Savate, or Boxe Francaise, is a form of martial arts from France. Also called as French Kickboxing, French Boxing or sometimes French Footfighting, this sport is a deadly one involving the use of ones hands and feet as weapons. It is in essence a combination of the subtle kicking style with the more rough elements of boxing from the West. However, the style allows primarily only kicking (punching is limited) and is probably the only such sport in which the kickboxer wears shoes. Hence the name of the sport as well, as Savate literally means “old boot” in French.

During the start of the 19th century, Savate was simply a form of street fighting that was rampant in Paris as well as the northern regions of France. It was the sailors in the region who initially developed the kicking style of fighting, rumored to be for the purpose of leaving their hands free, so that they may maintain their balance on a moving ship. And on land this was a must, since using the closed fist in combat was then considered a dangerous weapon. The most prominent personality who changed the game from a street fighting passion in to a professional sport was Michael Casseux, who was a pharmacist in France. His was the first ever school that was opened in 1825 to practice the sport professionally, though in a restricted format from the original street fighting. The boxing element was introduced into the style by Casseux’s student Charles Lecour, who had training in English style boxing. He felt that the regular street fighting techniques were not enough to conquer an opponent after he was beaten by a British boxer. Therefore, he integrated the two forms of fighting, and thus was invented the modern form of Savate.

In later years the sport was codified by a man known as the father of modern Savate, Count Pierre Baruzy, under the National Committee of Boxe Francaise. However, it was in the year 1924 that Savate received its greatest recognition. At the Olympic Games held in Paris, the sport was allowed to be a part of the demonstration event, which was a great honor for Savate. More recently, in 2008, the sport was even given recognition by the FISU or International University Sports Federation, thus enabling the sport to have its own official World Championships. The first such tournament has already been scheduled to be held in the year 2010, in the city of Nantes, France.

Savate is comparatively a very easy and safer style to learn than some of the other vigorous sports these days. American football, hockey, basketball, gymnastics etc, are found to be more draining and injury prone than the modern day Savate. Its evolution over the years from a simple street fighting technique to a modern kickboxing sport has been a remarkable journey. At present, the sport involves three different levels: the assaut, pre-combat stage and the combat stage. The assaut level involves pure techniques with little contact, pre-combat stage is a full force fighting level, though with the use of protective gear, and finally the combat level is again an all out fighting, but without the protection. Needless to say, the third is the most advanced version and the toughest as well.

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