Combat Sports are physical activities involving attack and defense techniques between opponents. They are a wide variety of disciplines that include boxing, judo, karate, taekwondo and MMA (Mixed Martial Arts). Each of these sports has its own rules and techniques, but they all share the same core values: discipline, respect for the opponent, and personal growth.

Unlike team sports, which typically focus on the development of social skills and physical endurance, combat sports emphasize the individual’s mental strength and technical mastery. The rigorous training and sparring involved in these modalities help to build emotional resilience and promote positive psychological health, including decreased anxiety and depression levels. Additionally, the physical exertion of practicing these sports helps in releasing endorphins that improve mood and increase energy levels.

These disciplines have specific rules that prohibit certain strikes and holds, and also require participants to wear protective equipment like padded gloves, mouth guards and groin protectors to minimize permanent or severe injury. Fighters train and compete in a cage or ring that is often bounded by ropes to ensure athlete safety. Some combat sports, such as MMA, have hybrid rule-sets that combine striking and grappling.

Other modalities, such as Brazilian jiu-Jitsu and sambo, are known for their emphasis on submissions and control. Wrestling, meanwhile, is based on takedowns and throws and has a long history that dates back to ancient times. The vast majority of fights in combat sports, including MMA, begin standing up, but some eventually go to the ground.