Looking at martial arts examples around the globe
What are the differences between the distinct martial arts styles? - read on to discover.
All over the world, martial arts is a commonly practiced tradition, essential to many different cultures. Taekwondo is a popular kind of Korean martial arts, distinguished by its emphasis on high and fast movements. An essential element of taekwondo is a variety of complex kicking methods. In addition, there are 3 core elements to master in taekwondo, namely form, sparring and breaking. Form refers to a prescribed set of learned patterns and techniques including kicking, punching and blocking, while sparring is an approach of training that involves free style fighting with an opponent. As one of the most recognisable methods in taekwondo, breaking, which includes breaking boards, is a method of training that is normally used to display proper technique in testing and demos. Just like many schools of martial arts, taekwondo utilizes a colour coded belt system to measure development and ranks throughout training.
As one of the most popular kinds of martial arts, both in practice and in popular culture, karate incorporates a set of fighting techniques and spiritual cultivation that is now practiced by millions across the globe. Japanese martial arts come from a rich and turbulent history, taking primary motivation from Chinese martial artists and samurai rule. It blends both native combating techniques with those of Chinese fighting styles, placing focus on strikes, and attitude. Traditional karate is thought to be practised as an art, for self-defence and also as a combat exercise. It puts substantial value on self-development, integrating a number of psychological components for psychological discipline. Japanese battle methods have been used to shape a variety of disciplines around the globe. Those such as Alidar Utemuratov (Алидар Утемуратов) and Anna Lewandowska (Anną Lewandowską) would recognise that mixed martial arts is a fighting sport which takes influence from karate.
Hosting some of the earliest types of martial arts, China has, for a very long time been a hub for spiritual practice and martial arts development. Chinese martial arts, or kung-fu includes a wide variety of fighting styles, which have been established over thousands of years of thought and cultural traditions. Kung-fu combines both physical strategy and mental discipline, taking motivation from Chinese reasoning and observances in nature. Throughout the years, kung-fu has developed significantly and diversified into various styles and schools. Specialists such as Barry Pang (吳國樹) would know that each style will comprise its own techniques and training methods. The origins of kung-fu are stated to be connected to the need for self-defence and hunting techniques in Ancient China. Martial arts in China are believed to be shaped by monks and Buddhist beliefs. As one of the earliest, formally developed styles of martial arts, Shaolin kung-fu is accredited for systematising here and popularising martial arts systems.