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Martial Arts · Martial History & Supporting Studies

Martial Arts of the World: A History

More than a hundred fighting traditions from every region of the world: where they came from, what makes each one its own, and who keeps them alive today.

Level
Beginner
Lessons
106 lessons in 13 modules
Estimated study
About 27 hours
Format
Online, self-paced
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Before you start

Review the lesson outline and any lesson-specific preparation before you practise.

Full study requires active Academy access. This course can be audited independently of optional assessed programs.

About this course

A region-by-region history of the world's martial arts. Each lesson takes one art or family of arts and covers its history, what sets it apart, what makes it belong to its people, its techniques, weapons and styles, notable practitioners past and present, and the things a visitor or new student should know. Lessons carry historical illustrations, photographs and, where a good recording exists, video. No martial background needed.

Course outline

Tools for reading martial history: sources, legends, and the shared building blocks every fighting tradition draws on.

  1. How to Study Martial History15 minFree preview
  2. The Oldest Evidence: Wrestling, Boxing and Stick Fighting in the Ancient World15 min
  3. Building Blocks: Striking, Grappling, Weapons and the Mind15 min

The arts of China, from army drills and temple legends to internal boxing, southern family styles and modern wushu.

  1. Wushu Before Shaolin: Chinese Martial Arts in the Ancient World15 min
  2. Shaolin: The Temple, the Legend and the Record15 min
  3. Taijiquan: Chen Village and the Spread of Tai Chi15 min
  4. Xingyiquan: The Spear Turned Fist15 min
  5. Baguazhang: Walking the Circle15 min
  6. Wing Chun: From Foshan to the World15 min
  7. Hung Gar and the Five Family Styles of the South15 min
  8. Choy Li Fut, White Eyebrow and the Hakka Arts15 min
  9. Northern Long Fist: Chaquan, Huaquan and Hong Quan15 min
  10. Praying Mantis, Eagle Claw, Monkey and the Animal Styles15 min
  11. Shuai Jiao and Qinna: Chinese Wrestling and Joint Locking15 min
  12. The Eighteen Weapons: Jian, Dao, Qiang and Gun15 min
  13. Modern Wushu, Sanda and the Republic Era15 min

The arts of the samurai class and the modern budo that grew from them, and how Meiji-era reformers reshaped old schools into the arts practiced worldwide.

  1. Koryu: The Old Schools of the Samurai15 min
  2. Kenjutsu and Kendo: The Way of the Sword15 min
  3. Iaido and Battojutsu: Drawing the Sword15 min
  4. Kyudo: Japanese Archery15 min
  5. Jujutsu: Unarmed Combat of the Old Schools15 min
  6. Judo: Kano Jigoro and the Gentle Way15 min
  7. Aikido: Ueshiba Morihei and the Art of Harmony15 min
  8. Sumo: Ritual, Rank and the Ring15 min
  9. Naginata and Sojutsu: Spears and Polearms15 min
  10. Ninja and Ninjutsu: History, Myth and Marketing15 min
  11. Kyokushin and Full-Contact Karate in Japan15 min

How a small island kingdom between China and Japan produced karate and kobudo.

  1. The Ryukyu Kingdom and the Birth of Te15 min
  2. Shuri-te, Naha-te and Tomari-te15 min
  3. Goju-ryu and Uechi-ryu: Karate with Fujian Roots15 min
  4. Kobudo: Bo, Sai, Tonfa, Nunchaku and Kama15 min
  5. Karate Goes Global: Sport, Styles and the Olympics15 min

Korean arts from Goguryeo tomb murals and the Muyedobotongji to taekwondo's global spread.

  1. Korean Martial History and the Muyedobotongji15 min
  2. Taekkyeon: Korea's Dancing Kick Art15 min
  3. Ssireum: Korean Wrestling15 min
  4. Taekwondo: From the Kwans to the Olympics15 min
  5. Hapkido, Tang Soo Do and Kumdo15 min

Kickboxing rings, blade cultures and dance-like fighting arts from mainland Southeast Asia and the islands.

  1. Muay Thai: The Art of Eight Limbs15 min
  2. Krabi Krabong: Thai Weapons Arts15 min
  3. Lethwei and Burmese Bando and Banshay15 min
  4. Bokator and Pradal Serey: Cambodian Arts15 min
  5. Vietnamese Martial Arts: Vovinam, Binh Dinh and Tay Son15 min
  6. Pencak Silat: The Malay World's Arts15 min
  7. Keris, Golok and Karambit: Blades of the Archipelago15 min
  8. Arnis, Kali and Eskrima: The Filipino Martial Arts15 min
  9. Filipino Weapons: Bolo, Kampilan, Barong and Sticks15 min
  10. Kuntao: Chinese Arts in Southeast Asia15 min

Kalaripayattu, wrestling akharas, Sikh and Maratha weapon arts, and the fighting traditions of the Indian subcontinent.

  1. Kalaripayattu: Kerala's Ancient Training Ground15 min
  2. Silambam and Adimurai: Tamil Martial Arts15 min
  3. Pehlwani and Kushti: The Wrestlers of the Akhara15 min
  4. Gatka and the Sikh Martial Tradition15 min
  5. Thang-Ta and the Arts of Northeast India15 min
  6. Mardani Khel and the Weapons of India15 min
  7. Angampora: Sri Lanka's Hidden Art15 min

Horse cultures, wrestling nations and the warrior arts of Persia, the Ottomans and the Arab world.

  1. Bokh and Naadam: Mongolian Wrestling15 min
  2. Horse Archery of the Steppe15 min
  3. Kurash, Kazakh Kuresi and Turkic Wrestling15 min
  4. Zurkhaneh: Iran's House of Strength15 min
  5. Yagli Gures: Turkish Oil Wrestling at Kirkpinar15 min
  6. Ottoman and Persian Arms: Kilij, Shamshir and Archery15 min
  7. Furusiyya: The Arab Art of Horsemanship and Arms15 min
  8. Chidaoba and the Arts of the Caucasus15 min
  9. Krav Maga: Imi Lichtenfeld and Israeli Self-Defense15 min

Wrestling festivals, stick fighting, boxing and the African roots of Atlantic arts.

  1. Ancient Egypt and Tahtib: The Stick Dance15 min
  2. Nuba Wrestling of Sudan15 min
  3. Laamb: Senegalese Wrestling15 min
  4. Dambe and West African Wrestling15 min
  5. Nguni Stick Fighting of Southern Africa15 min
  6. Donga and East African Arts15 min
  7. Engolo: Angola's Kicking Art and the Roots of Capoeira15 min
  8. Moraingy and Indian Ocean Arts15 min
  9. African Fighters on the World Stage15 min

From Olympic pankration to fencing manuals, prize fighters and wrestling unions, the long written record of European martial arts.

  1. Pankration, Pale and Pygme: The Greek Combat Sports15 min
  2. Gladiators and the Roman Legion's Training15 min
  3. Norse Fighting Arts and Glima15 min
  4. Royal Armouries Ms. I.33: The Oldest Fencing Manual15 min
  5. Johannes Liechtenauer and the German Longsword15 min
  6. Fiore dei Liberi and the Italian Tradition15 min
  7. La Verdadera Destreza: Spanish Swordsmanship15 min
  8. English Martial Arts: Quarterstaff, Backsword and the Masters of Defence15 min
  9. From Smallsword to Olympic Fencing15 min
  10. Boxing: From the London Prize Ring to the World Championship15 min
  11. Savate, Canne de Combat and Bâton: French Arts15 min
  12. Folk Wrestling and the Birth of Greco-Roman15 min
  13. Catch Wrestling and Bartitsu: The Victorian Fighting Revival15 min
  14. Sambo and Systema: Russian and Soviet Arts15 min
  15. The Historical European Martial Arts Revival15 min

Indigenous warrior traditions, African-Brazilian and Caribbean arts, Latin American blade fencing and the arts born or reshaped in the United States.

  1. Indigenous North American Warrior Traditions15 min
  2. Aztec, Maya and Inca: Warrior Societies of Mesoamerica and the Andes15 min
  3. Capoeira: Fight Disguised as Dance15 min
  4. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: The Gracies and the Ground Game15 min
  5. Luta Livre and Vale Tudo15 min
  6. Machete, Garrote and Knife: Latin American Blade Arts15 min
  7. Kalinda, Danmyé and Caribbean Combat Dances15 min
  8. Knocking and Kicking, Jailhouse Rock and African American Fighting Traditions15 min
  9. American Kenpo and the Early American Schools15 min
  10. Bruce Lee and Jeet Kune Do15 min
  11. Military Combatives: Fairbairn, MCMAP and Modern Army Combatives15 min

Weapons, wrestling and warrior training from Hawaii, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia, Melanesia and Aboriginal Australia.

  1. Lua: The Hawaiian Fighting Art15 min
  2. Mau Rākau: Māori Weapons and the Haka15 min
  3. Polynesian and Melanesian Warrior Traditions15 min
  4. Aboriginal Australian Fighting Traditions15 min

How films, sport federations, mixed martial arts and the internet changed every tradition in this course.

  1. Martial Arts on Screen: Wong Fei-hung to The Raid15 min
  2. Mixed Martial Arts: From Vale Tudo to the UFC15 min
  3. Martial Arts at the Olympics15 min
  4. Keeping Traditions Alive: UNESCO, Lineage and Honest Teaching15 min

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This course belongs to the following optional programs. Each has its own required course bundle, evidence review and separate fee. Each program page shows its approved fee and current registration status.

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