Different Types Of Martial Arts

Aikido:
Aikido is a Japanese style developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial art studies, philosophy, and spiritual beliefs. Aikido is a martial art that seeks to resolve conflict through peaceful means. Aikido can be named under the category of grappling arts. Aikido focuses not on punching or kicking opponents, but rather on using their own energy to gain control of them or to throw them away from you.

Arnis/Escrima/Kali:
The Filipino martial arts emphasize learning weapons first (sticks, blades and improvised weapons), then empty-hand skills, trapping and limb destruction as these are also core parts of these arts as the weapon is considered merely an extension of the body.

Bando:
Bando is a Burmese martial art that includes striking, kicking, and grappling, with an emphasis on mimicking animal fighting methods.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu:
Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a grappling martial art that emphasizes chokes and limb locks and especially ground fighting..The art was derived from the Japanese Kodokan judo in the early 20th century.

Capoeira:
Brought to Brazil by African slaves, capoeira is a deceptive martial art disguised as dancing. It is known by quick and complex moves, using power kicks and quick leg sweeps, with some ground and aerial acrobatics, knee strikes, take-downs, elbow strikes, punches and headbutts.

Cuong Nhu:
The Vietnamese art of Cuong Nhu integrates techniques from karate, vovinam, boxing, wing Chun, judo, aikido, and tai chi. It was developed by Dr. Ngo Dong (O'Sensei) in 1965 in Hue, Vietnam.

Gatka:
Gatka is the martial art of the Sikh warrior and is a weapon-based performance art created by the Sikhs of the Punjab during the British Empire, and also is famous for its efficiency with the shaster (sword) and lathi (staff).

Hapkido:
Hapkido is a dynamic and eclectic Korean martial art it include's aikido's throws and locks with tae kwon do's kicks.
The art evolved from Dait?-ry? Aiki-j?jutsu or a closely related jujutsu system taught by Choi Yong-Sool.

Iaido:
Iaido is the art of drawing the Japanese sword, delivering a decisive cut, removing blood from the blade, and then replacing the sword in the scabbard. Iaid? forms (kata) are performed solitarily against one or more imaginary opponents.

Jeet Kune Do (JKD):
Jeet Kune Do is a mixed martial arts system and life philosophy founded by martial arts legend Bruce Lee. JKD is one of the best known hybrid martial arts, incorporating techniques from all martial arts. It was named for the concept of interception, or attacking your opponent while he is about to attack.

Ju Jitsu:
The "gentle" art of arm locks and chokes once used to defeat armor-wearing samurai. Jujutsu evolved among the samurai of feudal Japan as a method for defeating an armed and armored opponent in which one uses no weapon, or only a short weapon. These techniques were developed around the principle of using an attacker's energy against him, rather than directly opposing it.

Judo:
Judo involves throwing your opponent to the mat, pinning your opponent with a hold-down technique, or causing your opponent to submit with an armbar or a choke. It was created as a combat sport in Japan in 1882 by Kano Jigoro. The worldwide spread of judo has led to the development of a number of offshoots such as Sambo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Kajukenbo:
Kajukenbo originated in post WWII Honolulu, combining techniques from Korean karate (Ka), Jujitsu (ju), Kenpo (ken), and Chinese boxing (bo)--kung fu.

Karate:
Karate is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now called Okinawa, Japan. The "art of the empty-hand", karate involves kicking and punching, the use of weapons and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks, restraints, throws, and vital point strikes are taught in some styles.

Kendo:
Kendo is the art of Japanese swordsmanship developed from the legendary sword fighting schools
of the samurai. It's name translates "Way Of The Sword".

Kenpo:
Kenpo took a circuitous route from the Shaolin Temple of China to the modern-day United States, picking up refinements and enhancements along the way. The generic nature of the term combined with its widespread, cross-cultural adoption in the martial arts community has led to many divergent definitions

Krav Maga:
Krav Maga is the martial art of the Israeli military. Krav Maga is known for a few main principles in its teaching. 1) Do as much damage in as little time as possible 2) Transition from defending to attacking in as little time as possible (including simultaneously) 3) Use items around you as weapons 4) Be aware of everything. Mostly known for its extremely efficient and brutal counter-attacks

Kung Fu:
The martial arts of China, and to many, the forerunner of all Asian martial arts.

Kyudo:
Derived from samurai warfare, "Zen Archery" sharpens the mind and focuses the spirit. It's name translates "Way Of The Bow"

Lua - Hawaiian Warrior Arts:
Lua is an ancient martial art of the Hawaiian warrior, and is known for fearsome bone breaking techniques, emphasizing joint locks, throws, pressure point manipulation, strikes, usage of various weapons, battlefield strategy, open ocean warfare.

Muay Thai:
Muai Thai kickboxing is renowned worldwide for it's brutal strikes with the elbows and knees. Definitely a serious combat art.

Naginata:
Weapon art of choice for samurai women, it survives today in a sport form. A naginata consists of a wooden shaft with a curved blade on the end. Usually it also had a sword-like guard (tsuba) between the blade and shaft.

Ninjutsu:
The martial art of the shadow warrior, ninjutsu is steeped in lore and mystery. It is the martial art, strategy, and tactics of unconventional warfare and guerrilla warfare as well as the art of espionage purportedly practiced by the shinobi (commonly known outside of Japan as ninja).

ROSS:
ROSS is a system of Russian martial arts unifying various traditional fist fighting and wrestling styles with imperial military training.

SAMBO/SOMBO:
SAMBO, a.k.a. SOMBO, is a Russian style of wrestling popular in international competitions, as well as a combat art taught to the Soviet military. Sambo is relatively modern since its development began in the early 1920s by the Soviet Red Army to improve their hand to hand combat abilities.

San Shou:
San shou incorporates wushu, grappling, and kickboxing to make a combat-oriented martial art. This curriculum was developed with the Chinese military experiences in close range and hand to hand combat with reference to traditional Chinese martial arts.

Savate:
This French style of foot fighting began in the Napoleonic era. Also known as French boxing, French kickboxing or French footfighting.

Shorinji Kempo:
Shorinji kempo extends Chinese boxing with Zen philosophy; at higher ranks, the uniform is the robe of a Buddhist priest. It was established by Doshin So as a system for self-improvement and training.

Silat:
Silat is considered one of the most effective combat arts. Originally developed in what are now Indonesia, Malaysia, southern Thailand and Singapore, it was also traditionally practiced in Brunei, the Philippines, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam. There are hundreds of different styles but they tend to focus either on strikes, joint manipulation, throws, bladed weaponry, or some combination thereof.

Sumo:
One of the forerunners to the modern grappling arts of jiu-jitsu and judo, sumo is exciting and action-packed while retaining its traditional splendor and ceremony. Most sumo wrestlers are required to live in communal "sumo training stables" known in Japanese as heya where all aspects of their daily lives--from meals to their manner of dress--are dictated by strict tradition.

Tae Kwon Do:
Kick-oriented Korean "art of hand and foot fighting" is one of the most popular sports in the world. Styles include ITF and WTF. As many other arts, it combines combat techniques, self-defense, sport, exercise, and in some cases meditation and philosophy. In 1989, Taekwondo was claimed as the world's most popular martial art in terms of number of practitioners.

Tai Chi Chuan:
The martial art/exercise/cultivator of internal energy. Includes the Bagua (Pa Kua) and Xingyi (Hsing-I) internal styles. It is also typically practiced for a variety of other personal reasons: its hard and soft martial art technique, demonstration competitions, and longevity.

Tang Soo Do:
A Korean martial art popularized by Chuck Norris.

Tukong Moosul:
Tukong moosul is a martial art derived from South Korean military Special Forces training.

5 Greatest Martial Arts Styles

A "martial art" is known typically as a fighting style that emphasizes certain techniques, training methods, and philosophies. That means that there are a lot of different types of martial arts in the world, since virtually every country has developed at least one form of combat throughout history. Some martial arts are thousands of years old, and others were created in many of our lifetimes. Here's a short list of fighting styles that aren't as well known as karate or boxing, but are worth knowing just as much. Whether you're just getting into martial arts or been at it for years, it's good to brush up on all the styles out there.

You've probably heard of a more popular variant of Tang Soo Do. Tae Kwon Do sprung from Korean Tang Soo Do in 1964. Lots of Tang Soo Do masters frown upon that because they believe a lot of modern Tae Kwon Do is too sport oriented. Tang Soo Do's history stretches back as far as two millennia, and there were many, many different types of it before it was unified under one name. The art is influenced by some dance-like forms, and you can think of it as a Tae Kwon Do that's focused on more damaging forms of combat, and less oriented towards competition.

Russia's military has a reputation for having some of the toughest, iron-skinned soldiers in the world. Due in part to what is now Russia's national sport, Sambo. Like many martial arts styles, Sambo has branched into the sports world since its founding in the 1920s, created as a very lethal system of hand-to-hand combat for the Red Army. The sport version is very similar to MMA, emphasizing grappling, locks, and chokes, as well as many types of striking. Fedor Emelianenko is a Sambo fighter who until recently was undefeated in his professional career, and to this day is considered by many to be the top martial artist in the world.

Silat is the primary martial art of Malaysia. It's also an older art and branches off into forms that are too many to count. Silat was developed from military styles and hunting methods, and has remained a very lethal and self-defense oriented martial art. Throws and take-downs are among the most common techniques, and are always followed up by strikes to sensitive areas and pressure points, like the throat or gut. The idea is to always have your next move planned, until your opponent is dispatched.

As fun as it looks, Hapkido does not teach you how to jump upside down. Well, maybe advanced students do. Those guys aren't jumping, though. They are being thrown to the ground by a Hapkido master. This is another Korean martial art, and it focuses heavily on self-defense and varies in techniques from strikes and jump kicks to joint locks and throws. A main principle of Hapkido is effectively taking control of your opponent and using circular, efficient motions. This is a good art for people who want to learn a good variety of martial arts techniques.

Everyone knows a bit about ninjas, but a lot of people are surprised when they find out there's actually a martial art called "ninjutsu." As the name implies, it's the martial arts system created by ninjas. Today, it is no longer taught as a style in which to sneak around assassinating people, and has evolved into a self-defense system. It stays true to the unconventional techniques used by ninjas, and weapons skills are still passed down to students. The man you see in the picture is Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi, the 79 year old last living Grand Master of Ninjutsu who is the founder of the Bujinkan dojo in Japan, where martial artists from around the world train. The art itself is as mystical as ninja legends, with a focus on drawing power from your spirit ( also known as "chi") and the Earth.

Source : ezinearticles.com