What Martial Art Should I Learn

One press picks a martial art, with where it comes from and what you would train.

What Martial Art Should I Learn

  1. TaekwondoHigh, fast kicks are the heart of it; an Olympic sport since 2000.
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How it works

Not sure where to start? Press the button for one of 34 martial arts, from judo and boxing to kendo and tai chi, with the country it comes from.

Read the full guide

Pick by what you want to do

After your first press, the list beside the button narrows the draw. Punches and kicks for fitness and striking, Throws and holds for grappling, Weapons for swords and sticks, Self-defense for street skills, and Gentle and slow for balance and calm.

Try a class before you commit

Most clubs let beginners watch or join a first class. Set the count beside the button to 3, look up which of the three are taught near you, and try the one you can reach. Ask what a beginner needs to buy first.

Tips
  • Judo and aikido teach you how to fall safely early on, a skill worth having outside the dojo too.

Questions and answers

What is the best martial art for self-defense?

There is no single best. Krav Maga was built for self-defense, Brazilian jiu-jitsu teaches control on the ground, and boxing teaches you to keep your hands up. The Self-defense group holds six to start from.

Which martial arts are in the Olympics?

Judo, taekwondo, boxing, wrestling and fencing. They sit in the Olympic sports group, and clubs for them often run competitions for beginners.

Can adults start a martial art with no experience?

Yes. Most clubs run beginner classes for adults, and slower arts such as tai chi, kyudo and iaido suit people who want calm practice more than sparring.

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All 34 martial arts

Punches and kicks 12

  • Boxing Punches only, with a lot of footwork and fitness; the modern rules came from England.
  • Capoeira Kicks, spins and acrobatics played to music in a circle of people.
  • Karate Punches, kicks and set patterns called kata, with colored belts to mark progress.
  • Kickboxing Punches and kicks in a ring, often learned as a workout first.
  • Kung fu The many fighting styles of China, with flowing forms and animal-inspired moves.
  • Lethwei Burmese boxing, which also allows headbutts.
  • Mixed martial arts Striking and grappling together, the way a cage fight is won.
  • Muay Thai Called the art of eight limbs: fists, elbows, knees and shins.
  • Pencak silat Low stances, strikes, sweeps and weapons from the Malay world.
  • Savate A French kickboxing style where fighters wear shoes and kick with them.
  • Taekwondo High, fast kicks are the heart of it; an Olympic sport since 2000.
  • Wing Chun Close-range punches and blocks trained on a wooden dummy.
Show all 34 martial arts (22 more)

Throws and holds 10

  • Aikido Joint locks and throws that turn an attacker's force back on them.
  • Brazilian jiu-jitsu Ground fighting: a smaller person learns to control and submit a bigger one.
  • Glima Iceland's national wrestling, fought standing up while gripping a belt.
  • Hapkido Joint locks, throws and kicks aimed at self-defense.
  • Judo Throws and pins, and the first thing you learn is how to fall safely.
  • Jujutsu The old Japanese art of the samurai, fighting without a weapon.
  • Sambo A Soviet mix of judo and wrestling, with leg locks allowed in the sport.
  • Shuai jiao Chinese wrestling built on fast throws while standing.
  • Sumo Push your opponent out of the ring or make them touch the ground.
  • Wrestling Takedowns and pins; freestyle and Greco-Roman are both Olympic sports.

Weapons 6

  • Eskrima Filipino stick fighting; students train with sticks before empty hands.
  • Fencing Foil, épée or sabre: fast footwork and quick reflexes with a sword.
  • Historical European martial arts Longsword and other old fighting styles rebuilt from medieval and later manuals.
  • Iaido Drawing a sword and cutting in one smooth move, practiced alone in forms.
  • Kendo Fencing with bamboo swords and armor, with loud shouts on every strike.
  • Kyudo Japanese archery, slow and calm, where good form matters more than the hit.

Self-defense 4

  • Jeet Kune Do Bruce Lee's style: keep what works, drop what does not.
  • Kajukenbo A Hawaiian blend of karate, judo, jujutsu, kenpo and boxing.
  • Krav Maga Self-defense made for the real world: simple moves, trained under stress.
  • Systema A Russian art built on breathing, relaxed movement and staying calm.

Gentle and slow 2

  • Baguazhang A Chinese art where you walk in a circle and change direction in a flash.
  • Tai chi Slow, flowing moves done standing; many people learn it for balance and calm.

How this list was compiled: 34 martial arts, each checked on 2026-09-23 against its English Wikipedia article (linked in x.src): the place of origin in x.origin and the fact in each line were read in the article's opening sections. Olympic status from the same articles (taekwondo since 2000; judo, boxing, wrestling and fencing on the Olympic programme). Our own: the choice, the groups and every line. Licence: own work