Weapons-based Martial Arts
Weapons-based martial arts are defined by their central focus on traditional or sporting weapons as the primary tool of training and combat. Rather than treating weapons as secondary additions to empty-hand technique, these arts are built around developing skill, timing, and technique specifically with implements such as swords, bows, sticks, or blades. The 36 styles gathered here span a wide range of cultures and eras, from classical Japanese traditions like kendo, iaido, kenjutsu, and kyūdō, to European practices including fencing, sabre fencing, and Historical European martial arts, to Southeast Asian systems such as arnis.
Training across this family typically involves technical drills to develop correct form and mechanics with the weapon, conditioning work suited to the physical demands of the art, and partner exercises that build timing, distance, and response under varying degrees of pressure. Solo practice, such as kata or form work, is common in many of these styles, while others place greater emphasis on structured sparring or competitive formats.
Beginners choosing within this family might consider how much physical contact or competitive sparring they want, whether they prefer a historically grounded or modern sporting context, and how much of their practice they would like to spend on solo technical work versus partner-based training. None of these paths is superior; each reflects different priorities.