148 posts shown.
Back in the day, Wu Shu actually meant combat techniques. Modern Wu Shu? It’s basically just gymnastics sprinkled with some martial arts moves. So yeah, modern Wu Shu *isn't* a combat sport.
People who train traditional Northern Kung Fu sometimes claim they're just doing "Wu Shu" to play it cool or hide their actual style. It’s like a Muay Thai fighter saying they just do a bit of hand and foot striking... kinda silly.
Kung Fu is just a broad term for any skill you put time into mastering.
If you want real conditioning, go find something with heavy ground sparring.
Aikido - Aikikai, USA, Morihei Ueshiba (1883-1969), Daito Ryu Aikijutsu. This is the original Aikido
Aikido - Iwama Ryu, USA, Morihiro Saito (1928-2002?), -
Aikido - Shinshin Toitsu (also known as Ki Society), 1974, USA, Koichi Tohei (1920-), branched off from Aikikai
An Ch'i, USA, -, This style was basically the American version of the Ninja—think something like the Lin Kuei... forest demons
Pretty sure this was pulled from some RPG game :P
Angelic Nin-Jitsu, USA, Dan McEaddy, based on Koga Ryu Ninjutsu
You've gotta be kidding me :P
Ba Duan Jin Qi Gong (Eight Brocade Qigong), USA, Shaolin warrior monk, -
Not even a martial art, just qigong
Bagua Quan (Pa Kua Chang/Baguazhang/Paqua Chang), 1600s?, Wudang Mountain Temple, USA, Hae Chon Tong? -
Bak (Pak) Hok (White Crane), USA, -, -
French Boxing (Le Boxe Francaise Savate), USA, -, Modernized Savate. Charles Lecour added "English Boxing" elements to Savate back in the 1800s
Modern Boxing, Great Britain, -, -
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, USA, -, -
Budokai, USA, Shihan Reid, -
Capoeira Angola, 1500-1800s?, USA, African Martial Arts, Capoeira Angola is the top tier Capoeira style in the US
Capoeira Regional (Luta Regional Baiana), 1930s, USA, Manuel dos Reis Machado (Mestre Bimba), Mestre Bimba's take on Capoeira, incorporating sweeps from the Batuque dance-fight style
Cha Chuan (Ch'a Ch'uan/Cha Quan), USA, -, -
Chado, -, -, -
What's tea ceremony doing on a list like this?
Chaka Shaolin Kung Fu, -, -, -
You've gotta be... ah...
Chi-Chi Kempo, USA, Luis Oliver, trained under W. Chow / Mitose / Masutatsu Oyama / Goshi Yamagushi / A. Lee
Man... 🙂
Chinese Kenpo Karate, USA, -, -
So, this has nothing to do with Chinese, Kenpo, or Karate...
Chinese Kuosho, USA?, Wu Sun Feng?, -
This one's weird. Kuosho is actually a full-contact competition name in Taiwan...
Chin Na (Shaolin Chin Na), circa 960, USA, General Yue Fei (1103-1141), founder trained by Shaolin monk Jao Tung. The founder also started Ying Jao
Eh... this is pretty much part of every Kung Fu style
Da Cheng Chuan, 1940s, USA, Wang Xiangzhai (-2000), -
Just another name for I Chuan
Dian Xue, -, -, -
That's just another way to write Dim Mak
Goju Ryu, 1928, USA, Chojun Miyagi (1888-1953), Naha-te under Kanryo Higashionna (1853-1916) plus various American MA's
Gracie Jiu Jitsu, 1925, USA, Gracie Family, learned Tenjin Shingo Ryu Jujutsu and Judo from Mitsuyo Maeda
Greco-Roman Wrestling, 1860, USA, -, -
Hakka Quan/Kuen (Ke Jia Quan), USA, -, Southern style
The Hakka are an ethnic minority in the South... they don't really teach outsiders
Hapkido, 1939/40, USA, Yong Sul Choi (Yong/Young Sool/Sul Choi) (1904-1986), Traditional Korean Martial Arts (Taekwon-do/Bulkyo Mu Sul) plus Takeda Ryu Aiki Ju Jutsu
He Quan (Crane style), Qing Dynasty, Fujian, USA, -
Jailhouse Rock, USA, African Martial Arts, "Substyles" include: 52 Hand blocks/Comstock Style/San Quentin Style/Mount Meg/42nd/Closing Gates/Bum Rush
Huh?
Kickboxing, -, -, -
Kodokan Judo, 1882, USA, Dr. Jigoro Kano (1860-1938), Tenjin Shingo Ryu Jujutsu/Kito Ryu. Kano started his training back in 1877
Is this taught around here?
Kuk Sool Won, 1958, USA, Suh In Hyuk, a blend of 31 traditional Korean Martial Arts, specifically Sado Mu Sool/Buldo Mu Sool/Koong Joong Mu Sool
Lerdrit, Thailand, -, Military style of Muay Thai
Straight out of Street Fighter II🙂
Liang-I (Shaolin 5-animal), USA, -, Northern style
Liang-i isn't about the five animals, it's a Taoist system
Lo-Han (Lohan Quan) (Fist of Arhats/Lohan Fist), Fujian, USA, -, -
Mei Hua Zhuang (Plum Blossom Pillars) USA - A northern variation of Praying Mantis
Mizong Luohan Quan (Lost Track Buddha Guardian Fist) 1900s. USA - Based on the Mizong Yi Quan system
Muay Thai Thailand - Modernized version of ancient Siamese combat styles
Mushindo Kempo - - -
Nanbudo 1979. USA Yoshinao Nanbu -
Neko Ryu Goshin Jitsu USA Ernie Cates -
haha... just a little something for the collection
Ninja Ryu Jiu Jitsu 1968. USA Denis St. Jean/Jules Ladouceur Judo/Jiu Jitsu/Karate/Kali-Arnis/Penchat Silat/Muay Thai
joj...
Ninpo Dux Ryu USA Frank Dux -
double joj!
Okinawa Te - - -
hmm.... karate?
Pachi Chuan USA - -
usually written as Ba Ji
Serak (Sera?) Silat Indonesia Ba Pak Sera -
Shaolin Chuan Fa (Shaolin Quan) (Fist of Shaolin Temple) 1300s. USA - -
Shin Kicking 1700s? Europe? - -
Shito Ryu 1934. USA Mabuni Kenwa (1889-1952)(1887-1954?) Trained Shuri Te under I. Anko
Shorinji Kempo 1947. USA So Doshin (1911-1980) Mix of Karate, Judo, and Aikido built on a Kung Fu foundation. Shorinji Kempo translates to Shaolin Kung Fu (Chuan Fa)
Shor Ryu Kempo FL, USA Eddie Ramos -
Silat Gayung Malaysia - -
Ta Cheng Ch'uan USA - Partly derived from Hsing-I Ch'uan
another name for yi quan
Tae Kwon Do (ITF) 1955. USA Choi Hong Hi 2 Dan Shotokan/Taek Kyon under Han II Dong
Tae Kwon Do (WTF) USA - -
Taiji Quan (Tai Chi Chuan) USA - -
Tai Ki Ken USA Sawai Japanese Tai Chi-style art. Sawai was a student of Wang—the guy who created Yi Chuan?
i chuan.
Wado Ryu/Kai 1920s. USA Hironori Ohtsuka (1892-1981) Shotokan under G. Funakoshi/Shindo Yoshin Ryu Ju Jutsu under T. Nakayama + Okinawan Karate
Wing Chun Around 1700. Kwantung, USA Yim Wing Chun (Ng Mui?) -
Xin Yi Ba (Grabbing the Heart and Mind) USA - -
Xing Yi Quan (Hsing-I Chuan/Xing I Quan/Shing Xi Quan) (Fist of Form and Mind) Early 1600s. USA Ji Jike (Ji Long Feng/Chi Chike?)(1602-1683) Yue Fei? -
Yi Chuan (Yi Quan/Da Cheng Quan/I Chuan) (Fist of Great Achievement) 1920s. Hebei, Northern USA Wang Xiangzhai (1887-1963) (Wang Hsiang Chi/Wang Yu Seng) An internal art. Founder studied Xing Yi and several other styles
There are guys out there who are legit fighters—UFC, No Holds Barred, whatever—who’ve actually trained under those two main instructors, and they swear these guys are absolute beasts...
The issue is, they haven't really figured out how to pass those skills on to anyone else (yet).
I haven't seen it firsthand—but I like to see everything and try it all, so if they ever come near my neck of the woods, I'm going. Either way, their videos are pretty solid if you just want to watch and get a bit worked up. 😬
George Martin70 said:Alright. So why are internal martial arts called "internal" in the first place? What part of them is actually internal versus external?
I feel like I’ve laid out my take on this at least five times already...
Basically, this whole internal vs. external split became the standard back in the early 1900s when Bagua, Tai Chi, and Xing Yi were labeled as internal, while everything else got lumped into the external category. Honestly, there wasn't some deep philosophical reason—if you ask me, it was just because there weren't any masters of other styles hanging around that specific circle of people. Later on, everyone started acting all high and mighty about being "internal"...
People drone on about different ways of developing strength—external vs. internal. To anyone who actually knows what they're talking about, that sounds pretty stupid... you can't have one without the other. Otherwise, powerlifters would be the best fighters on the planet.
Besides those classic three, the "internal" group also includes Bajiquan, Liu He Ba Fa, Xin Yi, and a bunch of other lesser-known styles.
Just because an application feels soft doesn't mean it's an internal style—the so-called external ones have plenty of soft stuff too. Same goes for chi, meditation, healing methods, whatever...
ruggedfalcon2 said:🙂 Laugh if you want... but the future of combat is all about computer tech and virtual battlefields... 😳
ruggedfalcon2, you're damn right—you've got every bit of right... 🙏
Honestly, nobody even needs actual fighting skills—or guts, for that matter—to take someone out these days...
Come on, ruggedfalcon2—I bet you’ve already dropped some thoughts on this somewhere, right...
Since you want more than a one-word answer:
Trying to train internal martial arts here in the States is a massive uphill battle. You might find a couple of people who actually get what "internal" means, but even then, maybe two or three of them have the patience to actually teach it. My advice? Just stick to whatever you’re naturally drawn to and find a teacher that clicks with you. Some people will stumble into those internal skills along the way—whether through meditation or just how they fight. Others won't even need to look for it, because those principles are baked into everything else—even BJJ—if you just pay attention and put in the work.
When I talk about internal combat skills, I mean this:
- they aren't tied to chi
- they aren't about meditation
- they aren't about relaxation
- they aren't about spirituality
If you think you've found an "internal" martial art and it's mostly focused on any of that stuff I just listed... then you haven't found an internal martial art. All those things can happen as a side effect of training any kind of skill, fighting or otherwise.
The only real metric for whether a martial art is worth anything is if it actually works in a fight.