ORIGINS

Bodhidharma, Buddhas principle disciple, was a aggressive monk, walked on foot from Kerela to China with his troop of disciples. In order to be fit for the journey & to ward off bandits & fight animals, he devised a few exercises based on animals. On reaching China, this got modified into KENPO KUNG FU. A diluted version of this reached Okinawa Japan & became KEMPO KARATE.

In Southern China, Kenpo was modified by Lady Wing Chun to form a softer art WING CHUN, made of small steps & low kicks. In Northern China, The Shaolin Monastery Kenpo became inspired by animals & high kicks into many ANIMAL FORMS of Kung Fu like TIGER CLAW, MONKEY, CRANE, PRAYING MANTIS, etc. CHOI LI FUT was another popular atyle of Kung Fu with high Kicks.

In Japan, Kempo became SHOTOKAN KARATE (Hard Style with Deep Stances, founded by a 22 year old FUNOKOSHI GICHIN) & GOJURYU KARATE (Hard & Soft- Upright Cat stance, founded by MIYAGI). SHITORYU Is the modern variant of GOJU & KYOKUSHINKAI founded by MAS OYAMA, (The monk who perfected Karate by killing 80 Mountain bulls). Closer Grappling version was JIU JITSU. This got modified into sport version without Neck Locks into JUDO by JIGORO KANO, who also founded the BELT SYSTEM.

Similarly in Korea, TAEKWONDO, a purely Kicking art was born with sub styles.  In Filipines, KALI or Stickfighting was born. In France SAVATE was born. In Europe, WRESTLING & BOXING was founded as sports. Recently Grand Master CACOY CANOTE brought together all styles of stick fighting in Filipines as DOCE PARES style.

Today the most popular SPORTS are kicking (TAEKWONDO), Kick & Punch (KARATE), Punch (BOXING), Garppling (JUDO & GRECO ROMAN WRESTLING), Weapons (stick=ARNIS-ESCRIMA, Sword (Stick like KENDO & Foil like FENCING). WU SHU (Which is the Kung Fu Sports Version of Demo with Weapons)   

KICK-BOXING. Bruce Lees Ideology was to combine Western Boxing with Eastern Kicking & go all out with protective Gear. This was tried out by Karate competitors in Europe & USA as KICK BOXING, specially by Chuck Norris (of style TANG SOO DO), Bob Wall etc who are legends of Karate. In Thailand, this is practiced as MUAY THAI sport.  In UK, Boxing was combined with Aerobics for women to get fit, called BOX AEROBICS. In India, in 1997, Mumbai Police along with DR. RAO COUPLE founded AEROBIC KICK BOXING, which was featured all over the world by CNN, NBC. Later came TAEBO (Taekwondo & Boxing for Exercise) etc.

TAI CHI is the slow version of Kung Fu done to control stress. KRAV MAGA is Israeli Self Defense art founded by a Ex Army Man IMI LITCHINFIELD. Today KRAV MAGA Means MARTIAL ART, a generic word. The style of Krav Maga used in Israeli Military is called HAGANNAH. Krav MAga taught to civilians is a Street Self Defense but with no military techniques.

Around 1970’s, BRUCE LEE inspired by Boxing, Wing chuns Economy of Motion, & Fencing Footwork,  Boxing Punches & Choi Lu Fut Kicks made JEET KUNE DO. JKD is characterized by A) RANGE COMBAT- Kick, Punch, Knee Elbow, Grapple & Groundfgtg. B) SIMPLE, DIRECT, EFFECTIVE & OPEN MINDED Principle. C) Individual ABSORBS what is useful & REJECTS Limitations and therefore is INDIVIDUAL SPECIFIC. D) Is non competitive, Full contact without any weight categories, etc. E) Is a Chinese American Art.  In Asia & India, UCCA teaches JKD under DR.RAO, authorized Instructors under Richard Bustillo.