Editing Martial arts

{{short description|Codified systems and traditions of combat}}
{{More citations needed|date=August 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
[[File:Marine martial arts.jpg|thumb|160x160px|[[Marine Corps Martial Arts Program|United States Marine]] practicing martial arts, 2008]]
'''Martial arts''' are codified systems and traditions of [[combat]] practiced for a number of reasons such as [[self-defence]]; [[military]] and [[law enforcement]] applications; [[combat sport|competition]];  physical, mental, and spiritual development; [[entertainment]]; and the preservation of a nation's [[intangible cultural heritage]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/sports/martial-art|title=martial art {{!}} Definition, History, Types, & Facts|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en|access-date=13 January 2020}}</ref>

==Etymology==
[[File:Martial arts - Fragrant Hills.JPG|thumb|The Chen style Taijiquan class at Fragrant Hills Park, Beijing, China]]
"Martial arts" is a direct English translation of the Sino-Japanese word ({{Langx|ja|武芸|translit=bu-gei}}, {{Lang-zh|t=武藝|p=wǔyì|poj=bú-gē|first=poj, p}}). Literally, it refers to "武 martial" and "艺 arts".

The term ''martial arts'' was popularized by mainstream [[popular culture]] during the 1960s to 1970s, notably by [[Hong Kong action cinema|Hong Kong martial arts films]] (most famously those of [[Bruce Lee]]) during the so-called "[[chopsocky]]" wave of the early 1970s.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bowman |first1=Paul |title=The Invention of Martial Arts: Popular Culture Between Asia and America |date=2021 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |isbn=978-0-19-754033-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p-MJEAAAQBAJ}}</ref>

According to John Clements, the term ''[[:wikt:martial art|martial arts]]'' itself is derived from an older [[Latin]] term meaning "arts of [[Mars (mythology)|Mars]]", the [[Roman mythology|Roman]] god of war, and was used to refer to the combat systems of Europe ([[Historical European martial arts|European martial arts]]) as early as the 1550s.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Clements|first=John|date=January 2006|title=A Short Introduction to Historical European Martial Arts|url=http://meibukanmagazine.org/Downloads/MMSpecialEdition1.pdf|url-status=dead|journal=Meibukan Magazine|issue=Special Edition No. 1|pages=2–4|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120318130111/http://www.meibukanmagazine.org/Downloads/MMSpecialEdition1.pdf|archive-date=18 March 2012|access-date=21 December 2012}}</ref> 

The term '''martial science''', or '''martial sciences''', was commonly used to refer to the fighting arts of [[East Asia]] ([[Asian martial arts]]) up until the 1970s, and the term ''Chinese boxing'' was also used to refer to [[Chinese martial arts]] until then.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lewis |first1=Dan |title=Newest Movie Craze: Chinese Agents |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/lima-news-apr-22-1973-p-30/ |access-date=15 April 2022 |work=[[Lima News]] |via=[[NewspaperArchive]] |date=22 April 1973 |page=30 |url-access=subscription |quote=First there were "spaghetti westerns" made in Italy, and then the Spanish got into the act and they became "gaspacho westerns." <br> Now, there's going to be an invasion of "chow mein spies." It's the newest rage, the superhero Chinese agent, who takes on 84 adversaries at one time and pounds them into the ground — without a dangerous weapon, except his hands and his feet. <br> They're coming here under the label of "martial sciences," an umbrella label that takes in all of the oriental arts of self-defense, such as karate, jujitso, kung fu and so on. <br> They're made in Hong Kong and the biggest hero of them all at the moment, surely the biggest box-office attraction there, is a face pretty familiar to American television audiences. Remember Bruce Lee, the swift, agile oriental chauffeur in "The Green Hornet"? <br> (...) Lee already has starred in three Chinese boxer (another label) pictures and there are several dozen others available to the international market. They reportedly are sweeping the European market and have just started to infiltrate the American scene. <br> Warner Brothers has just released one called "The Five Fingers of Death" and, with Fred Weintraub as producer, is now involved in the first American-Chinese production of a martial-science picture, a film that stars Bruce (Kato) Lee.}}</ref>

Some authors have argued that '''fighting arts''' or '''fighting systems''' would be more appropriate terms on the basis that many martial arts were never "martial" in the sense of being used or created by professional [[warriors]].<ref>{{cite book |author=[[Donn F. Draeger]] and P'ng Chye Khim | title=Shaolin Lohan Kung-fu |year=1979 |publisher=Tuttle Publishing}}</ref>

==Variation and scope==
{{Unreferenced section|date=February 2021}}
Martial arts may be categorized using a variety of criteria, including:{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}}
* Traditional/historical arts vs. contemporary styles: e.g., [[folk wrestling]] compared to modern [[hybrid martial arts]].
* Techniques taught: armed vs. [[unarmed combat|unarmed]], and within these categories
** armed: by type of weapon ([[swordsmanship]], [[stick fighting]] etc.)
** unarmed: by type of combat ([[grappling]], [[Strike (attack)|striking]], [[stand-up fighting]], [[ground fighting]])
* By application or intent: [[self-defense]], [[combat sport]], [[choreographed fight|choreography]] or demonstration of forms, [[physical fitness]], [[meditation]], etc.
* Within [[Chinese tradition]]: [[External martial arts|"external"]] vs. [[Neijia|"internal"]] styles

===By technical focus===
====Unarmed====
Unarmed martial arts can be broadly grouped into those focusing on [[Strike (attack)|strikes]], those focusing on [[grappling]], and those that cover both fields, often described as [[hybrid martial arts]].{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}}

[[File:Stone bas relief at Banteay Srei in Cambodia from front.jpg|thumb|220px|Strikes: punching and kicking techniques displayed at the [[Banteay Srei]] (967 A.D.) in [[Cambodia]]. ]]

'''[[Strike (attack)|Strikes]]'''
* '''[[Punch (combat)|Punching]]''': [[Boxing]], [[Wing Chun]]
* '''[[Kick]]ing''': [[Kickboxing]], [[Taekwondo]], [[Capoeira]], [[Savate]], [[Karate]], [[Chinese martial arts|Kung Fu]], [[Taekkyon|Taekyyon]]
* [[Elbow (strike)|'''Elbow Strike''']]: [[Bokator]], [[Chinese martial arts|Kung Fu]], [[Karate]], [[Muay Thai]]
* [[Knee (strike)|'''Knee Strike''']]: [[Lethwei]], [[Muay Thai]], [[Bokator]], [[Chinese martial arts|Kung Fu]]
* Others using strikes: [[Bokator]], [[Lethwei]], [[Muay Thai]], [[Kung fu (term)|Kung Fu]], [[Pencak Silat]], [[Taijiquan]], [[Vovinam]]

[[File:Candi Prambanan - 100 Wrestling, Visnu Temple (12041663905).jpg|thumbnail|right|Grappling: bas-relief of grappling techniques at [[Prambanan]] (9th century) in [[Indonesia]]. ]]
'''[[Grappling]]'''
* '''[[Throw (grappling)|Throwing]]''': [[Hapkido]], [[Judo]], [[Sumo]], [[Wrestling]], [[Aikido]], [[Shuai jiao|Shuai Jiao]], [[Tai chi|Taijiquan]]
* '''[[Joint lock]]'''/'''[[Chokeholds]]'''/'''[[Submission holds]]''': [[Jujutsu]], [[Brazilian jiu-jitsu]], [[Catch wrestling]], [[Judo]], [[Chin Na|Chin-na]], [[Tai chi|Taijiquan]], [[Karate]]
* '''[[Pinning hold|Pinning Techniques]]''': [[Judo]], [[Wrestling]], [[Aikido]]
* '''Trapping'''/'''[[Clinch fighting]]''': [[Wing Chun]], [[Filipino Martial Arts]], [[Jeet Kune Do]], [[Muay Thai]], [[wrestling]], [[Judo]]

====Armed====
The traditional martial arts that cover [[armed combat]] often encompass a wide spectrum of melee weapons, including [[bladed weapon]]s and [[polearms]]. Such traditions include [[eskrima]], [[silat]], [[kalaripayat]], [[Okinawan kobudo|kobudo]], and [[historical European martial arts]], especially those of the [[Italian Renaissance]]. Many [[Chinese martial arts]] also feature weapons as part of their curriculum.{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}}

Sometimes, training with one specific weapon may be considered a style in its own right, especially in the case of [[Japanese martial arts]], with disciplines such as [[kenjutsu]] and [[kendo]] (sword), [[bojutsu]] (staff), and [[kyūdō]] (archery). Similarly, modern martial arts and sports include [[modern fencing]], stick-fighting systems like [[canne de combat]], [[modern competitive archery]] and [[practical shooting]].{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}}

===By application or intent===
====Combat-oriented====
{{main|Combat sport|Self-defense}}

===={{anchor|Spirituality}}Spirituality-oriented==== 
Traditional Korean martial arts place emphasis on the development of the practitioner's spiritual and philosophical being. A common theme in most Korean styles, such as [[taekkyeon|Taekkyon]], [[taekwondo]], and [[Hapkido]] is the value of "inner peace" in a practitioner, which is stressed to be only achievable through individual meditation and training. The Koreans believe that the use of physical force is only justifiable for self defense.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-03-28 |title=Taekwondo in a Street Fight: Effective for Self-defense? |url=https://www.sportsver.com/is-taekwondo-effective-for-self-defense-in-a-real-fight/ |access-date=2022-04-15 |website=www.sportsver.com|language=en-US}}</ref>

'''Pahlevani and zourkhaneh rituals''' is the name of a Persian Martial arts inscribed by [[UNESCO]] for '''varzesh-e pahlavāni''' ({{langx|fa|آیین پهلوانی و زورخانه‌ای}}, "heroic sport")<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.izsf.net/en|title=International Zurkhaneh Sports Federation|website=www.izsf.net}}</ref> or '''varzesh-e bāstāni''' ({{lang|fa|ورزش باستانی}}; ''varzeš-e bāstānī'', "ancient sport"), a traditional system of athletics originally used to train warriors in [[Iran]] ([[Name of Iran|Persia]]), and first appearing under this name and form in the Safavid era, with similarities to systems in adjacent lands under other names.<ref>{{iranica|zur-kana}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/pahlevani-and-zoorkhanei-rituals-00378|title=UNESCO - Pahlevani and Zoorkhanei rituals|website=ich.unesco.org}}</ref>

==History==
{{Main|History of martial arts}}
{{Further|Martial arts timeline}}

===Historical martial arts===
{{Main|History of Asian martial arts|Historical European martial arts}}
[[File:Beni Hassan tomb 15 wrestling detail.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|Detail of the wrestling fresco in tomb 15 at [[Beni Hasan]]]]
[[File:Young boxers fresco, Akrotiri, Greece.jpg|thumb|150px|The [[martial art]] of [[boxing]] was practiced in ancient [[Santorini|Thera]] (1600–1500 BC).]]Human warfare dates back to the [[Epipalaeolithic]] to early [[Neolithic]] era. The oldest works of art depicting scenes of battle are [[cave paintings]] from eastern Spain ([[Spanish Levante]]) dated between 10,000 and 6,000 BCE that show organized groups fighting with bows and arrows.<ref name="Hamblin">{{cite book|last1=Hamblin|first1=William J.|title=Warfare in the ancient Near East to 1600 BC : holy warriors at the dawn of history|date=2006|publisher=Routledge|location=New York|isbn=978-0415255899|page=[https://archive.org/details/WarfareInTheAncientNearEastTo1600BCBySamySalah/page/n21 15]|edition=Repr.|url=https://archive.org/details/WarfareInTheAncientNearEastTo1600BCBySamySalah}}</ref><ref>Nash, George, "Assessing rank and warfare strategy in prehistoric hunter-gatherer society: a study of representational warrior figures in rock-art from the Spanish Levant" in: M. Parker Pearson & I.J.N. Thorpe (eds.), ''Warfare, violence and slavery in prehistory: proceedings of a Prehistoric Society conference at Sheffield University'', 2005, Archaeopress, {{ISBN|1841718165|978-1841718163}}, [https://www.academia.edu/1078438 Fully online]</ref> Similar evidence of warfare has been found in Epipalaeolithic to early Neolithic era [[mass burial]]s, excavated in Germany and at [[Jebel Sahaba]] in [[Northern Sudan]].<ref name="Hamblin" />

[[Wrestling]] is the oldest [[combat sport]], with origins in [[hand-to-hand combat]]. [[Belt wrestling]] was depicted in works of art from [[Mesopotamia]] and [[Ancient Egypt]] {{circa|3000 BC}}, and later in the [[Sumerian literature|Sumerian]] ''[[Epic of Gilgamesh]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Wrestling |url=https://www.britannica.com/sports/wrestling |website=[[Encyclopedia Britannica]] |access-date=2 September 2019}}</ref> The earliest known depiction of [[boxing]] comes from a [[Sumer]]ian relief in Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) from the 3rd millennium BC.<ref name="EncyclopaediaBritannicaEntry">{{cite encyclopedia |author=Michael Poliakoff |url=https://www.britannica.com/eb/article-29781/boxing |title=Encyclopædia Britannica entry for Boxing |encyclopedia=Britannica.com |access-date=18 May 2013}}</ref>

The foundation of modern [[list of martial arts#East Asia|East Asian martial arts]] and [[list of martial arts#South Asia|South Asian martial arts]] is likely facilitated by cultural exchanges of early [[Chinese martial arts|Chinese]] and [[Indian martial arts]]. During the [[Warring States period]] of [[History of China|Chinese history]] (480–221&nbsp;BC) extensive development in martial philosophy and strategy emerged, as described by [[Sun Tzu]] in ''[[The Art of War]]'' ({{Circa|350&nbsp;BC}}).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sonshi.com/why.html |title=Sun Tzu Biography and Introduction: Sun Tzu The Art of War and Strategy Site by |publisher=Sonshi. Com |access-date=7 November 2010}}</ref> Legendary accounts link the origin of [[Shaolinquan]] to the [[spread of Buddhism]] from [[ancient India]] during the early 5th century [[Common era|CE]], with the figure of [[Bodhidharma]], to China.<ref>Reid, Howard and Croucher, Michael (1983). ''The Way of the Warrior – The Paradox of the Martial Arts''. New York: Overlook Press {{ISBN?}}{{page needed|date=October 2020}}</ref> Written evidence of martial arts in Southern India dates back to the [[Sangam literature]] of about the 2nd century BCE to the 2nd century AD.{{Cn|date=May 2024}} The combat techniques of the [[Sangam period]] were the earliest precursors to [[Kalaripayattu]]<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://spa.exeter.ac.uk/drama/staff/kalari/power.html
| title = Actualizing Power and Crafting a Self in Kalarippayattu
| website = spa.exeter.ac.uk
| access-date = 29 February 2016
}}</ref>

In Europe, the earliest sources of martial arts traditions date to [[Ancient Greece]]. [[Ancient Greek Boxing|Boxing]] (''pygme'', ''pyx''), [[Greek wrestling|wrestling]] (''pale'') and [[pankration]]  were represented in the [[Ancient Olympic Games]]. The [[Roman Empire|Romans]] produced [[Gladiator|gladiatorial combat]] as a public spectacle.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Roman Games, Chariot Races & Spectacle|url=https://www.worldhistory.org/article/635/roman-games-chariot-races--spectacle/|access-date=12 November 2021|website=World History Encyclopedia|language=en}}</ref>

A number of historical [[combat manual]]s have survived from the European [[Middle Ages]]. This includes such styles as [[Historical fencing|sword and shield]], [[two-handed swordfighting]] and other types of melee weapons besides unarmed combat. Amongst these are transcriptions of [[Johannes Liechtenauer]]'s mnemonic poem on the longsword dating back to the late fourteenth century. Likewise, Asian martial arts became well-documented during the medieval period, [[Japanese martial arts]] beginning with the establishment of the [[samurai]] nobility in the 12th century, [[Chinese martial arts]] with [[Ming dynasty|Ming era]] treatises such as [[Ji Xiao Xin Shu]], [[Indian martial arts]] in medieval texts such as the [[Agni Purana]] and the [[Malla Purana]], and [[Korean martial arts]] from the [[Joseon]] era and texts such as [[Muyejebo]] (1598).{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}

European swordsmanship always had a sportive component, but the duel was always a possibility until [[World War I]]. Modern [[fencing|sport fencing]] began developing during the 19th century as the French and Italian military academies began codifying instruction. The Olympic games led to standard international rules, with the Féderation Internationale d'Escrime founded in 1913. Modern boxing originates with [[Jack Broughton]]'s rules in the 18th century, and reaches its present form with the [[Marquess of Queensberry Rules]] of 1867.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}

===Folk styles===
{{main|Folk wrestling}}
[[File:Gangaram_Chintaman_Tambat_-_Two_Jeyties_Wrestling_-_B1977.14.22290_-_Yale_Center_for_British_Art.jpg|thumb|left|220px|Drawing of Indian wrestlers carrying [[vajra-mushti]] (1792 A.D.)]]
Certain traditional combat sports and fighting styles exist all over the world, rooted in local culture and folklore. The most common of these are styles of [[folk wrestling]], some of which have been practiced since antiquity and are found in the most remote areas. Other examples include forms of [[stick fighting]] and boxing. While these arts are based on historical traditions of folklore, they are not "historical" in the sense that they reconstruct or preserve a historical system from a specific era. They are rather contemporary regional sports that coexist with the modern forms of martial arts sports as they have developed since the 19th century, often including cross-fertilization between sports and folk styles; thus, the traditional Thai art of [[muay boran]] developed into the modern national sport of [[muay Thai]], which in turn came to be practiced worldwide and contributed significantly to modern hybrid styles like [[kickboxing]] and [[mixed martial arts]]. [[Singlestick]], an English martial art can be seen often used in [[morris dancing]]. Many European dances share elements of martial arts with examples including Ukrainian [[Hopak]], Polish Zbójnicki (use of [[ciupaga]]), the Czech dance [[odzemek]], and the Norwegian [[Halling (dance)|Halling]].{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}
[[Image:Cribb_vs_Molineaux_1811.jpg|thumb|left|[[Boxing]] in [[England]], 1811 ]]

===Modern history===
{{further|Modern history of East Asian martial arts}}

====Late 19th to early 20th century====
The mid to late 19th century marks the beginning of the history of martial arts as modern sports developed out of earlier traditional fighting systems. In Europe, this concerns the developments of [[boxing]], [[wrestling]] and [[fencing]] as sports. In Japan, the same period marks the formation of the modern forms of [[judo]], [[jujutsu]], [[karate]], and [[kendo]] (among others) based on revivals of [[koryu|old schools]] of [[Edo period]] martial arts which had been suppressed during the [[Meiji Restoration]]<ref>{{cite web |title=History Of Martial Arts |url=https://primae.eu/history-of-martial-arts/?lang=sv |website=Primae |publisher=Participation and Recreation through Inclusive Martial Arts Education and E-Learning |access-date=2 May 2023}}</ref>  In 1882, [[Kano Jigoro]] established the [[Kodokan]] School of [[judo]] which began the sport of judo.<ref>Burdick, D. (2022, September 12). judo. Britannica. Retrieved October 10, 2022, from https://www.britannica.com/sports/judo</ref>  Kano Jigoro had gathered the old knowledge of [[jujutsu]] before establishing his school of judo.

Modern [[Muay Thai]] rules date to the 1920s. In China, the modern history of martial arts begins in the [[Nanjing decade]] (1930s) following the foundation of the [[Central Guoshu Institute]] in 1928 under the [[Kuomintang]] government.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}

Western interest in [[Asian martial arts]] arises towards the end of the 19th century, due to the increase in trade between the United States with China and Japan.<ref>Primae. (2011, November 29). History Of Martial Arts. Retrieved March 24, 2023, from https://primae.eu/history-of-martial-arts/?lang=sv </ref> Relatively few Westerners actually practiced the arts, considering it to be mere performance. [[Edward William Barton-Wright]], a railway engineer who had studied [[jujutsu]] while working in Japan between 1894 and 1897, was the first man known to have taught Asian martial arts in Europe. He also founded an eclectic style named [[Bartitsu]] which combined jujutsu, judo, wrestling, boxing, [[savate]] and [[stick fighting]].{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Godfrey |first=Emelyne |date=2009 |title=Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery Baritsu |journal=History Today |volume=59 |issue=5 |pages=4–5 |via=EBSCOhost}}</ref>

Fencing and [[Greco-Roman wrestling]] was included in the [[1896 Summer Olympics]]. [[FILA Wrestling World Championships]] and [[Boxing at the Summer Olympics]] were introduced in 1904. The tradition of awarding [[championship belt]]s in wrestling and boxing can be traced to the [[Lonsdale Belt]], introduced in 1909.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lonsdale Belt {{!}} boxing {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/sports/Lonsdale-Belt |access-date=2022-03-01 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref>
[[File:T wo Youtth Service Volunteers having a boxing match at an agricultural camp at Nunney Catch in Somerset during 1943. D16345.jpg|thumb|250px|Boxing in 1943]]

====20th century (1914 to 1989)====
{{More citations needed section|date=February 2021}}
[[File:The age of 18 Bruce Lee and Ye Wen.jpg|thumb|[[Bruce Lee]] (right) and his teacher {{nowrap|[[Ip Man]]}} (left)]]
The [[International Boxing Association (amateur)|International Boxing Association]] was established in 1920. [[World Fencing Championships]] have been held since 1921.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}

As Western influence grew in Asia a greater number of military personnel spent time in China, Japan and South Korea during World War II and the [[Korean War]] and were exposed to local fighting styles. Jujutsu, judo and karate first became popular among the mainstream from the 1950s–1960s. Due in part to Asian and Hollywood [[martial arts movies]], most modern American martial arts are either Asian-derived or Asian influenced.<ref>{{cite news|title= The Martial Arts as Moneymakers|newspaper= The New York Times|date=28 August 1988|url= https://www.nytimes.com/1988/08/28/business/the-martial-arts-as-moneymakers.html?scp=84&sq=chuck%20norris&st=cse|access-date=4 December 2010|first=David|last=Berreby}}</ref> The term [[kickboxing]] (キックボクシング) was created by the Japanese boxing promoter Osamu Noguchi for a variant of muay Thai and karate that he created in the 1950s. [[American kickboxing]] was developed in the 1970s, as a combination of boxing and karate. [[Taekwondo]] was developed in the context of the Korean War in the 1950s.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}

The later 1960s and 1970s witnessed an increased media interest in [[Chinese martial arts]], influenced by martial artist [[Bruce Lee]]. Bruce Lee is credited as one of the first instructors to openly teach Chinese martial arts to Westerners.<ref name="absolutedefense.net">{{cite web |url= http://absolutedefense.net/html/jeet_kune_do.html|title=Jeet Kune Do|publisher=absolutedefense.net|access-date=27 May 2014|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140717143650/http://absolutedefense.net/html/jeet_kune_do.html|archive-date=17 July 2014}}</ref> [[World Judo Championships]] have been held since 1956,{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}} and [[Judo at the Summer Olympics]] was introduced in 1964.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}} [[Karate World Championships]] were introduced in 1970.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014 |title=World Karate Federation - The Book |url=https://www.wkf.net/thebook/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=www.wkf.net}}</ref>

The "[[Chopsocky|kung fu wave]]" of [[Hong Kong action cinema]] in the 1970s, especially [[Bruce Lee films]], popularized martial arts in global [[popular culture]]. A number of mainstream films produced during the 1980s also contributed significantly to the perception of martial arts in Western popular culture. These include ''[[The Karate Kid (1984 film)|The Karate Kid]]'' (1984) and ''[[Bloodsport (film)|Bloodsport]]'' (1988). This era produced some [[Cinema of the United States|Hollywood]] action stars with martial arts background, such as [[Jean-Claude Van Damme]] and [[Chuck Norris]].{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}

Also during the 20th century, a number of martial arts were adapted for [[self-defense]] purposes for military [[hand-to-hand combat]]. [[World War II combatives]], [[KAPAP]] (1930s) and [[Krav Maga]] (1950s) in Israel, [[Systema]] in Soviet-era Russia, and [[Sanshou]] in the People's Republic of China are examples of such systems. The [[US military]] de-emphasized hand-to-hand combat training during the [[Cold War period]], but revived it with the introduction of [[LINE (combat system)|LINE]] in 1989.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}

====1990 to present====

In 1993, the first [[Pancrase]] event was held in Japan.<ref name="bloodyelbow">{{cite web|url=http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2014/3/29/5560430/origins-history-rules-early-days-old-pancrase-mma-bas-rutten-shamrock-japanese|title=The origins, history and rules from the early days of Pancrase circa 1993 |date=29 March 2014|website= bloodyelbow.com|access-date=27 May 2014}}</ref> The [[K-1]] rules of kickboxing were introduced, based on 1980s [[Seidokaikan]] karate.<ref>Soldwedel, A. (2003). 21st Century Shogun. Black Belt, 41 (1), 54-59.</ref>

During the 1990s, [[Brazilian jiu-jitsu]] became popular and proved to be effective in [[mixed martial arts]] (MMA) competitions such as the [[Ultimate Fighting Championship|UFC]] and [[Pride Fighting Championships|PRIDE]].<ref name=UNCstyles>{{cite web |url=http://www.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=LearnUFC.Styles |title=fighting art used in the UFC |website= UFC.com |access-date=7 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100523232346/http://www.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=LearnUFC.Styles |archive-date=23 May 2010 }}</ref>
[[File:EU_MMA_Championship_2021,_Kazan,_Russia_4.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Mixed martial arts championship in Russia in 2021]]

[[Jackie Chan]] and [[Bruce Lee]] were prominent martial artists who became major movie figures. Their popularity and media presence has been at the forefront for promoting Chinese martial arts in the [[Western world]] since the late 20th and early 21st centuries.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Shu |first=Yuan |date=2003 |title=Reading the Kung Fu Film in an American Context: From Bruce Lee to Jackie Chan |url=http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01956050309603666 |journal=Journal of Popular Film and Television |language=en |volume=31 |issue=2 |pages=50–59 |doi=10.1080/01956050309603666 |s2cid=192198724 |issn=0195-6051}}</ref>

With the continual discovery of more medieval and Renaissance fighting manuals, the practice of [[Historical European Martial Arts]] and other [[Western Martial Arts]] have been growing{{citation needed|date= June 2020}} in popularity across the United States and Europe.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}

On 29 November 2011, [[UNESCO]] inscribed [[taekkyeon|Taekkyon]] onto its Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity List.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/en/RL/00452 |title= UNESCO Culture Sector – Intangible Heritage – 2003 Convention|work= UNESCO.org}}</ref>

=== Revival ===
Many styles of [[Indian martial arts]] were banned by the colonial authorities during the period of [[British Raj|British rule in India]], which led to a decline in their popularity.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://armchairlounge.com/reviving-lost-martial-arts-of-india/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821232513/http://armchairlounge.com/reviving-lost-martial-arts-of-india/|archive-date=21 August 2018|title=Reviving the Lost Martial Arts of India |last=Tandon|first=Nikita|website=The Armchair Lounge |access-date=1 March 2016}}</ref> Some, such as [[Kalaripayattu]], were able to resist this decline by practicing in secret. Other Indian martial art, such as [[Silambam]], while not widely practiced in India, continue to be practiced in other countries in the [[Greater India|Indian cultural sphere]] such as Indonesia and Malaysia. Many other Indian martial arts such as [[Mardani khel|Mardhani Khel]] and [[Paika akhada|Paika Akhada]] survived by practitioners practicing the art in secret, or by telling the colonial authorities that it was a form of dance. While many regional Indian martial arts forms are fading into obscurity, martial arts such as [[Gatka]] and [[Kalaripayattu]] are experiencing a gradual resurgence.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.varmam.org/articles/HistoryOfVarmaKalai.php
| title = History of Varmakalai
| last = Manoharan
| first = Suresh K
| website = www.varmam.org
| access-date = 1 March 2016
}}</ref>

==Testing and competition==
{{More citations needed section|date=February 2021}}
Testing or evaluation is important to martial artists of many disciplines who wish to determine their progression or own level of skill in specific contexts. Students often undergo periodic testing and grading by their own teacher in order to advance to a higher level of recognized achievement, such as a different [[Belt (clothing)|belt]] color or title. The type of testing used varies from system to system but may include forms or [[sparring]].
[[File:Steven Ho Martial Arts Kick.jpg|thumb|[[Steven Ho (martial artist)|Steven Ho]] executing a Jump Spin [[Hook Kick]]]]
Various forms and sparring are commonly used in martial art exhibitions and tournaments. Some competitions pit practitioners of different disciplines against each other using a common set of rules, these are referred to as mixed martial arts competitions. Rules for sparring vary between art and organization but can generally be divided into ''light-contact'', ''medium-contact'', and ''full-contact'' variants, reflecting the amount of force that should be used on an opponent.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}

===Light- and medium-contact===
These types of sparring restrict the amount of force that may be used to hit an opponent, in the case of light sparring this is usually to 'touch' contact, e.g. a punch should be 'pulled' as soon as or before contact is made. In medium-contact (sometimes referred to as semi-contact) the punch would not be 'pulled' but not hit with full force. As the amount of force used is restricted, the aim of these types of sparring is not to [[knock out]] an opponent; a point system is used in competitions.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}

A referee acts to monitor for fouls and to control the match, while judges mark down scores, as in boxing. Particular targets may be prohibited, certain techniques may be forbidden (such as headbutting or groin hits), and fighters may be required to wear [[Personal protective equipment|protective equipment]]<!-- We need a better article than this to link to --> on their head, hands, chest, groin, shins or feet. Some grappling arts, such as aikido, use a similar method of compliant training that is equivalent to light or medium contact.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}

In some styles (such as fencing and some styles of taekwondo sparring), competitors score points based on the landing of a single technique or strike as judged by the referee, whereupon the referee will briefly stop the match, award a point, then restart the match. Alternatively, sparring may continue with the point noted by the judges. Some critics of point sparring feel that this method of training teaches habits that result in lower combat effectiveness. Lighter-contact sparring may be used exclusively, for children or in other situations when heavy contact would be inappropriate (such as beginners), medium-contact sparring is often used as training for full contact.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}

===Full-contact===
{{further|Full-contact}}
Full-contact sparring or competition, where strikes or techniques are not pulled but used with full force as the name implies, has a number of tactical differences from light and medium-contact sparring. It is considered by some to be requisite in learning realistic unarmed combat.<ref name=SB>{{cite web|url= http://www.straightblastgym.com/aliveness101.html|title= Aliveness 101|access-date= 3 November 2008|publisher= Straight Blast gym|url-status=dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090107052738/http://www.straightblastgym.com./aliveness101.html|archive-date= 7 January 2009}} – An essay on contact levels in training</ref>

In full-contact sparring, the aim of a competitive match is to [[knock out]] the opponent or to force the opponent to [[submission wrestling|submit]].
Where scoring takes place it may be a subsidiary measure, only used if no clear winner has been established by other means; in some competitions, such as the [[UFC 1]], there was no scoring, though most now use some form of judging as a backup.<ref name="UFC1">{{cite news|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news;_ylt=AuvUi2TrSN_ILBVsuNLmsjk9Eo14?slug=dm-earlyufc111207&prov=yhoo&type=lgns|title=First UFC forever altered combat sports|author=Dave Meltzer|date=12 November 2007|work=Yahoo! Sports|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604072236/http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news?slug=dm-earlyufc111207|archive-date=4 June 2011|url-status=dead|access-date=3 November 2008}}</ref> Due to these factors, full-contact matches tend to be more aggressive in character, but rule sets may still mandate the use of protective equipment, or limit the techniques allowed.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}

Nearly all mixed martial arts organizations such as [[Ultimate Fighting Championship|UFC]], [[Pancrase]], [[Shooto]] use a form of full-contact rules as do [[Professional Boxing|professional boxing]] organizations and [[K-1]]. [[Kyokushin]] [[karate]] requires advanced practitioners to engage in bare-knuckled, full-contact sparring allowing kicks, knees and punching although punching to the head is disallowed while wearing only a karate ''gi'', [[mouthguard]], [[Jockstrap|groin guard]] for [[Male|males]], or chest guard worn under the karate ''gi'' for [[females]]. Brazilian jiu-jitsu and judo matches do not allow striking, but are full-contact in the sense that full force is applied in the permitted grappling and submission techniques. Competitions held by [[World Taekwondo Federation#Sparring|World Taekwondo]] requires the use of [[Headgear (martial arts)|Headgear]] and padded vest, but are full contact in the sense that full force is applied to strikes to the head and body, and win by [[knockout]] is possible.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}

===Martial sport===
{{see also|Combat sport}}
[[File:050907-M-7747B-002-Judo.jpg|thumb|upright=0.75|Several martial arts, such as [[judo]], are [[Olympic sports]].|left]]
Martial arts have crossed over into sports when forms of [[sparring]] become competitive, becoming a sport in its own right that is dissociated from the original combative origin, such as with western fencing. The [[Summer Olympic Games]] includes judo, taekwondo, western archery, boxing, javelin, wrestling and fencing as events, while [[Wushu (sport)|Chinese wushu]] recently failed in its bid to be included, but is still actively performed in tournaments across the world. Practitioners in some arts such as [[kickboxing]] and Brazilian jiu-jitsu often train for sport matches, whereas those in other arts such as [[aikido]] generally spurn such competitions. Some schools believe that competition breeds better and more efficient practitioners, and gives a sense of good sportsmanship. Others believe that the rules under which competition takes place have diminished the combat effectiveness of martial arts or encourage a kind of practice which focuses on winning trophies rather than a focus such as cultivating a particular moral character.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}

The question of "which is the best martial art" has led to inter style competitions fought with very few rules allowing a variety of fighting styles to enter with few limitations. This was the origin of the first [[Ultimate Fighting Championship]] tournament (later renamed [[UFC 1|UFC 1: The Beginning]]) in the USA inspired by the Brazilian [[Vale tudo]] tradition and along with other minimal rule competitions, most notably those from Japan such as [[Shooto]] and [[Pancrase]], have evolved into the [[combat sport]] of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}

Some martial artists compete in non-sparring competitions such as [[Breaking (martial arts)|breaking]] or choreographed routines of techniques such as [[poomse]], [[kata]] and [[Aka (Burmese martial art)|aka]], or modern variations of the martial arts which include dance-influenced competitions such as tricking. Martial traditions have been influenced by governments to become more sport-like for political purposes; the central impetus for the attempt by the [[People's Republic of China]] in transforming Chinese martial arts into the committee-regulated sport of [[Wushu (sport)|wushu]] was suppressing what they saw as the potentially [[subversion (politics)|subversive]] aspects of martial training, especially under the traditional system of family lineages.<ref name="Mastering Yang Style Taijiquan">{{cite book |last=Fu |first=Zhongwen | title=Mastering Yang Style Taijiquan |orig-year=1996|year=2006 |publisher=Blue Snake Books |location=Berkeley, California}}</ref>

==Health and fitness benefits==
Martial arts training aims to result in several benefits to trainees, such as their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Effects of martial arts on health status: A systematic review | doi=10.1111/j.1756-5391.2010.01107.x | pmid=21349072 | volume=3|issue=4|journal=Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine|pages=205–219|year = 2010|last1 = Bu|first1 = Bin| last2=Haijun | first2=Han | last3=Yong | first3=Liu | last4=Chaohui | first4=Zhang | last5=Xiaoyuan | first5=Yang | last6=Singh | first6=Maria Fiatarone | s2cid=41065668 | doi-access=free }}</ref>

Through systematic practice in the martial arts a person's [[physical fitness]] may be boosted (strength, stamina, speed, flexibility, movement coordination, etc.) as the whole body is exercised and the entire muscular system is activated. {{citation needed|date=January 2017}}
Beyond contributing to physical fitness, martial arts training also has benefits for [[mental health]], contributing to [[self-esteem]], [[self-control]], [[emotional]] and [[spirituality|spiritual]] well-being. For this reason, a number of martial arts schools have focused purely on therapeutic aspects, de-emphasizing the historical aspect of self-defense or combat completely.{{Citation needed|date=January 2011}}

According to [[Bruce Lee]], martial arts also have the nature of an art, since there is emotional communication and complete emotional expression.{{Citation needed|date=January 2011}}

==Self-defense, military and law enforcement applications==
{{Main|Hand-to-hand combat|Self-defense}}
[[File:ArmyMilCombativesChokehold.jpg|thumb|upright=0.7|[[U.S. Army]] combatives instructor demonstrates a [[chokehold]].]]
Some traditional martial concepts have seen new use within modern military training. Perhaps the most recent example of this is [[point shooting]] which relies on [[muscle memory]] to more effectively use a [[firearm]] in a variety of awkward situations, much the way an [[iaido]]ka would master movements with their sword.
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 102-00504, Berlin, Turn- und Sportwoche im Lustgarten.jpg|thumb|Demonstration of a [[Ju-Jitsu]] defense against a [[knife fight|knife attack]]. [[Berlin]] 1924]]
During the World War II era [[William E. Fairbairn]] and [[Eric A. Sykes]] were recruited by the [[Special Operations Executive]] (SOE) to teach their martial art of [[Defendu]] (itself drawing on Western boxing and Jujutsu) and pistol shooting to UK, US, and Canadian special forces. The book ''Kill or Get Killed'', written by Colonel [[Rex Applegate]], was based on the Defendu taught by Sykes and Fairbairn. Both Fairbairn's ''Get Tough'' and Appelgate's ''Kill or Get Killed'' became classic works on hand-to-hand combat.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}

Traditional hand-to-hand, knife, and spear techniques continue to see use in the composite systems developed for today's wars. Examples of this include European [[Unifight]], the [[US Army]]'s [[Combatives]] system developed by Matt Larsen, the [[Israeli army]]'s [[KAPAP]] and [[Krav Maga]], and the [[US Marine Corps]]'s ''[[Marine Corps Martial Arts Program]]'' (MCMAP). Unarmed dagger defenses identical to those found in the manual of [[Fiore dei Liberi]] and the [[Codex Wallerstein]] were integrated into the U.S. Army's [[training manual]]s in 1942<ref>{{cite book
 | last = Vail
 | first = Jason
 | title = Medieval and Renaissance Dagger Combat
 | publisher = Paladin Press
 |year=2006
 | pages = 91–95
 }}</ref>
and continue to influence today's systems along with other traditional systems such as [[eskrima]] and [[silat]].{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}

The rifle-mounted [[bayonet]] which has its origin in the [[spear]], has seen use by the [[United States Army]], the [[United States Marine Corps]], and the [[British Army]] as recently as the [[Iraq War]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/1464411/British-battalion-attacked-every-day-for-six-weeks.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/1464411/British-battalion-attacked-every-day-for-six-weeks.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title= British battalion 'attacked every day for six weeks'|access-date= 11 December 2008 |author= Sean Rayment|date= 13 June 2004|work= [[The Daily Telegraph]]|location=London}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Many martial arts are also seen and used in Law Enforcement hand-to-hand training. For example, the Tokyo Riot Police's use of [[aikido]].<ref name="Twigger1997">Twigger, R. (1997). ''Angry White Pyjamas''. London: Phoenix. {{ISBN|978-0753808580}} {{page needed|date=October 2020}}</ref>

==Martial arts industry==
Martial arts since the 1970s has become a significant industry, a subset of the wider [[sport industry]] (including [[martial arts films|cinema]] and [[sports television]]).{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}

Hundreds of millions of people worldwide practice some form of martial art.
Web Japan (sponsored by the [[Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs]]) claims there are 50&nbsp;million karate practitioners worldwide.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://web-japan.org/factsheet/en/pdf/e16_martial_art.pdf |title=Martial Arts : Fact Sheet |publisher=Web-japan.org |access-date=13 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100613134026/http://web-japan.org/factsheet/en/pdf/e16_martial_art.pdf |archive-date=13 June 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref>
The South Korean government in 2009 published an estimate that taekwondo is practiced by 70&nbsp;million people in 190 countries.<ref name="Kim2009">Kim, H.-S. (2009): [http://www.mcst.go.kr/english/issue/issueView.jsp?pSeq=1401 Taekwondo: A new strategy for Brand Korea] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723160119/http://www.mcst.go.kr/english/issue/issueView.jsp?pSeq=1401 |date=23 July 2011 }} (21 December 2009). Retrieved on 8 January 2010.</ref>

The wholesale value of martial arts related sporting equipment shipped in the United States was estimated at US$314&nbsp;million in 2007; participation in the same year was estimated at 6.9&nbsp;million (ages 6 or older, 2% of US population).<ref>Jack W. Plunkett (2009). ''Plunkett's Sports Industry Almanac'', {{ISBN|978-1593921408}}.</ref> R. A. Court, CEO of Martial Arts Channel, stated the total revenue of the US martial arts industry at US$40&nbsp;billion and the number of US practitioners at 30&nbsp;million in 2003.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=FtwDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA20 ''Black Belt Magazine''] September 2003, p. 20.</ref>

===Equipment===
Martial arts equipment can include that which is used for conditioning, protection and [[List of martial arts weapons|weapons]]. [[Hojo undō|Specialized conditioning equipment]] can include [[breaking board]]s, dummy partners such as the [[Muk Yan Jong|wooden dummy]], and targets such as [[punching bag]]s and the [[makiwara]]. [[Personal protective equipment|Protective equipment]] for sparring and competition includes [[boxing gloves]], [[Headgear (martial arts)|headgear]] and [[mouthguard]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|date=21 February 2020|title=The Importance Of A Mouthguard When Playing Sport|url=https://orthodonticsaustralia.org.au/importance-mouthguard-playing-sport/|access-date=6 October 2020|website=Orthodontics Australia|language=en-AU}}</ref>

===Martial arts fraud===
{{anchor|martial arts fraud}}
[[Asian martial arts]] experienced a surge of popularity in the West during the 1970s, and the rising demand resulted in numerous low quality or fraudulent schools. Fueled by fictional depictions in martial arts movies, this led to the [[ninja craze]] of the 1980s in the United States.<ref>see “[https://books.google.com/books?id=Rs8DAAAAMBAJ The Real Deal, The Buzzwords and the Latest Trend]” [[Black Belt Magazine]], June 1999, p. 78.</ref> There were also numerous fraudulent ads for martial arts training programs, inserted into comic books circa the 1960s and 1970s, which were read primarily by adolescent boys.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cartoonician.com/the-deadliest-ads-alive/|title=The Deadliest Ads Alive! &#124; Hogan's Alley|author=Tom Heintjes|date=20 June 2017|publisher=Cartoonician.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150825040223/http://cartoonician.com/the-deadliest-ads-alive/|archive-date=25 August 2015|url-status=dead|access-date=13 August 2015}}</ref>

In the seventies, lower ranks ([[kyu]]) began to be given colorful belts to show progress. This proved to be commercially viable and colored-belt systems were adopted in many martial arts [[degree mill]]s (also known as ''McDojos'' and ''belt factories'') as a means to generate additional cash.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.blackbeltmag.com/the-mcdojo-excuse|title=The McDojo Excuse|first=Justin Lee|last=Ford|date=7 October 2022|website=Black Belt Magazine}}</ref> This was covered in the ''[[Penn & Teller: Bullshit!]]'' [[List of Penn & Teller: Bullshit! episodes#Season 8: 2010|episode "Martial Arts"]] (June 2010).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Van Brunt |first=Brian |title=Ending Campus Violence: New Approaches to Prevention |date=2012 |publisher=Taylor and Francis |isbn=978-0-415-80743-2 |location=Hoboken |pages=97}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Martial arts}}
* [[Martial arts timeline]]
* [[History of martial arts]]
* [[List of martial arts]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Martial arts}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Martial arts}}
[[Category:Martial arts| ]]
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