A lot of people who aren't involved in the martial arts perceive the black belt as the highest achievement in fighting skill. However, most martial arts grant "degrees" of black belt to indicate levels of training and experience above the first-degree black belt.

Brazilian jiu jitsu -- or BJJ -- and wrestling are combat sports. Both are styles of grappling. Beyond that, the differences between the two are more numerous than the similarities.

Brazilian jiujitsu and judo seem similar because they are. The Gracie family invented Brazilian jiujitsu by modifying the judo they had previously learned. After several decades of developing in different directions, the two arts still have basic techniques in common.

Many people are confused about the terms "karate" and "kung fu," treating them as synonyms or simply not understanding the difference between these systems. Neither term actually refers to a single martial art; both words are blanket terms for a wide variety of distinct styles.

Bruce Lee trained in many different fighting disciplines to develop his own signature martial arts style called Jeet Kune Do. He's well-known for his speed, punching power and accuracy. You can hone your own punching speed by borrowing some of Bruce Lee's striking and conditioning exercises.

A sprain is a ligament injury caused by excessive stretching of the ligaments. A sprain can be sustained by exercising or exaggeration of general activity. Restricting movement of the injured limb is important to starting the healing process.

Tae kwon do is a system of unarmed self-defense that originated in Korea. Like many martial arts, tae kwon do uses a system of colored belts to denote the skill and rank of participants. The black belt signifies the highest rank.

In many Asian martial arts, the color of the martial artist's belt denotes the wearer's experience and rank. In judo, a Japanese martial art that focuses on throwing and grappling, there are a combined 16 belt levels. There are six colored-belt levels called grades, and 10 levels of degrees for black belts.

Both Muay Thai and krav maga are forms of combat martial arts. They originally were developed as survival skills in their countries of origin. Muay Thai means "the science of eight limbs;" krav maga means "contact combat." Muay Thai originated in Thailand, while krav maga was developed in Israel.

If you want to practice jujitsu at home and don’t have a partner or much space, many techniques exist that you can practice in your living room. Performing jujitsu at home will help you build strength and increase balance, endurance, coordination and muscle memory in preparation for practicing with a partner.

Earning a yellow belt in karate signifies that you are not a novice and that you have demonstrated basic knowledge in karate. The standard belt color progression is white -- beginners, yellow, green, brown and black. Some karate schools include orange and blue belts.

Taekwondo originated as a Korean martial art but has evolved to include elements of Chinese and Japanese martial arts. Professional taekwondo fighters are fit with good muscle definition. Performing taekwondo is a physical and mental practice.