Boxing
Boxing is one of the oldest forms of competition, and was depicted in ancient Egyptian sculptures as early as 1350 B.C. The first modern match documented was in Great Britain in 1681, and in 1743 a set of rules was published by Jack Broughton. Today, the World Boxing Council, the International Boxing Federation and the World Boxing Association recognize titlists as worldwide champions.
Jiu Jitsu
Jiu jitsu means "gentle art." The style evolved among the warrior class in Japan around the 17th century and was designed to complement swordsmanship. Jiu jitsu is a fighting system that employs a range of techniques, including strikes, kicks, and throws, as well as grappling techniques like joint locks and choking.
Kali
Filipino kali is the art of stick fighting, a martial art specializing in two baton-length bamboo sticks used to defend or attack. While a student in most styles of martial arts is expected to master hand-to-hand combat before moving to any form of weapons, Filipino kali teaches weapons-fighting first.
Karate
The art of karate is more than 1,000 years old and originated in eastern Asia, first as monastic training and later as a defense method used by Chinese peasants against armed bandits. It was introduced into the United States in 1945 after World War II. Translating to "empty hand" in Japanese, karate is a weaponless technique, utilizing punching and kicking to overcome the opponent.
Kung Fu
Chinese kung fu is considered the grandfather of all martial arts. It was created around A.D. 500, when the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma taught secret fighting techniques to the monks of the Shaolin Temple. Kung fu, fostering a better understanding of violence, ultimately teaches how to avoid conflict. Those who refuse to accept an attack merely return it to the sender.
Styles
