What are some differences between Karate and Taekwondo?

[NinjaChristian]

So this is kind of a general question. I practice Chung Do Kwan Taekwondo, but I don't know much about Karate and the styles it encompasses. Recently there has been a Karate brown belt (I don't know what style) going to classes, and he mentioned something about a different blocking system used in Karate. I always assumed that Karate and Taekwondo were pretty similar, but are they?

 

[Tez3]

How long have you got lol? Karate is a generic name for a variety of styles rather than a style itself. Every style has it's differences, Shotokan has longer stances than Wado Ryu, the latter has a fair bit of Juijutsu in it, in Wado we 'do' knife hands and rising blocks a different way from Shotkan. that's just a couple of very basic differences, there's a lot more if you compare all the other styles with each other never mind TKD.

I do think TKD is very different from my style of Wado, it's a different way of moving, a different way of approaching techniques. this is a long watch but includes video of our Founder. Hopefully you can see differences?

This should be a very interesting discussion thread though, I don't know the difference between many of the karate styles though I believe Shotokan is the closest to TKD, not sure but I am sure someone will put me right.

 

[MAfreak]

yes shotokan and teakwondo are very close related. tkd founder was shotokan karateka before.
one can say that tkd even is a karate style but koreans wouldn't ever admit it, because of the japanese-korean past i guess.
forearm blocks and strikes are just the same. kicks also (snapping kicks for example) but tkd focuses more on kicks and puts a lot of spins in.

 

[Jaeimseu]

60-70 years ago Taekwondo was, essentially, Shotokan. Now they are quite different, though they share many techniques (like most striking styles).


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[Earl Weiss]

60-70 years ago Taekwondo was, essentially, Shotokan. Now they are quite different, though they share many techniques (like most striking styles).


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TKD started in 1955 so it could not have been anything 61+ years ago.

 

[Earl Weiss]

...................... I practice Chung Do Kwan Taekwondo, ........

What are the names of some patterns you practice?

 

[Jaeimseu]

TKD started in 1955 so it could not have been anything 61+ years ago.

Obviously, this is technically correct, though I'd say my original statement is still fairly accurate. I'd wager the name change was more abrupt than the stylistic changes that have since occurred.


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[Tez3]

TKD started in 1955 so it could not have been anything 61+ years ago.

Thank you for making me feel old Knowing I am older than TKD doesn't make me feel good lol.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

In practical terms, the differences I have noted between the style I practice (Isshin Ryu karate) and any form of TKD are these:

1) When we spar, we don't hop up and down.
2) We generally do not kick above the waist.
3) We use our hands to block, parry, intercept, redirect, trap, and punch.

There are some powerful TKD techniques and I admire the style as well as many of the practitioners, so I am not trying to put down TKD.

 

[NinjaChristian]

How long have you got lol? Karate is a generic name for a variety of styles rather than a style itself. Every style has it's differences, Shotokan has longer stances than Wado Ryu, the latter has a fair bit of Juijutsu in it, in Wado we 'do' knife hands and rising blocks a different way from Shotkan. that's just a couple of very basic differences, there's a lot more if you compare all the other styles with each other never mind TKD.

I do think TKD is very different from my style of Wado, it's a different way of moving, a different way of approaching techniques. this is a long watch but includes video of our Founder. Hopefully you can see differences?

This should be a very interesting discussion thread though, I don't know the difference between many of the karate styles though I believe Shotokan is the closest to TKD, not sure but I am sure someone will put me right.

That is a long video! I watched some of the "Two man kata" and some sparring. It seems that in Wado there is a much greater emphasis on hand strikes and grappling, where in TKD both are included but not emphasized as much as kicks. Definitely big difference in movement, and how an opponent is approached. Thanks for your input! I hope others will post information on there styles.

 

[NinjaChristian]

What are the names of some patterns you practice?

So far I know Chon-ji, Dan-Gun, Do-San, And Won-Hyo.

 

[Tez3]

That is a long video! I watched some of the "Two man kata" and some sparring. It seems that in Wado there is a much greater emphasis on hand strikes and grappling, where in TKD both are included but not emphasized as much as kicks. Definitely big difference in movement, and how an opponent is approached. Thanks for your input! I hope others will post information on there styles.

Not so much an emphasis on hand strikes I think, we have a far wider range of kicks than I know TKD has. The basis I think for Wado is more body centric rather than limb centric, there's more an economy of movement I find that perhaps other styles have.We have 'smaller' movements more as you would find in Aikido and Kendo. Unnecessary movements shouldn't be performed which can make doing them more difficult but they are very effective. I love the Wado katas for this. They are a joy to do.

 

[Dirty Dog]

tkd founder was shotokan karateka before.

What TKD founder? There is no such person. TKD was developed by a cooperative effort of a lot of people who had varying backgrounds. Certainly Shotokan was a major (probably THE major) background source, but it certainly was not the only art from which the founders of TKD drew.

In practical terms, the differences I have noted between the style I practice (Isshin Ryu karate) and any form of TKD are these:

1) When we spar, we don't hop up and down.

Neither do we. This is primarily a trait seen in sport-oriented schools.

2) We generally do not kick above the waist.

We do.

3) We use our hands to block, parry, intercept, redirect, trap, and punch.

So do we.

One out of three "differences" is real.

 

[NinjaChristian]

....we have a far wider range of kicks than I know TKD has....

Could you give some examples of kicks that are not found in Taekwondo, but are in Wado?

 

[Tez3]

Could you give some examples of kicks that are not found in Taekwondo, but are in Wado?

All kicks, by the way, are done off both legs and also in both rear and forward stance.

I'll give a list and you can tick off what you know/do lol.
Maegeri Front kick
Mawashigeri round kick
Yokogeri side
Ushirogeri back
Kingeri groin
Fumikomi stamping kick
Hizageri knee kick
ushiro Kingei backward groin kick
Soto Mawashigeri outward groin kick
Mikazukigeri crescent kick
Soto Mikazukigeri outward crescent kick
Ushiro Mawashigeri back round kick
Otoshigeri dropping kick

We also do an inverse crescent kick which is like a figure four, I can't describe it very well though, I find showing much easier.

Tobigeri are jumping kicks, all of the above can be done jumping, some can also be done in jumping scissors style too. sidekick can be done jumping or 'flying. Kicks are often combined with hand/arm strikes.

 

[TrueJim]

tkd founder was shotokan karate before...

It's funny that people keep saying this.

• Shotokon - Won Kuk Lee, Byung Jick Ro, Choi Hong Hi
• Shūdōkan - Byung In Yoon
  
• Shitō-ryū - Kwe Byung Yoon

Even if you ignore the influence of Chinese martial arts, there's at least three different styles of karate alone that were represented in early taekwondo.

 

[dancingalone]

So this is kind of a general question. I practice Chung Do Kwan Taekwondo, but I don't know much about Karate and the styles it encompasses. Recently there has been a Karate brown belt (I don't know what style) going to classes, and he mentioned something about a different blocking system used in Karate. I always assumed that Karate and Taekwondo were pretty similar, but are they?

I hold instructor level dan ranks in both TKD (KKW, though I am also ranked in Jhoon Rhee TKD, an outgrowth from a Chung Do Kwan early graduate) and Goju-ryu karate. The primary difference in blocking from my perspective stems from the extensive use of mawashi-uke in Goju, though really it's more of an entry and grappling technique IMO even if beginner students don't realize that at first.

Otherwise, the same usual stuff like low, high, and middle 'blocks' are present in both styles as are the esoteric crane beak blocks and such. I will say that more people in Goju are aware and recognize that their system is actually a close range fighting style. TKD arguably has changed or evolved from that, depending on whom you speak to, and IMO the traditional blocks are artifacts from an earlier time that really don't make a lot of sense without the accompanying context that has been left out intentionally or not.

 

[dancingalone]

It's funny that people keep saying this.

• Shotokon - Won Kuk Lee, Byung Jick Ro, Choi Hong Hi
• Shūdōkan - Byung In Yoon
  
• Shitō-ryū - Kwe Byung Yoon

Part of the reason for that is that none of the recognizable components from Shudokan or Shito-ryu remain in my opinion if you look at mainline TKD (which is KKW - also in my opinion). Really, Shotokan too for KKW style taekwondo. However if you look at splinter Moo Duk Kwan/Tang Soo Do and Chung Do Kwan schools which kept apart from the unification, I think I can argue it's easier to see the Shotokan link there.

I don't see any Tomari or Naha karate in TKD today. Do you?

 

[MAfreak]

What TKD founder? There is no such person. TKD was developed by a cooperative effort of a lot of people who had varying backgrounds. Certainly Shotokan was a major (probably THE major) background source, but it certainly was not the only art from which the founders of TKD drew.

Choi Hong Hi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
and that it wasn't the only source is exactly what i said.

 

[dancingalone]

Choi Hong Hi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
and that it wasn't the only source is exactly what i said.

While I am inclined to believe General Choi had some karate training, that Wikipedia entry seems a little too enthusiastic, claiming that he studied directly with Funakoshi Sensei.