Top 11 Most Common Martial Arts Styles in the World

There are many martial arts styles in the world. The list can never be complete. Every culture has its own martial arts style, which they have been practicing for centuries. But not all martial arts styles are famous. Some of them are well-known and practiced throughout the world. Others are practiced in only their respective cultures. There are only a few martial arts styles that have made themselves on a big stage. World championships and various tournaments of such martial arts styles also occur each year, where athletes and martial arts practitioners from throughout the world take part and showcase their talents. Below is a list of the most common martial arts styles that are practiced by athletes all over the world.

Martial arts literally means the art of war or the way of war. It means learning the techniques, skills and moves for protecting and defending yourself against criminals or street crimes. These are the fighting techniques that are useful only in close combat where weapons can’t be helpful for you.

The following are the most common martial arts styles in the world:

• The origin of Muay Thai is Thailand. Muay Thai is considered the best martial art if your purpose is self-defense. It is not just a martial art. It is like the Swiss army knife of fighting. You can throw punches, blow your opponent, kick them, and many other things that are enough to destroy someone or, in case of self-defense, your criminal. In ancient times, fighters or soldiers who used to go to war had to learn the art. It was the bread and butter for them. But now, many people are learning the art for the purpose of self-defense.

• Also, there are many tournaments and world championships of Muay Thai in which you can take part if you are interested in learning Muay Thai. It has become a global sport now. Muay Thai converts lean athletes into fighting machines able to protect themselves against street crimes. Training for Muay Thai is not easy. You have to roll hard. Muay Thai training has heavy bag workouts, which is not easy. But that training and that hard work are all worth it, and it helps you become a swift and hard-hitting fighter.

Taekwondo is originated from Korea (South Korea). Korea gifted this martial art as a high-flying kick to the martial arts world. The main goal in Taekwondo is to aim as high as possible. When you observe Taekwondo in ancient times, you will observe that Taekwondo is all about lighting fast and high kicks, and also fast moves of your hand. You don’t only learn that in Taekwondo. You also learn how you can shape your mind and make it strong besides making high and fast kicks. It teaches you mental strength and respect. Training for Taekwondo involves breaking the wooden boards with your hands. This makes your hands strong.

Tai Chi is a Chinese martial art. It is also known as “meditation in motion.” It is known that this martial art was created by a monk “Zhang Sanfeng.” Tai Chi involves slow, gentle, and deep motions and breathing techniques. These slow and gentle motions with deep breathing techniques help to focus and concentrate to balance the vital energy of your body. Its principles involve providing benefits to three things such as body, spirit and mind. There are many styles of Tai Chi in which people practice this martial art. Some of these styles are traditional and have been in practice for centuries, while others are new and modern, which are some modified forms of ancient Tai Chi styles. Some Tai Chi styles include Chen, yang, Sun, and Wu.

Kickboxing, as the name indicates, is the blend of two things; boxing and kicking. In kickboxing, you can punch as well as you can kick your opponent. For a professional kickboxing match, it is played in a boxing ring. The fighters or kickboxers wear boxing gloves and mouthguards but with no boots. The bare feet allow for foot kicks. Kickboxing follows all the rules of boxing and karate. It is not only about kicking with your foot and punching with your hands; it is a full-fight package. You learn many techniques both using your hands and feet to destroy your opponent.

• Karate is a Japanese martial art. It originated under the Ryukyu kingdom. Karate allows you to punch and make blows on your opponent in various ways. It was started as a way of protecting against troublemakers. Now, it has become a global sensation. Different sorts of competitions are held in the world, and people also learn them for self-defense. This is the most common martial art that people learn for self-defense in the world.

• You can use your hands, feet, elbows, and knees to punch your opponent. Traditional karate is different from modern karate. Traditionally, in Karate, you could even lift and throw your opponent. The joint lock was also legal in Karate. You can manipulate your opponent’s joints in such a way that they reach their maximum extension and can’t extend more. This reduces their flexibility and movement. An athlete who practices and trains Karate is known as Karate-Ka.

Kung Fu or Kungfu is a group of Chinese martial arts. It is also known as quanfa. Kung fu literally means anything that you obtain by doing hard work and being consistent. It can be anything. But in general, Kung Fu refers to the martial arts which are originated in China. Kung fu is not a single martial art. It is a group. It has many styles depending on the origin of the style. Wing Chun, Tai Chi, and Shaolin Kung Fu are some examples of Kung-Fu martial arts styles. It is not just a martial art. It is a way to balance your body’s vital energy. Your mind becomes sharp. Your body stays fit. You learn to respect and discipline. Overall, Kung Fu provides a lot of benefits in your real life. In Kung Fu, you are learning three basic things: agility, strategy, and strength with everything ranging from basic stances and positions to footwork and handling weapons.

• Like many other martial arts, Aikido is also a Japanese martial art. It is based on the philosophy of discipline and harmony. In Aikido, a practitioner learns to convert their opponent’s aggression into a disadvantage for their opponent. It is practiced around the world in many styles, such as Ki Aikido, Aikikai, Shodokan Aikido, Iwama Ryu, Yoshinkan, Iwama Shin Shin Aiki Shuren Kai, and many others. Unlike other martial arts, it is not a traditional martial art. It is a modern martial art.

• Although not a traditional martial art, Aikido has grown in popularity in recent years. It has now become a global sport. It is practiced and played throughout the world. It is not limited to Japan. Aikido is known for its nonviolent approach to the resolution of a conflict. The reason is simple: in Aikido, you convert your opponent's aggression and attack into dance in which you throw your opponent and make punches, joint locks, and pins. This is done not to physically hurt and injure your opponent but only to neutralize the attack of your opponent. Minimal force is required in Aikido. Aikido gives the lesson of peace and unity.

Judo is also a Japanese martial art. It is one of the styles of Jacket wrestling. Jacket wrestling is a martial art in which fighters wear jackets. Both fighters can grip each other with their jacket and throw by using the jacket. Judo was invented by Jigoro Kano in the 19th century. The techniques and moves in Judo are a mixture of techniques used in Jiu-Jitsu and other martial arts. Judo’s techniques and moves are based on the basic philosophy of why you work hard if you can work smarter by executing your opponent’s force against themselves and making submissions, pins, and takedowns. There are a majority of techniques used in Judo that involve ground control tactics, throws, and some joint locks. These techniques are enough to destroy and injure someone. Training involves strength conditioning and various types of workouts that ensure you are as tough as you are skilled.

• You can call boxing both a martial art and a combat sport. It is different from kickboxing because you can’t kick your opponent with your foot in boxing. Fighters wear gloves known as boxing gloves. Boxing is all about punches. You throw punches on your opponent. You can punch anywhere on your opponent. It is also known as a fist-to-fist combat sport. You can’t throw your opponent. You can’t flip your opponent.

• The game depends on the strength of your knuckle. Although you can’t kick your opponent with your foot in boxing, your foot plays a vital role in boxing. Your footwork is very important. You should know when you have to go near your opponent and when you have to step back from your opponent. Your punch needs to have the right timing and right place. Hitting the right spot at the right time is key to winning a boxing match. Boxing depends a lot on your training. Make sure you are training harder so that your every hit counts.

• Wrestling is a martial art that has different types. It involves grappling and various techniques to get the position of advantage over your opponent. It is one of the most widely watched martial arts styles throughout the world. Wrestler tries to take their opponent to the ground by any means and by applying any technique that is within the rules of wrestling.

• Wrestling takes martial arts to a whole new level. It is a mixture of strength, endurance, and learning to bend but not break in the face of the challenge. The two most common wrestling styles are freestyle wrestling and Greco-Roman wrestling. Both are also featured in the Olympics. Besides these two styles, no other wrestling style is featured in the Olympics.

One of the most common martial arts of today is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or BJJ. Various sorts of BJJ competitions happen around the world each year. BJJ is primarily ground fighting. BJJ practitioners apply various techniques and moves to dominate their opponents on the ground. Techniques such as chokes, locks, and armbars are used, which are enough to submit your opponent on the mat. BJJ has two forms: those with a uniform, which is called BJJ Gi, and those without a uniform, which is called BJJ No Gi. Its origin is Brazil, as the name indicates.

There are many martial arts styles that are practiced currently throughout the world, but there are only a few martial arts that have become popular around the world. Many martial arts styles are localized, meaning that they are practiced only in the country of their origin. But some have grown in popularity around the world, and everyone knows them. People throughout the world practice them and take part in the competitions.