List of martial arts
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 Bartitsu was 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.
Africa
- Styles of stickfighting
- Istunka (Somalia)
- Nguni Stick Fighting (South Africa)
- Nuba fighting (Sudan)
- Surma stickfighting (Ethiopia)
- Tahtib (Ancient Egypt)
- Bare knuckle boxing
- Others
Americas
- American Karate
- American Kenpo
- Chun Kuk Do
- Collegiate wrestling
- Danzan-ryū
- Emerson Combat Systems
- Gouging (fighting style)
- Jailhouse rock (52 Hands Block/JHR)
- Jeet Kune Do
- Kajukenbo
- Kara-Ho Kempo
- Marine Corps Martial Arts Program
- Model Mugging
- Modern Army Combatives
- Oom Yung Doe
- S.C.A.R.S. (military)
- Shootfighting (American)
- Shuri-ryu
- Sli Beatha
- Small Circle Jujutsu
- SPEAR System
- To-Shin Do
- World War II combatives
Eastern, Southern and Southeast Asia
- Gatka
- Huyen langlon
- Inbuan Wrestling
- Kalaripayattu
- Malla-yuddha
- Mardani khel
- Musti-yuddha
- Mukna
- Pehlwani
- Silambam
- Sqay
- Varma Kalai
- Vajra-musti
- Silambam
- Aikido
- Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu
- Iaido
- Judo
- Jujutsu
- Kendo
- Kenjutsu
- Kenpo
- Kyudo
- Naginatajutsu
- Ninjutsu
- Nippon Kempo
- Shorinji Kempo
- Sumo
- Choi Kwang-Do
- GongKwon Yusul
- Gwonbeop
- Gyongdang
- Hankido
- Hapkido
- Hwa Rang Do
- Kuk Sool Won
- Kuk Sul Do
- Kumdo
- Shippalgi
- Subak
- Taekkyeon
- Taekwondo
- Tang Soo Do
- Yusul
Europe
- 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
- Spanish school of fencing
- Italian school of swordsmanship
- Glima (Old Norse wrestling system)
- Lausatök (Viking combat)
Folk styles
Modern sports
- Bare-knuckle boxing (London Prize Ring rules)
- Bartitsu
- Boxing (Marquess of Queensberry rules)
- Catch wrestling
- Defendu
- Shin-kicking
Western, Central, and Northern Asia
Traditional
- Köräş/Kurash (Central Asian folk wrestling)
- Koshti Pahlevani (Persian wrestling)
- Tahtib (Egyptian stick-fighting)
- Furusiyya (Mamluk knightly martial exercises)
- Sayokan
- Yağlı güreş (Turkish oil wrestling)
- Karakucak (Turkish folk wrestling)
- Turkish archery
Modern
Oceania
Traditional
- Coreeda (Aboriginal Australian Wrestling)
- Mau rākau (Maori Weapon art from New Zealand)
- Kapu Kuialua (Hawaii)
Modern
- Limalama (Samoa)
See also
| Regional origin | |
|---|---|
| Unarmed techniques | |
| Weapons | |
| Training | |
| Grappling | |
| Striking | |
| Internal | |
| Full contact / Combat sports | |
| Self-defense / Combatives | |
| Eclectic / Hybrids | |
| Entertainment | |
 The Martial Arts Portal | |