The history of martial arts began in 2600 BC in China, which became the center of martial arts. In 527 AD, an Indian monk taught 18 Buddhist fighting styles to Shaolin monks, which evolved into the 5 animal styles of Shaolin kung fu. Many different styles of martial arts developed over time, including judo from Japan which was formed in 1882 and focuses on grappling and throwing techniques without weapons. Karate originated in Okinawa and involves striking techniques, while mixed martial arts allows a variety of fighting styles and first emerged in ancient Greece in 648 BC.

1. History of Martial Arts

2. China became the center of the martial arts universe in 2600
B.C. The origin of today’s martial arts began in 527 A.D. An
Indian monk taught the 18 Buddhist Fists to the monks at
Shaolin Temple, which evolve into the 5 animal Styles of Shaolin.

3. Different Styles of Martial Arts

4. AIKIDO is a form of Japanese self defense of the martial arts. It was developed
by Morihei Ueshiba. Performed by flowing with the motion of the attacker rather
than opposing it straight-on. This requires much less physical strength followed
by various throws or joint locks.

5. HAPKIDO is a Korean martial arts that was developed by Choi Yung
Sul (1899-1986). Hapkido uses joint locks, kicks, punches, and other
striking attacks.

6. JUDO was formed by Dr. Jigoro Kano in 1882. It is known as Kodokan Judo.
‘Ko’ means lecture, study, method, ‘do’ means way or path, ‘kan’ means hall or
place or ‘a place to study the way’, and ‘ju’ means gentle, ‘do’ means way or
path, or ‘gentle way’.

7. JU JITSU, a Japanese martial arts for defeating an armed and armored
opponent, in which one uses no weapon, or only a small weapon. It was
developed among the samurai of feudal Japan as a method for defending an
armed or armored opponent.

8. KARATE was developed in the Ryukyu Islands, what is now known as
Okinawa, Japan, in the early 20th century during the time of cultural
exchanges between the Chinese and the Japanese

9. KRAV MAGA is a hand to hand combat system developed in Israel that
involves wrestling, grappling and striking techniques, mostly known for its
extremely efficient and brutal counter-attacks used to keep the practitioner safe
and incapacitate the opponent in all means necessary.

10. KUNG FU ‘kung’ meaning ‘energy’ and ‘fu’ meaning ‘time’ - is a Chinese martial art
whose recorded history dates back to around 525 AD, during the Liang dynasty. The
man credited with introducing martial arts to China is said to be an Indian monk
known as Bodhidarma (who is also known as Do Ma or Buddha, 506–556 AD).

11. MIXED MARTIAL ARTS emerged in Greece around 648 B.C. It is a full
contact sports that allows a variety of fighting styles to be used
including martial arts and non-martial arts techniques.

12. MUAY THAI or Thai boxing is the cultural martial art of Thailand. The origin
of Muay Thai dates back several hundred years, and was, essentially,
developed as a form of close-combat that used the entire body as a weapon

13. TAE KWON DO the Korean art of self-defense, one of the oldest forms of
martial arts (reaching back over 2,000 years), and the most widely practiced
martial art in the world.

14. TAI CHI CHUAN was originally taught as a martial art and longevity
exercise. In the early 20th century the health benefits were discovered
and it took on a new persona as a preventive medicine or wellness
exercise. It was later promoted by the Chinese Government to keep
the citizens healthy. The martial art aspects then took a back stage to it
being a health exercise in China.