Taekwondo vs. Karate
There are a lot of people who don't have an understanding of the martial arts and they think that Karate and Taekwondo are the same thing. Both martial art styles have some basic items that are alike but both come from different cultures and have many things different about them. See the below list to see some of the things that are the same about them.
Each discipline was born in a separate Asian country. Taekwondo dates back over 2,000 years and was created by the convergence of cultural influences form the three kingdoms that ruled over Korea at the time. Karate dates back to a similar era and is believed to have been formed by Buddhist monks from Japan. Karate involves methodical attacks that utilize a variety of body parts for striking an opponent, including hands, feet, knees and even elbows. The motion of each move is predetermined and moves through space in strikingly angular and easily-repeated motions.
Taekwondo is also strike-based, but it calls for the artist to utilize kicks whenever possible. The mentality is that your lower body will be able to generate substantially more force than your upper body, and will be able to do so while maintaining relative stability. The movements of Taekwondo are less governed by tradition and mathematics and are more a reaction to the situation and the opponent's own moves.
Another major difference is that while Karate has not yet been recognized as an Olympic sport, the sport of Taekwondo has been featured in each version of the Summer Olympics since the 1988 Games in Seoul, South Korea. Even though a committee overseeing the 1996 Olympic Summer Games in Atlanta voted it out in 1996, it returned in 2000 and has been in every Summer Games since. Both Karate and Taekwondo participants are wise to use the proper fighting clothing. A Karate gi is necessary in the Japanese-based sport while Taekwondo uniforms are necessary in the Korean-based martial art. A quality Karate gi and quality Taekwondo uniforms can be found for reasonable prices, provided that a person knows where to look.
Both Karate and Taekwondo were invented as a means of self-defense that does not rely on any weapons other than the natural striking facets of the human body. Both have been honed over the centuries into modern versions that are highly potent forms of both attacking and defending. When performed for an extended amount of time, both are excellent forms of exercise. Millions of youngsters all over the globe enroll in both Karate and Taekwondo classes each year.
About the Author
Travis Laeghtner is a free lance writer with the MMA Zone. If you don't find him writing about Taekwondo then you will likely catch him in the local Dojo working on his kata (forms), one steps, and board breaks. If you are interested in reading more of his work you can find more at http://www.themmazone.net/
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