The 7 Best Striking Martial Art Styles You Need to Know!

Introduction to Striking Martial Arts

Striking martial arts are a broad range of combat practices and self-defense systems. These range from traditional styles that incorporate ancient techniques, forms, and philosophies to modern martial arts, which aim to be the most effective styles of fighting. A key aspect of any striking martial art are techniques that take place on the feet, such as punches, kicks, knees, and elbows.

Let’s explore the 7 best striking martial arts styles, going through their techniques and effectiveness, and finally comparing them to each other to find out which is the most effective.

Understanding Striking Martial Arts

Striking martial arts are fighting and self-defense-based styles of martial arts that take place while standing and involve punching and kicking techniques. Some use elbows, knees, and even small amounts of grappling. However, grappling-based techniques are usually minimal in striking martial arts, and the sole focus of them is punching and kicking techniques. The influence of grappling martial arts like Judo on striking martial arts has led to the incorporation of some grappling techniques to create more well-rounded fighters.

Many striking martial arts are also sports-based, and the goal of the martial art is to win in a competition or a fight. This means some of the striking martial arts follow a strict ruleset that will be implemented in competitions. These vary depending on the martial arts, and we will discuss techniques used in each martial art down below.

Popular Striking Martial Art Styles

1. Muay Thai

Muay Thai has become one of the most renowned styles of kickboxing in the world. It is known for its powerful kicks, punches, elbows, and knees. Originating in Thailand, this unique style of kickboxing evolved from an ancient Thai martial art called Muay Boran.

Muay Thai, Thai boxing, or The Art of Eight Limbs, is characterized by heavy low kicks, push kicks, head kicks, elbows and knees, and boxing. Western-style boxing is also used in Muay Thai; this includes punching techniques like the jab, hook, uppercut, and cross.

Boxing in Muay Thai is adapted to suit the style, with less emphasis on dodging techniques and head movement. Thai fighters believe too much head movement will expose them and cause them to lean into a kick, knee, or elbow strike.

Unlike other styles of kickboxing, Muay Thai allows the use of knees and elbows too; this makes knockouts more devastating and utilizes the full body as a way of attacking. The use of the full body has earned Muay Thai the title of “The Art of Eight Limbs.”

Clinching is another technique unique to Muay Thai, and it allows the fighters to engage in a form of grappling that takes place on the feet. This makes Thai boxing highly effective when compared to other martial arts, as it includes elements of grappling within the clinch.

Knockouts are commonly seen in Muay Thai fights, and fighters compete very often, sometimes even twice a week. Overall, Muay is one of the most effective striking martial arts in the modern era. This is because it uses the whole body as a way of attacking while maintaining a strong defense and includes grappling techniques like clinching. In recent years, Muay Thai has become a very popular choice among MMA fighters and newbie martial artists who are looking to start a striking-based style.

2. Kickboxing

We have already covered Muay Thai, one of the most effective styles of kickboxing, so you might be wondering why we have moved on to kickboxing. Well, kickboxing comes in many different styles, such as Sanda (Chinese kickboxing), Savate (French kickboxing), and American/western kickboxing. However, it is the Dutch who have created one of the most powerful styles of kickboxing.

Muay Thai is, of course, one of the best styles of kickboxing; however, in regular kickboxing styles, the use of elbows and clinching are not allowed. This might make you believe that Dutch kickboxing is not as effective as Muay Thai, but the Dutch have come up with such a powerful style of kickboxing that they often compete against Muay Thai fighters and come out victorious.

The Dutch style of kickboxing puts vicious combinations of punches and kicks together. These rapid combos of punches and kicks are unusual when compared to other kickboxing styles. Many kickboxing styles use shorter combinations and focus on landing one or two strikes at a time. However, the Dutch style attacks with a flurry of punches and kicks while putting a strong emphasis on speed, power, and aggression.

Dutch kickboxing is also fundamentally correct in its techniques, teaching great head movement, which is incorporated into western boxing. This allows fighters to dodge and slip punches, something that is not emphasized in Muay Thai. The Dutch style of kickboxing combines the techniques of Muay Thai with the defense of boxing and adds its own pace of aggression, speed, and precision. If you are interested in how these styles fare against each other, the fight promotion One Championship has many Muay Thai fighters fighting Dutch kickboxers.

3. Karate

Karate is one of the most underrated striking martial arts, mostly because it hasn’t had the same media coverage as Muay Thai and western boxing. However, Kyokushin karate is easily one of the most effective striking martial arts in the world.

Kyokushin Karate is a traditional martial art, meaning it teaches philosophy and traditions that are not taught as much in kickboxing. It also emphasizes intense energy, or what they call the indomitable spirit. This is a type of unbreakable will to fight and push through adversity, a fighting spirit that is regularly promoted within Kyokushin karate.

The techniques of Kyokushin Karate consist primarily of kicks and punches performed with precision and power. Karate training includes stances, footwork, and range management, making it a good base for shifting to MMA later.

Karate Combat is a fight promotion where karate-based practitioners compete against each other. This promotion shows the effectiveness of Karate in real fighting situations, and watching their fights is an interesting way to explore the martial art of Karate.

4. Boxing

The list of the best striking martial arts wouldn’t be complete without mentioning boxing, a sport that is respected worldwide for its unquestionable striking capabilities. Boxing is a western sport that focuses on punching techniques, footwork, head movement, and defense. Its striking martial art is extremely effective for self-defense and competition; it is so effective that all the martial arts listed in this article incorporate some techniques from boxing.

The punching techniques of boxing are by far the most powerful and energy-efficient. Boxing does not allow kicks or any techniques that are not punches. It is a highly specialized striking martial art as it focuses primarily on punching, head movement, and footwork, meaning there are very few errors in the techniques of a professional boxer.

The main downside of boxing compared to other striking martial arts is that it does not allow any techniques that are not punches. So, as a striking martial art, it is not viewed as the most effective. However, the effectiveness of boxing is dependent on how well-practiced the individual boxer is.

Some martial artists find it easier to manage the ideas and movements of kickboxing, while others believe kicking techniques don’t come naturally to them and struggle to learn the techniques. Although boxing does not include a huge variety of techniques, it is still one of the most effective striking martial arts around today.

5. Taekwondo

Taekwondo is a Korean martial art that is famous for its flashy kicking techniques. These highly specialized kicking techniques emphasize speed, power, and athleticism. Taekwondo has become very popular amongst martial arts enthusiasts in recent years, and its status as an Olympic sport has made it recognized worldwide.

So, with all those attributes and accolades, the question remains: is Taekwondo effective? The short answer is yes, Taekwondo is a very effective striking martial art. However, it is one of the most challenging martial arts to master. It requires dexterity, flexibility, speed, athleticism, and precision in techniques.

Taekwondo training primarily focuses on kicks; although it does include punches and blocks too, these are not the main focus. There are a wide variety of kicks, such as roundhouse kicks, flying side kicks, spinning hook kicks, and even jumping front kicks. This absolute attention to kicking techniques is lacking when we compare it to other fighting styles. Although it lacks in areas such as boxing and upper-body techniques, it makes up for it with its surprising kicking capabilities.

Taekwondo is not a well-rounded, striking martial art like Muay Thai, kickboxing, or Kyokushin Karate. But it does offer something quite unique, and that is the ability to practice effective kicking techniques in every way possible. This is entirely unique to Taekwondo, and for that reason, it has made the list.

6. Kung Fu

Chinese kung fu comes in various styles, such as Wing Chun, Shaolin Kung Fu, and Sanda (Chinese kickboxing). Since we have already covered some of the kickboxing styles above, we will focus on the striking style of Wing Chun.

Wing Chun is a Chinese martial art that incorporates various striking techniques and is known for its fluid movements and intricate blocking and parrying techniques. It blends blocks, punches, parrys, and subtle movements in an attempt to get close and strike the opponent. Wing Chun is a type of close-quarters combat, and the goal is to close the distance between you and the opponent through parry’s blocks and continuous punches.

Wing Chun, or kung fu training, includes forms, sparring, and conditioning exercises, making it a well-rounded martial art. Some martial artists praise Wing Chun for its absolute effectiveness, stating that it is the ultimate striking martial art, while others claim it is ineffective and unrealistic. However, Wing Chun remains a very popular martial art, so if you are interested in giving it a try, there is likely a Wing Chun academy near you.

7. Lethwei

Lethwei is a full-contact combat sport that originated in Myanmar. It is known for its intense and aggressive fighting style, and it has often been compared to Muay Thai without the rules. Lethwei is almost bare-knuckle, and fighters only use some rope to wrap their hands. The rules also permit headbutts, which is very unusual for any striking martial art. Lethwei is easily one of the most intense martial arts out there; it is not for the fainthearted, and fights usually end in brutal knockouts as the result of a headbutt, elbow, kick, or knee.

The ruleset of Lethwei favors more aggressive fights, and the techniques are lethal. Lethwei training includes conditioning exercises, technique drills, and sparring, which means it is a demanding martial art to practice. However, the most demanding aspect is that this is a combat sport, and unlike Muay Thai, Lethwei does not have many practitioners who are enthusiasts or hobbyists. Most Lethwei practitioners actually intend to fight in the sport of Lethwei. They practice with an intensity fit for the ring and not the gym.

While Lethwei is a highly effective form of striking, it is not the most accessible, nor is it the easiest to learn due to the headbutts and bare-knuckle nature. Overall, Lethwei is extremely effective, but finding a Lethwei gym near you and practicing it often might be quite challenging.

Striking Martial Art Styles for MMA Fighters

Striking martial arts play a crucial role in mixed martial arts (MMA), contributing significantly to their fighting style. Grappling martial arts have previously dominated many MMA fights, but the evolution of striking styles in MMA has become more and more obvious. MMA fighters use techniques from various martial arts, such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, boxing, Dutch kickboxing, and Karate.

For a well-rounded martial arts skill set, it is important to train in both striking and grappling martial arts. Individuals can choose the best striking martial art that suits their strengths, weaknesses, and training goals.

The most common striking martial art used in MMA is definitely Muay Thai, followed by kickboxing and boxing. Champions like Anderson Silva have helped elevate the status of Muay Thai in mixed martial arts, and many MMA fighters have been eager to follow in his footsteps with fighters like Israel Adesanya, building a career around his Muay Thai skills.

Karate-based MMA fighters have also had a lot of success, with the likes of Lyoto Machida, Stephen Wonderboy Thompson, and George St. Pierre all having karate backgrounds and using the martial art in their MMA careers.

Conclusion

The most effective of the striking martial arts are most likely Muay Thai and kickboxing; however, this all depends on the level of the practitioner. It would be likely that a well-trained karateka could beat an undertrained kickboxer. Martial arts in general are about perfecting techniques and improving self-discipline, and for that reason, striking martial arts are no different from any other style.

The key is to learn the striking martial art style at a high level, and whichever style you choose to learn will be highly effective. Remember, practice makes perfect, and this is especially true with martial arts.

Frequently asked questions

What is striking in martial arts?

Striking in martial arts usually refers to the action of someone attacking another person with a strike, such as a punch, kick, knee, or elbow. These are all examples of striking in martial arts, and the styles that focus on these techniques are usually called striking martial arts.

What is better, grappling or striking?

This depends on the use case and the intention of the martial artist. Both grappling and striking are excellent for self-defense and combat situations, but having grappling knowledge in MMA is crucial while knowing striking is not.

What’s the difference between a punch and a strike?

A punch is a type of strike, so there is no difference between the two.

What is an aggressive martial art?

Some examples of aggressive martial arts would be boxing and kickboxing. Although both are extremely technical, they also encourage a fighter to have some kind of aggression toward their opponents.

What is the best striking combat sport?

Muay Thai has proven itself to be a striking combat sport in the modern era. However, until more cross-competition fights take place, we cannot be entirely sure that it is the best.

How do you become good at striking?

Becoming good at striking requires consistent martial arts training, practice, patience, and knowledge. Striking martial arts often encourage their students to train frequently and practice new techniques and training methods.

Is there striking in Taekwondo?

Yes, Taekwondo is a striking martial art. It uses kicks and punches, which are both striking techniques.