Comments on: How You Can Benefit From Karate And Tae Kwon Do

By: Torbjorn K

Torbjorn K — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:09:59 +0000

I’d say that 8-9 is a better time to start any kind of martial art, but it depends on how good your child is at following instructions, and how developed his or her muscular control is.

The difference between karate and taekwondo may be very small in actuality, the above posts notwithstanding, since many schools (at least in the US) call what they do karate when it is actually taekwondo. The main reason for doing so is that the general population is more familiar with the term "karate."

The difference between a good and a bad school is much more important – go and visit, and see if you and your child feel comfortable in the dojo/dojang ("training hall" in respectively Japanese and Korean). You should also be offered at least one free "tryout" class before committing to anything.

The benefits of practising any martial art over a prolonged period of time are, in no particular order, increased cardiovascular endurance, better strength, better posture, (usually) a longer attention span, and possibly better grades in school – the latter probably due to the martial art’s focus on rules and working within a hierarcy.
References :

By: dhswrestler12

dhswrestler12 — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:07:59 +0000

People like to talk about this sort of thing like they know each art intimately. Truth is, they're very different styles and both will help your child defend himself. I would go with whichever dojo you think has a better mentality and will give the best education for the price.
References :

By: Michael G

Michael G — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:05:59 +0000

Honestly I hate the ‘my style is better than your style’ things because there is no ‘winning’ in the end. Also theoretically you can learn at least 1 thing useful from each art, LOL. However if you look at doing an art not just to defend yourself but to survive well…

Okinowan/Japanese Karate-Do techniques are 50% kicks & 50% hand techniques. Some Karate styles have high kicks in a limited manner while others have only low kicks (which are more realistic/practical).

Korean Tae Kwon Do techniques are 70% feet and 30% hand techniques. TKD is great for exercise/sports. However their kicks are not only 70% of the cirriculum but they’re very acrobatic. The kicks look beautiful when properly executed but the movies aren’t like real life. High kicks are easy to block and cause unstable balance when you plant your feet back on the ground in which case you have to hurry to get back into a defensive stance before you are attacked again.
Also high kicks even done by people who have been doing TKD for many, many years often miss their targets. TKD is undoubtedly much faster then Karate-Do but what Karate-Do has that TKD lacks is power/force behind the techniques.

I can say from personal experience, I have done both Karate-Do and TKD, and I have gotten into a scrap or two on the street and I didn’t use one TKD technique. I really have Karate to thank.
References :
Martial Artist/ Martial Arts Buff

By: MJR

MJR — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:03:59 +0000

Your first and foremost concern should be the quality of the school that you are sending your child too. Examine the classes, observe the environment, the mood, the people training. then ask yourself which one you would rather see your child engaged in. Some schools (from both styles) can get ultra macho, and that might not be something you want your impressionable child to be in. Let it be known that both styles have a philosophical base that emphasize that fighting should be avoided at all costs, and should only be used as a last resort. If a school does not teach this, that should be a red flag to you.

If both styles appear to have good schools, I would next examine your child’s personality, because both styles cater to a different outlook on life. Remember, both styles can be used effectively, both as a confidence booster, instiller of discipline, and as a means of self-defense. Anyone that tells you otherwise is trying to sell you something

Karate is more straight to the point, no nonsense, and focused. Karate fighters use powerful punches and kicks to end the fight quickly. If your child is not the type that fools around, or is blunt and to the point, they might find Karate more enjoyable.

Tae Qwon Do, on the other hand, is much flashier, but that is certainly not to say that it is less effective. It uses lots of kicks and elaborate footwork to aggressively attack the opponent and get away. Proficient artists will look very impressive while doing their art. If your child is more outgoing, and likes to impress people, they would probably love Tae Qwon Do.

Both styles are perfectly capable of starting your child immediatly. I used to work at a Karate dojo, and we had children as young as 6 who took karate, and loved it. I have known Tae Qwon Do schools that also start their children off that young. Either way, I highly recommend that you start your children off on the martial arts. They are a great way to build character, teach discipline and focus, and make friends.
References :

By: apisfl07

apisfl07 — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:01:59 +0000

the best thing to do is find a good school first. Tae kwon do means the art of kicking and punching. karate means the art of opened hand. karate is a very technical art and is hard to learn at a young age of 7. i started tae kwon do when i was 4 and with a good instructor your child could go a long way.

tae kwon do as a very athletically challenging style though. and it is some thing that your child will have to under stand,
hope this helps you in your decision
karate has many styles and names which i have studied some. karate i general i very good as well. but like i have said and others to i depends on the school and more so your child.
References :

By: yupchagee

yupchagee — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:59:59 +0000

Tae Kwon Do is Korean & uses more foot techniques. Karate is either Okinawan which uses more hand techniques or Japanese which uses about equal hand & foot. I study & teach Tae Kwon Do & I can tell you it is a great activity for children (& parents, I started with my then 7 yr old son). The minimum age is about 5. The name of the style is far less important than the quality of the instruction. Look around & find a good school in your area.
References :

By: jo_jo82

jo_jo82 — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:57:59 +0000

TKD focuses mostly on kicking where as karate (depending on the style of) is more well rounded as far as striking goes. i don’t recommend and ATA school. their system is mostly about money and not the individual. i would shop around for a school that you would feel comfortable with. try to find a place that isn’t about the money and works with children. i’ve been in with an instuctor that did his classes through the YMCA and had a quite a few younger children for a while in his class. i saw that some children just didn’t get it at all and they slowed down the class more than anything. after you find a school, i would take your child there for a few classes, just to see how your child does for a while. if you’re going to invest time and money into this, you need to make sure your child is mature enough to take. i’m sure who ever the instrutor is will understand that.

oh, and i would try to find a place that trained mixed martial arts of some sort instead of just TKD or karate.
References :

By: Aga

Aga — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:55:59 +0000

Karate is a martial at that involves manipulation of all extremities(limbs) in order to execute the neutralization of the foe. In other words, it is the most general of all martial arts, no focus whatsoever. The advantage of Karate is that it is general meaning it easy to learn without worries of execution on actual situations. It can give a good exercise on all systems developing cardio and respiratory ten fold. Tae-Kwon-Do however focuses on the lower extremities(legs) using the legs as much as possible, trying to release the best potential of a person as a kicker, jumper, sprinter. The only problem with Tae is that it is a high level art and i recommend that you wait for your son to turn 10 atleast before taking this on.
References :

By: Xin Yao

Xin Yao — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:53:59 +0000

well there are many types of karate and taekwondo but ill get the basics down. karate is from japan and taekwondo is from korea. in taekwondo, it is mostly 70 percent kicks and 30 percent hand techniques. ignore people who say that taekwondo is not an effective self defence martial art. it is both sport and martial art. in taekwondo you will have lots of fun and learn many important characteristics for a child.
i don’t know a whole lot about karate but it is basically like taekwondo. both martial arts are great for beginners. you will learn more hand techniques and throws in karate than taekwondo.
i strongly recommend both for a child to do. what is most important though, is finding a good teacher. there is no such thing as a bad student, only a bad teacher
References :

By: David N

David N — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:51:59 +0000

Karate (for the most part) is from Japan.
Taekwon Do is from Korea.
.
References :