In my opinion , there is no martial art that is better than another. All systems and styles derive from the same concept and most include the same techniques and tactics. The concepts and objectives of martial arts is to defeat an attacker. It is self defense and preservation. It is not the style of martial art you choose but rather how much or yourself you put into that style. Choose a style and make it your style, your second nature. This is what makes a martial art as well as a martial artist. This is what makes one martial artist stand out from another of the same style. "Know your art, live your art, pass it on .".

The history of martial arts goes back before recorded time. In the beginning there was a lot of teacher -student secrecy. What you where taught was kept behind close doors and you were not allowed to show, teach or talk about it to others outside of the secret circle of disciples. Some schools are still like this. But times have changed.

The word 'martial' derives from the name of Mars, the Roman god of war. The term 'Martial Arts' literally means arts of war. This term comes from 15th century Europeans who were referring to their own fighting arts that are today known as Historical European martial arts. A practitioner of martial arts is referred to as a martial artist.

To speak of each martial art system and style would fill the pages of a VERY large book. There are so many systems and styles as well as branches of the same style . These different martial arts come from many different origins. China, Europe, Japan, India, Pakistan, Hawaii, etc. With Each organ comes a particular belief toward combat and style as well as a code of beliefs and spiritual beliefs and philosophy.

Some martial art systems are linked to religious principles and some simply are fighting and combat arts. Some do not participate in Tournaments or competition and some solely do.

If we looked at a timeline of recorded history it might look something like this :

ca. 20th century BC - Murals in tomb 15 at Beni Hasan, depicting wrestling techniques.

ca. 18th century BC – the Babylonian Gilgamesh epic describes includes the major hand-held weapons (sword, axe, bow and spear) used prior to the gunpowder era

8th century BC - Roughly the start of Greek Olympic Competition. Through the popularity of the Olympics, martial arts like boxing, wrestling, and pankration flourished

6th century BC – Sun Tzu writes "The Art of War," one of the seminal works in military strategy and tactics, during the Warring States period of Chinese history.

300 B.C. – Foundation of Taoism, which later influences Chinese internal or soft styles such as Hsing-i and Tai Chi ,which involve the cultivation of chi and the study of nature and animal movements.

50 B.C. - Earliest records of Korean indigenous martial arts called Taekkyon found in paintings in the Muyong-chong, a royal tomb from the Koguryo dynasty.

AD 72 The Colosseum opens in Rome, providing the public with the world's largest martial arts venue for over the next three hundred years.

500 The primary Shaolin Temple is built at the western base of the Chinese Shongshan mountain range, at the orders of Emperor Hsiao-wen. Successive Chinese emperors authorize fighting monks to train in the Temple. Other Shaolin temples are built in China thereafter

550 Indian monk Bodhidarma (called Dharuma in Japan) founds Zen Buddhism and contributes to Shaolin temple boxing. His philosophy includes static meditation and related breathing techniques, and includes the martial virtues of discipline, humility, restraint, and respect for life.

782 Japanese Heian period begins. Curved swords called Tachi (large sword) appear. Although samurai did not technically appear until the 12th century, in appearance these are the early curved swords commonly recognized as "samurai swords."

1338 Japanese Ashikaga period, during which Samurai caste expands its influence further. Many schools of swordsmanship flourish. The period ends around 1500

1400 China sends delegations to Okinawa, which then begins trading extensively with China and Japan. The indigenous Okinawa unarmed combat art called "Te" is likely influenced by Chinese and Japanese arts over the next three centuries, forming the basis for the modern art of Karate

1477 The Okinawa king Sho Shin, influenced by the Japanese, bans the carrying of arms. Similar bans occurred in Japan in 1586. Both apparently led to the underground development of striking arts and may have encouraged unarmed combat techniques designed for use against armored soldiers, such as Jujitsu.

1549 Hayashizaki Minamoto is born and later founds the art of Iiajutsu or Iaido the art of drawing and cutting with the sword in a single motion. Successive masters of his school can be traced to the present day.

1643 Legendary Japanese swordsman Miyamoto Musashi is believed to have written "The Book of Five Rings" a seminal work regarding the art and philosophy of the samurai and swordsmanship

1750 Techniques of Chinese martial art Tai Chi are written down

1882 Jigoro Kano modifies traditional Japanese Jujutsu to develop the art of Judo. He opens his school, Kodokan . One of his training methods, called randori, removed more dangerous striking techniques to emphasize grappling and submission locks between students practicing at full-force. His students taught Judo using randori around the world during the early 20th cent

1892 The first world heavyweight boxing championship is fought under the Marquess of Queensbury rules of 1867, which are similar to those used today. Jim Corbett defeats John L. Sullivan

1893-1901 Edward William Barton-Wright studied Jujutsu in Japan and created Bartitsu upon returning to England, one of the earliest introductions of Japanese martial arts in the West and the first known martial art to combine Asian and European fighting styles

1900 British and American soldiers in Japan begin learning techniques from the Japanese Army

1908 Amateur boxing becomes an Olympic Sport

1920-1925 Mitsuyo Maeda, a student of Jigoro Kano's, travels to Brazil (among other places) to spread Judo and Jiu-Jitsu teachings. He also participates in several challenge matches. In 1925, Carlos Gracie, a student of Mitsuyo Maeda, opens his school, the first for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The art is further refined by the Gracie clan thereafter, particularly by Carlos' brother Helio Gracie

1928 Shaolin temple records were burned, destroying many documents and records of earlier martial arts.

1935 Karate becomes official name of the Okinawan martial arts, based on the traditional art of "Te" (hand) and the term Kara (empty or unarmed).

1936 Gichin Funakoshi publishes the first edition of his book "Karate-Do Kyohan," documenting much of the philosophy and traditional katas (forms) of modern Karate.

1942 Morihei Ueshiba begins using the term Aikido to describe his art, which is related to aiki-jujutsu. He is credited as the father of Aikido.

1943 Judo, Karate, and Kung Fu officially introduced in Korea, likely beginning to mix with the indigenous Korean arts.

1945 First Korean dojang, or martial arts school, opens in Seoul, Korea

1957 Tae Kwon Do becomes the official name of the Korean martial arts

1972 Judo becomes an official Olympic sport.

1973 The Bruce Lee film "Enter the Dragon" brings Asian martial arts to the United States domestic audience. He dies that same year.

1993 The first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is held. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner Royce Gracie wins the event.

2001 The Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP) is formalized

And the story goes on ............ Today the biggest system and spectator sport out there is Mixed martial arts ( MMA) or No holds barred ( NHB) . Reality fighting and the new elite group of reality fighters that are referred to as Mixed martial artist