Tradition and Evolution in Martial Arts and Combat Sports: A Journey Full of Meanings

Título: Tradition and Evolution in Martial Arts and Combat Sports: A Journey Full of Meanings Book of Abstracts of the 14th Conference of the International Martial Arts and Combat Sports Scientific Society
Autor: Carlos Gutiérrez-García, María Perrino, Luis Santos-Rodríguez (Editors)
ISBN 979-13-87583-19-4
Cómo citar: GUTIÉRREZ-GARCÍA, Carlos; PERRINO, María; SANTOS-RODRÍGUEZ, Luis (eds.) (2025): Tradition and Evolution in Martial Arts and Combat Sports: A Journey Full of Meanings. Book of Abstracts of the 14th Conference of the International Martial Arts and Combat Sports Scientific Society, León, Universidad de León.

The International Martial Arts and Combat Sports Scientific Society (IMACSSS) was founded in 2010 as a means to promote the study and research of martial arts and combat sports (MA&CS) on a global level, bringing together practitioners, experts and academics from around the world. Since 2012, when the 1st IMACSSS Conference was held in Genoa (Italy), the event has developed annually, visiting the cities of Tsukuba (Japan), Rzeszow (Poland), Brno (Czech Republic), Rio Maior (Portugal), Osaka (Japan), Viseu (Portugal), Putrajaya (Malaysia) and Chongqing (China). These events have not only promoted the exchange of MA&CS knowledge but have also strengthened mutual cooperation and friendship among participants, confirming many of the core values in martial arts. In 2025, the 14th edition of the IMACSSS conference was held in the beautiful city of León, the capital city of the Ancient Kingdom of León, a place where old traditions – including the Aluche or Lucha Leonesa, a vernacular wrestling style – blend with modern culture. For three days, about 70 participants from 16 different countries (Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Slovenia, Spain , Türkiye, Ukraine , United Kingdom and United States) experienced and intense and enriching event, both professionally and personally, in a unique multicultural environment and in the city of León, which, like MA&CS, is a crossroads of paths, lives and cultures. This Book of Abstracts captures the extensive scholarly output presented at the conference, under the unifying and comprehensive theme “Tradition and Evolution in Martial Arts and Combat Sports: A Journey Full of Meanings”. The abstracts compiled herein reflect the complexity and breadth of martial arts and combat sports research across a variety of disciplines. The book has been organised for ease of reference. Although the abstracts have been grouped in key lectures and six thematic areas (Physiology and Performance, Pedagogy and Education, Sociology, History, and Cultural Anthropology, Psychology and Mental Health, Philosophy, and Interdisciplinary Studies), many of them adopt a hybrid approach, combining different methodologies and/or perspectives. In such cases, priority has been given to the most relevant approach trying to provide a coherent and useful structure for the reader. We believe this volume provides valuable, evidence-based insights into the complexities of martial arts and combat sports. It documents the ongoing dialogue and collaboration between researchers, practitioners and policymakers who are committed to exploring the deep meanings inherent in the traditions and evolution of these disciplines.