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WABUKAN Journal · Comparisons · 空手 · 태권도

Karate or taekwondo? Origins, techniques, rules and training side by side

· 4 min read

Karate and taekwondo are two of the most practised martial arts in the world. Both use punches and kicks, both have forms, belts and an Olympic history, and both are often confused by those who are just starting. But they come from different places, train differently and, in competition, reward different things. Here is a side-by-side comparison.

Origins

Karate was born in Okinawa, in the old kingdom of the Ryūkyū islands, from local fighting methods (te) mixed with Chinese influences. In 1922, Gichin Funakoshi gave a demonstration in Tokyo and stayed to teach it on the Japanese mainland. The name was first written 唐手, "Chinese hand"; in 1936 Okinawan masters adopted the writing 空手, "empty hand". Read more in our article on Okinawa-te.

Karate: low stances and a balance of hand and leg techniques.
Karate: low stances and a balance of hand and leg techniques. WABUKAN illustration

Taekwondo was born in Korea after 1945. Several of its founders had trained karate in Japan during the Japanese occupation of Korea and, back home, opened schools (kwan) that mixed this karate with Korean traditions such as taekkyeon. In 1955 the name taekwondo, "the way of the foot and the fist", was adopted, under the leadership of General Choi Hong-hi. Two major organisations followed: the ITF (1966), founded by Choi, and the WTF, now World Taekwondo (1973), linked to the Kukkiwon in Seoul.

Techniques

This is the most visible difference. Karate seeks a balance between hands and legs: straight punches, blocks, elbow and knee strikes, and kicks generally aimed at the body. Stances are lower and more stable, and many styles also teach throws, sweeps and joint locks inside the kata.

Taekwondo is famous for its kicks: high kicks, jumping kicks and spinning kicks, often thrown at the head. Stances are lighter and more mobile, with constant footwork to manage distance. The hands are used, but in sport taekwondo they play a much smaller role.

Both arts also share a tradition of breaking boards, tiles or bricks to test the power and precision of a technique: tameshiwari in karate, gyeokpa in taekwondo. In taekwondo it is part of many grading exams and demonstrations; in karate it is more associated with certain styles, such as kyokushin.

Taekwondo: the Korean art is known for high and spinning kicks.
Taekwondo: the Korean art is known for high and spinning kicks. WABUKAN illustration

Forms

Both arts preserve choreographed sequences of techniques. In karate they are called kata (Heian, Bassai, Kankū and many others, depending on the style). In taekwondo, the first forms were inspired by karate kata; later, the ITF created its own tul and the Kukkiwon the poomsae (Taegeuk and others). Today both arts also hold competitions in forms.

Uniform, place and language

Karate is practised in a dojo wearing a karategi, a white jacket closed by the belt. Taekwondo is practised in a dojang wearing a dobok: in World Taekwondo it has a V-neck and is pulled over the head, while the ITF keeps a wrap-around jacket. Both arts begin and end classes with a bow, but the language changes: in karate the counting and the names of techniques are in Japanese (ichi, ni, san), in taekwondo in Korean (hana, dul, set). The teacher is called sensei in karate and sabeomnim in taekwondo.

Competition

In WKF karate (the federation recognised by the IOC), kumite is fought with light contact and controlled techniques. Points depend on the technique: a punch is worth less than a kick to the head or a takedown followed by a strike. The aim is to show a clean, controlled technique at the right distance. Other forms of karate, such as kyokushin, use full contact, without punches to the head.

In World Taekwondo, athletes wear a chest protector and helmet, and since the 2012 Olympic Games points have been recorded by electronic sensors. Kicks to the head and spinning kicks are worth more than simple techniques, which explains the style seen at the Olympics: many kicks, few punches, and constant play with the front leg.

The Olympic Games

Taekwondo was a demonstration sport in 1988 and 1992 and became an official Olympic sport in Sydney 2000; it has been part of the programme ever since. Karate made its debut only at Tokyo 2020, held in 2021, and was not included in the following Games. Both continue to have world championships and continental events every year.

Training and who it suits

Both arts are suitable for children and adults and develop coordination, flexibility, discipline and fitness. A karate class usually includes kihon (basics), kata and kumite; a taekwondo class gives more time to kicking drills, flexibility and mobility. Those who like precise, rooted techniques and a broad range of tools may prefer karate; those who enjoy speed, agility and spectacular kicks will feel at home in taekwondo. In the end, the quality of the teacher and the club matters more than the name of the art.

Summary

Discover both in detail on the pages for karate and taekwondo, and read our article on taekwondo.

Timeline

  1. 1922Funakoshi demonstrates karate in Tokyo.
  2. 1936Okinawan masters adopt the writing 空手, 'empty hand'.
  3. 1955The name taekwondo is adopted in South Korea.
  4. 1966 / 1973ITF and WTF (now World Taekwondo) are founded.
  5. 2000Taekwondo debuts as an Olympic sport in Sydney.
  6. 2021Karate at the Tokyo 2020 Games (held in 2021).

Related pages on Wabukan

karate taekwondo Master: Gichin Funakoshi Master: Choi Hong-hi Okinawa-te: the roots of karate Article: taekwondo Article: kyokushin

Sources

Original WABUKAN text, written from these cross-checked sources (facts, not sentences).

  1. World Karate Federation — Kumite Competition Rules
  2. World Taekwondo — Competition Rules & Interpretation
  3. Gichin Funakoshi, Karate-Do: My Way of Life, Kodansha, 1975
  4. Alex Gillis, A Killing Art: The Untold History of Tae Kwon Do, ECW Press, 2008
  5. Comité Olímpico Internacional — Taekwondo; Karate