What different types of martial arts are there?

Answer 1

There's about six different types of fighting ranges. They are: Throwing range, weapon range, leg striking range, hand striking range, grappling/throwing range, and ground-grappling.

As for the number of arts that encompass all of those: Hundreds of thousands. There's new ones being made every year, and of the probably at least 10,000 base martial arts: There's between one and 1000 different variations for each. It's endless. Here some I will name, and this isn't even a fraction of them all:

Karate, Kung Fu, Tae Kwon Do, Muay Thai, Jujutsu, Iaido, Kenjutsu, Judo, Taijitsu/To Shin Do/Bujinkan/Budo/Nipo (AKA "Ninjutsu"), systema, sambo, Yaw Yan, Shuai Chiao, Wing Chun, Hapkido, Kyukido, Kobudo, Kail, Escrima, Capoeira, BJJ/GJJ, Pankration, Chun Kuk Do, Hwar Do, Kuk Sool Won, TaeKyon Yong Chul Do, Aikido, Kempo, Boxing, Kickboxing (Muay Thai and Yaw Yan are in a world of their own).....

Of those styles, there's various sub-styles within them. That's still just a fraction.

Answer 2

They all work on a basic principle and all have almost the same basic kicks ,punches,and blocking.There is a little change in the basics but not much.What makes one more different from the other is technique.Some martial arts are passive and others are aggressive.If you are passive you can use the energy of an attacker and use that against them because you redirect it to your advantage.If you are aggressive you overwhelm your attacker with speed and force.Some are better at fighting standing while others work better when the attacker is on the ground.The best martial art is when you can use all techniques to be a solider for the good of man kind.People with anger in their hearts will always loose because they do not have the ability to focus.

Answer 3

Muay Thai

Tae Kwon Do

Karate

Judo

Answer 4

Only two really. Armed and unarmed.

For unarmed there is only one style.

For an example of this you put-

1.any of these modern arts back in time to where thousands of people are using it to survive, and pit them against one another.

2. 10,000,000 opre historic cavemen together in 1-1 fights to the death.

3. All modern martial artists in a pit next to the cavemen and make them fight to the death one at a time as well.

And you will end up with three guys who have worked out the same style.

And generally it will look like boxing with the hands, muay thai for knees, elbows and kicks, wrestling takedowns and throws, BJJ submissions and a little gouging and biting thrown in.

Every time in history I can guarantee you of this.
The simple fact is there is one optimum way for primates to fight, and while people will have different strengths and weaknesses in it, it is generally the same.

It only becomes 'different styles' later on, when it becomes

A-used for armies just to learn a few choice techniques,

B-when it becomes used more for general health and spirituality,

C- when it needs to attract crowds with a common interest eg loses all grappling techniques for more standup knockouts, or maybe on the other hand no strikes and more emphasis on throws etc.

D when it emphasises just one area of fighting to develope greater skill in that area only.

Or most common now,

E when people forget how to fight altogether and make up their own style to sell to the public.

Answer 5

Lots of them.
But they break down into categories.
Throwing arts such as Judo, Ju Jitsu, Aikido/Hapkido
Percussive (striking)arts such as Karate, Tang Soo Do, Tae Kwon Do
Both have their origins in systems of fighting taught by the Shaolin monks in China...there are Chinese arts also that sprang from the Shaolin.

Answer 6

Ty Kwon Do
Jujitsu
Karate
Judo
Kung Fu

Answer 7

There are infinite numbers of martial arts/self-defense styles out there. There are pure styles, mixed styles, hybrid styles...hard styles, soft styles...ones for fighting, ones for centered-ness (tai chi can be used for centering purposes or actual fighting)...the list goes on and on.

Answer 8

thousands. try using wikipedia, google, Yahoo, and search "martial arts". there's striking, grappling, and combinations of the two. Harder styles, softer styles, more practical styles and less practical styles.

Answer 9

There's hundreds.

Start here:
http://idempot.net/rmafaq/rmafaq2.html#16

and here:
http://encyclopediaofmartialarts.com/martialartsbylocation.html

and here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_martial_arts

Answer 10

Many. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Martial_arts_by_regional_origin