Looking For a Martial Art to Learn? An Overview of The Most Popular Martial Arts
Martial arts have been practiced throughout history in every part of the world. Whether that be learning with weapons, or learning unarmed, every place in the world has their own developed styles. Below are four popular martial arts that aspiring practitioners can look into.
Traditional Martial Arts
Traditional martial arts are typically martial arts that hail from countries like Japan, China and Korea. There are numerous different forms of traditional martial arts, with hundreds of variations and different schools even within systems.
An advantage with traditional martial arts is the emphasis on grading and belt systems, which is a good indicator of a practitioner's skill. Outlined below are a few famous traditional martial arts that will have schools worldwide.
Taekwondo
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art famous for its elegant kicks and also being an Olympic sport. A popular choice for children, Taekwondo can often be found worldwide, and a dojo can be almost certainly found within any given town or city. Not just for children however, Taekwondo is an effective and rewarding martial art for adults too.
Karate
Karate is perhaps one of the most famous martial arts in the world, made popular by movies and TV. Due to the popularity of karate, like taekwondo, it often gets criticized for being watered down and catered to the masses, but nothing could be further from the truth. With due diligence, a practitioner can find a dojo that teaches effective techniques and proper grading. Of note is 'Kyokushin' karate, renowned for its hard conditioning to the body.
Judo
Another Olympic sport, Judo has become one of the most practiced martial arts around the world. Initially designed as a defence system for the Japanese police, Judo has fast become a mainstay in the Olympic games. Judo is a grappling art, meaning it emphasis joint locks and its famous throws.
Judo has managed to remain relatively true to its origin, and gaining a black-belt is no small feat. Judo is the perfect martial art for those looking for a mix of sport, competition and traditional martial arts.
Muay Thai
Muay Thai, like its namesake, comes from Thailand and is the national sport of the nation. Muay Thai has become one of the most popular forms of combat sports and is now practised worldwide. Often dubbed 'the art of eight limbs', Muay Thai is a particularly intense form of kickboxing in which practitioners use all of their limbs and appendages, barring the head.
Muay Thai is famous for its hard conditioning, rigorous stamina training and effective techniques that can be used in a ring, a cage or in self-defense. For those looking to seriously train in an art that has true practical applications, then Muay Thai is a top contender. Furthermore, Muay Thai, compared to western boxing, has much more in common with a traditional martial art as opposed to a sport, which can be seen in the ritualized ring entrances during fights.
For more information about adult martial arts classes, contact a local training facility.
