Waht's the difference of karate, kung fu, & tikwondo????

Question

i wanna take one but i dont know what's better. whats the difference????????

Answer 1

I'm not sure of the difference, but if you want to learn quickly and become a fighter immediately, you should do Karate or Tae Kwon Do.

Kung fu usually takes longer to learn but once you've mastered kung fu, there is no possible way to lose in a fight. You also won't lose if you have mastered karate and Tae Kwon Do but...

a guy that has mastered kung fu would beat a guy that has mastered karate or Tae Kwon Do.

SO WHAT I'M SUGGESTING YOU IS: take karate or tikwondo if you want to learn quickly. Take kung fu if you want to train intensely and want to master martial arts and be unbeatable in a fight.

P.S. But remember, kung fu takes more intense training than any other martial arts.

Answer 2

Tai Chi Chuan means grand ultimate fist.

As a Krav Maga instructor, a Combat SAMBO student and a 3 year tai chi chuan student I find that after a while it all blends together.  Tai Chi Chuan is probably the best, slthough you have to find a truly skilled sifu and realize that it has a steep learning curve.

I first learned a combat art as it was part of my job as a soldier (Krav Maga), I enjoy Combat SAMBO, and I find that the principles I have learned in Tai Chi Chuan help with Combat SAMBO.  When the T'ai chi Boxing Chronicles speak of "spine like axle, waist like a wheel, power comes from floor", this is the way we all punch, driving from the floor to the hip through the spine to the arm, just like any good punch.

Much of what is paid to as lip service "yin and yang", is truly covered in the practice of tai chi chuan as there is a careful transition of weight, not always the case in many other arts.

Tae Kwon Do was derived from Karate and both are very angular and quick to learn arts.  It took me three years to earn a black belt in Kempo, but I have learned much more in 3 years of tai chi chuan.  I know of many older karate/TKD practitioners who have developed arthritis in their hips and knees.

Combat arts, like Krav Maga and Combat SAMBO both concentrate from day 1 on modern combat and weapons, the degree of lethality is expressed not implied.  Many moves after disarmament result in a snapped neck.  Krav Maga also has high PFT standards.

When I took karate, it was cool, when I do my form after stretching and chi kung, I feel energized.  I have other friends who were like me, IDF Sayaret (Special Forces), we all seem to have gravitated to the Chinese arts, which mix health with self defense.

Try on many hats, see who will let you try before you buy and see how you fit in.  See if the instructors are attentive and talk to you, not at you.

Answer 3

They are all spelled differentley, lol.

Go onto wikipedia, and look them up, it gives very good descriptions of them all and should answer most of your questions.

Answer 4

its Tae Kwon Do!  and if you love kicking more than anything, you should learn that.

Answer 5

Karate - Japanese, usually about 50% hand and foot techniques, self-defense techniques, weapons such as Sai, Nunchucks, Katana and a staff.  Most techniques are linear, strength important.

Kung Fu - Chinese, generally a focus on forms, circular techniques, usually a variety of exotic weapons.

Taekwondo - Korean [many Japanese techniques], more of an emphasis on kicking, self-defense techniques, some styles have no weapons and some do.  Most techniques are linear - reach and speed are important.

Answer 6

Hi.

Karate and Kung Fu are more of categories than specific martial arts.

One of the things that makes these different is their country or origin.  Karate is primarily Japanese, Kung Fu is Chinese and Tae Kwon Do is Korean.

Kicking is another way you can distinguish these from each other.  The amount of kicking Karate and Kung Fu uses varies from style to style.  Usually they use anywhere from 20% to 50% kicking to striking.  This isn't a rule however and may vary greatly depending on the specific style; I'm just talking generally here.  Tae Kwon Do focuses primarily on kicking, perhaps as much as 80% depending on the specific type and school.

The way a Martial art moves also distinguishes it.  Karate and Tae Kwon Do tend to be similar in that they both use straight, ridged and powerful strikes that move in a straight line.  These are characteristics of what are called "hard" styles.  Kung Fu tends to be more fluid and circular.  These are characteristics of what are called "soft" styles.   Again, this isn't a rule; some styles of Karate will mix hard and soft strikes together.  Similarly, some styles of Kung Fu (mainly northern styles) will use hard style strikes almost exclusively.

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As for which one's better there really is no such thing as a better martial art.  It's personal preference and it depends on what you want to train for.

If your goal is self defense then I would stay away from Tae Kwon Do as it is a sport.  However, if you want to compete and you love kicking, Tae Kwon Do may be perfect for you.

Most styles of Karate and Kung Fu are more directly applicable to self defense; some styles of Karate are even self defense styles.  They both can be good for competition but it's usually up to the individual schools and instructors to emphasize that aspect.

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As for choosing one to take you should visit the schools in your area to see what's available rather than deciding on a style only to find out it's not available in your area.  Ask to sit in on a class to watch and see what it's like and if it's something you might be interested in.  Some schools will offer introductory courses that are usually relatively cheap if not free, I suggest you take full advantage of these where available.

Hopefully this helps you out and good luck finding a school :)

Answer 7

Tai Chi has to do with energy or life force. It is now used primarily for exercise. Shop for a good school where you will get good training, and reasonable prices, and treated fairly. The art is less important to the beginner than the quality of the instruction. Google the various arts or use Wickipedia. This will give you less biased information than you get here. It is your time and money spend it wisely. I recommend Martial Arts for Dummies. It is a good overview of the most popular arts and has sound advise on how to avoid a bad school.