Celebrities Who Practice Martial Arts | List of Famous People Who Do Martial Arts | Puncher Media (2023)

Shout out to @layziethesavage for taking this awesome shot of me and @akajav last night… love this. One of the funnest workouts I’ve had in a while 😝👊🏼

A post shared by Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) on Oct 29, 2016 at 12:27pm PDT

Celebrities are some of the most powerful influencers in our culture. Actors, musicians, models, and other media giants inspire their audiences and invoke change on both individual and cultural levels. They are trendsetters who are always one step ahead of the new what’s next and their endorsement of an activity can help skyrocket its popularity. This has been the case with martial arts over the last few years. While the UFC’s breakthrough into the mainstream has helped shake a stigma combat sports once had, celebrity participation in various forms of training has also helped bring martial arts to much larger audiences. Here are 10 celebrities who practice the martial arts:

1) Khloe Kardashian

🥊🥊🥊 West coast, tune in to E! at 9pm for a brand new #KUWTK!!

A post shared by Khloé (@khloekardashian) on Apr 2, 2017 at 7:16pm PDT

The martial arts can be a great tool to learn the important life principles such as discipline, respect, and honor. They can also help you get a great beach bod. Khloe Kardashian, being ever concerned with the latter, uses boxing to stay in shape. The sweet science has been featured on an episode of Keeping up with the Kardashians, and is often the subject of many of Khloe’s social media posts. The Reality TV star has gone through a noticeable physical transformation during her family’s time in the spotlight and boxing has undoubtedly played a major role in helping her get fit.

2) Wiz Khalifa

Fuccin right it’s what i live. 😂✈™

A post shared by Wiz Khalifa (@wizkhalifa) on Dec 19, 2017 at 7:47pm PST

Rapper Wiz Khalifa broke out in 2010 with his hit “Black and Yellow,” and has been a cultural icon since. While he’s known for his boundless drug use, wiry physique, and laid back attitude, the man is far from soft. Muay Thai and MMA training makes up a solid percentage of his free time and he even has videos of him sparring on his Instagram with Muay Thai boxing legend Saenchai. With Chuck Liddell making an appearance in the video for his song “Something New,” it is safe to say that Wiz is picking good friends if he’s looking to learn a thing or two about the martial arts.

3) Robert Downey Jr.

Kicking off the 1st issue of @GQStyle! Click my bio link to view inaugural cover.

A post shared by Robert Downey Jr. (@robertdowneyjr) on May 10, 2016 at 9:08am PDT

(Video) 10 Popular Actors With Serious Martial Arts Skills In Real Life!

Before he was Iron Man and Sherlock Holmes, Robert Downey Jr. was a wild man. The stories of his debauchery were that of legend, but with a young family he needed some grounding. As he told Oprah on an episode of her show, that is exactly what Wing Chun did for the Hollywood star. Most known for being the base of martial arts folk hero Bruce Lee, Wing Chun is a form of Kung Fu which is not only offensive but involves meditative techniques. RDJ’s put some of the more aggressive maneuvers on display in the film Sherlock Holmes. He trained with famed practitioner Eric Oram for the role, having as many as 6 sessions in a single week. The traditional art has done RDJ well, keeping him clean and sober to star in record breaking blockbusters like The Avengers: Infinity War.

4) Jessica Alba

#imjustagirl @nodoubt y’all #kravmaga 💪👊 #kickass #fightlikeagirl

A post shared by Jessica Alba (@jessicaalba) on Nov 12, 2014 at 1:11pm PST

While being a famously beautiful young actress must have its perks, it certainly comes with certain troubles. One of which is dealing with overly intrusive and obsessive fans. This is why Jessica Alba trains in Krav Maga. Most known for being the martial art of choice for the Israeli military, Krav Maga takes aggressive and practical techniques from several different fighting styles to make up one of the best martial arts for self-defense. It involves techniques which help in real life confrontations and is not limited to hand to hand combat. Alba also uses Krav Maga to stay in fighting shape for her roles, many of which are physically demanding.

5) Barack Obama

Martial arts do more than keep you in shape and teach self-defense, they transcend cultural boundaries. There is no such thing as appropriation in the world of martial arts; each skill is made to be shared and no one is limited to specific means of protection. Barack Obama proved this to be true when he received an honorary black belt in Taekwondo from South Korean president Lee Myung-Bak on his trip to Seoul. Obama trained in Taekwondo and earned his green belt during his time as a junior senator in Illinois. While Obama and Myung-Bak may have needed interpreters in their discussions regarding North Korea, the language of Taekwondo was one they both understood and that undoubtedly helped them connect.

6) Tom Hardy

Bronson may have been Hollywood’s introduction to Tom Hardy as a physical specimen, but it seems as if his role in Warrior was Hardy’s introduction to the world of MMA. Since the film, Hardy has played many physically demanding parts like that of Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, or Max in Mad Max: Fury Road. It doesn’t appear that Hardy will stop doing this kind of work anytime soon, as his next role as Eddie Brock in the upcoming film Venom will surely be a physical one as well. Yet, Hardy must have picked up the MMA bug from professional fighters like Nate Marquardt and Yves Edwards whom he shared the set with while making Warrior, for his regiment for getting in shape now consists of training with Nathan Jones, another professional fighter.

7) Demi Lovato

Demi Lovato is another celebrity with a checkered past which has been well documented. Her new documentary Simply Complicated is a deep dive into the pop stars history, showing all the good, bad, and ugly. However, it seems as if brighter days lay ahead of Lovato and it is safe to say that martial arts have played a role in turning her life around. She has been seen training with the likes of Jay Glazer, professional MMA fighter Cung Le, and her ex-boyfriend and professional fighter Guilherme Vasconcelos. She has even gone so far as to share videos of her doing cryotherapy, the latest fad in MMA for recovery today. While Lovato has been seen training in multiple types of martial arts, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu appears to be a favorite. To make sure she never has to miss training she has taken her Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor, Orlando Sanchez, on tours with her in the past. Her love for Jiu-Jitsu is comes as no surprise as it is one of the best martial arts for women. Royce Gracie taught us this when he came out on top in UFC 1, using technique rather than power to submit fighters who were twice or thrice his size.

8) Ed O’Neill

Ed O’Neill Rolling With Rorion Gracie from ROF Industries Inc on Vimeo.

While Al Bundy may have become one of America’s most lovable slobs on Married… With Children, Ed O’Neill, the actor who portrays him, is anything but. O’Neill is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under the legendary Rorion Gracie, which is an incredibly impressive feat when given perspective. Promotions in rank are typically based off the discretion of the trainer in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This means that a belt is an indication of where a trainer believes his pupil’s skills are, and thus, O’Neil’s black belt acts as a Gracie stamp of approval. Ed O’Neil has been practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for over 20 years and earned his black belt in 2007.

9) Henry Cavill

Another morning spent training with Mr Roger Gracie, a good friend and a great professor. Gotta watch out for those sneak attacks though! @rogergracie @rogergracieacademy #BJJ

A post shared by Henry Cavill (@henrycavill) on Dec 15, 2017 at 4:00am PST

(Video) This Is Why You Should Learn Martial Arts

Becoming Superman is no small task. Sure, the Last Son of Krypton himself was born with his powers, but the actor who portrays him has a lot of work to do to get into super shape. That’s why Henry Cavill trains Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with some of the best practitioners in the world. Cavil’s Instagram is filled with photos of him rolling, including some of him training at the Renzo Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy and rolling with Roger Gracie himself. Who would have ever thought that a man of steel could get in shape using “the gentle art?”

10) Keanu Reeves

The fight scenes in the John Wick movies are different from those in most other action films. Keanu Reeves does much more grappling and close ranged combat than movies featuring other action heroes like Jackie Chan, Jet Li, or Jason Statham. That’s because most of the techniques seen in John Wick have practical applications, even if they are over exaggerated to appear flashy. Reeves’ training was unique for the film, mixing aspects of Jiu Jitsu, Judo, with tactical gun work. Reeves’ love for martial arts has been made clear by many of his fight fueled flicks like, Man of Tai Chi, The Matrix, and 47 Ronin. While Reeves has trained in many different martial arts for film, the notoriously private actor doesn’t flaunt any of his personal training on social media, making him all the more mysterious and all the more deadly.

There are a million reasons to participate in martial arts. Self-defense, self-confidence, physical fitness, and tradition are all things you can learn while practicing almost any martial art. They help us improve ourselves and teach valuable life lessons. Hopefully, the celebrities on this list inspire their fans to pick up a marital art. Who are some more celebrities whom trained in martial arts? Leave a comment below.

To learn more about the history and practice of martial arts check out the other articles in the Puncher “What is” series on Judo, Boxing, Karate, Taekwondo, Muay Thai, Sambo, MMA and more.

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