What martial art does Black Panther use?

Back in 1966, Black Panther made his debut in a Fantasic Four comic book and in 2018 it was made into a Hollywood blockbuster. Since then, the Black Panther story has grown in popularity and people have also taken notice of his elite level combat skills. Like many superheroes, Black Panther is a highly skilled fighter and an expert at martial arts. This brings us on to the next question, what martial arts does Black Panther use? Read on for more information.

Black Panther uses Muay Thai

In the comics, Black Panther is not adverse to kneeing his opponents in the face. This is probably taken from Muay Thai which is one of the best martial arts out there that utilizes using the knees. From close range, Black Panther will grab the head and knee just like you’ll see in a Thai clinch. However, from distance, he’ll also try flying knees to the head if possible. In other words, you’re not safe from any distance against Black Panther and with his great athleticism and technique, he uses Muay Thai dangerously.

Black Panther uses Capoeira

Capoeira originated in Brazil and was founded by African slaves who would train in private. To go unseen, they would often pretend they were practicing dance moves. As a result, Capoeira almost looks like dancing and is great for your athleticism and dynamic movements. It’s no secret that Black Panther specializes in these kind of moves and in the moves they look especially stylish.

It’s one thing to kick someone, but if you can do it with both feet in the air whilst spinning then it looks even better. With the African links, it’s no surprise that Black Panther uses Capoeira and undoubtedly his movements from it translate nicely into the other disciplines that he uses.

Black Panther uses Wushu

Another martial art that is easy on the eye is Wushu which T’Challa also uses. Once again, this art uses fancy kicks, spins and all manner of core movements. It also uses weapons such as swords and shields which can commonly be found in Wushu training. Sound familiar? That’s right, Black Panther often uses spears, blades and shields when fighting.

It may be nice to beat people with your hands. However, it’s much easier to do it with weapons. The good thing about Wushu is that a lot of the movements that involve weapons can also be used without them. Therefore, if Black Panther is disarmed, then it’s fine as his Wushu will still allow him to use similar techniques but with his arms and legs.

Black Panther uses Braizilian Jiu Jitsu

In the movie Black Panther, you can witness a few moves taken from BJJ. One of them is during a fight scene in Wakanda. Here, Black Panther uses a triangle choke from the back of his opponent whilst at the edge of a waterfall. This means that Black Panther is also a skilled grappler which is a very useful trait. So far, we’ve listed mostly striking martial arts.

Striking martial arts are great, but to be well rounded, it’s also best to compliment these disciplines with a bit of grappling. In other words, Black Panther has a solid ground game and can cause problems off his back. Because of this, you can’t claim that Black Panther is a one dimensional fighter.

Black Panther uses Taekwondo

Another skillset that Black Panther uses is Taekwondo. This compliments his Capoeira nicely and is helped by speed and flexibility that adds extra power when kicking. As seen below, Black Panther uses a TKD side kick to the chest of the opponent to knock them back. He even throws in a knee at some point which is a nod to his Muay Thai back ground.

The point of this is to show how Black Panther uses his kicks strategically. Often, he will do this to create distance or to set up punch combos, turning defense into offense. This shows how he smartly uses his martial arts and blends various styles to beat his enemies.

Conclusion

In summary, Black Panther is a well rounded martial artist. As you would expect, he has a very explosive style but can mix things up when needed with disciplines such as BJJ which also help him when the scenario changes. Most of the time though, Black Panther prefers to rely on striking martial arts such as Muay Thai and Taekwondo. Remember, like most superheroes Black Panther is also blessed with speed, strength and intelligence that are beyond reach of most ordinary people. As a result, when he combines these attributes with his martial arts skills, he becomes a very dangerous fighter.