to 1411 and used to be part of military training. Thai kings were also great enthusiasts. Later, participants dipped their glue-covered fists into ground glass to inflict maximum pain.

It consists of traditional boxing but allows the participants to kick their opponent as well. The Kickboxer movie franchise, the first of which starred Jean-Claude Van Damme, made the sport its focal point.

Google.com produced 18,200 websites dedicated to kickboxing.

Number 7

Kendo

Literally meaning "way of the sword," kendo is the Japanese form of fencing that was developed in the late 19th century. Originally, steel and wooden swords were used but due to serious injuries they inflicted, bamboo swords — or shinai — are now employed to avoid injuries, as is demonstrated in films such as Aloha Summer . A cord runs alongthe four-foot long shinai and the objective is to strike the opponent with the side opposite the cord, with the top third of the stick.

Google.com produced 18,500 websites dedicated to kendo.

Number 6

Tae Kwon Do

Korean in origin, tae kwon do is one of the most popular martial arts in the world. Originating in the 1st century BC as Taekkyon, it was mainly a military skill. Once bloody kingdom wars ended in 670 AD, an elite group of noblemen, the Hwa Rang Do, dedicated themselves to spreading peace and their honor code, which is the philosophy behind modern tae kwon do.

The sport Soo Bahk Do became popular in the second millennium but Japanese occupation in the early 20th century sought to destroy Korean culture, and karate directly influenced how tae