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The Difference Between Karate and Tae Kwon Do

no@spam.com (Clint Leung) — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 16:12:01 MST

The two most common martial arts practiced in North America are karate and tae kwon do. Many wonder what the difference between these two martial arts is. This is especially the case for those who are just starting to look around for a martial arts studio. After all, most practitioners in both karate and tae kwon do seem to wear the same type of white gi uniforms with various colored belts.

Modern traditional karate was developed in the islands of Okinawa in Japan after some influences from Chinese martial arts. There are actually different styles of karate but they are all commonly considered as Japanese martial arts today. The colored belt system was developed to show the various ranks of karate practitioners with white depicting novices and black belts (with various degrees) representing instructor levels and higher.

5 Steps to Choosing the Right Martial Art for You

no@spam.com (John Moore) — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 16:05:20 MST

One of the questions I get asked most frequently, in several different variations is about which martial art an individual should study. Generally which martial art, and more importantly which school to choose are fundamental decisions someone should make. My answer is usually something along the lines of, “choose the school and the system that you are going to stick with and stay with it for the rest of your life.”

The reality is that the answer is going to be different for every person. What I will attempt to do in this article is give you a set of general guidelines. I will talk in very broad terms about different martial arts, and what to look for in a school. Ultimately every teacher, at every school, in every system is going to be completely different.

Martial Arts - Muay Thai Kickboxing

no@spam.com (Gabriel Adams) — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 21:28:20 MST

Muay Thai Kickboxing is often referred to as the science of 8 limbs. The reason for this title is the fact that you use nearly every body part as a weapon. You can strike with your forehead, elbows, fists, Knees, Shins and feet. Muay Thai Kickboxing was invented over 2000 years ago and is recognized as one of the oldest martial arts known to man. Although records of Muay Thai fights only date back to 700 years ago, there is a general consensus that Muay Thai originated over 2000 years ago in the part of Asia that is now inhabited by China. Muay Thai is known as the martial art of "kings" because in 1411 when a king by the name of Sen Muajng Ma died, his sons literally fought to the death for his throne, using the techniques of muay thai.

The Karate Secret No One Wants You To Know

no@spam.com (Chris Pizzo) — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 20:31:53 MST

Have you seen the History Channel's new show Human Weapon yet? Its pretty friggen good. The concept is that these two athletic dudes (one an MMA fighter, the other a former football player and wrestler) travel all over the world to train with, and then test out various cultures' martial arts. And while only two episodes have aired as of this writing, the show already has proven itself to be a very revealing diagnostic tool to those who are able to look beyond the romanticism and isolate the truth. Let me explain... Last week's episode was on Karate.

Discover The History Of Judo

no@spam.com (Jimmy Cox) — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 15:44:34 MST

Judo is based on the movements of Ju-jitsu. The origins of Ju-jitsu can be traced back two thousand years, though it is probable that the forms practised then were more like modern Japanese Sumo wrestling than Judo as we know it. Some historians think that Ju-jitsu originated in China and came to Japan about 1645, but there is evidence that it was known in Japan long before this date.

Kendo - General Background

no@spam.com (Thanaseelan ) — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 18:50:03 MST

On first impressions, Kendo appears to be very aggressive and physical, with the dynamics of a fast-striking actiong and high-pitched screams. Yet it is an art that places great emphasis on the development of high level of skill in concentration, timing, awareness, physical agility, footwork, body movement and inherent respect. Kendo was derived from the ancient art of Japanese Samurai swordsmanship. Armour is worn for protection and sword, made of 4 sections of bamboo is bound together to make what is known as sinhai.

Tactics And Strategies Of Realistic Unarmed And Armed Combat.

no@spam.com (Yoshi Kundagawa) — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 18:40:48 MST

One of my favorite martial arts is Junsado because it is very practical in the modern world and can save your life in a self-defense situation. Many forms of martial arts used to be relevant in their times but are not as realistic or beneficial in the modern world. Furthermore, many martial arts are not very practical in real life self-defense situations and are better suited as a sport. Junsado is a very realistic and practical martial art designed by Master Sang H. Kim.

The Fundamentals are the Key to Learning and Understanding Shaolin Kung Fu

no@spam.com (Dora Theodore) — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 18:38:13 MST

The Fundamentals Are the Key to Learning and Understanding Shaolin Kung Fu. The concept of Shaolin kung fu originated when Huang Zongxi defined Chinese martial arts as either the Shaolin school or the Wudang school. You also sometimes hear the Shaolin school referred to as the external school, and the Wudang school referred to as the internal school.

The Benefits of Training in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)

no@spam.com (Jason Oconnor) — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 18:34:18 MST

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is a combination of karate, grappling, wrestling, Tang Soo Do, boxing, jujitsu, Tae Kwon Do and more all combined in one. Mixed martial arts, in its modern form, emerged in 1993 through the Ultimate Fighting Championships and was based on pitting different fighting styles against each other with minimal rules to determine which system would be better in a real, unregulated combat situation.

The Secrets Of The Oldest Existing Chinese Martial Art

no@spam.com (Yoshi Kundagawa) — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 18:24:33 MST

Shuai Jiao is probably the world's oldest martial art. In modern Chinese, its name is used to refer to any wrestling sport. Outside of China, though, it means the ancient Chinese and Mongolian wrestling styles. Legend has it that Shuai Jiao is descended from a sport called Jiao Di, where the contestants wore helmets with horns on them and tried to head butt each other. I don't know about you, but I bet getting hit by one of those hurt! In 2687 BC, the Yellow Emperor's army even used Jiao Di to gore rebel soldiers.