Ancient Greece and Pankration

The Greek martial art of Pankration, the art of complete strength, was ancient Greece's version of no-holds-barred competition and were among the first group to bring diverse fighting styles into the same competitive arena. First known Pankration events were recorded around 700 BC. Combat in ancient Greece took on several forms such as wrestling and boxing. Pankration amalgamated these fighting strategies and created an art that is still practiced to this day. The principal of creating a multi-disciplined fighter has, in fact, experienced a re-birth as of late with the advent of Vale Tudo or No Holds Barred competitions.

The wrestling training included grappling, throws, and submission techniques we see today in arts such as Jujutsu and Judo. One signficant difference in the way the art was applied in competition was the absence of any garments. Bare skin with a generous application of oil made "getting a grip" a very tough task indeed.

Boxing in ancient Greece was generally a fight to the finish without all of the rules or protective equipment which are found in today's Boxing and Kickboxing fights. Kicks were allowed anywhere on the body and were used to weaken an opponent's base and setup a finishing blow.

Ancient Rome and the Gladiators

With the decline of ancient Greece and the surge of the Roman Empire gave a whole new look to martial combat. Unlike the sport-like quality of Pankration, the Romans version of martial sport involved gladiator fights to the death, either between eachother or with animals with a hunger for human flesh. Weapons became an integral part of the fighting with swords, spears, shields, and daggers used to mame of kill an adversary.

More civilized forms of combat training was done which also applied many of the wrestling and boxing principles studied in ancient Greece. In fact, the legacy of these wrestling systems is known today as Greco-Roman Wrestling.

The Road to China

Chinese martial arts origins have been traced back as far as 5000 BC. Even prior to the arrival of the Indian monk, Bodhidharma, to the Shaolin Temple, The Chinese practiced fighting styles which were derived from body movements of select animals such as the crane, monkey, tiger, and praying mantis. As with most traditional martial arts of the east, you will find little material which accounts for the martial arts studied in those days simply because the arts were kept a closely guarded secret. This code of secrecy still exists today among many martial artists. The theory behind this code is to keep secret techniques from being added to the arsenal of a potential enemy.

Chinese martial arts took a new course with the arrival of Bodhidharma from India in the 5th century AD. Bodhidharma is also responsible for the development of Buddhism in China. In the 13th century AD, Buddhism spread from China to Japan where it is known as Zen, sound familiar? In any event, Bodhidharma's journey through China landed him inside the walls of a Shaolin Temple. Legend has it that Bodhidharma meditated for 10 years and once he awoke, wrote books which presented subject-matter related to health and combative skills. These works transformed the monks, who were in poor physical condition, into highly respected martial artists who would be instrumental in the education of combative principles throughout China.

China's role in the spread of martial arts throughout the world is well known as is demonstrated by the popularity of Kung Fu or Wushu. Trade with Japan and other countries in Southeast Asia by the Chinese also served to influence the development of martial arts in those countries.