Category Archives: Muay Thai
Ong Bak Movie: Epitomizing the Art of Muay Thai
Movie Synopsis:
Ong-Bak is the sacred Buddha of a poor village, and right after the head of Ong-Bak was stolen, the population was plunged into misery. The Buddha was the focal point of an anniversary vigil to request for rain to fall on the drought-stricken area. The villagers selected Young Tin (played by Tony Jaa) to travel to Bangkok, rescue the relic and bring it back to the village in time for their ceremony. Young Tin apparently has an affinity with the Buddha statue, back when he was left on the temple steps as a baby and from then on he was raised by monks who taught him Muay Thai. He was forbidden by them to use it in combat. But retrieving the Buddha could force him to confront the thugs of the underworld using Muay Thai.
For the Muay Thai enthusiasts and practitioners, watching this movie means seeing the dazzling martial arts moves of Tony Jaa with his lightning reflexes and breathtaking gymnastic moves which are both entertaining and genuinely impressive. Press releases for the movie claims “no safety nets, no computer graphics, and no strings” in all the stunts performed by the lead star Tony Jaa.
Everything common to a movie of this genre is found in this film – predictable script, effective (not especially artistic) direction, adequate but not fantastically impressive movie-making. But it’s a Tony Jaa film so the audience will be expecting a lot of stunts and fight scenes.
And for this particular film, the art of Muay Thai takes center stage especially in the fight scenes. Young Tin (Tony Jaa) fights in the street. He fights in the ring. He goes underwater and gets his legs on fire. He fights using Muay Thai – with his hands, fists and with a little help from the knives.
The movie showcases Tony Jaa’s spectacular ability as an electrifying performer. The movie is obviously designed to show off what Tony Jaa does best – fight scenes. Those who are familiar with the principles and practice of Muay Thai, would easily recognize the strikes and all the moves that are layers and layers of Muay Thai.
And that is one thing this movie was able to fulfill –epitomizing the art of Muay Thai, in its best form and purpose. Those who are not into Muay Thai may have a change of heart after watching this movie. The gracefulness that Tony Jaa displayed using this martial art is just incredible.
Known Personalities Who are Big Fans of Muay Thai
Muay Thai is not only popular in Thailand where this combat sport originated. It has crossed beyond the boundaries of Thailand, giving access to a form of martial arts that uses stand-up striking and various clinching techniques. Countries of the western world have continuously displayed great fondness and liking of this martial art form and fitness activity. Just as action stars and martial arts personalities such as Bruce Lee, Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Steven Seagal, Jean Claude Van Damme, Cynthia Rothrock among others, have been long associated with some of the famous martial arts forms, Muay Thai has also attracted a number of famous celebrities who have seen something in this particular sports combat.
Ryan Gosling.
The sizzling Hollywood star was spotted leaving a Muay Thai class in Los Angeles in California. He is said to be trained by Muay Thai master Kiu Puk two hours a day, four days a week, in preparation for his role in the movie “Only God Forgives”. His Muay Thai training must have given him tremendous benefits that his devotion to the traditional Thai combat sport extended beyond the gym door. Gosling is said to keep a Thai-style diet of fish, green vegetables and rice.
Diego Klattenhoff.
He is one of the stars of the popular TV series “Homeland”, playing the role of Mike Faber, and he uses way more than cardio to stay fit. He practices Muay Thai and kickboxing to keep up his Marine Corp-like physique. He is serious about his Muay Thai workouts.
Tony Jaa.
He starred in the blockbuster “Ong Bak: The Thai Warrior”. He is a stuntman who wants to show the world Muay Thai in a way that it has never been seen in film before. He showcased Muay Thai in a stylized way showing the world the other side that most people don’t know about. Jaa started training in Muay Thai at age 15 in his hometown in Surin, Thailand. He used to practice with former Thai action movie Phanna Rithikari until his gymnastic skills were noticed in the set.
Kevin James.
Known for playing Doug Heffernan on the CBS sitcom The King of Queens, he was trained by Mark DellaGrotte, the owner and operator of Sityodtong gym in Somerville, Massachusetts in preparation for his role in the film “Here Comes the Boom”. Kevin is a huge fan of the sport and he continued his training with DellaGrotte even after the movie.
Paul Walker.
The American actor is the star of The Fast and the Furious and he regularly trains in both Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He started training as a kid in taekwondo, kenpo, judo and kung fu and went to Muay Thai when UFC became famous.
Matthew McConaughey.
The famous American actor ended up getting stitches after cutting his face while training Muay Thai for his role in a movie. He has been a long-time Muay Thai fight fan and is often seen in the crowd at UFC and kickboxing events around the world.
Jason Gann.
He’s the Australian funny man who is a keen fan of Muay Thai. He followed the careers of Wayne Parr and Nathan Corbett and after watching these two guys in the ring, he decided to incorporate a fight scene in his hit TV show Wilfred. For his training, Gann went to Hammer’s Gym in Melbourne in preparation for the fight scene in the TV Show Wilfred which he co stars with Elijah Wood.
These celebrities are making waves in show business and have managed to keep their love for Muay Thai. There must be something in the sport that a lot of these personalities have fell in-love with. Here’s a good read that showcased some martial arts movies in recent years that made an impact around the globe.
The Best Martial Arts Movies in Recent Years
Most people who are interested in martial arts find it helpful watching movies that feature celebrities who are known to be advocates of the specific martial arts they are interested in. How many Bruce Lee, Jet Li, or Jackie Chan movies have become blockbuster movies in the past? The incredible success of most of those movies may be attributed to the huge martial arts following who are keen to learn new techniques featured in the movies.
Some of the best martial Arts movies in recent years are as follows:
Undisputed II: Last Man Standing
This 2006 movie is the sequel to the 2002 action film, Undisputed. The 2006 film features Mixed Martial Arts. In the film, George ‘Iceman’ Chambers is framed for possession of cocaine and sent to prison, where he discovers a series of illegal full-contact MMA matches arranged by prison officials for personal profits and at the expense of the fighting inmates. The illegal MMA fight is used as a bargaining chip to get Chambers to fight Yuri, the ruling MMA inmate fighter. In exchange, Chambers will get an expedited appeal and early release. The film showcases various fighting MMA techniques as displayed by both Chambers and Yuri.
Ip Man
This 2008 Hong Kong movie is a semi-biographical martial arts film based on the life of Yip Man – a grandmaster of the martial art Wing Chun and master of Bruce Lee. The film features Wing Chun as events in the life of Ip which took place in the city of Foshan during the Sino-Japanese War. Set in the 1930s, the film featured desperate circumstances that forced Ip to use his martial arts skills against the oppressors – the Japanese military soldiers. In the end, the Japanese General Miura, who initially wanted Ip to teach the Japanese soldiers martial arts but Ip refused, was challenged by Ip to a fight which the general accepted not knowing that it would lead to his defeat. The general’s deputy shot Ip while the crowd is cheering his win. The film revealed that Ip survives and escapes to Hong Kong where he establishes his Wing Chun school.
District B13
This is a 2004 French action film that features “parkour” – also called the “art of displacement” and best described as street gymnastics or the closely related free running art popularized by Jackie Chan in the 80s. The film was set in the ghettos of Paris in 2010 where an undercover cop and ex-thug try to infiltrate a gang in order to defuse a neutron bomb which was planted by the Defense Secretary of France, Mr. Kruger, to blow up B13 in his desire to get rid of the community. B13 or Banlieue 13 is a poor Paris ghetto suburb where authorities built containment wall in order to isolate the uncontrollable B13 community. The bomb did not detonate and Mr. Kruger’s plan was exposed which led to the tearing down of the containment wall and bringing back to B13 the schools and police force.
Ong Bak 3
This 2010 Thai martial arts film is a follow-up sequel to Ong Bak 2 which features Tony Jaa as Tien, a Muay Thai fighter. The film features Muay Thai and centered around the life of Tien who is captured and almost killed in many circumstances in the film. Tien is rescued and taken back to the Kan Kohne village where he embarks on a rehabilitation regimen with the help of Master Bua. Soon enough Tien is made to face his arch enemy in an epic fight where he won.
Mixed Martial Arts or Muay Thai
Mixed Martial Arts
A popular form of self defense and combat sport has caught the interest of a lot of fitness conscious and martial arts enthusiasts in various parts of the world – Mixed Martial Arts or MMA. This is a full contact combat sport that makes use of striking and grappling techniques from a variety of other combat sports. Such techniques may be done while standing or on the ground. While the roots of modern mixed martial arts can be traced back to the ancient Olympics where a full range unarmed combat was evident in the sport known as ‘pankration’, the same MMA has a short history as the first Ultimate Fighting Championship or UFC event that took place on November 12, 1993, brought to the United States from Brazil by the Gracie family. Martial arts of various styles and different background have since evolved from the dangerous vale-tudo-style bouts of the early UFCs to the regulated form of MMA seen and used today.
MMA in the early days was all about which martial arts style was the best, thus the MMA fighters cross-train in all of the styles that have proven effective in the sport including, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Jeet Kune Do, Karate, Judo, Kung Fu, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Kyokushin, shootfighting, Shotokan, Russian Sambo, Tae Kwon Do, Wrestling, and Tang Soo Do.
Muay Thai
Muay Thai, on the other hand is an ancient art of self defense that originated from Thailand which has grown in recent years into a popular and sought after combat sport within the boundaries of Thailand and in other parts of the world. This form of self defense uses all eight body weapons, hence, it was known as the “art of eight limbs”. Muay Thai uses the hands, knees, elbows, and feet and is considered to be the most effective stand up art of fighting on earth. In the past, or in Muay Boran (old style Muay Thai) the head is used as the 9th weapon. Modern day Muay Thai has eliminated the head as a weapon.
Muay Thai techniques are divided into two groups – mae mai or major techniques, and luk mai or minor techniques. Almost all Muay Thai techniques use the entire body movement – rotating the hip with each kick, punch, elbow and block. Muay Thai is often used as a fighting art of attrition, where opponents exchange blows with one another.
Comparison between MMA and Muay Thai Fighting
MMA
MMA matches are characterized by the various martial arts styles integrated into the fighting techniques of mixed martial arts. This includes stand up fighting such as punches, clinch work, knees, kick, and elbows; throwing or takedowns, and ground fighting such as submissions, submission defense and ground control.
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a hard striking form of martial art where all eight limbs are used to fight and throw strikes are opponents. However, one of the many things that set Muay Thai apart from other striking styles is the use of clinching. Muay Thai, unlike other martial arts styles such as Japanese kickboxing and western boxing separate fighters when they begin to grab one another inside, welcomes this kind of fighting. Practitioners will oftentimes grab the back of their opponents’ neck in such situations and utilize knee strikes to the midsection. The use of elbow strikes is another feature that sets Muay Thai from other martial arts styles.
Basic Goals of MMA and Muay Thai
The rules of MMA combat may vary depending on the MMA organization holding the event. But regardless of the rules, MMA is a sport where combatants attempt to either defeat their opponent via stoppage or by decision which is rendered by judges and are based on the fighting criteria.
In Muay Thai competition, the basic goal is to win the fight by either knockout or by way of decision. Outside the competition, Muay Thai’s goal is to defend against an opponent as quickly and effectively as possible.
There are camps who offer training for these combat sports. Here is an example of a Muay Thai training camp in Phuket. These training camps do hone their fighters to be the best on their divisions.
Muay Thai included in the Fourth Asian Beach Games
The entire country is ecstatic about the fantastic news that the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has included Muay Thai in the Asian Beach Games which Phuket, Thailand is set to host in 2014. This news came after Thailand officials inked a deal with the Olympic Council of Asia on November 13, 2012. Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradecha, Olympic Committee of Thailand President Yuthasak Sasiprapha, and Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silpa-archa were all present in the signing ceremonies with OCA President Sheikh Ahmed Al-Fahad Al-Sabah. Thailand is good to go for the 4th Asian Beach Games in 2014.
This will mark the second games event under the OCA that Muay Thai has been included. The first was during the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games. The Asian Beach Games happen every two years. The first event was hosted by Bali, Indonesia in 2008, where Thailand came in second behind Indonesia in terms of gold medals won.
Phuket Governor Tri said that the prestigious sports event is expected to generate as much as one billion Baht in income for the province as it gives the country the opportunity to show off to the world its ability to host world-class international sporting events such as the Asian Beach Games. Thailand has allocated a provisional budget for the games at 500 million Baht which will be reviewed by a supervisory committee, if there is a need for the figure to be reduced or increased.
Along with tourism, Muay Thai will receive an unprecedented promotional mileage with its inclusion in the events. Thailand could build on a successful hosting of the Asian Beach Games in 2014 to attract even bigger and more prestigious sports events to the country in the future. Thailand would readily step in, if any country in the region is not ready to host similar events.
Phuket is already one of Thailand’s most popular tourist destinations. With the coming Asian Beach Games 2014 where most of the events will take place in Patong and Karon, the country can expect an even higher tourist arrival as the event date draws near.
For Muay Thai pioneers, this could be a big opportunity to promote the national sports even as it already enjoys significant popularity in foreign soils. The inclusion of Muay Thai, not as a demonstration game but as one of the events in the games is indeed a great feat for the country.
The Asian Beach Games 2014 will feature 15 to 20 events including some or all of the following:
- handball
- kabaddi
- takraw
- volleyball
- sailing
- paragliding
- football
- water skiing
- bodybuilding
- windsurfing
- jet-skiing
- triathlon
- woodball
- swim marathon
- boat racing
- pencak silat
- muay thai
- extreme sports
- climbing
- wakeboarding.
The watchwords of the 2014 Asian Beach Games will be warmth, happiness, friendship and mutual respect, according to OCT President Gen. Yuthasak.
Martial Arts for Self Defense
A lot of people take special interest in Martial Arts. It’s probably because the world is getting dangerous every day. And the idea that your learned skill will give you some kind of protection from any adversary is enough motivation to pursue Martial Arts lessons. The following lists down the famous Martial Arts for self- defense.
Kickboxing. For self-defense, kickboxing focuses on fast-paced, distracting and accurately aimed at all open opportunities with the punches, kicks and knees. The most famous offshoot of kickboxing is Muay Thai which makes use of the hands, feet, knees, and elbows as the weapon to ward off an attacker. The assailant may have a knife or a gun and may use it, but a kickboxer can distract an opponent with his strikes as he uses all his 8 body weapons to disarm or rid the enemy with any harmful weapon.
Karate. It is primarily a striking art with emphasis on attack deflection, using kicking, punching, knee, elbow strikes and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands and ridge-hands. Grappling, restraints, locks, throws and vital point strikes are learned.
Aikido. This interesting martial art is performed by blending with the motion of the attacker and redirecting the force of the attack instead of opposing it head-on. With few striking moves, Aikido is based on the principle that an attack from an opponent will allow you to strike back at his vulnerable points.
Wing Chun. Bruce Lee learned this Kung Fu art from Yip Man, which Lee found too slow and formal for self-defense. He developed his own version of Wing Chun where he addressed the inadequacies he found in Wing Chun. Lee still used Wing Chun’s signature punches – fast, rapid-fire left, right punches to the attacker’s chest instead of the belly or the throat. The target is the sternum or solar plexus.
Jiu-Jitsu. This is the most universal style of martial art. It incorporates elements of hard striking, grappling, eye gouging, choke holds, joint locks, biting and the awareness of the defender’s center of gravity against the attacker’s center of gravity. By lowering your center of gravity under his, jerking him over or around you, you will be able to throw your attacker.
Jeet Kune Do. This is Bruce Lee’s enhanced version of Wing Chun. Bruce Lee worked on the principle of a “style without a style” where you ought not to be thinking anything but the attack of the opponent and your response to such attack. If thoughts are not cleared from the head, they will slow you down. Only one stance is used – the western fencing “en garde” stance.
Western Boxing. All a boxer needs is one swing. Boxers throw punches harder, faster and more accurately than any other trained fighter on earth. To punch properly, boxers spend 4 years of training. And because boxing does not allow kicking, boxers put all their strength in their hands.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This is an offshoot of Japan’s jiu-jitsu which mixes the original jiu-jitsu’s standing throws and strikes with ground fighting, emphasizing on manipulating joints and overall control of the attacker or opponent.
Keysi Fighting Method. This has almost no kicks. It makes use of every weapon the body can quickly wield – fist, head, knees and elbow. This art is designed to strike with the sharp elbows which are more powerful than straight punches because they employ the entire upper body in bringing the firm muscle, from the root of the little finger to the wrist, down like a hammer against the target.
Krav Maga. This is Israel’s national martial art that follows a no-holds-barred incapacitation for the purpose of street survival. It incorporates many martial art elements such as western boxing punches, Greco-Roman wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ground fighting, Karate kicks and knees, Jiu-jitsu’s throws and grappling.
Learning self defense could be your saving grace in times of trouble. It is somehow important to at least learn the basics of any of these martial arts for self defense. If you want to learn Muay Thai, there are great Muay Thai training camp in Phuket that have been so popular to both locals and foreign nationals who want to learn the sport. By enrolling in these Muay Thai training camps, you’ll be taught not only the sport but great discipline, focus and total balance. Learn the other benefits of Muay Thai by clicking this.
List of Lethal Martial Arts ever Created
People have perpetually strived to find, develop and use the most effective ways of defending one’s self and inflicting pain to the opponent. In ancient times they used stones and sticks. This has developed into sometimes artful but seriously lethal martial arts. The following are 10 most lethal arts ever developed and currently in use.
- Rough and Tumble. This is one of the few fighting styles indigenous to the United States, which grew popular during the American Revolution or thereabout. It’s laden with violence and places emphasis on maximum disfigurement of the opponent. Often, it involves gauging out each other’s eyes or biting the opponent’s tongues. This is one bloody and violent form of fighting between opponents.
- Muay Thai. Known as the “Art of Eight Limbs”, this combat sport makes heavy use of elbow and knee strikes. This deadly form of self defense emerged from Thailand. The birth of Muay Thai was known to be used as defense against an early colonization.
- Krav Maga. This is the world’s most dangerous martial arts and it came from one of the most beleaguered regions of the world – Israel. This non-sport martial arts was developed for use by the Israeli Defense Force or IDF, completely without regard for the opponent’s well-being. The entire self-defense concept is based on the assumption that the opponents are out to kill you. And therefore, it is fitting to fight off with brutal techniques that will inflict serious pain to the opponent and in most cases often end up in the death of the adversary.
- Bacom. This is also called Vacon, a Peruvian martial art developed in the streets of Lima, combining several martial arts that will quickly inflict maximum injury and harm to the opponent. This also involved use of hidden weapons and deceiving tactics which almost always result in the opponent’s death.
- Pugilism. This combat sport is also known as boxing but has developed many variations across the globe. Those using this martial art targets the head for serious harm and because of this was outlawed in several countries in the 19th century.
- LINE. Linear Infighting Neural override Engagement is a combat technique used by the US Marine Corps in the 1990s which almost always involved killing the opponent. It is still used by some of the special forces. Due to its lack of flexibility, LINE was succeeded by the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program or MCMAP in recent years. LINE’s dangerous and lethal techniques are not applicable in peacekeeping operations or other non-emergency situations.
- Vale Tudo. This is a Portuguese word that means “anything goes”. This full contact combat sport, famous in Brazil has no many rules and adopts techniques from a variety of martial arts. This has grown to be an extremely bloody and harmful combat sport that it had to go underground.
- Ninjutsu. This originated from feudal Japan where shinobi or ninja practiced this martial art which focused on non-traditional fighting techniques, surveillance and assassination. The practitioners were sometimes referred to as non-humans or “hinin”.
- Jailhouse Rock. This involved numerous improvisational fighting techniques developed within the US jail system and some of the most common types are Brick City Rock, 52 Handblocks and Stato. This is practically a non-existent martial art because not much is known about them.
- Kapu Ku’ialua. Some call it Lua, a non-traditional martial art from Hawaii that is focused on breaking bones, twisting joints and even open ocean warfare. The name means “two hits”. Practitioners elect to use odd means to secure a win such as coating their bodies with coconut oil so opponents cannot get a grip on them during a fight.
Practicing any kind of lethal martial arts above could be synonymous to fatal injury. Since most martial arts presented above are considered lethal, having strict provisions and formulating rules that would not compromise the fighter’s life in continuously practicing the sport is present.
Muay Thai Titles
Muay Thai is the fighting art that defeats all challenges from Kung Fu, Karate, Taekwando and other kickboxing variations that sprung up from it. And it’s the reason why it has become increasingly popular not just within Thailand but also outside of the Thai borders. The world has known a number of Muay Thai enthusiasts and practitioners in the United States, Japan, Europe and other parts of the world.
Most Muay Thai fighters compete in different classes and for different titles. Majority of Muay Thai fighters belong to the lighter weight classes while about two thirds are classified in the fly and bantamweight divisions. Most of the heavier categories seldom fight.
In Muay Thai history, the establishment of stadiums replacing makeshift rings and courtyards, began during the reign of King Rama VII before World War II. During the war, the stadiums disappeared but after the war, Muay Thai stadiums resurfaced and Muay Thai fighters from all over the country headed to Bangkok for fame and fortune, as most of the stadiums were located in the capital city.
Two stadiums that have been known to fulfill every Muay Thai fighter’s dream of coveting that wealth and glory are Lumpinee, and Rajadamnern, both located in Bangkok. These two stadiums make way for great Muay Thai boxers fighting for the prestigious championship titles.
Muay Thai Champion of Lumpinee
Lumpinee Boxing Stadium is an indoor sporting arena located in Bangkok. It opened ten years later than Rajadamnern Stadium and is run by the government through the Royal Thai Army. Lumpinee Boxing Stadium has become the symbol of modern Muay Thai. The ranking system and championship titles are held from Flyweight class, which is 115 pound up to the Super Welterweight which is 154 pound. Muay Thai fighters all over the country dream of taking the title from the current champion. But even foreign Muay Thai boxers are qualified to give their shot at the stadium’s championship title, regardless of weight class. This is largely due to the stadium’s policy of encouraging non-Thai fighters to compete as well. Damien Alamos, a French national became the first non-Thai to have won the Lumpinee title in 2012.
Muay Thai Champion of Rajadamnern
This is one of the two main stadiums with its own ranking system just like Lumpinee. It was built ten years before the Lumpinee Stadium and championship titles ran up to the Middleweight class which is 160 pounds. The stadium was built sometime in 1940s but the Second World War had disrupted its construction and only resumed in 1945 with the first fight held in December of the same year.
Muay Thai fighters who have achieved exceptionally high standards of fighting are awarded with thick gold chains and a ceremonial jacket and the most sought after title “Fighter of the Year”, for the particular stadium where the championship is at stake.
If you’re interested to train for Muay Thai, Thailand have a lot of training camp where you could live for months of training. One of the popular island of Thailand where a lot of foreign nationals train for Muay Thai is Phuket. If you’re looking for a Muay Thai boxing gym in Phuket, here’s one of the best.
Famous Martial Arts Experts
Martial arts has been embraced by millions of people all over the world as they drew inspiration from some of the famous martial arts experts who have contribute to the craft in many significant and different ways. Some of the famous martial arts experts include:
Itosu Anko : Karate
Known to be “the Grandfather of Karate,” for his work – creating simplified katas and forms for less advanced students, Itosu Anko is credited for helping the art to gain more mainstream acceptance.
Helio Gracie : Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
He is considered the inventor of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, as he took the teachings of Judo and made them less focused on strength but more about leverage. Gracie died in January of 2009 at the age of 95.
Royce Gracie :Brazilian Jiu Jitsu / UFC Tournament
He is Helio Gracie’s son who won three of the first four UFC tournaments, a testament to just how effective Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was – the art his father had invented. He won the tournaments while only weighing approximately 170-180 pounds. At that time there were no weight limits in the tournaments. Royce Gracie’s performance in these early UFC tournaments changed martial arts forever.
Dr. Jigoro Kano : Kodokan Judo
Dr. Kano invented Kodokan Judo at a time when all individualized activities in Japan were waning. Kano’s idea was Kodokan Judo might gain the popularity among martial arts practitioners to make it a sport and become less individualized. He abolished a lot of dangerous Jujutsu techniques and in 1910 Judo became a recognized sport.
Bruce Lee : Jeet Kune Do
Who can ever forget about Bruce Lee? More than an actor, Bruce Lee was a martial arts expert. He founded Jeet Kune Do, a martial arts style designed to live beyond the boundaries of traditional martial arts styles. Lee died in 1973 at a young age of 32.
Morihei Ueshiba : Aikido
He founded Aikido, which is a unique Japanese style of fighting that was peaceful in nature. This craft was about true self-defense, where a fighter uses an opponent’s aggression against them.
Kenshiro Abbe : 8th Dan Judo
Abbe was the master who introduced Kendo, Aikido, Karate, Kyodo, Jukendo, Iaido, Yarido and Naginatado to Europe. He was born in Japan but went to England when he was 40 years old, in 1955. Two years later he had formed British Councils for various martial arts – Judo, Karate and Kendo. Seven years later, the Judo Council was the second largest Judo organization in England.
Mike Anderson : Sport Karate and Kickboxing
Known as the “Father of Sport Karate and Kickboxing”, Mike Anderson is one of the foremost authorities on competitive combat sports, both in the U.S. and internationally. He trained in the Jhoon Rhee system of tae kwon do under Allen Steen and taught karate in Europe. He competed and won the All European Open Karate Tournament four times and the U.S. Armed Forces Karate Championships twice.
Christine Bannon Rodrigues : Kenpo and Wu Shu
As young as 13 years old, she studied Kenpo and Wu Shu never thinking she would reign supreme in the world of martial arts. She earned her black belt when she was 17 years old. In 1991, she became a Triple Crown winner at the WAKO World Championships in England, winning three medals in forms, fighting and weapons. And in 1993, she repeated history as she won the Triple Crown for the second time, convincing the world that her winning was no “freak occurrence”.
To know the most popular martial arts created, you can check this post.
10 Most Popular Martial Arts
Martial Arts, as defined by Wikipedia are codified systems and traditions of combat practices, which are practiced for a variety of reason: self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental, physical and spiritual development.
Here are the 10 most popular martial arts known and practiced in the world:
No.1. Muay Thai from Thailand
Thailand’s national sport is commonly mistaken to be the same as kickboxing but they’re not. In Muay Thai, it is legal to strike below the belt, with elbows and knees. This is because Muay Thai uses body parts as the weapon for fighting. This includes the feet, elbows, knees, fists and shins. Many of the elements in Muay Thai have resemblance with Japanese and Indian counterparts making it unclear on when exactly Muay Thai came into existence. What is clear is that it was at the time of King Rama V in 1868 which ushered in the golden age for Muay Thai as the King took a personal interest in the sport. Muay Thai traditionally was very structured and more choreographed style of fighting. It evolved into an art where focus is shifted in using the body as the weapon for fighting.
No.2. Brazilian Jiu-jitsu from Brazil
Bearing the country’s name, Brazilian jiu-jitsu formed from Kodokan Judo ground fighting fundamentals taught by the Japanese jiu-jitsu master Mitsuyo Meda to Carlos Gracie. It eventually came to its own art through adaptations and experimentations from the Judo knowledge of Carlos and Helio Gracie which they passed on to their family. Maeda is considered the toughest man that ever lived. The Gracie family in Brazil is considered today as the first family of jiu-jitsu. Like the traditional jujutsu and judo, the Brazilian version is focused on ground grappling which is commonly used in mixed martial arts competitions.
No.3 Karate from Japan
The Japanese word “karate” means “empty handed” and it is an apt description for this martial art. Karate is a martial art which does not use any weapons. While the early styles are believed to have been existent since the 1300s, the martial arts code, “10 Precepts of Karaoke” was written by the father of modern karate Anko Itosu in 1908. In karate’s weapon-less striking, the legs and hands turn to spears according to Itosu. This martial art is extremely valuable for its health benefits and for self-defense. The precepts states, “… it can be used as a way to avoid a fight if confronted by a villain or ruffian.”
No.4 Kung fu from China
This martial art was introduced in China by Chinese Yellow Emperor Huangdi in 2698 BC during his reign. Kung fu literally means an achievement gained through hard and long work. It is one of the oldest martial arts in the world. To date, there are tens of thousands of forms and versions of Kung fu used all over the world. Shaolin monks who taught kung fu emphasized on virtues such as humility, trust, patience and respect and the importance of philosophy and morality to the kung fu practitioners. Like other martial arts, kung fu is valued for its health benefits and for self-defense.
No.5 Taekwondo from Korea
Taekwondo became popular after World War II as the occupation of Korea by Japan ended. This martial art is defined by its English translation which means “the way of fist and foot” and uses the combination of physical skills and mental strength. This is often illustrated when a taekwondo follower breaks boards with foot or hand. Included in the Olympics event, taekwondo is regarded as the most popular martial art in the world, with 30 million followers in over 100 countries, three million of which are black belts. Stamina, speed, balance, flexibility and physical strength are developed and enhanced by this martial art.
No.6 Ninjutsu from Japan
Introduced to the mainstream through Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, this mysterious Japanese martial art is said to have guerilla warriors and assassins as the historic followers. These ninjas used the art of secrecy and covertness to surprise and defeat their opponents. Ninjutsu was developed during Japan’s feudal age with only one intention – to kill. Basic weapons are the hands and feet but ninjas also go for weapons training – throwing stars, spears, swords, staffs and explosives. More useful in the past, Ninjutsu is not particularly taught at present time, although some of its elements are used by other martial arts.
No.7 Jujutsu from Japan
Referred to as the “art of softness”, jujutsu is focused on grappling, rolls, locks and throws. This is the martial art resorted to by disarmed Japanese samurai. Unlike other martial arts, Jujutsu is less structured and more of an “anything-goes” style of defense sport. Gouging, poking and biting are some of the tactics taught to students. These tactics can be fatal if used in combination with other martial arts practices. This is popular in North America as an effective close-quarter combat.
No.8 Krav Maga from Israel
This martial art is considered a violent and rule-free skill. Used by Israeli security forces and the special police, Krav Maga is not used for sport as it emphasizes injurious attacks to the opponent’s vital spots – groin and eyes. This martial art also encourages headbutts and the use of any available object as weapons. The three-step approach to this martial art is used: Deal with the immediate threat; prevent the attacker from mounting a second offensive strike and neutralize the attacker.
No.9 Aikido from Japan
Aikido was developed and created in Japan in the early 1900s. The followers of aikido are taught how to use the strength and energy of the attacker against them. They are taught and trained to disarm their attacker but not seriously injure them. Followers of aikido are also taught defense techniques against staffs, knives and swords. Morihei Ueshiba, aikido’s founder said that in aikido followers can be successful if they are “willing to receive 99% of the attacks of the opponent and stare death in the face.”
No.10 Judo from Japan
This martial art was founded by the Japanese educator Kano Jigoro who because of his childhood experience of being bullied in the 1860s and 1870s decided to take basic skills from other martial arts available at that time. With those skills, Jigoro added his own throws making what is now known as modern-day Judo. “Ju” means “soft method” which in loose translation means using the opponent’s strength against him. Judo’s main focus is on powerful throws and work on the ground more than striking. This also utilizes submission-style attacks such as locks and chokes, valuable for self-defense.
Some of the martial arts listed here should only be practiced and done by professionals and mature people who have concrete understanding of what’s detrimental on one’s life and what’s not. Most martial arts mentioned here were formed due to its founder’s need to protect or defend himself.