Martial arts logos are as varied as martial arts themselves. There are more than 170 distinct combat systems that fall into the “martial arts” category, and these include karate, boxing, kung fu and krav maga, just to name a few. Martial arts is a huge industry: as of 2019, there are approximately 3.6 million martial arts practitioners around the world
If you’re a practitioner planning on launching your own brand, whether that’s your own training studio or even your own apparel line, now is the time to start designing your brand identity. And at the core of your brand identity is a well-designed logo.
So what do successful martial arts logos look like? We curated a bunch and then broke them down into four hard-punching categories.
High energy martial arts logos
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When you look at martial arts logos, one of the first things you’ll notice is just how many of them are in red and black. It’s not just a coincidence, and it’s not just because red and black look cool together. It’s because red and black are both power colors, and what better way to demonstrate your powerful brand than through an unapologetically tough, powerful color scheme?
Red and black isn’t the only color combination that can show off your warhorse-like energy, though. Check out how these other logos express power and energy through bold colors and shapes that feel like they’re hitting, kicking and jumping. Pay attention to the fonts in these logos, too—you’ll notice they also evoke that tough, powerful feeling through their edges, whether they’re sharp or rough, and their hard-lined slants.
Martial arts logos like these are ideal for just about any type of studio or training-adjacent brand because, at their core, every martial arts brand is about promoting power and energy. However, if that tough fighter image isn’t your primary persona, your brand might be better served by another kind of logo. Logos like these are ideal for brands that promise the most hardcore conditioning experience available, the kinds of places that can turn a couch potato into a black belt.
Abstract martial arts logos
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Abstract logos communicate brand values through shape and color choices, rather than concrete imagery. That doesn’t mean any abstract shape will do for your logo—if you want people to know that you’re a martial arts brand, your logo has to communicate that somehow. An abstract representation of a figure in motion or a well-known piece of martial arts equipment is one way to do that:
Another is to feature one of the most iconic components of martial arts: a colored belt.
Sometimes, logos can get away with being so abstract that they don’t initially appear to represent something tangible. This kind of logo can work when your brand’s name is also part of the logo. Take a look at how these martial arts logos pair abstract imagery with their brand names:
Martial arts logos with a character
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Character logos are a tried-and-true strategy for just about every industry, and the martial arts world is no different. Using a character in your logo gives your audience “someone” to identify with when they engage with your brand and makes it very easy for you to express your brand’s unique personality. Many martial arts logos feature animal characters:
While others feature humans:
Kids connect easily with character logos, so if your brand offers children’s classes or focuses exclusively on children, a character logo can be the way to go. Your character can be cute, they can be cool, they can be a champion, they can be a hardworking underdog…whichever brand values you want to communicate, a designer can create a character that embodies them.
Calm, confident martial arts logos
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Martial arts isn’t just about breaking boards and roundhouse kicking your opponent. It’s also about developing confidence and self-discipline while cultivating mindfulness. Some brands choose to focus on these aspects of martial arts training over the more physical benefits. For those brands, a logo with cooler colors, softer lines and non-aggressive imagery tend to work the best.
When you look at these logos, you might get the sense that they look and feel similar to yoga logos. That’s not a coincidence—much like yoga, martial arts training can help you improve your balance and flexibility. Go with a logo like this if your martial arts brand is intentional, but not aggressive.
Be the next martial arts champ with a knockout logo design
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Whether you’re all grit or mostly mindfulness with just a little bit of grit, your martial arts brand needs a logo that sums up everything you are and connects with your ideal audience. With an understanding of how different design elements work in martial arts logos, scroll through our platform to find the perfect logo designer to take on your project.