Tai chi chuan is an internal Chinese martial art often practiced for a variety of reasons including health problems: its soft martial techniques, demonstration competitions, health and longevity. Consequently, a multitude of training forms exist, both traditional and modern, which correspond to those aims. Some of tai chi chuan's training forms are well known to Westerners as the slow motion routines that groups of people practice together every morning in parks around the world, particularly in China.

The name "tai chi chuan" is held to be derived from the Taiji symbol (taijitu or t'ai chi t'u), more commonly known in the West as the "yin-yang" symbol. Tai chi chuan is therefore said in literature preserved in its oldest schools to be a study of yin (receptive) and yang (active) principles, using terminology found in the Chinese classics, especially the Book of Changes and the Tao Te Ching.

Originally known as “sumai”, meaning struggle, sumo began around 20 B.C. as military combat. Sumai used most of the modern sumo techniques, plus a variety of strikes.

It resembled other wrestling based arts such as mongolian wrestling and Indian wrestling. Before the 16th century almost all wrestling was practiced for battle. Evolving after the 16th century, it eventually became known as sumo. Rules, ranks, and a ring now make sumo into a sport of giants. The water ceremony, the bowing, the costumes, and pageantry are all reminders of the ancient military traditions are still recognized today in competition.

To follow a competition is quite easy. The winner is the one who forces his opponent out of the ring or forcing his opponent to touch the floor with any body part above the knee, first. The techniques they employ range from slapping (tsuppari), sweeps (ketaguri), and a wide variety of sacrafice throws (utchari).

Stav (pronounced st-arv) has been described as European Tai Chi and Viking Kung Fu.

Stav is a traditional system maintained by the Norwegian family Hafskjold for over 44 generations. It is designed to improve mind, body, and spirit. It is said the system has been practiced since 500 AD so it certainly is not a new style developed from the African or Eastern styles.

Soo Bahk Do is the name of the art taught by Hwang Kee, his successor Hwang Hyun Chul, and instructors who are certified by member organizations of the World Moo Duk Kwan. It is an ancient, traditional Korean martial art comprising hand and foot techniques.

The art is renowned for its disciplined approach and emphasis on the tradition and technical aspects of martial art. Like most traditional martial art systems, Soo Bahk Do has unlimited horizons. Consistent training leads to improvement not only in physical ability, such as flexibility, strength, stamina and speed, but also mental focus and application of will. These benefits develop a sense of calm and quiet confidence in the practitioner. Soo Bahk Do is one of the most popular forms of Korean martial art.

The martial art form of Shorinji Kempo was founded by Doshin So (1911-1980) in 1947 in the Japanese town of Tadotsu, who incorporated Japanese Zen Buddhism into the fighting style. This form of Kempo can be both a religion and a fighting form at the same time much like Shaolin kung fu, on which it is based.

Shorinji Kempo's founder, So Doshin, faced Japan's defeat at the end of the Second World War in what was then called Manchuria (now the Northeast Region of China), and there he experienced fully the wretchedness and sorrow of a defeated people. In such times it was not ideology, religion, or ethics, but rather the interests of nations and peoples that took priority, and the harsh reality of international government was that it operated as if only power constituted righteousness. Amidst that experience, Kaiso saw that the way law and government worked was not determined simply by distinctions of ideology or religion, or of national policy, but that a great difference was made by the character and way of thinking of the person in the particular position of authority. What he had noticed was that "everything depends on the quality of the person."