Is kung fu better than karate?
929548
There is no "best" art. Shaolin Temple Boxing (Kung Fu) & Karate are both fine martial arts. There are more differences among different Chinese styles than there are between Chinese & Japanese styles or between Chinese & Korean styles etc.\nFind a good instructor & good luck.
488543
Tae Kwon Do is great for discipline and health, but I suggest that you learn about martial arts first to determine which art you prefer. try the library, and get a\nMartial arts encyclopedia. be careful their are instructors who claim to be certified to teach but aren't
1103333
Kung fu's not a martial art. It's the generic Chinese term for martial arts in general. So no, I don't think that martial arts are overrated. Some styles are, some aren't.\n\nUnless you had a specific one in mind?
840224
Bruce Lee actually explained it pretty well in relatively simple terms: think of Karate as an iron bar, think of Kung-Fu as an iron chain.\n\nBoth are very powerful, but emphasize different aspects (philosophies, reasonings, not necessarily movements) to fighting.\n\nTangibly, I would say it has been my experience in Korean systems at the beginning of my martial arts training, we practiced hard on blocking and then counter-attacking. Since my Chinese systems training, emphasis has been placed more so on evading while attacking simultaneously.
527744
well duh. Wrestling: breaking ones neck. Kung fu: Dim mak. etc etc...every martial arts has lethal techniques. Why do you think they're called martial? Mars..roman god of war...
427281
Wow, you just opened a can of worms with that question. There's always a big debate about "which is the best style?" and "is there such a thing as a best style?"\n\nI am of the opinion that there is no best style, but some styles are better for certain goals than others. Tae Kwon Do is good for those who want to take up martial arts purely for sport and competition. But I wouldn't pick up TKD if self-defence is your main goal. \nAnd just a note, usually, how you get along with the instructor is much more important than the style. If you plan on taking up any martial art, see what you think of the instructor, and then move on to the following steps (choosing a style, etc.)\n\nEvery style has its benefits, so why not tell us what your goal is, and we could help you out.
906472
I have taught Wing Chun Kung Fu for several years - while you may be able to learn some set movements in this way, there is much about stance, power generation and centre of gravity that can not be learnt by copying from a video.\nFind yourself a good reputable instructor and go for it!
1174182
the difference between choi kwang do and tae kwon do is this one:\nchoi<------->tae\nang<-------->on\nyeah... booring
738295
karate-i took kempo, but tae-kwon-do is also modernized.  make sure it is self-defense-not to be a "gangsta".  i wrestled for six years-that helps with close self defence significantly
453078
first of all, to be politically correct, Karate is not Kung Fu. If you want to asked who is the best Martial Artist Instructor of all time, it would be Bruce Lee. Bruce Lee teached Jeet Kun Do a different type of martial arts. But if you wanted to know who is the best KARATE instructor, I guess Chuck Norris since he got several schools still going on.
1064033
Wushu is more acrobatic, traditional kung fu is more for fighting.\nBoth are going to have their share of fanatics, so learn to shut down conversations with these fanatics gently.
756999
is break dancing as effective as kung fu?
1145651
That depends on what you want out of it. They are all different. They all have strengths and weaknesses. I teach and train in Karate but that's because it's right for me, not necessarily for you. Here are some brief descriptions of the major arts.\n\nKarate - linear punching and kicking (similar to boxing and kickboxing)\nJudo - ground work, grappling, locks and throws\nTai-chi - slow beautiful movements used for exercises\nTae-kwon-do - A lot of kicking (and shouting)\nAikido - Circular movements with locks, holds and throws (non aggressive)\nKung-Fu - Chinese art that is very flashy and great for tournaments.\n\nThe best thing to do is to find an art for you, go to different Dojo's and watch classes. Most Dojo's will let you take a free class. Find whats best for you and work hard. Later you can add another art that compliments your first one.
1061845
Look into Wing Chun (Kung Fu) Very effective.
1138889
Yes, but each school has it's sashes (belts). Some schools use colored belt (the same order of Karate), some schools use just few colors, (white, gray, black and red), some schools have no belts....\nIn shaolin temple they use black belt for students and yellow for masters. \nSome traditional kung fu school use the yellow-gold belt for masters and the red for Granmasters.\nIn tradition, in China, the white belt became black when dirty...\nIn each case, "the belt is only to keep up the pants..."\nThe belt is no important, in Kung fu, like in Japan martial arts, is used just to subdivide the program.
1014731
yes I agree...\nKarate and TKD forms are self explanitory and you dont need to be a master to understand how to use them.\nKung fu, is designed to be deceptive and are really hard to figure out how to use by just sight alone unless you practice kungfu with masters. Kung fu people usually being more secretive and select and traditional would LOATH at the idea of anything more than basics being put online. Its respectful to the tradtion of the kung fu you are learning to find a teacher that has lineage. \nthat brings everything full circle.\nyou can learn from a book,dvd, online but unless you are already a master and good already, you wont be contributing to the real spirit of wholeness that kung fu is built upon.\nEthic values persay... for lack of words...\n\ndo a "bit-torrent" search for \nkarate, tkd, kung fu.. ect...\nI found lots of whole dvds to pirate. \nthose fools uploaded a map of their defenses to me for free!\n\n\nyes fun fact is right - kung fu means Hard work translated.\nIts an unbrella term used in anything you bust ass at and do it good. You have good kung fu if you work hard and do good. \nIts full circle. the systems have different names,... those martial systems are geared towards self enlightenment or understanding usually. Not always, but usually... and if they dont know kung fu means work hard at anything and never give up, bounce from the ground back up higher than before,.... avoid them... I cant see a chinese system that calls itself kung fu not knowing this...  even wushu players can have good kung fu,... but a good kung fu artist might not be the best wushu player at first... kinda weird... \nyou can pour tea with good kung fu...\nyou can clean and have kung fu that is connected directly with that. Its mental.. its philosophy.. not religion or spirituality... although some view it as such.. but i wouldnt dare tell them that.. \nand you should find out what it means to you... dont take my word that its just philosophy.. I dont wanna give you the wrong idea... so.. remember that...  \nI can help you learn some forms across the internet...\nI have dvd's and stuff...\nbut I wont share them with general public...\n\nNever settle with a half ass teacher...\nnever... its better to have no teacher than one that teaches you wrong... I can say from personal experience... \nif you get hurt from the wrong teachings, it can harm you and ail you for life... something like a knee injury can happen quick.\nThen again, you can hurt yourself by yourself alot quicker...\nso... lesson is...  practice, practice, practice...\nI didnt get to where I can do a 720 cresent by not trying, but I didnt rush and twist my leg horribly..\nTeachers provide a pace, and to see you from the outside... and to make sure you get it right.... \nIve seen people without teachers... They tend to rush themselves in the fact they wont accept they cant do something,... cut a flip, and they just couldnt do it...\nthey got hurt... some landed and did ok...\nSince you will have no qualified instruction, or person to watch and make sure the fine points are correct,... you will have to practice and train twice as many hours... \n\nIm willing to help you if you send some video files on the computer... I wont train you forever... but I'll be willing to get your boat afloat, sails hoisted, chart plotted, and help you find a Master, but, if your really serious,... its a life long practice, and you will travel great distances for a good master. \nYou just cant not practice and still do a 720...\nif I stop for a month... I run risk of not having control... \nJust cause I know how to do it, doesnt mean I can actually do it..\nIf your just looking for fighting techniques alone...  few in any martial art will work... it makes no sense not to be fit and be into martial arts... You just have to be strong to get the technique to work... even jiujitsu... I got a black belt in it.. you cant be lolly gaggin and not have a firm grip on the person.
861940
A lot of good answers above.\n\nIt is important for you to determine your main motivation and goal for wanting to learn a martial art. If it is self defense, esp. for the street, TKD would be better than aikido, but there are more practical arts out there for that (which have been mentioned above). Aikido is a very different style than most arts... no offensive moves (in what I consider the pure forms, there are harder styles), and focuses on relaxation, not tension/ resistance. It has a greater philosophical component, and it takes a long time to learn to react appropriately, since those reactions tend to be contrary to natural instinct. Someone grabs your wrist, the impulse is to tense up and resist the pull, not relax. An instructor said that it would take about 10 years for a student to get to the point to be truly effective in a self defense situation.\n\nI've taken different styles from here and there... ju-jitsu, karate... but hadn't really found one that fit my personality. The goal for me evolved from being practical self defense to wanting to learn a martial art "for the art". I'm a very non-aggressive person. I'm 5'1", and am not going to want to, nor be very effective, in wading in, doing a lot of damage, and get back out, as a lot of hard styles advocate. It just wasn't me. \n\nI found my way to aikido, and that was just the art for me. It is a very philosophical art, which I love. Having no offensive moves fits in well with my personal style, and the art lends itself to people with low centers of balance, so being short is actually a plus. It's a good fit all around for me.\n\nSo it really helps to examine your reasons for learning, and giving different styles out there a try and see what you like and don't like. Good advice from above also in regards to places to study. Be wary of the McDojo's... sit in on classes and get a feel for if the instructor is a good teacher, and does the teaching style fit what you want. If they have large class sizes, how much personal attention do they give to the students... all good things to consider.