Most commonly, the term "martial arts" refers to the systems of combat developed centuries ago in the Far East (the area of eastern and southeast Asia). A few of these disciplines involve the use of weapons such as swords, throwing stars, or short clubs, but most emphasize unarmed fighting. The best known include karate (Japan), aikido (Japan), ju-jitsu (Japan), judo (a gentler form of ju-jitsu, also from Japan), kung-fu (China), tai chi (China), and tae kwan do (Korea).

Although most of the Asian martial arts are very old, they only began to appear in American culture following World War II (1939–45). American troops encountered Japanese martial arts for the first time while fighting in the Pacific. Some soldiers were intrigued by this mode of combat, and they brought their interest home with them. As a result, martial arts schools began to open in the United States beginning...