Bokator
Bokator is a hybrid martial art originating in Cambodia. It incorporates elements of striking, joint locks, and weapons work, and is recognized as part of Cambodia's cultural heritage, having been inscribed by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage. Training draws on what practitioners describe as an ancient Khmer tradition, combining stand-up striking techniques with grappling elements and the use of various weapons within a single system.
As a hybrid art, training in this family of martial arts generally addresses multiple ranges of combat within the same curriculum. Students typically develop skills in both striking and clinch or grappling work, alongside familiarity with weapons handling. Conditioning, coordination, and an understanding of how different combat ranges connect are common areas of emphasis in hybrid systems. The breadth of the curriculum means practitioners work across several physical skill sets during training.
Those interested in Bokator are encouraged to locate schools in their area, visit in person, and observe a class before making any commitment. Watching a session firsthand gives prospective students a clear sense of the training environment, the instruction style, and whether the curriculum suits their goals. Other hybrid martial arts with comparable training structures are listed and linked in the related styles section below.
Gear to expect. Hybrid training typically calls for gloves and a mouthguard for striking work plus a rashguard for the grappling rounds — your school will tell you exactly what, and when. New students rarely need to buy anything for a trial class.
Find your martial art →Related hybrid styles
Classification and facts from our open-data taxonomy (Wikidata CC0 base + our editorial classification). Where a fact (like origin) isn't recorded, we leave it out rather than guess. Methodology.