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