What is the difference between karata and tao qwon do?

Question

I have a 7 yr. old son who has just started tao qwon do lessons, however we also have a karate teacher and did not know which form was the best for him at this stage.

Answer 1

Tae Kwon Do is Korean in origin and emphasizes kicking over punching. Tae Kwon Do instructors often teach that kicks should make up 70% of a combatant's strikes, with hand techniques representing the other 30%

Karate is Japanese in origin and has many different variations. Individual schools may vary greatly in techniques, but practice generally emphasizes balance and striking with little emphasis grappling or ground techniques.

Both are considered to be "hard" forms, meaning that they generally attempt to overcome an opponent's force, rather than redirecting it. Hard forms tend to emphasize striking and blocking, whereas soft forms tend to prefer grappling, throwing, parrying, and dodging.

At seven years old, your son is probably a bit too young to be make a serious commitment to any particular form. His martial arts training should be geared toward fun and exercise, not competition or serious self-defense. I'd recommend putting him in whichever class you think he will like the most. At this stage, the instructor is going to make a lot more difference than the form. Talk to both teachers and watch them each give a couple of classes, then pick the one that you like the best and trust the most.

Answer 2

The difference between Karate and Tae Kwon Do is that Karate is more of of an upper body art. TKD is supposedly 60-75% kicks and karate is supposdely split 50/50.

Tae Kwon Do actually was developed from Karate, but not totally developed like many people think it was.

TKD was developed partially from another old Korean art, Taekeyon and many TKN kicks are alive in TKD. The axe kick is one relic of this ancient martial art.

For a child around 7, I wouldn't reccomend taking any hard martial arts at all. They will go about with that knowledge and try to beat up their friends. I would reccomend Aikido for a 7 year old, which is composed totally of counterattacks and involves little to no kicks or punches.

Hope that helps.

Answer 3

I like the answer that lisvad gave you. It sums up the two differences very well. My 11 year old son and I teach Karate and I have a nephew who does Tae-Kwon-Do. The TKD classes seem to be more geared for sport and cost alot more. The Karate classes will help later in life with real life self defense. Go and look at the Karate Dojo and the TKD Dojang and see which your son prefers. If he isn't interested in it then he won't stick with it. Most good school will give him a free class so he can try it out. Have fun!

Answer 4

There's already some great answers here. I studied TKD for a short time and left frustrated--the choreography/kata garbage was pointless to me when I was there to learn how to fight, be flexible, and work on my balance. I moved on to jiujitsu and couldn't be happier.

Let your boy work whatever he prefers--neither system is inherently better for a 7-year old. I do believe he'd have a lot more fun in jiujitsu (or its "sport" form, judo) or aikido. So-called "soft" arts will allow him to roll around with his buddies and not emphasize strikes, which children sometimes do not understand the uses for. Indeed, one of the greatest advantages of grappling is that you can practice full-speed whenever you want--no special equipment or pads or whatnot required.

Thinking down the road, if he wants to compete in school some day, very few schools have martial arts teams. Nearly every high school has wrestlers though.

Answer 5

Actually, Tae Kwon Do would be more preferable as it can improve his fexibility as well. However, they uses the legs most of the time. When in close combat, they are likely to lose out to Karate trained people.

For Karate, they will build up their upper body. However, they are firm but not agile and fexible.

Answer 6

itz Tae Kwon Do and Karate
like da other ppl sayd:
taekwondo is mostly kickin
and karate is mostly punchin
i think u should try 2 put ur kid in both 4 a few weeks and see how he feels bout each one
pick the one he wants and likes

Answer 7

Karate is the Japanese martial art. Tae Kwon Do is the Korean martial art.

Either one is okay for your son.

Answer 8

tkd a korean adaptation of shotokan karate. shotokan is (i think though i'm not sure) a japanese adaptation of the okinawan styles of karate.

o and to clear things up, most karate styles are OKINAWAN not japanese.

i do NOT suggest you let your 7 y/o take tkd, because chances are he won't learn anything, and that would be a waste of his time.

i suggest find a good judo school. or, find a good japanese jujutsu or brazillian jiu jutsu school for him. in my opinion, grappling styles allow kids to actually learn correct form without them getting seriously injured.

Answer 9

First of all It's called taekwondo and Karate. Karate is from the Japanese orgin and taekwondo is from the Korean.

Answer 10

the difference is between Karate and Taekwondo is Karate has more hand techniques and Taekwondo has more kicks