Tae Kwon Do.

Tae Kwon Do has strong roots in Korea, where it is believed that it first had its beginnings some two thousand years ago. The essential premise of Tae Kwon Do - built on striking quickly with both the fists and the feet - is that attacks and defenses come very quickly, which is why people have the fight-or-flight instinct. Tae Kwon Do seeks to optimize a fighter's ability to respond to these situations by teaching them the art of punching, kicking, and blocking.

While many martial arts do not totally resemble many preconceptions that many of us in the West would have, Tae Kwon Do is a martial art that looks similar to other striking arts like Karate or Kung Fu. With the emphasis on the limps and not necessarily on body weight and positioning like in jiu jitsu, Tae Kwon Do is considered in the West to be one of the most popular styles of fighting around.

Because Tae Kwon Do's roots go back so far, many people believe that it is the oldest and most ancient martial art in existence. Although other forms of fighting, especially in Western cultures like ancient Sparta, are still remembered today, Tae Kwon Do is one of the oldest martial arts that is still in practice.

Today's smaller globe and the modern popularity of martial arts have given Tae Kwon Do a resurgence in popularity, where world champions are often more recognized and acknowledged for their accomplishments. Although Tae Kwon Do is not as popular as the mixed martial arts (MMA), including jiu jitsu, it remains one of the most widely-used styles of fighting across the world.

If you're interested in learning more about the history of martial arts and about other disciplines, make sure to enter in a Web search on karate or kung fu. These disciplines more closely resemble Tae Kwon Do than western disciplines like wrestling.

Photo Credits: cheetah100

Originally posted 2009-07-29 05:04:07.

Styles and Countries

Many martial arts beginners think that the most popular martial arts form is karate because it is much more prevalent in countries like America due to classic movies such as the Karate Kid, and the media attention that has followed these movie productions.  However, karate really is not as globally popular as you would think.  While it is frequently practiced in America, its popularity across the world does not reach as far.  Depending on the country, there will be a different, more popular martial arts form.  For example, you would find the Judo style prevalent in Japan, the Muay Thai popular in Thailand, and the BJJ frequently practiced in Brazil.

Karate

The art of karate was in fact founded by farmers in Japan.  When the Samurais tried to constantly invade their land, they invented this technique as a form of defense.  Later, the fighting style expanded to all areas of Japan, causing the details of the method to be varied per individual island, such as the residents in Okinawa who had their own karate variation called Okinawa Karate.  The two major emphases on all of these techniques are the elaborate punches and kicks that are exerted and that it is primarily a form of self-defense.

Tae Kwon Do

Another popular form that many know well is Tae Kwon Do.  This style has its roots in Korea and emphasizes powerful kicks and punches, with one of its most popular moves being the roundhouse kick.  This kick is used almost ninety percent of the time as a last resort move to win during in sparring matches.  And the Tae Kwon Do martial art is a great style for any person who has a preference for kicking or would like to learn to kick better.  The styles are represented by three different organizations--the World Tae Kwon Do Federation or WTF, the International Tae Kwon Do Federation or ITF, and the American Tae Kwon Do Association or ATA.  The WTF is on the Olympic level, the ITF is not Olympic but still is used by several countries, and the ATA is only located within one country.

Judo

The next highly popular martial arts style is Judo.  The Judo technique is extremely popular on the islands of Japan and is also considered an Olympic sport.  Interestingly, this style was used as a substitute to Jujitsu back in the early 1800s.  Since Jujitsu was extremely harsh and resulted in many injuries, Judo was created so that those who wanted to learn the style, but did not wish to get hurt seriously hurt. They could practice a technique that was more safe.

Originally posted 2010-03-22 03:19:30.

Is kickboxing for you?

What is Kickboxing?

In simple terms, kickboxing is a form of martial arts that incorporates both boxing (punching with gloves on) with influences of other martial arts, which means that the use of kicking is allowed. Kickboxing has its roots in karate, even though the name suggests that it comes from boxing.

Most people think of kickboxing as being essentially "boxing with kicks," which works as a general statement, but doesn't get to the heart of kickboxing itself. Knee and elbow strikes, headbutting, and takedowns are also incorporate in kickboxing, further separating it from the sport of boxing, which is limited to basic striking and blocking. If a boxer tried to use many of the moves from kickboxing, he would likely get disqualified!

The Goals of Kickboxing

Like many martial arts, the primary goal of kickboxing is self-defense. By learning striking, kicking, blocking, and throws, you should be able to use some of your kickboxing skills in the real world should you ever need them. Kickboxing is also used as a competitive sport and has matches similar to boxing in which a knockout can come into play.

But this isn't the only goal of kickboxing. Today, gyms across the United States will provide kickboxing classes to help people stay in shape; the incorporation of almost every body part helps to create a full-body workout and can really work up a sweat. Kickboxing classes also help people build confidence because they can simultaneously work on their self-defense skills.

Is kickboxing for you?

That will depend on your individual goals and needs. Kickboxing can be useful both as a method of self-defense and way to get in shape. Like many other martial arts, you can also learn self-discipline through the pursuit of kickboxing. Does kickboxing offer you something unique, or do you feel that another martial art is more closely suited to your style? Ultimately, however, only you will be able to answer whether or not kickboxing is right for you.

Photo Credits: teanitiki

Originally posted 2009-08-04 05:28:30.