| The two most common martial arts practiced in | | | | which simulate fighting against imaginary opponents |
| North America are karate and tae kwon do. Many | | | | using martial arts techniques. The forms from tae |
| wonder what the difference between these two | | | | kwon do would have the opposite percentage |
| martial arts is. This is especially the case for those | | | | breakdown with 40% hands and 60% legs. In tae |
| who are just starting to look around for a martial | | | | kwon do, there is also more emphasis on higher kicks |
| arts studio. After all, most practitioners in both karate | | | | to the head level than in karate. Tae kwon do |
| and tae kwon do seem to wear the same type of | | | | practitioners also utilize more jumping or flying kicks |
| white gi uniforms with various colored belts.Modern | | | | where one is airborne while executing kicking |
| traditional karate was developed in the islands of | | | | techniques. The tae kwon do forms or patterns are |
| Okinawa in Japan after some influences from Chinese | | | | generally a bit shorter and less complex than the |
| martial arts. There are actually different styles of | | | | karate forms. Some tae kwon do schools have been |
| karate but they are all commonly considered as | | | | known to use the odd karate form in its curriculum |
| Japanese martial arts today. The colored belt system | | | | as well.In North America as well as other parts of the |
| was developed to show the various ranks of karate | | | | world, there are separate traditional competitions for |
| practitioners with white depicting novices and black | | | | karate and tae kwon do. However, the open martial |
| belts (with various degrees) representing instructor | | | | arts tournaments in North America often have |
| levels and higher. There is a whole range of other | | | | competitors from both karate and tae kwon do |
| different colors in between. Modern tae kwon do | | | | competing together. Some of the larger open martial |
| was developed in Korea after much influence from | | | | arts competition events will have separate forms |
| Japanese karate during the occupation by Japan. | | | | divisions for Japanese karate and Korean tae kwon |
| Indeed, tae kwon do is sometimes referred to as | | | | do competitors but the fighting or sparring divisions |
| Korean karate. The Koreans adopted similar white | | | | will usually be combined. Many black belts in tae kwon |
| uniforms along with a colored belt ranking system for | | | | do end up studying karate as well and the opposite |
| tae kwon do. Today, there are two main styles of | | | | has been true too. Tae kwon do has received more |
| tae kwon do, one under the International Tae Kwon | | | | publicity in recent years since its introduction as an |
| Do Federation and the other under the World Tae | | | | Olympic sport. The style and rules used for the |
| Kwon Do Federation. Many tae kwon do schools | | | | Olympic version of tae kwon do fighting comes from |
| have added a black lining to their white uniforms for | | | | the World Tae Kwon Do Federation (WTF). Both |
| black belt levels. A V-neck top is often seen in | | | | karate and tae kwon do are considered as hard style |
| schools affiliated with the World Tae Kwon Do | | | | martial arts in North America today (as opposed to |
| Federation. There are also older Korean styles | | | | soft styles such as the many versions of Chinese |
| including tang soo do and moo duk kwan. Some of | | | | kung fu).Clint Leung is a lifelong martial artist with |
| the more Americanized karate and tae kwon do | | | | over 32 years of training experience in kung fu, tae |
| schools also use uniforms with other colors such as | | | | kwon do, karate, kickboxing and martial arts |
| red, black and blue in addition to the traditional | | | | weaponry. He has won Canadian and world |
| white.It can be generalized that in karate, one would | | | | championship titles (NASKA, NBL and WSKF). He is |
| use their arms or hands for 60% of the time for | | | | also owner of Free Spirit Activewear ( , an online |
| strikes or blocks while the use of legs for kicking will | | | | retailer and designer of premium martial arts |
| be about 40%. This breakdown is seen in the many | | | | activewear. |
| forms or katas of karate which are set routines | | | | |