4 lesser-known martial arts to get you fit

If you want to learn some of the world's lesser-known martial arts, check out the list below. It contains four martial arts that are known for helping train people's minds and bodies.

One of the most popular martial arts in Cambodia is called Bokator, although the martial art is relatively unknown outside of the country. Bokator is an Angkor martial art that is more than 1,700 years old that means "pounding a lion." The moves of Bokator are based on the natural movements and mannerisms of fierce predatory animals like snakes, eagles and lions. Bokator can be learned in Cambodia, where multiple schools for the martial art have opened in recent years.

Eskrima is a martial art that was born in the Philippines, and it is now taught to practitioners all over the world. The martial art is mostly weapons based, and it is one of the few sports in which trainees begin their training with weapons from the very start. Eskrima is a great martial art to learn for self-defence, flexibility, strength and fitness. Unlike many other martial arts, Eskrima is taught outside, rather than in a gym or training facility.

Kung Fu San Soo, often shortened to Kung Fu, is an ancient Chinese martial art. Bruce Lee popularized a type of Kung Fu in film, and it is a martial art that anyone interested in learning self-defence can adopt. More than a sparring sport, Kung Fu is considered a combat art. That means trainees do not learn to fight one another. Instead, Kung Fu gives practitioners a big range of moves and techniques, which they are then equipped with should any dangerous situation arise the real world. Many martial arts schools across the world teach Kung Fu to students.

With its roots mostly in Burmese martial arts, Bando is a martial art that was made popular in the west in the 1950s by a man from Burma named Maung Gyi. Bando has three parts to it: empty hand fighting, stick hand fighting, and sword hand. Practitioners ideally develop skills in all three areas. In addition to many moves that resemble karate moves, like kicks and strikes, Bando also incorporates flips, throws and more.