when i say i do martial arts they say "so you do karate" why is karate so popular
no offence to any disciplines of karate
2006-10-09 10:32:53 · 31 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Martial Arts
The same reason people refer to a photocopier as the Xerox. Or facial tissues as Kleenex. Or cola as Coke.
Basically it was the first to hit main stream popularity, and from then on everyone refers to the various disciplines of martial arts as Karate. At least, anyone who cannot tell the difference at a casual glance.
2006-10-09 10:36:12 · answer #1 · answered by artisticallyderanged 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well you see it all goes back to 19x? This is when the only martial that was open especially in CA was Karate to foreigners... Back then you could do more business by teaching Karate than say TDK or something else. Martial arts has been on the fringe at times and main stream and at other times, it is understandable that it is not in everyone's vocabulary. Just like some folks think Kung Fu is just martial arts when it really means Effort. So if you practice good kung fu, that could be with cooking, cleaning, basketball, art, etc. Kung fu does not mean martial arts but it has become that way. Some people may get "smart" and translate Karate... that leads to further issues. Movies also help popularize Karate too. Don't be offended, take it as an opportunity to enlighten or just something to relax about.
Best of luck.
2006-10-10 05:41:21 · answer #2 · answered by calmman7 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ignorance. Plain and simple. Remember The Karate Kid 1, 2, and 3 and the next Karate Kid in the 1980's? Well that was not the begining, but it help set a fire for "Karate" and most people who do not know better just associate martial arts as Karate. Don't take offense. There are so many types of Martial Arts from some many different countries, unless you have actually studied diverse arts then ignorace will rule. Don't get agravated. Just take this moment as a time to teach and inform, so more folks will understand what specific art you do. It is the media and Hollywood that is responsible for what people precieve martial arts. Chill, enjoy the "arts" and teach what you know. Plain and simple. Life is a journy of learning and telling others what we have learned, is it not?
2006-10-09 10:54:16 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It isn't that karate is any more popular, it is mostly that it is simply more well known than other styles, even kung fu. Even in places where the only martial arts school in town was a kung fu school ( I have seen them here in the states) non practitioners still refer to it as karate. personally i think that the work karate is simply easier to remember than kung fu for some reason. Add to that the fact that must televised competitions are in karate, it lends to taht idea. Plus it was the first martial art to be known in the west, so the temp simply became a generic term for martial arts. Most non-pratcicioners don't care that there are different styles, for them, it's all katate and thats all there is to it. Most don't want any explaination and won't remember if one ie given them. My usual answer to them is "among others" and leave it at that. I know several people exponents of various styles that when asked if thy do karate simply say,"No" and move on...
For those that know, no explainiation is necessary, for those that don't,no explaination is possible.
2006-10-09 11:04:09 · answer #4 · answered by kveldulfgondlir 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
For the same reason many people call tissue paper Klenex or a cola drink a Coke. People get use to one thing and the one popular thing becomes the easy way to refer to it.
Karate just happened to be the first big martial art popularized in the U.S. so people refer to all Non-boxing and Non-Wrestling martial arts as Karate.
2006-10-09 10:43:49 · answer #5 · answered by John 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just lack of knowledge. People assume all martial arts are the same. They do not realize how many different styles there are. Karate is popular due to television and such. Did you know Spongebob does karate? =)
2006-10-09 10:42:28 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
all people think that any form of martial arts is karate have no clue and have probably just got all of their martial arts knowledge from a movie like the karate kid movies.
karate is just the most popular or most well-known.
lol i dont like karate either im a 2nd degree black belt in tae kwon do.
2006-10-09 11:19:26 · answer #7 · answered by japanese rednek 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Blame the movie "The Karate Kid." You know you loved Billy Zabka. You know you loved the song "You're the best." We are accostumed to listen only to the media, therefore, by its standards, martial arts=karate. Karate also has a larger number of classes in the US than others.
2006-10-09 10:42:13 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Karate and Tae Kwon Do are both Martial Arts. Karate is Okinawin(Japanese) and TKD is Korean. Your instructor probably takes it as an insult when TKD is refered to as karate. Traditional Tae Kwon Do is actually very similar to karate, just more kick oriented.
2016-03-28 02:59:06 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Karate is the most popular martial art. So everyone refers to it.
2006-10-09 13:44:02 · answer #10 · answered by aavenka 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋