This document provides a list of martial arts from around the world grouped by region of origin. It includes traditional styles of stick fighting, folk wrestling and bare knuckle boxing from Africa as well as various striking and grappling styles from Asia, the Americas, Europe, and Oceania. The list also distinguishes between traditional regional styles and more modern hybrid martial arts or combat sports.
This document provides a list of martial arts from around the world grouped by region of origin. It includes traditional styles of stick fighting, folk wrestling and bare knuckle boxing from Africa as well as various striking and grappling styles from Asia, the Americas, Europe, and Oceania. The list also distinguishes between traditional regional styles and more modern hybrid martial arts or combat sports.
This document provides a list of martial arts from around the world grouped by region of origin. It includes traditional styles of stick fighting, folk wrestling and bare knuckle boxing from Africa as well as various striking and grappling styles from Asia, the Americas, Europe, and Oceania. The list also distinguishes between traditional regional styles and more modern hybrid martial arts or combat sports.
There are a large number of 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. 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 isn't the decisive criterion, as, for example, "traditional taekwondo" was developed in the 1950s, while the "modern" hybrid martial art of Bartitsuwas developed in ca. 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. Contents [hide] 1 Africa 2 The Americas 3 Asia 4 Europe o 4.1 European folk styles o 4.2 Modern sports 5 Near East & Central Asia o 5.1 Traditional o 5.2 Modern 6 Oceania o 6.1 Traditional o 6.2 Modern 7 See also Africa[edit] Styles of stickfighting Surma stickfighting (Ethiopia) Nguni Stick Fighting (South Africa) Istunka (Somalia) Nuba fighting (Sudan) Folk wrestling Laamb Wrestling (Senegal) Evala wrestling (Togo) Bare knuckle boxing Dambe (Nigeria) Musangwe (South Africa) Moraingy (Madagascar) The Americas[edit] Barbados Bajan stick licking Bolivia Tinku Brazil Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu/Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Capoeira Vale Tudo Huka-huka Canada; Okichitaw Defendo Wen-Do Colombia La Mano Negra (Manegra) Cuba El Juego de Man Peru Bakom/Vacon Rumi maki Trinidad and Tobago Calinda United States American Karate American Kenpo Bojuka Bok Fu Close Quarters Combat Chun Kuk Do Collegiate wrestling Danzan-ry Emerson Combat Systems Gaidojutsu Gouging (fighting style) Jailhouse rock (52 Hands Block/JHR) Jeet Kune Do Kajukenbo Marine Corps Martial Arts Program Model Mugging Modern Army Combatives Oom Yung Doe S.C.A.R.S. (military) Shootfighting (American) Sli Beatha Small Circle Jujutsu SPEAR System World War II combatives Venezuela El Juego del Garrote Asia[edit] Further information: Asian martial arts (origins) Bangladesh Main article: Bangladeshi martial arts Boli Khela Lathi khela Butthan Cambodia Bokator Kbachkun boraan Kbachkun Dambong-veng Khmer traditional wrestling Pradal Serey China Main article: Chinese martial arts See List of Chinese martial arts. T'ai chi ch'uan Wing Chun India Main article: Indian martial arts Gatka Inbuan Wrestling Kalaripayattu Malla-yuddha Mardani khel Musti-yuddha Mukna Pehlwani Silambam Thang-ta Vajra-musti Indonesia Main article: Silat Pencak silat Bakti Negara Perisai Diri Kuntao Tarung Derajat Japan Main article: Japanese martial arts See List of Japanese martial arts Aikido Judo Karate Kendo Kyudo Ninjutsu Sumo Korea Main article: Korean martial arts Choi Kwang-Do GongKwon Yusul Gwonbeop Gyongdang Haidong Gumdo Han Mu Do Hankido Hapkido Hwa Rang Do Kuk Sool Won Kuk Sul Do Kumdo Shippalgi Subak Taekkyeon Taekwondo Tang soo do Yusul Laos Muay Lao Malaysia Silat Melayu Lian padukan Seni Gayung Fatani Seni Gayong Tomoi Myanmar Main article: Burmese martial arts Bando Banshay Lethwei Okinawan martial arts Karate Kobudo Tegumi Pakistan Sqay Philippines Main article: Filipino martial arts Arnis/Eskrima/Kali Buno Kuntaw Kino Mutai Pananjakman Panantukan Sikaran Yaw-Yan Sri Lanka Angampora () Cheena di () Thailand Krabi-krabong () Lerdrit () Muay Boran () Muay Thai () Silat Pattani Vietnam (Vo Thuat) Cuong Nhu Nhat Nam Vovinam Europe[edit] Main article: European martial arts Pygmachia (Ancient Greek Boxing) Pale (Ancient Greek wrestling) Pankration (Ancient Greek Hybrid Combat Sport) Kampfringen (Medieval Wrestling) German school of fencing French school of fencing Italian school of swordsmanship Destreza European folk styles[edit] England Quarterstaff Singlestick France Savate Ireland Bataireacht Bare-knuckle boxing Collar-and-elbow Portugal Jogo do Pau Scotland Dirk Dance Historical fencing in Scotland Scottish Backhold Spain Canarian Wrestling Juego del Palo Modern sports[edit] Amateur Wrestling Archery Chess Boxing Fencing Greco-Roman wrestling Freestyle fighting Freestyle Wrestling Mixed martial arts France Baton Francais Kinomichi La Canne Germany German Ju-Jutsu Kampfringen Unifight Italy Main article: Italian martial arts Nova Scrimia Russia Army hand-to-hand fight Russian fist fighting Sambo Systema Serbia Real Aikido Odbrana Spain Keysi Fighting Method Ukraine Combat Hopak United Kingdom Bare-knuckle boxing - (London Prize Ring rules) Bartitsu Boxing - (Marquess of Queensberry rules) Defendu Shin-kicking Near East & Central Asia[edit] Traditional[edit] Yal gre (Turkish oil wrestling) Turkish archery Kr/Kurash (Central Asian folk wrestling) Varzesh-e Bastani / Pahlavani (Persian wrestling) Khridoli (Georgia) Tahtib (Egyptian Stick Fighting) Furusiyya (Mamluk Knightly Martial Exercises) Modern[edit] Iran Kung Fu To'a Israel Kapap Krav Maga Oceania[edit] Traditional[edit] Mau Rakau (Maori) Kapu Kuialua (Hawaii) Modern[edit] Zen Do Kai (Australia) Coreeda (Australian Wrestling)