Combat sports involve competitive fighting in a controlled environment. Some people learn them as a form of self-defence. For others, they’re a fun way to keep fit. In other cases, it’s simply the adrenaline rush of being in a fight (without actually having to worry about getting killed!). Whatever the case, a combat sport could be a lot of fun. But just which sport is right for you? Below are just five different types of combat sports.
Striking sports
This includes the likes of boxing, kickboxing, karate and taekwondo. These striking sports involve kicking or punching. Points are scored by making contact with a hand or foot, putting an opponent to the floor or forcing an opponent out of a ring (depending on the sport). Speed, accuracy and power can be a big part of these sports. They can also require a lot of endurance.
Such sports can carry a much higher risk of injury than other combat sports – however, there are semi-contact variants in most cases if you don’t fancy getting pummelled. If you want to improve upper body strength, a sport like boxing might be more preferable. If you’re looking to improve flexibility in your legs, taekwondo could be a better choice.
Grappling sports
This includes the likes of judo, jiu-jitsu and sumo. Opponents grapple with each other and must win by pinning or taking each other down. Such sports rely on strength, sharp reflexes and bodily manipulation techniques.
Grappling sports are sometimes combined with striking sports (as is the case with the likes of UFC). Those that are purely made up of grappling can be very different to each other (judo is 90% standing and 10% on the ground, while jiu jitsu is 10% standing and 90% on the ground). Meanwhile sports like sumo are clearly aimed towards a certain body type.
Shooting sports
Shooting sports involve using mock firearms and include the likes of paintball, laser tag, airsoft and gel balling. Teams of players compete against one another, shooting each other to eliminate players or score points. This sport relies largely on team tactics, stealth and accuracy. Helmets may be worn to protect from injury.
Different shooting sports use different projectiles and have different rules. The likes of laser tag tend to be more family friendly as there’s no pain involved, while paintball can hurt a little bit more. Those craving realism may prefer gel blasters and airsoft rifles to laser guns and paintball guns. You can find arenas dedicated to different shooting sports.
Sword/stick sports
A number of combat sports involve sticks or swords. These include fencing, kendo and jousting. In these sports, each opponent must score points by striking the other with their weapon. Padding or armour is used to reduce any risk of injury.
Different sports have different rules and tactics. Kendo involves specific strikes, while fencing is mostly thrusts. The likes of jousting is done on horseback (and yes, this is not just a medieval sport – there are modern jousting schools).