This time, we will be learning Serbian martial art words, as who doesn’t want to know what they are talking about when they watch two people go at each other fists flailing, feet kicking, heads butting, and bones crunching?
Serbia is scattered with clubs that help students master combative disciplines, including boxing, fencing, judo, karate, kickboxing, Muay Thai, and wrestling.
Prominent Styles Of Serbian Martial Arts
Narodno Rvanje
Literally translates as “folk wrestling.” Narodno rvanje is similar to Greco-Roman wrestling in that the two combatants enter the ring and try to grapple each other to the ground. There are several traditional holds that can be used, and if one wrestler gets the other in one of these holds, it is the other wrestler’s job to get out of it. All manner of throw-downs are employed, and the winner is the one who pins the other to the floor. Depending on where the fight takes place, the wrestlers may decide to dress in traditional garb to lend a bit of culture to the spectacle.
Real Aikido
A combination of the mixed martial arts of jujutsu, judo, and aikido, Real Aikido was developed by Serbian self-defense instructor Ljubomir Vračarević, who created his own easily taught style of the martial art after visiting Japan. The Real Aikido defense system is used to defend against being attacked with weapons and various unarmed techniques, simplified so they can easily be taught to people attending self-defense classes. The range of moves students are taught includes evasion, striking, blocking, and grappling. Serbian martial artists practicing Real Aikido will follow the general Aikido curriculum.
Vračarević was particularly keen on taking his Real Aikido defense system into schools. His “With play to Master” program can be adapted to children between the ages of five and twelve and their specific mental and physical requirements. Since 2005, Real Aikido has been an elective subject in the curriculum of elementary schools across Serbia.
Karate
Kung Fu master Bruce Lee is credited with single-handedly propelling the popularity of martial arts, including Karate, into the stratosphere after appearing in films like “Fist of Fury” and “The Way of the Dragon” in the 1970s. The Balkans were not immune to the growing hunger for the martial art, and the 53rd European Karate Championships were held in 2018 in Novi Sad, with the host country securing a silver and bronze medal. In 2010, the 20th World Karate Championships took place in Belgrade, where Serbia secured three gold medals and a bronze.
Muay Thai
The popularity of Thailand’s martial art has grown significantly over the past century, and Serbia has a burgeoning Muay Thai community. This year saw the Serbian Muay Thai Open take place in March, in the stunning city of Leskovac. Also known as “The Art of Eight Limbs”, because eight points on the body are used to imitate weapons used in battle, Muay Thai continues to attract a global audience and is one of the fighting styles used in MMA.
MMA (Mixed Martial Arts)
MMA is another combat sport that is growing in popularity around the globe. At the beginning of 2022, the Serbian MMA Federation, The International MMA Federation (IMMAF), and BRAVE Combat Federation came together in Belgrade to announce the launch of IMMAF World Championships Week and the Serbia BRAVE International Combat Week. This was the first time International Combat Week was held by BRAVE CF outside of Bahrain, and was considered something of a success by fans all around the world.
Fencing
Although not necessarily classed as a martial art, we cannot ignore the popularity of fencing as a fighting sport in Serbia. In 2018, the European Fencing Championships were held in Novi Sad.
Stevan “Steva” Todorović (born in 1832) was a painter and newspaper correspondent, as well as Serbia’s founder of modern fencing. He opened Belgrade’s very first art school where young students were taught a range of disciplines, including singing, drawing, gymnastics, and fencing.
Martial Arts Clubs In Serbia
Among the many clubs springing up across Serbia to teach martial arts is the Borilacki Klub Crvena Zvezda, commonly known as Red Star Combat Club. It is a martial arts organization in Serbia that offers training in various disciplines, including boxing, kickboxing, judo, Karate, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The club has produced numerous champions who have excelled in both domestic and international competitions.
Other martial arts clubs with stellar reputations in Belgrade include Skola Boksa BK Zvezdara, Kik boks i muay thai klub 011, Kik Boks klub “Novi Beograd,” and Kaizen MMA Akademija – Beograd.
Serbian Martial Art Words
To fully appreciate Serbian martial arts, it’s essential to understand the associated vocabulary. Here are some key terms:
| English | Serbian | Pronunciation |
| Fight/Combat | Борба | Borba |
| Attack | Напад | Napad |
| Strike | Ударац | Udarac |
| Kick | Кицк | Kick |
| Fitness | фитнес | Fitnes |
| Wrestling | Рвање | Rvanje |
| Self-defense | Самоодбрана | Samoodbrana |
| Style | Стиле | Stile |
| Training | обука | Obuka |
| Discipline | Дисциплина | Disciplina |
| Focus | Фоцус | Focus |
| Technique | Техника | Tehnika |
| Punch | Пунцх | Punch |
| Stance | Став | Stav |
| Combination | Комбинација | Kombinacija |
| Pressure | Притисак | Pritisak |
| Endurance | Издржљивост | Izdržljivost |
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