This list includes 11 Martial arts that start with N, spanning from “Naban” to “Nuba wrestling”. These styles range from regional wrestling traditions to hybrid systems and often focus on grappling or close-range combat. Practitioners use them for sport, self-defense, cultural practice, and competition.
Martial arts that start with N are diverse styles rooted in different regions and histories. Several began as local wrestling or warrior traditions and later became national sports or cultural rites.
Below you’ll find the table with Style, Origin, Focus, Founding period, and Notes.
Style: Name used for the art; you use this to identify, search, and compare entries across sources.
Origin: Country or region where the art developed; this helps you understand cultural roots and geographic distribution.
Focus: Primary emphasis such as Striking, Grappling, or Hybrid; you can quickly judge training and competition style.
Founding period: Approximate origin date (year, decade, or century) so you can place each style in historical context.
Notes: Short clarifications, alternate names, or disputed details that help you interpret entries at a glance.
Martial arts that start with N
| Name | Country of Origin | Focus | Founding Period | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naban | Myanmar | Grappling | Ancient | Traditional Burmese grappling practiced by ethnic groups; emphasizes throws, joint locks and groundwork. Used in festivals and local combat traditions, still taught regionally and linked historically to broader Burmese martial systems. |
| Naginata | Japan | Weapons | 12th c. | Japanese polearm art centered on the naginata. Used by samurai and onna-bugeisha, it emphasizes sweeping cuts, range control and footwork. Modern Atarashii Naginata is a competitive sport with international dojos. |
| Naha-te | Okinawa | Striking | 19th c. | Striking system from Naha, Okinawa, heavily influenced by Southern Chinese boxing. Known for close-range power, breathing methods and conditioning; a direct ancestor of Goju-ryu karate and Okinawan fighting traditions. |
| Nanquan | China | Striking | 17th c. | “Southern Fist” family from southern China emphasizing short-range power, stable low stances and explosive hand techniques. Rooted in regional folk traditions and represented today in both traditional schools and modern Wushu. |
| Ninjutsu | Japan | Hybrid | 15th–17th c. | Feudal Japanese shinobi arts covering espionage, stealth, unarmed combat and specialized weapons. Historic practices date to medieval Japan; modern schools vary from traditional ryu to eclectic contemporary systems. |
| Niten Ichi-ryu | Japan | Weapons | 17th c. | Kenjutsu school founded by Miyamoto Musashi, famed for its two-sword method and classical samurai curriculum. Preserved by headmasters and practiced as a koryū tradition by martial historians and practitioners. |
| Nippon Kempo | Japan | Hybrid | 1930s | Full-contact Japanese system using protective armor, combining striking, throws and groundwork. Founded in the 1930s by Muneomi Sawayama, it remains a competitive combative art with clubs across Japan and abroad. |
| Northern Praying Mantis | China | Striking | 17th c. | Northern Chinese kung fu from Shandong, noted for fast trapping hands, hooking motions and nimble footwork. Traditionally attributed to Wang Lang and popular in both folk practice and martial lineages. |
| Northern Shaolin | China | Striking | 18th–19th c. | Northern branch of Shaolin boxing emphasizing long-range attacks, high kicks and agile footwork. Standardized in the 19th century, it influenced modern Wushu and many northern kung fu schools. |
| Nuba wrestling | Sudan | Grappling | Traditional | Traditional grappling of the Nuba peoples in Sudan, central to festivals and rites. Focuses on throws, balance and strength; practiced as cultural sport and documented by anthropologists and ethnographers. |
| Nguni stick-fighting | South Africa | Weapons | Traditional | Stick-fighting of the Nguni peoples emphasizing strikes, blocks and footwork. Used historically in warrior training and ceremonies, it survives as a living rural tradition and cultural practice. |