of them, but there are even more subspecies of both famous methods, and today many schools insist that their style is real and priority.

Chinese martial arts

In ancient China, people practiced wushu, but until 520, this type of martial arts was at a dead point in development, and only helped protect the country's inhabitants from raids by surrounding tribes and feudal lords.

In 520 BC, a monk named Bodhidharma from the territory of modern India comes to China and, under an agreement with the Emperor of the country, creates his own residence on the territory of the Shaolin Monastery, where he begins to practice merging his knowledge of martial arts with Chinese wushu.

Bodhidharma did not work on a simple fusion of wushu and his martial art, he did a great job, during which China switched to Buddhism, although it had previously professed Confucianism and in some parts of the country Taoism. But the most important achievement of a monk from India is the transformation of wushu into a spiritual art with elements of gymnastics and at the same time strengthening the combat side of martial arts.

After the work of the Indian monasteries, they began to develop wushu directions and create sports, martial and health styles of martial arts. After spending many years teaching the Chinese, wushu masters reached the island of Okinawa (previously not owned by Japan, but practiced jiu-jitsu), where they studied Japanese styles of martial arts and developed the famous karate.

Japanese martial arts

The first in Japan is jiu-jitsu, which was not based on contact with the enemy, but on how to succumb to him and win.

During the development of self-defense, the basis was the state of mind and focus on the enemy in such a way that the fighter stopped seeing the environment and completely concentrated on the opponent.

Jiu-jitsu is the founder of today's judo, with the exception of traumatic throws and fatal blows to the enemy, but the basis of both arts of fighting the enemy is the same - to succumb in order to win.

Combat sports

Popular martial arts do not only exist in the form of serious fighting techniques, and many of them have styles that were originally developed as combat sports. There are dozens of types of contact techniques that are related to sports today, but the most popular are boxing, karate, judo, but mixed martial arts MMA and others are gradually gaining popularity.

One of the first to come to the sport was boxing, the purpose of which was to cause maximum harm to the enemy so that he could not see or the judge stopped the fight due to the abundance of blood. Judo and karate, unlike boxing, are soft, forbid contacts in the face, which is why they are valued not as but as martial arts. Sports like boxing or mixed martial arts are gaining popularity because of the contact and aggression shown, which gives them high ratings.

Other types of martial arts

Each country has its own martial arts, which were developed in the style of behavior of the inhabitants or their living conditions.

A serious example of the development of a martial art in terms of lifestyle and weather conditions is the ancient Russian style of fighting lyubka.

In the old days, it prepared ordinary peasants for self-defense even against professional soldiers, for which it was invented on the basis of local weather conditions. During Maslenitsa, the peasants played a popular game on ice, where several rows of residents (men) walked at each other and had to break through the enemy's "wall", and physical contact was allowed (with the exception of the face and groin area).

The ice prepared the peasants for difficulty and forced them to learn to maintain balance even in difficult conditions for this, and the martial art itself was not aimed at harming, however, the fighters should have knocked out the enemy (unconsciousness).

The list below consists of the top ten martial arts for self defense. If you are interested in choosing martial arts for the most effective defense, then you should definitely read this rating to the end.

Kickboxing is a combat sport that originated in the United States in the 1960s. It is based on punches and kicks along with martial arts techniques (sweeps, throws, etc.). It has quite a few branches, the most famous of which is Muay Thai - roughly translated as "the art of eight limbs."


Karate is a Japanese martial art that uses precisely targeted, powerful punches and kicks to the vital points of the body to crush the opponent. This sport was invented in 1929 by Gichin Funakoshi under the influence of Zen Buddhism. In Karate, special emphasis is placed on evasions.


In eighth place in the ranking of the best martial arts for self-defense is Aikido, a Japanese martial art, the peculiarity of which is the use of throws and grabs. It was founded by Morihei Ueshiba between the 30s and 60s of the 20th century. Aikido focuses on using the opponent's strength against himself. It is considered one of the most difficult Japanese martial arts to master.


Wing Chun is a Chinese martial art that uses a variety of fighting techniques. It is for this reason that it is considered an applied direction of wushu. It is characterized by effective escapes from the line of attack, complemented by instant, straight-line strikes at very close range. Often the fight ends with knee and elbow strikes. An experienced Wing Chun fighter is capable of inflicting up to eight blows per second on an opponent.


Jiu-Jitsu is the most versatile style on this list. This is a real hybrid, including elements of wrestling, hard punches, chokes, locks, etc. Jiu-jitsu is one of the oldest types of Japanese wrestling. The main principle of jiu-jitsu is not to go into direct confrontation, but to yield to the onslaught of the opponent, directing his actions in the right direction until he is trapped, and then turn the strength and actions of the enemy against him.


Jeet Kune Do was created by Bruce Lee and in Chinese means "the way of the leading fist." Today, this style of martial arts is considered one of the most popular in the world. It is taught in many countries. However, Bruce Lee himself did not call Jeet Kune Do a "style", but preferred to call it a "method". According to his philosophy, the Jeet Kune Do method can be used in any kind of martial arts. Here the emphasis is on the speed of impact and combinations.


The fourth place in the list of the best martial arts for self-defense is boxing. I think almost everyone knows that a boxer has the fastest, strongest, most accurate punch of any trained fighter of any other martial art.


Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a martial art that is an international martial art, the basis of which is ground fighting, as well as painful and suffocating techniques. This art is based on the principle that a person with an underdeveloped physique can successfully defend himself and defeat a more powerful opponent using the appropriate technique (painful holds and chokes).


Keysi Fighting Method (KFM) is a self-defense system based on the development of natural human instincts and a number of techniques taken from the arsenal of boxing and street fighting. KFM is based on a small arsenal of techniques adapted to the specific situation. The system was created in 1957 by Spaniard Justo Dieguez and Englishman Andy Norman, both of whom are Jeet Kune Do instructors.


The best martial art for self defense is Krav Maga, an Israeli martial art developed by Imi Lichtenfeld for self defense purposes. In Krav Maga there are no exact rules and there is no difference between workouts for men and women. The system is not considered a sport and lacks a specific dress code and competition, although some organizations award different levels and emblems as they learn. All techniques focus on maximum efficiency in real conditions, as well as on natural reflexes, simple movements and aggressive defensive techniques. The main principles of Krav Maga are: do not take damage, quickly neutralize the attacker, quickly switch from defensive to offensive technique, use body reflexes, as well as vulnerabilities of the enemy, use any available object.

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Karate (karate-do). One of the most popular martial arts both in Russia and around the world. It is considered Japanese, although its history dates back to the distant island of Okinawa. Already in the 19-20 centuries. this type of martial arts has become widespread in the main archipelago of Japan. Gradually, most styles of karate became less combative and more athletic. It is worth noting that the original Okinawan style was particularly cruel and had absolutely nothing to do with sports.

Kung fu (wushu). This collective term means a common name for a large number of Chinese martial arts. In Russia, the term "hand-to-hand combat" means everything related to any kind of combat training. In China, all major martial arts are called "kung fu". Moreover, in this case, the term "wushu" is more familiar to the Chinese themselves.

Jujutsu (jiu-jitsu). Given historical data, jujutsu is the hand-to-hand combat techniques of Japanese samurai. Like, there are many styles of this martial art. The techniques and techniques have a lot in common with judo and karate.

Judo. In this period, this type of martial art is a wrestling sport. Techniques and techniques based on jujutsu have been developed.

Aikido. This is the most popular descendant of jiu-jitsu. This type of martial art is characterized by tactful removal of the enemy from balance. A variety of defense techniques and the use of the opponent's energy against himself are also welcome.

Taekwondo (taekwondo). This is a Korean martial art with a variety of kicking techniques. It is worth noting that there is a more combative and effective style - keksul. It is studied by Korea. However, it is impossible to find an instructor for this type of martial art outside the country.

Muay Thai. This species is especially developed in Thailand. The main emphasis is on hard punches with knees and elbows. This type of martial art is very traumatic.

European and Russian martial arts

Boxing. This is one of the oldest martial arts in Europe. The main direction is to learn how to perform punches without special boxing gloves, so as not to injure the hand in the future. You also need to be able to defend yourself against blows below the belt.

Savate (French boxing). This system is a type of street fighting with a lot of trips, sweeps and kicks to the lower level.

Sambo. On the basis of national methods of wrestling and judo, this system was created in the USSR. It is intended both for training in hand-to-hand combat of special representatives of law enforcement agencies, and

Types of martial arts can be roughly divided into three categories:

  • Drums;
  • Wrestling;
  • Mixed.

Percussion martial arts

Striking styles include martial arts such as:

  • Boxing;
  • Thai boxing;
  • Kickboxing;
  • Karate;
  • Taekwondo.

In percussion martial arts, only percussion techniques are allowed. For example, in boxing, only punches are allowed. In kickboxing, muay thai, karate, taekwondo only punches and kicks without wrestling. In Thai boxing, knees and elbows are also allowed, which makes this sport the most versatile of the above.

The absence of wrestling techniques in these fighting styles makes the fighters of these styles vulnerable to athletes studying mixed martial arts, since after the transfer of the fight to the stalls they will become defenseless in front of fighters of mixed styles. But if the fight is carried out according to the rules that exclude wrestling, then the strikers will have an advantage.

Wrestling martial arts

Wrestling styles include styles such as:

  • judo;
  • sambo;
  • jujutsu;
  • freestyle wrestling;
  • grappling.

In them, in different proportions, are allowed:

  • wrestling in the rack (in the clinch);
  • wrestling on the ground;
  • painful and suffocating (not everywhere) techniques.

Athletes of these sports are distinguished by physical development and endurance, but they are inferior to strikers in terms of speed, as they are used to working in the clinch or on the ground, which is more viscous and less dynamic than in striking styles. But this does not deprive these sports of entertainment and the breadth of technical techniques.

Mixed styles of martial arts

These types of martial arts include disciplines such as:

  • Army hand-to-hand combat
  • Combat Sambo
  • Wushu Sanda
  • MMA (Mix Fight)

Data types of martial arts differ in that they use both elements of striking techniques of arms and legs, and elements of wrestling techniques in the clinch and in the stalls, as well as painful and suffocating (not everywhere) techniques. This makes these martial arts versatile and gives them a strategic and technical advantage over fighters of purely striking or wrestling styles. Between themselves, mixed styles differ in some nuances. These nuances are:

  • the presence or absence of a kimono;
  • the amount of protective ammunition used in competitions;
  • time allotted for wrestling on the ground;
  • permission or prohibition on the use of suffocating and some pain techniques;
  • the time allotted for the duel;
  • the number of points awarded for a particular technical action.

Since for the time allotted for training it is impossible to fully cover all the features of wrestling and striking techniques, therefore, some of the techniques that are considered to be less effective when conducting a duel in a mixed style are thrown out of martial arts of mixed styles. And only those technical actions that are considered the most effective are left.

It is important to note that in different schools the arsenal of technical elements of combat varies, so the coaches have different views on the effectiveness of certain techniques. Therefore, the fighting styles of different fighters have a huge variety and make these sports very spectacular.

There are different martial arts that arose both in the distant past and more recently. They are closely intertwined with each other, but at the same time they have their own characteristics. Different countries have their own unique directions, which are actively developing around the world.

What is martial arts?

This term is understood as different martial arts systems that develop as a means for hand-to-hand combat. All over the world they are practiced as sports exercises aimed at physical and conscious improvement. Describing what martial arts are, it is worth pointing out that they are divided into directions, types, styles and schools. In addition, some of them allow the use of weapons. One of the classifications focuses on national characteristics. Recently, existing martial arts are divided into the following groups:

  1. Sports. The purpose of these events is to compete to highlight the most prepared person. This leads to strict rules, restrictions and sometimes protective devices for lowering. Examples include boxing, karate, judo, and so on.
  2. Combat. These martial arts are used to quickly eliminate the enemy, and they also help to survive in critical situations. They are also used in special services and army practice.
  3. mixed. This is a combination of the first two options, in which there are a minimum of restrictions, but there are rules. Athletes use different techniques and techniques.

Japanese martial arts

The most popular styles that originated in Japan are karate and aikido. They quickly spread to other countries. There are other martial arts in Japan which include:


Chinese martial arts

Over the past two thousand years, various martial arts have developed, of which there are many, so there are certain classifications. There are 18 provinces in China that have their own styles, so the most famous are Shanxi and Henan. According to the nature of the manifestations, physical and spiritual directions are distinguished. On a territorial basis, we can distinguish:

  1. Northern martial arts of China. These directions include acrobatic elements and the performance of various kicks with great power.
  2. Southern martial arts. They are distinguished by the use of low fighting stances and short movements, which are very powerful and are performed to a greater extent with the hands.

European martial arts

In Europe, their own types of self-defense were invented, and many of them were based on the rules of martial arts.


American martial arts

There are unique types of martial arts that have formed in America. An example would be the following options:


Martial arts of Russia

Many are sure that there are no Russian martial arts, but this is not so, although in the traditional sense there is no such phrase. I would like to highlight the following areas:


Types of martial arts

All known directions can be divided into three classes:

  1. Wrestling. This includes traditional and freestyle wrestling. These martial arts almost do not involve striking. Their main goal is to put the opponent on his back, using different techniques.
  2. Drums. Examples include boxing and kickboxing. These are contact types of wrestling and martial arts, which involve punching, and in some types, kicking.
  3. Oriental. Directions that develop not only physical qualities, but also focus on spiritual education, therefore they are also called "philosophy".

Hand to hand martial arts

One of the oldest methods of attacking the enemy is hand-to-hand combat, which was used in the ancient world. An example is Greco-Roman wrestling, but the most famous type of martial art where hands are involved is boxing, which arose in ancient times. On the surface, the sport may seem simple, but in fact it has many subtleties regarding hitting and moving around the ring.

Another variation is Shorinji Kempo, which is a boxing style of karate. It involves the use of a series of punches, as in boxing, which are performed in most cases no higher than the waist. Most of all, this direction is suitable for large people. Many martial arts include hand-to-hand combat, for example, the following areas can be cited:

  • kung Fu;
  • karate;
  • Shotokan karate do;
  • aikido;
  • kickboxing.

Martial arts kicks

Many types of martial sports use kicks, which can be performed correctly by people who have good control over their bodies. The most famous martial arts with kicks:


Martial arts with weapons

Some types of martial arts use different weapons, such as a long pole bo, sai - a certain type of knife, nunchaku and swords. An example is the following martial arts:


Dance martial arts

In many cultures, they are found that add spectacle to the action. The most popular are martial arts with dance elements:


Types of martial arts for girls

There are a large number of different sports areas suitable for the fair sex. The most popular female martial arts are:


Martial arts films

In cinema, the theme of martial arts is popular, so the list of existing films can be listed for a long time. Let's take a look at some of them: