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A List of All Martial Arts

March 21, 2008

You asked for it, and we delivered. The following is an extensive list of all major types of martial arts styles, categorized with a brief description of each art.

Japanese and Okinawan Karate Styles:

  • Goju-ryu - “Goju” means “hard/soft”. Okinawan karate system emphasizing body toughening and deep breathing.
  • Shotokan - Means “house of Shoto”, a pen name for Funakoshi Gichin, the founder. Japanese style emphasizing deep stances and strong, fast, linear attacks.
  • Shito-ryu - A sophisticated style with an expansive repertoire of kata from both the Naha and Shuri styles.
  • Isshin-ryu - An effective style characterized by its logical organization of self-defense skills. Its trademark is a vertical fist punch.
  • Wado-ryu - Softer style of karate that is a blend of karate and ju jutsu.
  • Kyokushin-kai - The knockdown style of karate created by its famous founder, Mas Oyama. Known for producing hard core fighters and for amazing feats of stamina and breaking skills.

Other Japanese and Okinawan Styles:

  • Traditional Ju-jutsu - Ju jutsu means “soft art”. General term for various locking and throwing arts that originated as a means of unarmed combat for samurai in armor. Forerunner of judo and Brazilian jiu jitsu.
  • Judo - Means “soft way”. Jacketed grappling method emphasizing throws and sweeps. mostly using the uniform. Forerunner of Brazilian jiu jitsu.
  • Aikido - Means “way of harmonious energy”. A soft locking and throwing art that is very defensive in nature.
  • Kendo - “Way of the sword”, the Japanese method of fencing using flexible bamboo or composite weapons while wearing a modern version of samurai armor.
  • Iaijutsu/Kenjutsu - Iaijutsu is the art of drawing and cutting with the sword, while Kenjutsu is literally “the art of the sword”. Beginners start off using wooden swords, called bokken, while advanced practitioners use live blades.
  • Ninjutsu - A good semi-literal translation of the term “ninjutsu” would be “the art of survival”. Sometimes referred to as “ninpo”, “budo taijitsu”, etc., practitioners study schools of martial art that are said to be the same techniques practiced by espionage agents in old feudal Japan.

Korean Styles of Martial Arts:

  • Tae Kwon Do - Tae Kwon Do means “the way of smashing with the hands and feet.” It is a Korean martial art that originated in the mid-20th century after several martial arts “kwans”, or schools, banded together under the name of tae kwon do to create a martial art that was to be Korea’s national martial art.
  • Moo Duk Kwan -
  • Tang Soo Do - A hard and soft style, deriving its hardness in part from Korean arts and its soft flowing movements from the northern Chinese arts. Tang Soo Do is a composite style, being 60% Korean, 30% northern Chinese and 10% southern Chinese.
  • Hapkido - Means “the way of coordinated power.” It is also a Korean martial art, founded by the late Yong Shul Choi. Grandmaster Choi apparently had some knowledge of the indigenous martial arts of Korea, and combined that knowledge with aiki-jujitsu techniques he learned in Japan.
  • Yudo
  • Kuk Sool Won
  • Tae Kyon
  • Kwon Bup

Chinese Martial Art Styles:

  • Shaolin, Southern - Strong style of kung fu from the Southern provinces of China emphasizing powerful stances and strong low kicks.
  • Shaolin, Northern
  • Shaolin, Tien Shan Pai - Tien Shan Pai (“Heaven Mountain Style”), founded by the late Master Wang, Jyue Jen.
  • Wushu
  • Wing chun/Ving tsun - A Chinese martial art noted for in-close fighting, trapping, and rapid-fire punching skills.
  • Tai ji quan
  • Ba qua
  • Hsing yi
  • Hung Gar - Hung Gar is an external, hard and powerful Southern Shaolin style of Kung Fu. It is also known as Hung Kuen, Hung Fist and Fu Hok Pai (Tiger/Crane Style).

Kenpo:

  • American Kenpo
  • Chinese Kenpo - A hard yet flowing and circular style characterized by rapid-fire hand strikes and an emphasis on self-defense.
  • Kosho-ryu Kempo
  • Kajukenbo
  • Kempo-jitsu - Off-shoot martial art that follows in the Kajukenbo lineage.

Kickboxing Styles:

  • Muay Thai kickboxing
  • French Savate
  • Sanda/San Shou
  • Jeet Kune Do - A philosophy and training methodology that was founded by the late Bruce Lee. The literal translation of the term Jeet Kune Do is, “Way of the Intercepting Fist”.

Other Martial Art Styles:

Can you think of other types of martial arts styles to add to our list? Send me your ideas here…

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