For hundreds of years the people from the countries of the East have practised the Martial Arts. One in particular, JAPAN, had several traditional styles. Japan was a country whose people were constantly at war. Although the people would firstly use weapons to defend themselves such as Swords, Spears, Nunchaku, Tonfas and Knifes, there was also a need to an unarmed system, in case of the eventuality whereby a person may have become unarmed during a confrontation.

The traditional Japanese 'Martial Arts' ( Martial meaning Military ) systems concentrated on kicks, knees, elbows, open palm strikes and had only very basic 'straight' punches, with the fighting stance very immobile, low to the ground and rigid - as can still be seen today in Traditional Karate lessons.

During the 20th Century, Western influences came to mix with these Martial Arts and it was soon realised that the Western style of boxing was the more superior of the 'Hand' fighting techniques, utilising fast Jabs,Punches,Hooks and Uppercuts. Especially when this was combined with the very mobile Boxer stance, whereby a fighter stands tall and is light on his feet, as opposed to standing in a low, static fixed position.

Black Belts from various Dojo's (schools) and different styles often sought to test their skills against one another through competition (kumite) and very soon the contest rules of Western Boxing where adopted, along with the weight categories and contests progressing from the open mat, to being held in a Boxing ring.

The kicks, punches, knees and elbows were still legal, but under new rules, strikes to the groin and neck were not allowed. Gloves would now be worn, and to replace finger strikes, chops and chokes, the superior punching techniques of Western Boxing would be used.

Now Martial Artists could compete on a International platform and for those that would eventually become the best of the best, Championship Titles. With these modern rules and the Eastern Kicking strikes integrated with Western Boxing skills, (including now its rules and regulations), the Japanese developed a Kicking and Boxing sport, that they simply called Kickboxing.

The term Kickboxing is now used as a GENERIC term ( loose term ) as there are various forms of Kickboxing practised worldwide.