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A Guide to Martial Arts

There are many types of martial arts. At first glance, they are very similar to each other. However, each of them has its own characteristics.

5-Minute Crafts has studied popular martial arts in detail and will briefly describe each of them.

Karate

Karate is a martial art that originated in Japan on the island of Okinawa. Karate is designed to use defensive and counterattacking body movements. Karate teaches various punches and kicks, as well as blocks for defensive positions. However, the main purpose of Karate is to allow people to become better versions of themselves.

There are 4 main styles in Karate: Goju-ryu, Shotokan-ryu, Wado-ryu, and Shito-ryu. Each of them has its own characteristics, however, each of them relies heavily on the basic principles of karate.

Taekwondo

Taekwondo is a martial art that originated in Korea. Taekwondo is an Olympic sport. The basic principles of this martial art are courtesy, perseverance, self-control, indomitable spirit, and integrity. The main emphasis in Taekwondo is on fast and accurate kicks.

Despite the fact that there are many types of Taekwondo, there are 3 main ones: World Taekwondo Federation (WTF), International Taekwondo Federation (ITF), American Taekwondo Association (ATA).

Each of them has its own characteristics:

  • WTF is the most common style and focuses on powerful spinning kicks and jumps.
  • ITF is a traditional style in which the main emphasis is on punches.
  • ATA is a hybrid of WTF and ITF styles. It focuses more on the use of legs as well as the use of weapons.

During taekwondo classes, athletes use special protection: chest protector, foot protector, forearm guards, gloves, headgear, groin guards, and hand wraps.

Kung Fu

It is generally accepted that Kung Fu is a Chinese martial art. However, Kung Fu is actually a generic term for the various schools of martial arts in China. To achieve the result, each student must adhere to 3 main principles: motivation, self-discipline, and time. It is believed that the student should be inspired to learn and develop the mind and body, and to constantly improve skills, gain knowledge, and gain wisdom. There are many styles of Kung Fu. Some styles are more suitable for large physically developed athletes, while others are suitable for smaller and faster ones. An important part of the training is the development of different types of weapons: a stick, a sword, or any other object that might be at hand.

Muay Thai

Muay Thai is the national sport and martial art of Thailand. Muay Thai is sometimes referred to as the “art of 8 limbs” as there are 8 points of contact that can be used in combat: punches, elbows, knees, and kicks. This allows this to be one of the most effective striking martial arts. Muay Thai techniques can generally be divided into attack, defense, and counter techniques. To become a master of Thai boxing, you need to constantly train and work out the technique to the point that you react properly automatically.

Judo

Judo is another martial art and Olympic sport that originated in Japan. Literally, the word “judo” can be translated as “the path of gentleness.” The fact is, Judo does not include punches or kicks, the fight does not use pressure on the joints or weapons. Judo is the most popular martial art in the world and the second most popular sport after football.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art that originated from the combination of Japanese Jiu-Jitsu and Judo. One of the features of Jiu-Jitsu is that the size of the opponent matters very little. A smaller opponent can easily defeat a larger one if he has more skill and experience. Unlike other martial arts that focus on kicking, Jiu-Jitsu focuses on contact holds and the application of chokes and joint manipulation.

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