Martial Arts That Use Weapons: 15 Armed Self-Defense Styles

Most popular martial arts today are unarmed, and their competitions don't allow weapons. Many were built mainly for hand-to-hand self-defense.

But…

Did you know that some martial arts are built around weapons? Martial arts grew out of combat and war, and weapons have been part of warfare for thousands of years, so it's no surprise that many arts still train with them.

Martial Arts That Use Weapons

1. Eskrima

Eskrima, also known as Kali or Arnis, is the best-known Filipino martial art. Under Philippine law, Arnis is the national martial art and sport of the Philippines. Weapons form the foundation of the art, and training usually starts with them.

Students usually begin with a stick or blade before moving on to empty-hand techniques. Weapon training builds agility and coordination and teaches control.

Training teaches students to treat the weapon as an extension of the body. It also teaches that many movements done with a weapon can be done empty-handed.

Filipino stick and blade fighting has been practiced in the Philippines for centuries.

The weapons used include sticks, blades of many shapes and sizes, and flexible weapons.

2. Ninjitsu

Ninjutsu, sometimes spelled ninjitsu, is linked to the ninja of feudal Japan, who worked as spies and in covert warfare. Ninja are said to have carried a range of tools and weapons, though much of what we "know" about them comes from later legends and films.

3. Fencing

Fencing looks different from most martial arts, but it is a popular modern combat sport. It has three weapons: the foil, the épée and the sabre. Points come from hitting the target area with your weapon, and the target area differs for each weapon.

Modern sport fencing grew out of traditional European swordsmanship in the 1800s, drawing heavily on French and Italian fencing schools. Fencing has been part of every modern Olympic Games since 1896.

Each weapon has its own rules, so fencing is split into three events: foil, épée and sabre. Most fencers specialize in one.

4. Bojutsu

Bojutsu is the Japanese art of fighting with a bo, a long wooden staff. Fighting staffs are used in many traditions around the world, such as Silambam in South India.

Staff techniques include thrusting, swinging and striking, along with blocks and sweeps. Bojutsu is part of Japanese koryu (classical) arts and of Okinawan kobudo.

Bojutsu is a core part of many traditional weapons curricula. Its striking and thrusting motions resemble many empty-hand movements.

The bo is treated as an extension of the body. Many karate and jujutsu schools teach bo alongside their empty-hand techniques.

5. Canne De Combat

As its name suggests, this French martial art uses a cane designed for combat. It was standardized as a sport in the 1970s by Maurice Sarry. The cane is light, slightly tapered, and traditionally made of chestnut wood.

Competitors wear a fencing mask and a padded suit for protection when sparring or competing.

Canne de combat is closely linked to savate, the French kickboxing art, and is often taught alongside it.

6. Gatka

Gatka is a martial art associated with the Sikh people of Punjab. It is a stick-fighting style that uses a wooden stick to simulate a sword. In Punjabi, "gatka" refers to the wooden fighting stick.

The stick usually has a leather-covered grip and is often decorated with colorful thread. Practitioners may also use a small round shield called a phari.

The shield is traditionally made of leather and padded to protect the hand.

Gatka is tied to the martial traditions of the Sikh Gurus. It is practiced today as both a sport and a performance art, and gatka demonstrations are a common sight at Sikh festivals and processions.

7. Gungsul

Gungsul is traditional Korean archery, which uses the Korean horn bow. The bow is also called gukgung, meaning "national bow." Korean archers use a thumb draw, so they wear a thumb ring.

A thumb ring protects the thumb from the bowstring. Repeated drawing without one can cause blisters on the thumb.

8. Geom Sul

Geom sul is a Korean umbrella term for martial arts that use the Korean sword. Much of today's Korean swordsmanship is a modern revival built on traditional techniques.

It is practiced around the world. One of its best-known styles is Haidong Gumdo, which developed in the 1980s.

9. Hanbojutsu

Hanbojutsu is the art of fighting with a hanbo, a "half staff." It is taught in some classical Japanese schools, such as Kukishin-ryu, and in the Bujinkan, which teaches Kukishinden-ryu.

The hanbo is about the length of a walking cane. You can hold it near one end and swing it like a sword.

You can also hold it near the center like a short staff to block and strike with both ends. The hanbo can be used to restrain, strike and throw an opponent.

10. Iaido And Iaijutsu

Iaido is a Japanese art of drawing the sword and responding to an attack in one smooth motion. Its forms include drawing the sword, cutting, flicking off the blood (chiburi), and returning the sword to its scabbard.

Beginners usually train with a wooden sword or a blunt practice sword called an iaito. Experienced practitioners may use a shinken, a real sharp sword. Iaijutsu is the older, combat-focused term for the same skills.

11. Jojutsu

Jojutsu is like bojutsu, but it uses a jo, a shorter staff. The modern form is called jodo, "the way of the jo." Jodo focuses strongly on defending against a sword.

According to the International Kendo Federation, the jo is 128 cm long and 2.4 cm in diameter, about 4 feet 2 inches. Jodo traces its roots to the Shinto Muso-ryu, founded by Muso Gonnosuke in the early 1600s. Today there are standardized modern forms as well as the traditional school.

12. Kendo

The word kendo means "the way of the sword." It is a Japanese martial art that grew out of kenjutsu, traditional Japanese swordsmanship. Instead of real swords, kendo practitioners wear protective armor (bogu) and fight with bamboo swords (shinai).

Kendo is widely practiced in Japan and around the world. It combines martial values with hard physical training. Jukendo is a related art that uses a wooden mock rifle with a bayonet.

13. Kobudo

Kobudo means "old martial way." In Japan, it is a collective term for classical martial arts, including sword, spear, staff, archery, horsemanship and even early firearms.

Outside Japan, the term often refers to Okinawan kobudo, which uses weapons such as the bo, sai, tonfa, nunchaku and kama.

14. Naginatajutsu

Naginatajutsu is the art of the naginata, a Japanese pole weapon with a curved blade, similar to the Chinese guandao and the European glaive. Most naginata practiced today is a modern form (part of gendai budo) with regular competitions.

In Japan, modern naginata is practiced mostly by women, while in other countries the balance between men and women is more even.

It is practiced in North America, South America and Europe as well as Japan.

15. Shintaido

Shintaido is a Japanese term that translates to "new body way." It is a movement system that uses the body for expression and communication. It was created in Japan in the 1960s and blends artistic and physical elements.

Its founder, Hiroyuki Aoki, drew on his background in karate, as well as art and spirituality. Shintaido aims to be a healthy workout, a form of artistic expression and a path to self-discovery.

Shintaido is mostly practiced empty-handed. It is different from weapon arts like ninjutsu, but it does include practice with a bokuto (wooden sword) and a bo (long staff).

Knock-Out Point: Hand-to-hand combat will always be the true measure of one's ability to defend. Know the most sought-after self-defense forms here -- Most Popular Martial Arts.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can Martial Arts Have Weapons?

Yes, many martial arts, from Eskrima to Gungsul, include weapons. Common training weapons include staffs, sticks, knives, swords, tonfas, nunchaku and bows.

Weapons training builds coordination and control, and practitioners learn to treat the weapon as an extension of the body. Always train with a qualified instructor, and check your local laws before carrying any weapon.

Does Wing Chun Use Swords?

Yes. Advanced Wing Chun students learn the butterfly swords, a pair of short broad blades, along with the long pole. They are usually taught near the end of the system, after the empty-hand forms. Safe use takes careful footwork and supervised practice.

What Martial Art Uses Katana?

The Katana is the curved sword of the samurai. Arts that train with a katana, or a wooden or blunt stand-in, include iaido, kenjutsu and battojutsu. Kendo uses bamboo shinai instead, and aikido uses a wooden bokken in its sword training.

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Conclusion

People have used weapons to protect themselves for thousands of years, and samurai sword arts are one famous example. Today, many martial arts still train with weapons, both in classes and in competition.

Do you know any other form of martial arts that uses weapons? Feel free to add it in the comments box, so we can start an open conversation!

Sources

• Republic Act No. 9850, Republic of the Philippines via Lawphil
• What is Kendo, International Kendo Federation