What is the world's most poular martial art? Tae Kwon Do often makes this claim, but Tai Chi may have more practitioners--though many are doing it for health rather than martial reasons.
World's Most Popular Art?
- Thread starter arnisador
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As the numbers here on Martial Talk will bear out, the most popular martial art in the world has got to be American Kenpo.
Are you forgetting the billions of people in Asia that haven't discovered martial talk.com?
We are working on em, slowly.
My guess would be Tai Chi, but its only a guess.
:asian:
CrushingFist
Blue Belt
My Guess would be Tai Chi, Karate & Kung Fu(but less likely thank Tai Chi and Karate)
Where in the world there's no karate ?
Where in the world there's no karate ?
TallAdam85
3rd Black Belt
All Depends who you ask If u ask some one in china they will say kung fu. In Japan the will say karate.
I am not realy to sure I would have to say karate just for the name of it cause most have up the word karate out side cause everyone know what that is. So the school may teach Judo but they have adds for karate. But Just my opion.
Maybe Yoga But not sure if you count that as a martial art:asian:
I am not realy to sure I would have to say karate just for the name of it cause most have up the word karate out side cause everyone know what that is. So the school may teach Judo but they have adds for karate. But Just my opion.
Maybe Yoga But not sure if you count that as a martial art:asian:
K
Kirk
Guest
I heard it was "karate".
Depends on who you ask. Alot seems to go in the direction of MMA/NHB/Grappling.
Mike
Mike
T
tonbo
Guest
I think that there are many, many proponents of Nike-do, the art of running away quickly......
That aside, I would think that Tai Chi, Karate, Kung Fu, and TKD are all up there....however, with all the substyles of each, you could get into an even finer level of debate, here.
Good question, though.
Perhaps we are all overlooking the obvious: what about proponents of the all-so-simple *boot to the groin*??
Peace--
That aside, I would think that Tai Chi, Karate, Kung Fu, and TKD are all up there....however, with all the substyles of each, you could get into an even finer level of debate, here.
Good question, though.
Perhaps we are all overlooking the obvious: what about proponents of the all-so-simple *boot to the groin*??
Peace--
R
RCastillo
Guest
Has to be TKD. I'm surrounded by it all through out Texas! It dominates the media, all the seminars point to how much studios bring in, with the main target, KIDS!
I guess it also depends on what you want to get out of the art. SD, competition, etc. TKD, at least it seems to me, seems to be very sport oriented. I don't see too many schools that actually teach the traditional, combat aspect of it.
Mike
Mike
Without a doubt, Tai Chi. In mainland China alone the estimate is 400 million practitioners who do Tai Chi every day of their lives.
R
RCastillo
Guest
Would you consider the ITF to be in the same way?:asian:
I don't know much about TKD. I'm only going on what I've seen. Would I study it? No. I do believe though that there is something to learn from every art, so I don't want to sound like I'm totally bashing TKD. It's just not something that I prefer. The TKD that I've seen does not look that practical. I've seen alot of them throw kicks with their hands down. That might be fine in point sparring, but on the street, why take the chance of eating a punch. You are going to fight like you train, and if you train with your hands down, you're going to fight like that on the street too!
Mike
M
MartialArtist
Guest
Like any art, it depends on the school.
And there is no such thing as a superior art.
Less then 1% of Asians in Asia study martial arts. There is a very misguided stereotype that martial arts are a popular thing in Asia.
Damian Mavis
Master Black Belt
I'm kind of shocked by some of the answers here.... someone actually said they thought MMA was up there? Uh. no. Regardless of what you think of a martial art (whether you think Tai Chi is just breathing and stretching with no martial art aspect or TKD is just for sport) the bottom line is that those 2 arts dominate for worldwide numbers. What you think of them has no bearing. Tai Chi is huge because of it's widespread practice in China. TKD is huge because of it's appeal to kids and families worldwide coupled with it's huge organisations pushing the spread of the art. If you think something hardcore like MMA or Muay Thai or boxing can compete with millions upon millions of old people, children and families for numbers your nuts.
Damian Mavis
Honour TKD
Damian Mavis
Honour TKD
grimfang
Green Belt
i hope i am not opening up a can of worms here.. its not my intention...
Tai Chi is pretty big, especially with the Fung Goa Long (i think thats what its called... feel free to correct me on that) movement in China.... as the government is forced to loosen its control over the activity, it will spread even faster.
The area of martial arts that i see a huge potential for rapid growth is the various forms of Silat. Its no secret that the muslim faith is continuing to spread at a rapid rate. SOME Silat schools already focus heavily on muslim religious text during classes... not all, i said SOME. If the muslim faith, as a group, chose to completly integrate martial arts training with their teachings, it would quickly become the most widespread system.
Tai Chi is pretty big, especially with the Fung Goa Long (i think thats what its called... feel free to correct me on that) movement in China.... as the government is forced to loosen its control over the activity, it will spread even faster.
The area of martial arts that i see a huge potential for rapid growth is the various forms of Silat. Its no secret that the muslim faith is continuing to spread at a rapid rate. SOME Silat schools already focus heavily on muslim religious text during classes... not all, i said SOME. If the muslim faith, as a group, chose to completly integrate martial arts training with their teachings, it would quickly become the most widespread system.
