| The martial arts styles can be divided into several | | | | and getting the better of the fighter by using a choke, |
| categories, depending upon the dominant techniques | | | | a lock or any other grappling technique. |
| they expound. | | | | Though grappling art forms appear to be less graceful |
| Stand up styles are so called because the fighter | | | | and artistic than stand up styles, this art form has |
| fights on his feet using a combination of punches, kicks | | | | nothing to do with brute strength. Grappling is a precise |
| and footwork techniques. Karate, Kung Fu, | | | | art that requires the artist to not only to be in good |
| Taekwondo, Boxing/Kickboxing, Krav Maga, Wushu | | | | physical condition but also have knowledge of the |
| and San Shou are some of the art forms in this | | | | human anatomy. This is because awareness of the |
| category. | | | | body helps the grappler to sense the opponent's |
| The stand up styles use nimble footwork, distance and | | | | intention through the body movements and therefore |
| timing to defeat an opponent. Here physical conditioning | | | | control the fight. |
| is paramount because the body needs to be in peak | | | | Throwing styles and weapon-based styles, as the |
| condition for lightning fast responses. | | | | name suggests, involve throwing opponents from a |
| Some stand up fighting styles such as boxing and | | | | stand up position and using weapons respectively. The |
| Wing Chun emphasizes the use of hands. Others, like | | | | first uses throws, trips and locks as weapons to |
| Taekwondo, focus on kicking. Hapkido propagates | | | | disrupt the opponent's balance while the other actually |
| counter-fighting, use of locks, blocking and other | | | | uses weapons to overcome the enemy. Judo, Aikido, |
| techniques. | | | | Chiao and Hapkido are some throwing styles while |
| Grappling or ground fighting styles, as the name | | | | Iado, Kendo and Kali are weapon based. |
| suggests, focuses on the wrestling part of fighting. In | | | | Low impact or meditative styles may have been |
| this, the players employ wrestling techniques, which | | | | developed originally for combat, but through the ages |
| requires them to be on the ground quite often. Brazilian | | | | they have developed into art forms that are more for |
| Jiujitsu, Shootoo, Sambo and Greco-Roman wrestling | | | | the peak performance of the body. These focus on |
| are all martial arts that fall in this category. | | | | breathing, internal energy and stress relief along with |
| Grappling has only a limited number of stands up | | | | low impact exercises. Tai Chi and Chi Gong are a part |
| fighting techniques. In this form of fighting, the martial | | | | of this style. |
| arts artist concentrates on taking an opponent down | | | | |