The question of which system of Martial Art is "better" is ALWAYS a matter of opinion.

Karate is a term that originally described the origins of hand fighting in China ("Kara" = "Tang" or ancient China during the Tang Dynasty, and "Te" = "hand"). Later, Japanese Shotokan master Gichen Funakoshi suggested that the confusion between Chinese boxing, and Japanese Martial Art be cleared up by changing the characters where "Kara" also means "empty," thus "Karate-Do" means "The way of the empty hand."

Although both Korea and Japan had ancient fighting methods, it is believed that the Chinese hand method was learned and taken back to Okinawa, and became known as "te" or hand. It was modified and developed into a unique Okinawan Martial Art, and later migrated into Japan. Fist fighting from China was also introduced directly into Korea as Tang Su Do ("The way of China Hand), and blended with their native grappling and kicking.

Korea's Martial Art of today has influences that stem back thousands of years into their history and culture, but little is known about direct translation of a specific curriculum. The forms taught up into the 1980's in most TKD schools were directly based on the kata of karate. Yet, modern Taekwondo is based on the unique concept of placing the strongest and longest weapon of the legs as the primary weapon, thus the entire strategy and tactics of Taekwondo differ from all other systems, including many of those that influenced the early founders of Taekwondo.

Each Martial Art system has similar qualities to offer, with different approaches to the same end. The real differences comes not in the art itself, but in the quality of instruction which produces either good, proficient Martial Artists, or improperly trained students. Opinions, and personal preferences vary, but in reality, there is no such thing as one system being "better" than another.

NOTE: Please feel free to add your own opinions, and personal experiences on the discussion page for this question.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

for forms

The concept of solo practice of techniques existed in Japanese Karate, and was not originally a part of Korean Martial Art training. When Taekwondo was being developed between 1944 and 1955, the method of forms used in Shotokan Karate was borrowed, and restructured for Taekwondo tactics. These forms are very different from the original Okinawan kata. Since that time, the official Poomsae (forms) of Taekwondo at the Kukkiwon have been redesigned twice to better reflect the differences in Taekwondo.

for kicks

What distinguishes Taekwondo from other martial arts is its more varied kicking techniques, and its priority towards kicks as a primary weapon. In Taekwondo students can learn to perform multiple kicks while flying and jumping in the air, but such kicks are perhaps not suitable for all students, and are seldom used in real-life self defense. Karate schools generally teach very few or no jumping or flying kicks, but utilize basic kicks as a supplement to the hand and elbow strikes.

for competition

Many Taekwondo schools focus on the competition aspect rather than the martial art, but that varies from instructor to instructor and from school to school. Taekwondo competition is an Olympic sport, while karate is not. The World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) is the sports governing body that establishes the rules for Olympic Taekwondo sparring. Many MMA fighters have a significant striking background in karate. Earning medals might be just the thing you're looking for to help a child build confidence, or it might not appeal to you at all.

for the elderly

Both Karate and Taekwondo can be practiced by the elderly, but techniques and sparring is modified to suit the physical condition of the individual. While younger athletes might perform high kicks, or jumps and spins, these are not required, and elderly students are only required to learn and demonstrate effective self defense skills.

for children

Most Taekwondo schools are set up to handle children's classes, not all karate schools are.

for difficult terrain

The high, powerful flashy kicks of tournament Taekwondo are not suitable for difficult terrain such as sand, ice, rain and slippery surfaces, therefore the Taekwondo fighter learns to adapt and apply the techniques appropriate to the situation. On slippery surfaces, both the attacker and defender are at a disadvantage, and the Taekwondo fighter can lay on the ground and still use very powerful kicks to the knee, groin, ribs, and head. Taekwondo also includes training in hoshinsul (self defense tactics), hapkido, and yudo for grappling and ground-fighting strategies.

for power

Power is more dependent on natural scientific principles which involve body mass, acceleration, reaction force, balance, and proper technique than on training in any particular martial art. Both arts have instructors that teach these well and instructors that teach these poorly.

the schools and the people

Which is better depends on the school, and the instructor. The schools are different every place you go. A good instructor can be much more important than which style you are studying. If the leadership is poor or weak, students might have bad attitudes regardless of the system. Good instructors in both Karate and Taekwondo teach positive attitude, and enforce rules of proper conduct, and moral and ethical behavior. The two martial arts are closely related, so changing from one to another is relatively easily done.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The basic difference between the two, as far as I can tell, are not the moves themselves but how you get there. One theory for increasing power unique to the International Taekwondo Federation (ITF) is the "Sine Wave Motion", a "down, up, down" motion between moves that is believed to build power for a snappy finish. Karate does not use this and simply moves from one move to the next much faster, and many Taekwondo schools do not do this either.

Also it would be erroneous to think TKD is centered on competition: while this does play a part if you want to do such things there is a whole spiritual aspect that is quite beautiful. ---- Like Karate practitioners, Taekwondo students perform a lot of upper body techniques like punching, blocking and striking. What distinguishes Taekwondo from other martial arts is its predominant kicking techniques. In Taekwondo students can learn to perform multiple kicks while flying and jumping in the air.

_____________________________________________________________

(note: If you are going to suggest that one is "better" than the other, regardless of your personal experience, that would be stating an opinion rather than substantiated fact. Any such debatable opinions will be moved to the discussion page. Please use the discussion page for controversial discussion or debate over this topic.)

ORIGIN

The term "Karate" can refer to the ancient "Chinese hand," a martial art that grew out of the Tang Dynasty of ancient China.

"Karate" or "Karate-Do" is also used to mean "empty hand" to describe the Japanese system which grew out of the Okinawa "te" (hand) that many believe migrated there from the earlier Chinese fighting systems.

(note: Karate is often used as a generic term to refer to any system of unarmed fighting, particularly those developed in Asia.)

Taekwondo was developed in Korea by Koreans, and named in 1955. Although the name is relatively new, many of its influences are ancient. Most of the Asian fighting systems have been molded and influenced by neighboring countries, and their military combative skills for centuries, and Taekwondo is no exception to that rule.

PHILOSOPHY

Japanese Karate is based mostly on the Japanese philosophy and way of life.

Taekwondo is based on Korean culture, philosophy, and a very unique way of life that has some similarities to both China and Japan, but differs greatly in many key areas.

TECHNIQUES

Both Karate and Taekwondo contain very similar techniques. There are often differences in position of feet in stances, weight distribution, position of hands before and at the conclusion of a strike, and the path in which a kick takes to get to its target, but most of these are minor, and even vary from school to school within each system.

TACTICS AND STRATEGY

This is probably where the greatest differences are between Taekwondo and other primarily striking systems. While many modern schools of Taekwondo are run by poorly trained instructors lacking proper teaching certification, or those focused on sports, the core of genuine Taekwondo is focused on a well-rounded and balanced training of self improvement, character development, and effective self defense. Therefore, what many people see, or experience in a growing number of cheap knock-off academies is not authentic, traditional Taekwondo.

Many novice mistakenly believe that Taekwondo contains more kicking techniques than hand strikes, or that Taekwondo fighters use very little or no hand strikes. This is a falsehood. The reality is that Taekwondo established a unique approach to fighting, based on the earlier Korean art of "Tae Kkyeon" (kicking method), where the legs become the primary weapon in self defense for safe distance and strength. While training must increase kicks more-so to make them as natural as punching, the hands are used equally as well in Taekwondo, but the hand strikes are viewed more as a supplement to the primary kicks to distract, injure, and set up for the powerful kick.

Karate uses kicks more as a supplement to the hands (opposite of Taekwondo), and works to close the distance and strike with a powerful hand or elbow blow.

SPORT

Both systems are effective forms of self defense, and both have sports of the same name played by rules that enhance and capitalize on their specific skills. However, the sport is not the art, and the two concepts should be understood as being different. The sport is an extension of the art, based on portions of the arts fighting skills, techniques, and tactics, but is not the entire art.

There are many different "styles" or "schools" of karate, and each can have its own belt system. In some of them it cannot even be said that white is the lowest and black is the highest. So it is really more important to understand what Kyu (Japanese/Okinawan) or Gup (Korean) a student is to understand where they are in the progression.

One school of thought is that there are really only two belts - white and black. It was a western invention to add a number of stages between them, though other views believe it was modeled after the Judo levels.

The original belts were created by the Judo founder, Kanō Jigorō, and started with a light blue for a beginner or un-ranked student. White was next, followed by brown and then into black. For a junior (non-adult) student, the belt was purple rather than brown. Red and White were used for 7th and 8th degree and solid red for 9th and 10th. All other system originated out of this system and most know have a specific color for each kyu ranking.

Tang soo do-

• White
• orange
• green
• red
• Chodonbo (red belt with 2 white lines and one black)
• black
• master-black and red

The traditional Okinawan pattern is:

• White
• Yellow
• Green
• Brown
• Black
• Red/White Stripe
• Red

Typically there is a half way point between each of the colors. My style of Shidokan Shorin Ryu uses a color on the last three to six inches of the belt to separate these steps.

• White - 8th Kyu
• Yellow Tip - 7th Kyu
• Yellow - 6th Kyu
• Green Tip - 5th Kyu
• Green - 4th Kyu
• Brown Tip - 3rd Kyu
• Brown - 2nd Kyu
• Black Tip - 1st Kyu
• Black - 1st Dan through 6th Dan
• Red/White - 7th/8th Dan
• Red - 9th/10th Dan

Isshin Ryu. Each belt has divisions, marked by one or two stripes on the end of the belt in the color of the next belt. For example, a white belt in the second stage of progress toward a yellow belt would get one yellow stripe around the end of his white belt. But I don't know if that is an official part of the Ishin Ryu belt system, or just something the sensei of that dojo does so the kids feel like they are making SOME kind of progress.

Keichu Ryu karate, and it went:

• White
• Yellow
• Green
• Purple
• Brown
• Black
• Red/white

I took Kyokushin Karate and this is there belt order:

• Black belt- 1st Dan(highest)
• Brown senior- 1 Kyu
• Brown belt- 2rd Kyu
• Green senior- 3th Kyu
• Green belt- 4th Kyu
• Yellow senior- 5th Kyu
• Yellow belt- 6th Kyu
• Blue senior- 7th Kyu
• Blue belt- 8th Kyu
• Red senior- 9th Kyu
• Red belt- 10 Kyu
• White belt- Beginner

Wado Ryu. The belts are:

• - White belt (ungraded)(10th Kyu)(9th Kyu)
• - Red belt (8th Kyu)
• - Purple belt (7th Kyu)
• - Green belt (6th Kyu)(5th Kyu)
• - Brown belt (4th Kyu)(3rd Kyu)(2nd Kyu)
• - Black belt (1st Kyu)

For Wado-Ryu The Colors Are...

• White
• Blue
• Green
• Purple
• Brown
• Black

In CKD it has 13 belts an starts with white then yellow then purple then orange then blue then a blue with a black strip in the middle running all the way through it then its green then a green with a black strip through it then brown then brown with a black strip going through it then red then red with a black strip going through it then last but not least BLACK then there are 10 degrees of that!

• White
• Yellow
• Orange
• Purple
• Green
• Red
• Red with a black stripe
• Black

White

Yellow

Orange

Green

Blue

Purple

Brown

Black,

one you have then gotten through dan grades, 4th and 5th dan would be red/black block belt. 6th and 7th dan would be red/white block belt. 8th would be a red belt with a stripe of gold and 9th/10th dan would be totally red belt.

To signify the circle of life.

I have been taking Isshin-Ryu for a long time now, and the system I have been in has always Gone From 1st Kyu, to 10th Kyu, then 1st Dan, To 10th Dan

• White
• Yellow
• Gold
• Orange
• Green
• Blue
• Purple
• Brown 3rd Degree
• Brown 2nd Degree
• Brown 1st Degree
• Black

The art I studied, was Ryuku Kempo Karate, and it originated in Okinawa. The Belt System, went White, Yellow, Orange, Green, Blue, Purple, Brown, Adv. Brown, Red, Adv. Red, Black. 1st degree black etc.

The order of the belts depends on which school and style you practice as there are a lot of different types. I practice Shorin-Ryu Okinawan style.

There are 3 different classes for juniors- 5-13 year old.

Beginner/Intermediate:

• White
• Yellow
• Orange
• Orange and White
• Blue

Lower Advanced:

• Blue and White
• Green and White
• Purple
• Purple and White
• Brown and White
• Red

Blue and whites have to learn one kata and certain blocks to advance

Green and White through Red have to learn one empty hand kata, one Bo kata ( the weapon Donatello has in TMNT) Purple and Whites also have to learn the Tonfa Kata (wooden weapon kinda like a side handled police nightstick), Brown and Whites have to learn the Nunchucku Kata, and Red belts have to learn the Sai Kata(raphael's weapon)

Starting at Green and White, you learn Fixed kumites as well, all of this is needed to advance in belt rank.

Upper Advanced:

• Red and White
• Jr.Black Belt (Black and White)
• Jr. Black Belt 1 orange loop
• Jr. Black Belt 2 orange loops
• Jr. Black Belt 3 orange loops
• Jr. Black Belt 4 orange loops
• Red and Black
• Red and Black 1 loop
• Red and Black 2 loops
• Red and Black 3 loops
• Red and black 4 loops
• Probational Black Belt- Black and Gold (if under 15)

If you have the Probational black belt, when you're 15, you can test for the 1st Dan Black Belt. In this class you learn more fixed kumites, katas and start using Kamas along with the other weapons.

Then there's the adult classes: 14- really no age limit

they learn the same things, there's just more than one kata to one belt

• White- in kids class equal to white -blue
• White with Green Tip-equal to blue and white-purple
• Green-equal to purple and white-red and white
• Green with Brown tip-equal to Jr. black- jr. black 2 loops
• Brown- equal to jr.black 3loops- red and black
• Brown with Black Tip red and black 1-4loops
• 1st Dan Black Belt

There are 9 or 10 degrees of black belts in this style- my sensei is an eighth degree black belt.

In order of ascending rank, the usual belts used are white, yellow, orange, green, blue, brown, and black. Some dojos use red for junior white-belt holders and others use a combination of red and white for higher rank black-belt holders.

There is no typical color grading in karate, nor any martial arts. It depends on the dojo itself, on the federation the current dojo is in or the like. What is typical though is that whilst a kid you start at 10th mon going down towards 1st mon. After this you go from 10th kyu to 1st kyu (kyu grades are for none blackbelt "adults"), After this you progress in dan grades from 1st to 10th.

It depends upon the school and style of karate that you are studying. Most places go to yellow. My school goes to orange. We start with white and get orange stripes and then go to orange and go to yellow stripes and then to yellow.

Also some place go 1st degree white belt then 2nd then 3rd

the order is white yellow green purple brown black

the order of belts for Shotokan karate is red, orange, yellow, green, purple, purple and white, brown, brown and white and black although not many reach 10th dan, 10th dans hold a red belt

Takewondo is white, orange, yellow, camo, green, purple, blue, brown, brown, red , red , black-red, and then black.

I do Tae Kwondo, this is the belt system

• White
• Yellow
• Orange
• Green
• Blue
• Purple
• Brown
• Red
• Red 2 (one stripe)
• Red 3 (two stripes)
• Black
• Black 1st Dan to 8th Dan

There is no typical color grading in karate, nor any martial arts. It depends on the dojo itself, on the federation the current dojo is in or the like. What is typical though is that whilst a kid you start at 10th mon going down towards 1st mon. After this you go from 10th kyu to 1st kyu (kyu grades are for none blac kbelt "adults"), After this you progress in dan grades from 1st to 10th.

It depends upon the school and style of karate that you are studying. Most places go to yellow. My school goes to orange. We start with white and get orange stripes and then go to orange and go to yellow stripes and then to yellow.

Also some place go 1st degree white belt then 2nd then 3rd

The order is white yellow green purple brown black

The order of belts for shotokan karate is red, orange, yellow, green, purple, purple and white, brown, brown and white and black although not many reach 10th dan, 10th dans hold a red belt

Some school of Takewondo is white, orange, yellow, camo, green, purple, blue, brown, brown, red , red , black-red, and then black.

I do Shudo Kan Karate and the belt order is white, yellow, orange, blue, purple, green, 3rd brown, 2nd brown, 1st brown, transitional black (white stripe), black belt-10 degrees.

Answer: I'm at a total loss as to why anyone would think karate or any other martial art would stagnate growth. Unless it is run in the form of an ultimate fighting tournament and results in major damage to the person. Martial arts taught by a competent individual should encourage growth.

Use of the muscles and tendons, increased flexibility and improved circulation should all benefit the practitioner and cause them to grow and develop muscles and stronger bones.