Here you’ll find 14 Martial arts that start with T, organized from “Taekkyeon” to “Turkish oil wrestling”. These styles span striking, grappling and hybrid systems, with applications in sport, self‑defense, cultural practice and performance.
Martial arts that start with T are a varied group of traditional and modern styles united by their initial letter. Some, like Taekkyeon, carry deep cultural roles and shaped national identity over centuries.
Below you’ll find the table with Name, Origin, Focus, Founding period, and Notes.
Name: The common or accepted name of the style, so you can identify and search for it quickly.
Origin: The country or region where the style developed, helping you understand cultural and geographic context.
Focus: The primary emphasis—Striking, Grappling or Hybrid—so you can gauge training priorities and typical techniques.
Founding period: Approximate year, decade or century when the style emerged, useful for historical perspective.
Notes: Brief clarifications about naming, notable practitioners, sport rules or regional variants that affect interpretation.
Martial arts that start with T
| Name | Country | Primary focus | Founding period | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taekwondo | South Korea | Striking | 1950s | Korean striking art emphasizing powerful kicks and sport competition; an Olympic martial art developed from mid-20th-century kwans and modern rules. |
| Taekkyeon | South Korea | Striking | Joseon era (15th–19th c.) | Traditional Korean footwork and flowing kicks, UNESCO-listed cultural heritage emphasizing rhythm, graceful movement and practical self-defense. |
| Tai Chi | China | Hybrid | 17th century | Internal Chinese art practiced for health, meditation and soft fighting; slow forms conceal effective joint, throwing and control techniques. |
| Tang Soo Do | South Korea | Striking | 1940s | Korean striking system blending karate and Chinese influences, focused on kicks, forms and discipline; influential in modern martial arts. |
| Taido | Japan | Hybrid | 1960s | Modern Japanese art combining striking, acrobatics and throwing; emphasizes spirals, dynamic movement and athletic training created by Seiken Shukumine. |
| Thai boxing | Thailand | Striking | 18th century | Also called Thai boxing; a clinch-heavy striking art using fists, elbows, knees and shins, rooted in battlefield and cultural traditions. |
| Tahtib | Egypt | Weapons | Ancient (Pharaonic) | Traditional Egyptian stick-fighting with ceremonial dance and combat techniques, recognized as part of Egypt’s intangible cultural heritage. |
| Thang Ta | India | Weapons | Medieval/ancient | Manipuri sword-and-spear tradition combining armed and unarmed techniques, with ritual, cultural and practical combat uses in Manipur. |
| Taiho-jutsu | Japan | Grappling | Edo period (17th–19th c.) | Japanese police arrest art focusing on restraint, locks and short-range control, adapted from samurai arrest techniques for law enforcement. |
| Tongbeiquan | China | Striking | 17th–18th century | Northern Chinese striking system emphasizing long-range punches, whipping motion and whole-body linkage; multiple regional lineages exist. |
| Tenjin Shinyo-ryu | Japan | Grappling | Early 19th century | Classical Japanese jujutsu school focused on throws, joint locks and ground methods; an important ancestor of modern judo and aikido techniques. |
| Tomari-te | Japan | Striking | 18th–19th century | One of Okinawa’s historic “hand” traditions that shaped modern karate; known for quick footwork, close-range strikes and distinctive kata. |
| Te | Japan | Striking | 15th–17th century | The original Okinawan “hand” fighting that evolved into karate; pragmatic striking and close-combat techniques transmitted orally and by practice. |
| Turkish oil wrestling | Turkey | Grappling | 14th century | Traditional grappling sport where competitors oil themselves before bouts; a cultural festival event with deep Ottoman-era roots and ritual elements. |