About Savate

I often get asked about the fighting style I mostly train in. Savate is a French form of kickboxing that has its roots in kicking techniques brought back by French sailors visiting Asian ports in the 18th century. It was further developed by Marseilles bravos who used it to defend themselves on the streets, but later refined by Parisian gentlemen who incorporated British boxing techniques. By the end of the 19th century “Le Boxe-Francaise” aka “Savate” was quite in fashion among the men (and a few women) of society and it became the national fighting art of France. It was taught to French military and police personnel but Savate was almost entirely wiped out when WWI and WWII killed off most of its practitioners. This uniquely French fight technique managed to survive and it’s been having a sort of renaissance throughout the world lately. Bruce Lee acknowledged Savate’s effectiveness and incorporated several of its kicks into his own style, Jeet Kun Do.

Savate looks decidedly different from other kickboxing styles in that it’s somehow elegant. I have been practicing Savate for 9 years and love the sport, having competed in about 10 amatuer fights (with a record of 6-4).  Take a look a the the clip above to get an idea of what full contact Savate can do.