Weapon

The Fencing — Sport group covers all techniques within the three Olympic fencing disciplines — foil, epee, and sabre — as governed by the Federation Internationale d'Escrime (FIE). [1] Sport fencing is the direct descendant of European swordsmanship traditions, refined through centuries of duelling practice into a codified competitive format that emphasises speed, precision, tactical intelligence, and right-of-way conventions. [1,2] Each of the three weapons has distinct rules, target areas, and tactical philosophies: foil is a thrusting weapon targeting the torso with right-of-way priority, epee is a thrusting weapon targeting the entire body with no priority rules, and sabre is a cutting-and-thrusting weapon targeting the upper body with right-of-way priority. [2,3] Fencing has been part of every modern Olympic Games since 1896, making it one of the original Olympic sports, and its techniques represent the most highly refined and scientifically studied weapon combat system in competitive sport. [3,4]

The Filipino Martial Art group encompasses the weapon-based and empty-hand fighting systems indigenous to the Philippines, known collectively as Arnis, Eskrima, or Kali. [1] These arts represent one of the most comprehensive and practical weapon-based fighting systems in the world, distinguished by their emphasis on weapon training from the first day of instruction — the opposite of most martial arts which begin with empty-hand techniques and add weapons later. [1,2] The Filipino martial arts are characterised by the use of rattan sticks (baston), bladed weapons (bolo, barong, kris), stick-and-dagger combinations (espada y daga), double sticks (doble baston), and empty-hand translations of weapon movements (mano mano/panantukan). [2,3] The systems employ angle-based attack numbering (typically 5-12 angles of attack), flow drills for developing reflexes and coordination, and an emphasis on ambidextrous skill and weapon interchangeability — the principle that the same movements apply whether holding a stick, a blade, or an empty hand. [3,4]

The Polearm group encompasses all fighting techniques using long-shafted weapons — typically ranging from five to twelve feet in length — that combine reach advantage with the leverage provided by a long handle to deliver cuts, thrusts, sweeps, and hooking actions. [1] Polearms were the dominant battlefield weapons of virtually every pre-gunpowder civilisation because their superior reach allowed formations of soldiers to engage enemies before shorter weapons could close distance. [1,2] This group covers the Japanese naginata (curved-blade polearm), sojutsu (spear arts), and European HEMA halberd and pollaxe techniques, representing both Eastern and Western polearm traditions. [2,3] Polearm combat differs fundamentally from shorter weapon fighting because the long shaft enables lever-based mechanics — the practitioner uses the entire length of the weapon for deflections, sweeps, and strikes, with different grip positions dramatically changing the range and power of each action. [3,4]

The Short Blade group encompasses all combat techniques employing edged weapons shorter than a standard sword, including knives, daggers, and tantō. [1] Short blades have been carried as secondary weapons by warriors across virtually every martial culture, from the medieval European rondel dagger to the Japanese tantō and the Filipino balisong. [1,2] Because short blades require the user to fight at extremely close range, the techniques in this group emphasise rapid transitions between offence and defence, ambidextrous use, and integration with empty-hand grappling. [2,3] Short-blade combat is studied today in HEMA dagger programs, Filipino martial arts knife curricula, Russian Systema knife work, and traditional Japanese tantō-jutsu, making it one of the most broadly practised weapon categories worldwide. [3,4] The group is divided into three families — HEMA Dagger, Knife Fighting, and Tantō-Jutsu — reflecting the major cultural lineages of short-blade use. [4]

Techniques using long and short staff weapons, spanning Japanese bojutsu and jojutsu as well as European quarterstaff traditions.

The Sword group encompasses all combat techniques employing bladed weapons of sword length, spanning both East Asian and European traditions. [1] This group unifies the Japanese sword arts (kenjutsu, kendō, iaidō) with the European historical swordsmanship traditions (longsword, rapier, sabre, sword and shield) under a single taxonomic heading, reflecting the sword's universal status as the most culturally significant weapon class in martial history. [1,2] The Japanese sword tradition is anchored in an unbroken lineage from battlefield kenjutsu of the Kamakura period through the Edo-period refinement of iaidō to modern competitive kendō, while the European tradition is preserved in medieval and Renaissance fight-books and reconstructed by the Historical European Martial Arts movement. [2,3] Together these traditions represent thousands of individual techniques — cuts, thrusts, guards, binds, windings, draws, and disarms — each systematically organised within the curricula of their respective schools. [3,4] The sword remains the most widely practised weapon in martial arts worldwide, with kendō alone claiming over six million practitioners under the International Kendo Federation. [4,5]

Techniques for projecting weapons at a target from a distance, including Japanese shuriken, knife throwing, and javelin arts.