Vovinam — Vietnam's Martial Art of National Liberation

Vovinam (Viet Vo Dao, 越武道, “Vietnamese Way of Martial Arts”) is Vietnam’s national martial art — created not only as a self-defense system but as a political manifesto. Nguyễn Lộc (1912–1960) founded Vovinam in 1938 in Hanoi during French colonial rule with a clear goal: to strengthen Vietnamese youth physically and mentally to fight for national independence. “Live, help others live, and live for others” — this triple maxim is the core principle of the system, which reaches far beyond combat technique. Technically Vovinam is based on the principle of hard and soft (Cương Nhu): direct, hard attacks are combined with flowing, soft redirections. The system integrates strikes, kicks, knee strikes, elbows, joint locks, throws, and weapons work — supplemented by elements of Chinese Kung Fu and Japanese Judo that Nguyễn Lộc had studied. Today Vovinam is practiced in over 60 countries and forms the backbone of Vietnamese combat sports.

History and Founders

Nguyễn Lộc (1912–1960) grew up in northern Vietnam under the French colonial power. As a child and youth he studied traditional Vietnamese folk martial arts practiced for centuries — but never systematized or publicly taught.

He recognized that Vietnam needed a national, modern martial art: one rooted in Vietnamese traditions but systematic and teachable. Simultaneously it had to be political — a tool of national identity formation.

1938: Nguyễn Lộc founds the first Vovinam training in Hanoi. The system combines:

Traditional Vietnamese combat techniques (from various provincial styles)
Chinese Kung Fu elements (strikes, forms)
Japanese Judo (throwing techniques, ground fighting)

1939: The first public demonstration in Hanoi receives enormous response — and immediate suppression by the French colonial administration, which understood the nationalist significance.

Under the Viet Minh and wartime: Vovinam became an integral part of Vietnamese resistance — Nguyễn Lộc trained guerrilla fighters.

After 1960: Nguyễn Lộc’s students continued the system. After the Vietnam War many emigrated to France, the USA, and other countries — spreading Vovinam worldwide.

Technical Foundations

Vovinam is based on the Cương Nhu principle (剛柔, Hard-Soft):

Cương (Hard)	Nhu (Soft)
Direct strikes	Flowing evasion movements
Explosive kicks	Circular redirections
Direct force	Leverage and Tai Sabaki

The system encompasses:

Attack techniques: Strikes with fists, hand edges · Kicks (Vovinam is known for its scissor kicks) · Elbows · Knee strikes

Special techniques: Flying scissor kicks (Đòn Chân Bay) — including two-armed leg scissors from the air — are Vovinam’s most iconic element

Grappling: Throws and locks from the Judo heritage · Joint control · Ground fighting

Weapons: Short sword (Dao) · Staff · Knife · Fan

The Ten Principles

Vovinam has an explicit ethical code (Mười Điều Tâm Niệm):

Love of country and humanity
Loyalty to the art and the teacher
Honest spirit and genuine ability
Humility and frugality
Courage and endurance
Equanimity and justice
Intellectual development
Help for the weaker
Trust in one’s own strength
Respect for other martial arts

Connections to Other Martial Arts

Pencak Silat — Southeast Asian counterpart; both systems arose in colonial contexts and contributed to national identity
Taekkyeon — similar history: folk martial art, nearly banned, preserved through national movement
Judo — technical influences in throwing techniques
Kung Fu — Chinese influences in striking and form techniques

Today

Vovinam is taught in over 60 countries — the World Vovinam Federation (WVF) includes federations in Europe, America, Asia, and Africa. In Vietnam it is a required component of schools and military training. Competitions take place at the SEA Games.