Forms of Martial Arts

Posted in Self Defense. Written by Captain Chris on January 24th, 2008

There are many forms of martial arts and even more subtypes, but some styles have become more popular than others. However, despite being well known, many people still don’t fully understand many forms of martial arts, and they often misidentify them. Every culture has invented some form of martial arts usually for self defense or to be used by the military. By better understanding how different martial arts work and their history – the better you will be about to fight.

Karate is a style that emphasizes punching and kicking and is all about taking out the enemy as quickly as you can. Most people know Karate as a fun sport for children, but when it was created on the island of Okinawa it all about close combat. Most people think of Karate when they hear martial arts and even assume it’s the only style of martial arts practiced. For example, Judo is another popular form of martial arts that originated in Japan. In Judo the goal is to use an attacker’s size, strength and momentum to toss them on the ground. The sport also involves wrestling and is one of the most popular full contact sports in the world. Ninjutsu is another form most people don’t know anything about, but may they think they know something if they’ve seen a few movies. Believe it or not, it’s actually a form of espionage and assassination where stealth is key.

Kung Fu isn’t a style it’s actually a generic term used for all martial arts in China. The form most people see in Chinese martial arts films is called Wushu which is designed to look good, but isn’t useful in real combat. Wing Chun is the form of Kung Fu actor and martial artist, Bruce Lee, studied and practiced. He would create Jeet Kun Do, a philosophy not a new form of martial arts. He encouraged students to study many different styles and develop a form that worked for them. He was preaching mixed martial arts training long before it became popular in the sport martial arts world. There are many forms of martial arts out there and deciding which one is best is a choice only you can make. Choose what works for you and don’t be afraid to study other styles.

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