Book excerpt: The martial arts are various methods of armed and unarmed combat, originally used in warfare in the Far East and shaped by Oriental philosophical concepts. The history of martial arts is challenging to document precisely, because of the lack of historical records, secretive nature of the teacher-student relationships and political circumstances during much of its history. The martial arts are popular in many parts of the world today as forms of self-defense, law enforcement tactics, competitive sports, and exercises for physical fitness. Among them are KARATE , Kung fu, jujitsu, JUDO, aikido, Tai chi chuan, Sumo wrestling, and kendo. This informative book takes it's reader on a journey throughout time and across the globe for a close up look at the history of many martial arts styles .