How Much Do You Know About Martial Arts?

SPORTS

By: Kale Havervold

6 Min Quiz

Image: Roman Makhmutov/ Moment/ Getty Images

About This Quiz

Martial arts is a hobby and sport enjoyed by millions of people all over the world today. Some do it to compete, others to stay in shape and some just to be able to defend themselves. There are hundreds of different kinds of martial arts, and their origins date back thousands of years to ancient Europe, Asia, and Africa. 

As you could imagine, there is a lot to know and learn about the various different types of martial arts out there in the world. But just how much do you know? Do you know which martial art uses thin swords to touch opponents and score points? How about which legendary Israeli martial art is often used in self-defense?

Whether you confidently know the answers to questions like these and others like them, or simply want to brush up on your knowledge, our difficult martial arts quiz is right up your alley. You will see questions on various martial arts themselves, the history of the fighting styles and maybe even a little about famous martial artists. Is your knowledge worthy of a black belt, or are you still a white belt? Head into our dojo and try your hand at our martial arts quiz and see.

Which martial art is on display during UFC fights?

The UFC is a mixed martial arts (MMA) organization. This means there are no rules as to which martial art can be used in fights. People will use nearly ever discipline under the sun in order to win their fights.

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During a sumo wrestling match, what is the goal of the combatants?

The goal of a sumo wrestling match is for one person to push his or her opponent out of the ring. As a result, many martial artists who compete in Sumo are quite large and incredibly strong.

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Which martial art uses thin swords to touch opponents and score points?

Fencing is a popular martial art in which opponents will each try to touch each other with a sword in order to score points and win. It is done gently and is almost completely safe to compete in, as well.

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This Russian man is often considered the greatest Greco-Roman wrestler of all time, who is he?

There have been many outstanding wrestlers to get on the mat, but perhaps none were as dominant as Aleksandr Karelin. He won three gold medals at the Olympics, and has a career record of 887 wins and only 2 losses.

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What is it called when two martial artists practice moves on one another without going too hard or injuring each other?

When two fighters or martial artists are going through the motions with one another to practice and hone skills, it is called sparring. Sparring is normally done quite gently and safely to ensure injuries do not occur.

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Bruce Lee is arguably the most recognizable martial artist in history. Which style of martial arts was he the founder of?

Bruce Lee is perhaps the most famous martial artist in history and was incredibly influential in the space. In addition to practicing martial arts, he also founded his own, which was called jeet kune do.

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Which Israeli martial art is common in self-defense classes?

Krav Maga is an Israeli martial art that is incredibly common in self-defense classes. The martial art is all about real-world situations and fighting "dirty." it is incredibly efficient and can help you get out of sticky situations if need be.

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Chun kuk do is a martial art founded by which actor?

Chuck Norris is a true American legend and is beloved as both an actor and a martial artist. He has trained in many different martial arts, and is the founder and creator of chun kuk do.

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What is capoeira?

Capoeira is an interesting martial art that also combines dance, music and acrobatics. It involves complex maneuvers that include jumps, kicks, spins and so much more. It originated in Brazil.

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Which of these martial arts involves grappling, with no strikes being thrown?

Brazilian jiu-jitsu (also known as BJJ) is a grappling martial art where no strikes are thrown. Opponents use holds and grapples to control one another and the goal is to make your opponent submit.

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Who was Krav Maga originally developed for?

Krav Maga is a self-defense and military fighting style that was originally developed for the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) and other types of security forces in Israel. it is now practiced by millions around the world.

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What concept is BJJ founded on?

BJJ is all about using grappling and technique to control your opponents and make them submit. It can help those who are small or weak be able to hold their own against larger attackers or opponents.

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There is one part of your martial arts uniform that you are not supposed to wash, what is it?

As you could imagine, after a long training session, a martial arts uniform can get pretty sweaty and gross. It is recommended to wash and clean your uniform often, except your belt. Washing your belt is believed to wash away all of the growth and progress you have made.

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Which martial art is known as "the art of eight limbs"?

Originating in Thailand, Muay Thai is known as the "art of eight limbs." It is known as this because it involves the use of knees, fists, shins and elbows during a match or contest.

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Ip Man was a legendary Wing Chun teacher, who was his most famous student?

Ip Man was a Chinese martial artist who was incredibly successful and influential during his days. Several of his students went on to become martial arts masters, including his most famous student, Bruce Lee.

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What does tae kwon do stand for?

Tae kwon do literally translates to "the way of the foot and fist." Tae means foot, kwon means fist and do means "the way of." These are all incredibly important concepts within the martial art.

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When was tai chi created?

While some martial arts have only been around for a few decades, that is not the case with tai chi. It has ancient origins that date back hundreds of years, and potentially up to around 1,500 years.

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What is a bo?

A bo is a long staff weapon made of wood that is primarily used in Okinawa. They are around 70 inches long, relatively thin and used in numerous different types of martial arts in the area.

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Where did sambo originate?

Sambo is a martial art that has many different styles and variations. These involve striking, throws, grappling and more. The martial art was first practiced way back in the 1920s in the Soviet Union.

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What does the word "karate" actually mean?

Karate is one of the oldest and most legendary martial arts in the history of the world. The word karate means "empty hand," It used to mean " Chinese hand." but the meaning was changed.

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Morihei Ueshiba is the founder of which popular type of martial art?

Morihei Ueshiba is a true martial arts legend and is responsible for founding aikido. His concept was to create an art that would allow the practitioner to protect himself while also keeping from injuring the attacker.

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After a white belt, what is the next step up the ladder in the karate belt system?

After a karate practitioner gets their white belt and gets through the introductory material, the next step up is the yellow belt. From there, you have orange, purple, blue, green, brown, red and black belts in that order.

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Which of the following martial arts is not Japanese?

While many people believe tae kwon do is of Japanese origin, that actually isn't the case. The martial art was actually first practiced in Korea during the 1940s and 1950s, by people experienced and skilled in many other martial arts.

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Jet Li is an incredibly popular action star, which martial art is he incredibly well-versed in?

Jet Li is one of the most beloved action movie stars in history, and is also an incredible martial artist. Li has practiced many martial arts, but is a true master and champion in the art of Wushu.

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Before becoming a legendary UFC champion, Ronda Rousey was an expert at this type of martial art. What was it?

Before becoming one of the biggest MMA superstars in history, Ronda Rousey was an incredibly talented and championship-winning judo practitioner. This was evident in her fighting style, which used a lot of throws.

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Which martial art was the first to be included in the Olympics?

Not only is wrestling the oldest combat sport and martial art to be in the Olympics, it is one of the oldest Olympic competitions in general. It was added to the Olympic Games way back in 708 B.C.

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How many different martial arts will be in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games?

While there are a ton of martial arts being practiced all over the world, there are only 7 in the Olympics. These are karate, judo, tae kwon do, boxing, fencing, freestyle wrestling and Greco-Roman wrestling.

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Which legendary martial artist is the creator of judo as we know it today?

The creator of judo is none other than Jigoro Kano. He created the martial art in 1882, and it quickly took off. The martial art is just as much about the mental and moral side as it is the physical side.

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When was the first-ever documented use of the term "mixed martial arts"?

While MMA (mixed martial arts) is incredibly popular right now, it is relatively new to the martial arts scene. The first-ever documented usage of the term came in 1993, during a review of the very first UFC event by Howard Rosenberg.

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Of the Olympic martial arts, which is making its Olympics debut in 2020?

Despite being one of the oldest and most popular martial arts on the planet, karate has actually never been a part of the Olympics, until it was named an official Olympic sport for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

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How many different swords can be used in fencing?

Fencing is a popular martial art and Olympic event. However, what many people don't know is that there are actually three different kinds of fencing. Each type of fencing uses its own sword, which is either the foil, epee or sabre.

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Which belt is the highest rank in BJJ?

In many disciplines, a black belt is at the top of the heap, but that isn't the case in BJJ. After you get a black belt in BJJ, you can still strive for a red belt. Only true experts and legends will get to the point of having a red belt.

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Where is undefeated UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov from?

Khabib is arguably the most dominant UFC fighter of all time. He was born in Dagestan, which was a part of the Soviet Union and is now a republic of Russia. The area has been known for breeding very tough and strong individuals.

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Of all the 10th-degree red belts in BJJ history, how many are still living?

Throughout the history of BJJ, there have only been 6 people to be given the distinction of being a 10th degree red belt. Most of them were the legendary Gracie brothers, and no 10th-degree red belt is still living.

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How many belts are there in judo?

In judo, there are 16 different belts that judokas can achieve. There are only six colored belts, but 10 levels of degrees for black belts, which gives them 16 in total. Of course, the requirements for each belt get progressively more demanding.

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