Martial arts are a form of hand to hand combat that typically follow either a belief system or a particular code of honor and conduct. Although mostly associated with Asian countries due to the entertainment industry, martial arts is been practiced in countries all around the world and throughout history. When you want to learn martial arts, choices abound in St. Louis. There are a number of St. Louis gyms that specialize in teaching martial arts for competition, self-defense, or simply fitness purposes. Whatever the reason, here are a few common martial art disciplines you can learn at a local gym.

Kickboxing - This sport has been around for a long time but was brought to America in the 60's by Count Dante, Ray Scarica, and Maung Gyi. This is an upright fighting discipline that features kicks and punches as its major moves. This versatile sport is fairly accessible for people of all learning goals and fitness levels which is why you will see a class offered in just about all of the St. Louis gyms including Absolute Martial Arts. In the public mind, kickboxing is often associated with Taebo, a fitness program designed by Tae Kwon Do instructor Billy Blanks.

Karate - Karate is another common martial art discipline that has been around for a very long time. Originating in what is now Okinawa, Japan, it developed out of a combination of indigenous fighting methods and Chinese kenpo. Its major moves consist of punching, kicking, knee, elbow and open handed strikes. The most familiar move from this martial art discipline, which was made famous by Bruce Lee and James Bonds movies, is the karate chop. Typically in St. Louis gyms your proficiency in this self defense discipline is gauged by the color of your belt with white generally indicating a novice and either red or black indicating an expert level.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu - This is a derivation of the Japanese martial art of Kodokan Judo. Like all the other martial art disciplines, it is both a self defense technique and a sport. It is based on the principal that a smaller or weaker person can leverage their body and technique to take down someone larger or stronger than them. It is defined by grappling and ground fighting moves. There are many more martial art disciplines that you can be trained in at the many St. Louis gyms in the area. Do some research and find one you would enjoy learning.