Do All Martial Arts Include Punching?

When we think of martial arts, punches often come to mind as a primary form of attack. However, not all martial arts focus on punching. Many have evolved or been designed to emphasize a variety of other striking techniques or completely different skill sets. In this article, we'll explore how some martial arts have transformed from punch-oriented disciplines to those that focus on different forms of strikes or even non-striking techniques.

Martial Arts with Limited or No Emphasis on Punching

1. Judo: A martial art that pivots around throws, grappling, and joint locks. In Judo, the main objective is to take down the opponent and immobilize or subdue them on the ground, moving away from striking techniques.
2. Aikido: This martial art integrates joint locks, throws, and pins, aiming to blend with the attacker's motion and using their force against them, rather than relying on direct strikes like punches.
3. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ): Known for its focus on ground fighting and grappling, BJJ involves very limited striking, preferring control over the opponent through holds, locks, and submissions.
4. Wrestling (including Greco-Roman and Freestyle): As a combat sport, wrestling emphasizes clinch fighting, throws, takedowns, joint locks, and pins, steering clear of striking techniques.
5. Capoeira: This Brazilian martial art beautifully melds elements of dance, acrobatics, and music, and while it includes kicks, punches are not a primary focus.
6. Tai Chi: Often practiced for health and spiritual benefits, Tai Chi incorporates gentle, flowing movements, with little to no emphasis on punching.
7. Kendo: This Japanese martial art uses bamboo swords and protective armor, focusing on swordsmanship rather than unarmed strikes.
8. Iaido/Iaijutsu: These Japanese martial arts are centered around the art of drawing, cutting with, and sheathing a sword, emphasizing precision and form over combat or self-defense striking.

These martial arts each have unique philosophies and approaches, but they commonly either use an opponent's energy against them, control them through holds and locks, or focus on weapon training rather than punching.

What About Taekwondo?

Taekwondo is a Korean martial art that is known for its emphasis on high, fast, and spinning kicks. While punches are a part of Taekwondo, they are generally less emphasized compared to the extensive use of various kicking techniques. Taekwondo training typically involves a combination of forms (poomsae), sparring (kyorugi), self-defense, and breakfall techniques, with a significant focus on developing leg strength, flexibility, and agility for executing kicks.

In Taekwondo sparring, which is a major component of the sport especially in its Olympic format, points are often scored more frequently with kicks, particularly head kicks, which receive higher points than punches. The rules and scoring system in competitive Taekwondo encourage the use of elaborate and effective kicking techniques. Punches are used, but they are generally limited to the torso and score fewer points than kicks.

The style and techniques of Taekwondo make it distinctively different from martial arts that focus heavily on hand strikes or grappling. The art form is visually dynamic and is known for its athletic and high-flying kick maneuvers.

Martial Arts That Heavily Rely on Punching

Several martial arts still heavily emphasize punching, including:

1. Boxing: Perhaps the most well-known martial art focusing exclusively on punching. Boxers train to deliver powerful and precise punches, using various techniques like jabs, crosses, hooks, and uppercuts. Defensive techniques and footwork are also key components.
2. Karate: While Karate includes kicks and other techniques, many styles place a significant emphasis on punching techniques (like straight punches, reverse punches, and backfist strikes). Karate trains practitioners in both the power and precision of hand strikes.
3. Muay Thai (Thai Boxing): Known as "The Art of Eight Limbs", it makes extensive use of punches along with kicks, elbows, and knee strikes. Punching techniques in Muay Thai are similar to those in Western Boxing but are combined with other limbs' strikes.
4. Kickboxing: As the name suggests, it combines boxing punches with kicks. There are various styles of kickboxing, but most include a strong emphasis on punching.
5. Western Boxing: Focuses solely on punching, with no kicks or grappling techniques. Boxers use a combination of jabs, crosses, hooks, and uppercuts.
6. Savate (French Kickboxing): While it includes kicks, Savate also has a strong focus on punching techniques. It is unique for its use of shoes and combines graceful movements with effective strikes.
7. Krav Maga: A self-defense system developed for the military in Israel, it incorporates a wide range of techniques, including a strong emphasis on punches, especially for close-quarters combat.
8. Sandā/Sanshou: A Chinese hand-to-hand combat and self-defense system, it combines traditional Kung Fu with modern combat fighting techniques, including boxing-like punches.

Martial Arts That Evolved Away From Punching

There are several martial arts that originally included punches in their techniques but have shifted away from or limited the use of punches due to competition rules and regulations. This shift often reflects a desire to prioritize safety, emphasize other techniques, or align with the sport's unique competitive aspect. Here are a few examples:

1. Judo: Originally derived from traditional Japanese Jujutsu, Judo included strikes like punches and kicks in its early curriculum. However, as Judo evolved into a sport-oriented discipline, especially after becoming an Olympic sport, the focus shifted almost exclusively to throwing and grappling techniques. The competitive aspect of Judo now emphasizes throws, pins, joint locks, and chokes, with striking techniques reserved for kata (formal demonstration) and self-defense training.
2. Taekwondo: In its traditional form, Taekwondo included a variety of hand strikes, including punches. However, in Olympic Taekwondo (WTF style), the scoring system heavily favors kicks, especially head kicks, which score higher points. This has led to a competition style that predominantly focuses on kicking techniques, with punches being less emphasized and scoring fewer points.
3. Greco-Roman Wrestling: While not a striking art per se, early forms of wrestling, including those that influenced Greco-Roman wrestling, encompassed a broader range of techniques, including strikes. Greco-Roman wrestling, as formalized for modern competition, strictly prohibits strikes, focusing solely on upper body throws and holds.
4. Capoeira (in its Sportive Form): Traditional Capoeira includes strikes, including punches, but in its contemporary, sportive form (Capoeira Regional), the emphasis is more on acrobatic and dance-like movements with a lesser focus on strikes. This was part of an effort to make the art more palatable and less dangerous when it was transitioning from a clandestine practice to a more mainstream martial art.
5. Wushu: Modern Wushu, especially as a competitive sport, places a significant emphasis on acrobatic and performance elements. While traditional Chinese martial arts from which Wushu derives included extensive striking techniques, modern Wushu competitions often focus more on form and acrobatics, with less emphasis on actual combat effectiveness, including punching.

These changes in focus are often driven by the needs and desires of the sporting community and audience, as well as by the necessity to adapt martial arts practices for modern contexts, which often prioritize safety and spectacle.