The Asian culture has been instrumental at developing many martial, or fighting, sports that are practiced worldwide today. From the acrobatic movements of kung fu and wushu to the devastating kicks of karate to the graceful movements of tai chi, many communities today have schools dedicated to teaching these Asian sports. Each of these sports can keep you in good physical shape, but picking the one right for you requires a little background knowledge.
Karate
Karate, or the Way of the Open hand, is a form of self defense that developed in Okinawa that teaches students to fight without weapons. This is a hard, aggressive style of martial arts that combines kicks to the body and head with punches and joint lock techniques. One of the benefits of karate training is that many students report an increase in self confidence and an improvement in their ability to focus their mind. While karate is an aggressive sport designed to teach a student how to protect themselves in the event of an attack, many students find that they are better able to focus their mind better, giving them the ability to develop incredible power in their techniques.
Kung Fu
Many styles of kung fu are available to potential students today, but they all developed from monks in the Shaolin Temple. This ancient martial art is believed to have been developed in China more than 5,000 years ago. It focuses on acrobatic, fluid movements based on animal fighting styles. These types of kung fu include crane, snake, drunken boxing, Wushu and tiger styles. All kung fu incorporates punches, blocks and kicks in instruction.
Judo
Judo is an Asian martial art that is also now an Olympic sport. The name roughly translates to the "Gentle Art," but anyone who has practiced this form of fighting sport knows that there is very little that can be called "gentle" about it. Judy is one of the youngest martial arts available today, having been created around the turn of the 20th century in Japan. This martial art focuses on grappling, throws and joint locks, foregoing much of the kicking and punching often associated with other Asian martial arts.
Tai Chi
Tai Chi, also known as Tai Chi Chuan, is an Asian sport that is simultaneously a way to stay healthy and a method of self defense. This art is known for its flowing, graceful moves that belie the power they can deliver. In this martial art the practitioner uses their opponent's body weight against them while using minimal motion to deliver techniques. Longtime practitioners of tai chi believe this martial art develops internal strength and power that goes far beyond what their physical bodies can deliver.
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