Combat sports: what they are and 10 examples

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Combat sports are sports involving fighting techniques and strategies between two combatants. Each combat sport has specific rules and predefined blows. These sports can be practiced as a form of self-defense or an art form, the so-called martial arts.

Examples of combat sports: boxing, jiu-jitsu, judo, taekwondo, wrestling, kung fu, fencing, kickboxing, sport wrestling, karate.

Among them, boxing, judo, taekwondo, wrestling, fencing and karate are Olympic combat sports.

1. Boxing

Boxing is a fight in which an athlete has to try to hit the other with a precise punch and, at the same time, avoid being hit. The objective is to knock out the opponent with punches.

To knock out, the athlete needs to knock down the opponent, who has to remain unconscious for at least ten seconds. If you manage to do that, the fight ends.

The athletes, called boxers, wear gloves to protect their hands and fight in a ring. The boxing match is divided into rounds, which are periods with a determined time. In the Olympic games, fights have three rounds of three minutes each.

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Boxing originated 4000 or 3000 a. W. in Egypt and became an Olympic sport in 1908.

2. Jiu Jitsu

Jiu-jitsu is a fight in which the athlete tries to dominate the opponent through torsion or strangulation techniques.

The fight takes place on a mat and the athletes wear a kimono and a belt around their waist. The belts can be of eight different colors, according to the ability and hierarchy of athletes aged 16 and over. This is in order from least to most experienced: white, blue, purple, brown, black, red and black, red and white, red.

Jiu-jitsu originated three thousand years before Christ, probably in India, where it was practiced by Buddhist monks, but was perfected in Japan.

The word jiu-jitsu literally means “gentle art”. Its practice offers an important life lesson, as it requires humility.

3. Judo

Judo is a sport in which the athlete's objective is to knock down the opponent and immobilize him with his back on the ground to win the fight.

The fights last five minutes and are done on a mat. Athletes wear a kimono and a sash around their waist. The bands can be of 9 different colors, which symbolize the athletes' learning cycle, starting with white and ending with black, in this order: white, gray, blue, yellow, orange, green, purple, brown and black.

Judo was created by master Jigoro Kano. Master Kano studied a fighting style called Takenouchi-ryu, which was founded in 1532 and, from that study, selected techniques that gave rise to judo. In 1882 the master founded the Kodokan Institute to teach the new style he had created.

In 1972, judo officially entered the Olympic Games.

4. Taekwondo

Two black belt athletes fighting Taekwondo in competition — Asian Games at Ganghwa Dolmens Gym on September 30, 2014 in Incheon, South Korea
Source: Shutterstock - Photo Contributor BUGNUT23

Taekwondo is a fight of Korean origin that aims to add points through accurate kicks and punches on the opponent.

The fight is done on a tatami and the athletes wear a white outfit called dobok, which is popularly known as the taekwondo kimono. One of the main differences between the two is the opening of the garment, which in the dobok opens on the sides and not on the front.

In addition to the dobok, athletes wear some accessories, such as a helmet, chest protector and mouth guard.

In taekwondo, athletes wear belts of different colors, which can vary from country to country. In Brazil, the ten colors are used in the following order, from least to most skillful athlete: white, gray, yellow, orange, green, dark green, blue, dark blue, red, dark red and black.

Taekwondo originated over 2000 in Korea and became an Olympic sport in 1988.

5. Wrestling

Two athletes in a wrestling match — 9th World University Wrestling Championship on October 29, 2010 in Turin, Italy
Source: Shutterstock - Photo Collaborator Diego Barbieri

Wrestling is a fight that aims to defend and attack. The fight ends when one of the athletes manages to force the opponent to touch his back to the ground. This movement is called a touch.

This sport has different styles. Olympic wrestling is divided into three: Greco-Roman, free and women's wrestling.

In Greco-Roman style it is not allowed to use the legs to defend or attack, but in freestyle and women's style it is allowed.

Athletes wear a swimsuit-like outfit and headgear and earmuffs are optional.

It is likely that wrestling is the oldest sport in the world after athletics. It has been in the Olympics since 1896.

6. Kung Fu

Kung fu is a fight of Chinese origin that involves punching, kicking and twisting techniques, with free hands or using weapons (staff, sword, spear). It has several modalities, including sanda and shuaijiao.

Sanda is made on a square-shaped platform that measures 8 x 8 meters and is called a leitai. The fight is divided into three rounds lasting two minutes each. Whoever wins two rounds or manages to eliminate his opponent wins.

Shuaijiao is performed in a circular arena 9 meters in diameter. The fight is divided into two rounds lasting three minutes each. Whoever has the most points or manages to eliminate his opponent wins.

The practice of kung fu is quite old. Its origin is thought to date back to 3000 BC. W.

7. Fencing

Two athletes in a fencing match — Source: Shutterstock - Photo Contributor Fotokostic

Fencing is a sport in which athletes use a melee weapon - which can be a sword, foil or saber - with the aim of touching the opponent.

In combat, athletes try to attack and defend, but without any body contact, unlike other combat sports. Athletes wear white clothing and are required to wear the following accessories: protective vest, gloves and metal mask.

The matches are held on a track measuring 14 meters in length and between 1.5 and 2 meters in width. They are divided into three rounds lasting three minutes each.

Fencing originated in prehistoric times and became an Olympic sport in 1896.

8. kickboxing

Kickboxing is a fight that combines boxing and martial arts techniques, including kicks, punches, knees and elbows. The objective is to knock out the opponent using kicks and punches.

The athletes, called kickboxers, wear headgear, mouthguards and gloves and fight in a ring. The boxing match is divided into rounds, which are periods with a determined time.

Kickboxing emerged in the United States in the 1970s as a variant of Karate, which is why it was called full contact karate (Total Contact Karate, in Portuguese).

9. sport wrestling

Sports wrestling is also known as Brazilian wrestling, because it was created in Rio de Janeiro. In it, the athlete tries to dominate the opponent through and immobilize him on the ground, through techniques of joint braces or strangulation.

The sport mixes a series of techniques from wrestling, judo and jiu-jitsu. Fights are held in a ring.

10. karate

Karate is a sport that is divided into kihon, kata and kumite.

kihon, which are the basic techniques;
kata, sequence of techniques that simulate a fight;
kumite, which are the fights.

Athletes wear a kimono and a sash around their waist. The belts can be of 8 different colors, which represent the graduation of the athletes, starting with white and ending with black, in this order: white, yellow, red, orange, green, purple, brown and black.

Karate originated in Okinawa, currently in Japan, but formerly belonging to China. It was in Japan that it evolved and officially entered the 2020 Olympic Games.

The word karate means “empty hands”. The purpose of this martial art is to improve character through discipline of body and mind.

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