Fencing: A Gentleman's Sport

Fencing is the skill of using three types of weapons: foil, sabre and épée. The sport is fast and athletic; fencers battle in a dance wherein the score is electronically detected. Fencing itself is divided into Olympic fencing, the sport fencing seen in modern Olympic games, Classical fencing, which approaches fencing more as a martial art, and Historical fencing, which is a type of historical martial arts reconstruction established on surviving texts and traditions.

Archery: A Global Legacy

Archery is the art or skill of shooting arrows with the use of a bow and has been around since ancient times as a mean for hunting and warfare. Nowadays, it often practiced as a recreational activity or as a sport competed in the Olympics.

Taekwondo: Fast and Furious

Taekwondo is a traditional Korean martial art with its trademark resting in its combination of kicks and means “foot-fist way” with the “do” indicating the state of harmony with oneself. It takes its roots in the Karate of Okinawa, Japan, although the signature kicks, slashes and spinning of modern Taekwondo bears little resemblance to the ground-rooted, reverse-punching techniques of its island of origin. It primarily evolved in Korea over the past 50 years.

Muay Boran: The Predecessor

Meaning “Ancient Boxing”, it is a martial art that warriors use in the past whenever he loses his weapon and have to recourse to hand-to-hand combat. It is also the direct ancestor of modern Muay Thai which developed into a popular martial art wherein fights are held in rings. Muay Boran, however, utilizes raw and brutal moves, hence it is only used during war. It is also a more complete fighting system compared to Muay Thai and includes throws, takedowns, holds and striking blows from the feet, knees, elbows, hands, and the head.

Arnis: A Nation's Pride

Arnis (also called Eskrima or Kali), refers to a deadly Philippine martial art that utilizes various hand weapons such as sticks [which is the most common one seen nowadays], swords, knives, and even everyday objects like writing pens, cellphones, and handkerchiefs. It can also be performed barehanded.

Capoeira: A Game? A Dance? A Martial Art?

Capoeira is a form of martial arts that does not only incorporate combat but ritual, music, and dance as well. Its movements consists mostly of kicks, evasions, and fluid acrobatic movements [which was the feature that caught my interest most]. And since it is considered a game, it is "played' rather than fought.

Judo: "The Gentle Way"

Judo is a modern martial art that originated in Japan that demands not only physical prowess, but also a great deal of mental discipline. It is also known for its competitive play style and techniques.