Traditional sports are more than just games; they are a reflection of history, culture, and community life. Long before modern stadiums and digital entertainment, people played these sports to celebrate festivals, build strength, and enjoy time together. Each traditional sport has its own story, rules, and purpose, passed down from generation to generation. In this article, you will learn the names of Traditional Sports in English along with their Pictures, making it easy to understand and remember them. Whether you are a student, teacher, or sports lover, this guide will help you appreciate how these classic games continue to inspire teamwork, skill, and cultural pride around the world.
20 Names of Traditional Sports in English
- Wrestling
- Archery
- Fencing
- Polo
- Kabaddi
- KhoKho
- TugofWar
- Lacrosse
- Hurling
- Shinty
- Camogie
- SepakTakraw
- Sumo
- Judo
- Karate
- Kendo
- Taekwondo
- Wushu
- Silat
- Eskrima
Traditional Sports Names in English with Pictures
- Wrestling
A sport where two players use strength and skill to control or pin each other on the ground.
- Archery
A sport in which players use a bow to shoot arrows at a target with accuracy and focus.
- Fencing
A fast sport where players score points by touching an opponent with a light sword while wearing safety gear.
- Polo
A team sport played on horses where players hit a ball with long sticks to score goals.
- Kabaddi
A team game where a player enters the opponent’s area to touch players and return safely without stopping breathing.
- Kho Kho
A traditional chasing game where one team runs and dodges while the other tries to tag them.
- Tug of War
A team sport where two groups pull a rope in opposite directions to test strength and teamwork.
- Lacrosse
A field game where players use a netted stick to pass, catch, and throw a ball into a goal.
- Hurling
An Irish sport where players hit a small ball using a wooden stick across a large field.
- Shinty
A Scottish game similar to hockey where players strike a ball with a curved stick.
- Camogie
A women’s team sport played like hurling, using a stick and ball with fast movements.
- Sepak Takraw
A team sport where players hit a ball over a net using feet, head, and body, not hands.
- Sumo
A Japanese wrestling sport where the goal is to push the opponent out of a circular ring.
- Judo
A martial art that teaches throwing and controlling an opponent using balance and technique.
- Karate
A martial art that uses punches, kicks, and blocks to build strength, focus, and self-defense skills.
- Kendo
A Japanese sport where players practice sword fighting using bamboo swords and armor.
- Taekwondo
A martial art known for powerful kicks and fast movements, also played as an Olympic sport.
- Wushu
A Chinese martial art that combines smooth movements, jumps, and strength techniques.
- Silat
A traditional martial art from Southeast Asia that teaches quick attacks and self-protection skills.
- Eskrima
A Filipino martial art that trains fighters using sticks, knives, and hand movements.
Traditional Sports Names in English with Pictures
Types of Traditional Sports with Names in English
- Savate
- Sambo
- Glima
- Kurash
- Pehlwani
- Mallakhamb
- Gatka
- Bokh
- Ssireum
- Pankration
- Buzkashi
- Stickball
- BasquePelota
- JaiAlai
- Pato
- BoTaoshi
- CalcioStorico
- GaelicFootball
- HakaPei
- HighlandGames
Different Types of Traditional Sports with Names and Images
- Savate
A French martial art that uses controlled kicks and punches, practiced with speed and balance.
- Sambo
A Russian combat sport that focuses on throws, holds, and self-defense techniques.
- Glima
A traditional Nordic wrestling style where players use grips and balance to throw an opponent.
- Kurash
A form of belt wrestling from Central Asia where players aim to throw the opponent cleanly.
- Pehlwani
A traditional wrestling style from South Asia that combines strength, training, and discipline.
- Mallakhamb
An Indian sport where athletes perform strength and balance moves on a wooden pole or rope.
- Gatka
A traditional Sikh martial art that uses wooden sticks and teaches defense and coordination.
- Bokh
A Mongolian wrestling sport where strength, balance, and technique decide the winner.
- Ssireum
A Korean wrestling sport where players grip belts and try to topple each other.
- Pankration
An ancient Greek combat sport that mixes wrestling and boxing with strict control.
- Buzkashi
A Central Asian horseback game where riders compete to carry an object to a goal area.
- Stickball
A traditional Native American game where players use sticks to move a ball toward a goal.
- Basque Pelota
A fast ball game from the Basque region where players strike a ball against a wall.
- Jai Alai
A version of Basque Pelota where players use curved baskets to catch and throw the ball.
- Pato
A team sport from Argentina played on horseback, combining riding and ball handling.
- Bo Taoshi
A Japanese team game where players try to knock down the opponent’s tall pole.
- Calcio Storico
A historic Italian sport that mixes football, wrestling, and teamwork in an open field.
- Gaelic Football
An Irish team sport where players kick, carry, and pass a ball to score points.
- Haka Pei
A traditional activity from Easter Island where participants slide downhill on plant trunks.
- Highland Games
A Scottish sports festival featuring strength events like stone throwing and hammer toss.
Different Types of Traditional Sports with Names and Images
Learn Traditional Sports Names in English
- ShinKicking
- StonePutting
- HammerThrow
- Discus
- Javelin
- ShotPut
- Rowing
- Canoeing
- Kayaking
- Sailing
- DragonBoatRacing
- LongJump
- HighJump
- TripleJump
- Weightlifting
- Powerlifting
- TraditionalBoxing
- BareknuckleBoxing
- GrecoRomanWrestling
- CornishWrestling
Common Traditional Sports Names with Types and Pictures
- Shin Kicking
A traditional English contest where players try to make the opponent lose balance by controlled leg strikes.
- Stone Putting
A strength sport where players throw a heavy stone as far as possible using one hand.
- Hammer Throw
A field event where athletes spin and throw a weighted ball attached to a handle for distance.
- Discus
A throwing sport where a flat round disc is spun and released to travel the farthest.
- Javelin
A track-and-field event where a spear-like object is thrown for maximum distance.
- Shot Put
A strength event where athletes push a heavy metal ball from the shoulder as far as possible.
- Rowing
A water sport where players use oars to move a boat through water as a team.
- Canoeing
A water sport where athletes paddle a narrow boat using a single-blade paddle.
- Kayaking
A paddling sport where players sit low in a boat and use a double-blade paddle.
- Sailing
A sport where boats move using wind power and controlled sails.
- Dragon Boat Racing
A team water race where many paddlers row together in a long decorated boat.
- Long Jump
A jumping event where athletes run fast and leap as far forward as possible.
- High Jump
A sport where players jump over a horizontal bar without knocking it down.
- Triple Jump
A jumping event that includes a hop, step, and jump before landing in sand.
- Weightlifting
A sport where athletes lift heavy weights in controlled movements to show strength and skill.
- Powerlifting
A strength sport focused on three lifts: squat, bench press, and deadlift.
- Traditional Boxing
A combat sport where players use punches with rules, gloves, and timed rounds.
- Bare-knuckle Boxing
An old-style boxing sport where fighters compete without padded gloves.
- Greco-Roman Wrestling
A wrestling style where players use only upper-body techniques to control an opponent.
- Cornish Wrestling
A traditional British wrestling sport where players wear jackets and aim to throw each other.
Common Traditional Sports Names with Types and Pictures
List of Traditional Sports with Names in English
- BeltWrestling
- OilWrestling
- Yabusame
- Kyudo
- Ssirum
- LathiKhela
- Kalaripayattu
- Silambam
- ThangTa
- Kushti
- HwaRangDo
- PencakSilat
- EtonFives
- Stoolball
- Rounders
- TownBall
- Bandy
- Curling
- SpeedSkating
- FigureSkating
Popular Traditional Sports Types with Names and Images
- Belt Wrestling
A traditional wrestling sport where players hold each other’s belts to throw the opponent.
- Oil Wrestling
A wrestling style where athletes cover their bodies with oil and try to pin each other.
- Yabusame
A Japanese sport where archers shoot arrows at targets while riding a moving horse.
- Kyudo
A Japanese archery art that focuses on calm posture, correct form, and accuracy.
- Ssirum
A Korean wrestling sport where players grip a cloth belt and try to topple the opponent.
- Lathi Khela
A traditional stick-fighting sport using wooden staffs to practice defense and control.
- Kalaripayattu
An ancient Indian martial art that includes strikes, flexibility, and weapon training.
- Silambam
A South Indian martial art that mainly uses a long bamboo stick for fighting practice.
- Thang Ta
A martial art from Northeast India that teaches sword and spear fighting skills.
- Kushti
A traditional Indian wrestling style practiced on mud ground with strict training rules.
- Hwa Rang Do
A Korean martial art that combines self-defense, joint locks, and mental discipline.
- Pencak Silat
A Southeast Asian martial art that uses quick movements, balance, and self-protection skills.
- Eton Fives
A handball game played by hitting a ball against specially designed walls.
- Stoolball
An old English bat-and-ball game where players hit a ball to score runs.
- Rounders
A team game where players hit a ball with a bat and run around bases.
- Town Ball
An early bat-and-ball game that helped shape modern baseball rules.
- Bandy
A winter team sport played on ice using sticks and a small ball.
- Curling
An ice sport where players slide stones toward a target using strategy and teamwork.
- Speed Skating
An ice sport where athletes race each other over long or short distances.
- Figure Skating
An ice sport that combines jumps, spins, and graceful movement to music.
Popular Traditional Sports Types with Names and Images
Names of Traditional Sports in English
- Snowshoeing
- LogRolling
- AxeThrowing
- SpearThrowing
- TraditionalGymnastics
- ArtisticGymnastics
- RhythmicGymnastics
- Trampolining
- Parkour
- FreeRunning
- TraditionalFencing
- SwordFighting
- HorseRacing
- ChariotRacing
- TraditionalSwimming
- OpenWaterSwimming
- EnduranceRacing
- TraditionalCricket
- FieldHockey
- IceHockey
Most Common Traditional Sports with Names and Pictures
- Snowshoeing
A winter activity where people walk over deep snow using wide shoes to avoid sinking.
- Log Rolling
A water sport where two players balance on a floating log and try to make the other fall.
- Axe Throwing
A target sport where players throw an axe to hit a marked wooden board.
- Spear Throwing
A traditional skill sport where a long pointed spear is thrown for distance or accuracy.
- Traditional Gymnastics
Early forms of body exercises that build strength, balance, and flexibility.
- Artistic Gymnastics
A sport where athletes perform strength and skill routines on equipment like bars and mats.
- Rhythmic Gymnastics
A graceful sport combining dance movements with hand-held tools like ribbons or hoops.
- Trampolining
A sport where athletes jump high on a trampoline to perform controlled movements.
- Parkour
A movement sport where people cross obstacles by running, jumping, and climbing efficiently.
- Free Running
A creative movement sport focused on stylish jumps, flips, and smooth motion.
- Traditional Fencing
An old combat sport using swords, where skill and footwork decide the winner.
- Sword Fighting
A combat practice where players use swords to train attack and defense techniques.
- Horse Racing
A competitive sport where horses run on tracks with riders aiming to finish first.
- Chariot Racing
An ancient racing sport where drivers raced horse-drawn chariots on large tracks.
- Traditional Swimming
Early swimming styles used for survival, travel, and basic competition.
- Open Water Swimming
A swimming sport held in natural water like seas, lakes, or rivers.
- Endurance Racing
A long-distance sport that tests stamina, strength, and mental focus.
- Traditional Cricket
A bat-and-ball game played with classic rules emphasizing teamwork and patience.
- Field Hockey
A team sport where players use sticks to hit a ball into a goal on grass or turf.
- Ice Hockey
A fast team sport played on ice where players strike a puck into a goal.
Most Common Traditional Sports with Names and Pictures
Learn more Helpful Articles
Leave a Comment