While Vietnamese martial arts may not be to most well known in the world they have certainly be honed for use against overwhelming force of invading enemies with better weapons and massive forces and resources. Among it’s invasions Vietnam has been attacked by it’s giant neighbor China as well as being ruled for a time by France and of course there was the infamous Vietnam war involving the US. Some controlling forces like the French tried to outlaw practicing or training in martial arts in order to protect themselves from uprisings.

This led to training continuing in secret. The Vietnamese borrowed techniques from their neighbors and combined them to form of one of the first Mixed Martial Arts. The breakdown in factional fighting and guerrilla warfare lead by various warlords to various regions developing their own styles of Viet Vo Dao or Vo Thuat. The most important principals behind the development of these Vietnamese martial arts were:

While Vietnamese martial arts may not be to most well known in the world they have certainly be honed for use against overwhelming force of invading enemies with better weapons and massive forces and resources. Among it’s invasions Vietnam has been attacked by it’s giant neighbor China as well as being ruled for a time by France and of course there was the infamous Vietnam war involving the US. Some controlling forces like the French tried to outlaw practicing or training in martial arts in order to protect themselves from uprisings.

This led to training continuing in secret. The Vietnamese borrowed techniques from their neighbors and combined them to form of one of the first Mixed Martial Arts. The breakdown in factional fighting and guerrilla warfare lead by various warlords to various regions developing their own styles of Viet Vo Dao or Vo Thuat. The most important principals behind the development of these Vietnamese martial arts were: