Many martial artists begin their journey wondering which martial art is superior to others. In truth, there is no superior martial art -- just superior teachers, students and training methods. Karate and tae kwon do are different styles of fighting, with different cultures. Though neither art is clearly superior, the differences between them may mean one is a better choice for you.
History
Both tae kwon do and karate as practiced today developed during the 20th century, but were organized from influences that date back hundreds -- if not thousands -- of years. Karate developed in Japan as a fighting art, while tae kwon do comes from Korea and was developed as a competitive sport.
Costume
Karate and tae kwon do both involve similar uniforms consisting of loose pants, jackets and belts. However, the tae kwon do jacket is traditionally a tunic with a closed front. The karate jacket is open-fronted and tied closed with a belt. Traditionally, both arts use the same progression of belt ranks: white, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, brown, red and black.
Fighting Style
Tae kwon do is generally a longer-range fighting style. Practitioners keep their distance, to better take advantage of the powerful kicks they employ. Karate practitioners also learn kicks, but will fight from closer in so as to also employ punches, open hand strikes and elbow attacks.
Acrobatics
Both tae kwon do and karate employ spinning kicks and jumping kicks as exercises to build physical attributes. However, tae kwon do tends to emphasize these acrobatics more than karate. Where a karate student may be able to deliver a jumping kick with a 180-degree spin, tae kwon do experts may turn it into a 360- or 720-degree spin -- and add a somersault.
Ethical Considerations
Both karate and tae kwon do incorporate ethical instruction along with the physical and combative training students receive. The tae kwon do creed follows integrity, courtesy, perseverance, indomitable spirit and self-control. Karate as a whole is more segmented, with individual schools naming their own creeds. However, many of these creeds stem from the values of Bushido: truth, bravery, courtesy, compassion, sincerity and wisdom.
References
- "GURPS Martial Arts"; Peter Dell'Orto & Sean Punch; 2007
- Human Weapon Taekwondo: Taekwondo Student's Oath
- "Bushido, The Soul of Japan"; Inazo Nitobe; 2002
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