Apart from its use in the military and for self-defense,they have a long history of being used for sport and recreation.

Sparring

It is well known that Ancient Greece enjoyed wrestling and other martial variants as both sport and recreation. During the Roman Empire, battling Gladiators were a major source of entertainment. To this day, people dueling is considered great entertainment, with millions of people watching boxing matches, UFC fights and other combat sports. Judo, Taekwondo, Archery, Boxing and Fencing are all Olympic Sports. Taekwondo is Korea’s national sport.

Striking style tournaments are usually defined in three levels of intensity: light contact sparring, semi-contact sparring and full contact sparring.

In recent years full contact Mixed Martial Art tournaments have become in vogue. Tournament rules are limited (sometimes referred to as “no-holds barred”), so that different martial arts (i.e. striking and grappling arts) can easily compete against each other. Competitors need to be well versed in both stand-up and grappling ranges.

Destruction

Some tournaments include non-sparring categories, which could include destruction techniques (also known as breaking techniques). Breaking techniques involves the the destruction of wooden boards, tile roofs or concrete slabs, usually with punches, strikes or kicks.

Forms

Another well known non-combative category at tournaments includes the performance of forms (Kata in Japanese, or Poomse / Hyeung / Teul in Korean). Forms are structured martial art techniques performed in a set sequence. Forms are usually choreographed “fights” against imaginary opponents and many date back for centuries. Forms can be performed with or without weapons. In recent years “open forms” (or “creative forms”) have also become in vogue, with practitioners creating their own (non-traditional) forms – often performed to music and involving flashy kicks and spinning movements.