How is Tae Kwon Do different from kenpo?

Answer 1

Kickboxing - Primarily a sport of hands with added kicks

Taekwondo - Primarily a Martial Art with kicks at its core, and sport as separate activity with rules that limit the full art.

Kickboxing is intended to be a sport which combines the standard techniques of boxing with basic kicks. It is extended into the realm of general fitness for health, and can even improve one's ability to fight for self defense. While boxing type gloves are often used to cushion the blows to the face, the feet are usually unpadded. Most of the kicks are diagonal roundhouses directed to the leg (knee or inner and outer thigh) to distract or hobble the opponent, and set up for a powerful punch. Occasionally, a fighter might kick a basic front kick, or roundhouse to the midsection (abdomen or ribs), or even to the head. Some competition rules might allow the use of knees to the body or head.

Conversely, Taekwondo was designed to be a highly disciplined Martial Art that focuses on an in-depth change of a person's way of life, philosophy, character, and an effective form of self defense originating in Korea, and based primarily around the techniques and tactics of using the legs foremost, with hands being a formidable, but supplementary weapon. Taekwondo is a full range fighting system that also includes joint locks and joint manipulations, take-downs and throws, and various ground-fighting grappling skills that are unique to Taekwondo's tactics and preference for striking.

Taekwondo has also been evolved as a Martial sport, both separate from the Martial Art, and as a supplement to the training. There are specific rules for tournament geared toward Taekwondo competition that promote safety, as well as display of advanced kicking. Therefore, for the purpose of competition, Taekwondo rules do not permit clenching, grabbing, pushing, throwing, or any ground-fighting. Different Taekwondo organizations have varying rules, which allow different techniques, and will score them differently. Some will permit punches to the face, while others do not. The feet are often padded because Taekwondo kicks are designed to be more powerful and destructive than most other systems of Martial Art that merely include kicks as additional techniques.

Keeping in mind that Taekwondo is applied differently in real-life self defense than it is in the competition arena, the tournament fighter will often kick to the head more often than in street application. Fancier kicks, such as spinning, jumping, jump-spin, and flying kicks are trained in practice, used in demonstrations, and occasionally used in tournaments, but would only apply to the street self defense if the environmental conditions were suitable, and the opponent had already been dazed by initial quick strikes, and clearly incapable of defending against the advanced move.

Answer 2

Although both arts originated in Korea they are very different. Both arts formed in Korea after WWII by returning Koreans that brought along with them the Martial Arts they studied in Japan. Hapkido was based on Daitoryu Aikijujutsu, also the parent style of Aikido. Hapkido stresses joint locks, throws, as well as striking and kicking. Since Daitoryu Aikijujustu is primarily technique-based, many of today's Hapkido schools do not have kata (prearranged sequences of techniques performed solo against imaginary opponents). Although Aikijujutsu contains basic striking and kicking techniques, most Hapkido schools have adopted kicks and punches from Taekwondo.

Taekwondo was based on the Japanese version of Karate (versus the Okinawan flavor). Shotokan Karate is usually given credit as being the primary influencing style. Taekwondo focuses on ballistic kicking and generally higher, more maneuverable stances and body positioning than Shotokan Karate (which favors stability). Being based on Karate, Taekwondo has kata (called poomse in Korean) as part of the core curriculum. Most Taekwondo schools have adopted at least some joint-locking and throwing techniques from Hapkido into their curriculum, however the official Kukkiwon (Korean Master Taekwondo School) curriculum does not contain these techniques.

Note that Taekwondo is also an official Olympic event and in order to participate in many world-class Taekwondo events you must hold Dan ranking (blackbelt level) registered with the Kukkiwon in Korea. Thus in order to participate you must actually be a Taekwondo practitioner.

Answer 3

Kenpo (or kempo) is a term applied to several different martial arts. The Japanese use kenpo to refer to all Chinese martial arts in the same way that English-speakers use the word kung fu. Kenpo is also used to describe several Hawaiian martial arts. Some Okinawan martial artists use the term kenpo to describe their karate system.

Taekwondo - the most popular martial art in Korea is dominated by kicks with various open and closed hand strikes, knees, and elbows used for self defense. Punches are less common in Taekwondo tournaments, but can score points if delivered with enough force. Kicks are sometimes delivered while spinning and jumping. Kicks to the head score extra points. In the sport of Taekwondo tournaments, there is no grappling or ground techniques, but those skills are taught in the Martial Art curriculum of Taekwondo. Olympic competitions are allowed full-contact sparring (adults only) with protective gear.

Shorinji Kempo - a Japanese martial art strongly influenced by Shaolin kung fu and Japanese Zen Buddhism. It can be practiced both as a religion and as a fighting method. To show respect for all life, this martial art form has no killing moves, and always emphasizes the need to do minimal damage when confronting an enemy. Instructors are forbidden from making a profit from their teachings. Competitions are designed around paired demonstrations in which accuracy, realism and rhythm are evaluated by judges much like gymnastics competitions.

Nippon Kenpo - a Japanese martial art featuring full-contact sparring competitions. The art places equal emphasis on striking, immobilizations and take-downs. It is a popular training program among Japanese policemen.

Kenpo Kai - a traditional form of Japanese karate inspired by Shaolin kung fu. In August 2004, the first official Kenpo Kai World Championship was organized in the Japanese city of Hamamatsu.

American Kenpo or Kenpo Karate is a system of martial arts created by Ed Parker, characterized by the use of quick moves in rapid-fire succession intended to overwhelm an opponent. It is largely marketed as a self-defense system, and is derived from traditional Southern Chinese kung fu and other martial arts found in the cultural melting pot of Hawaii.
Yes, taekwondo and keno are different arts, similar, but different.

Answer 4

There is no difference. The term "Martial Art" is an English language term used as a general heading that describes the various methods of unarmed combat. Taekwondo is the Korean national Martial Art based on native Korean techniques, history, culture and philosophy, partially influenced by both Chinese and Japanese Martial Art systems.

In modern times, many people have applied the term "Martial Art" to mean any kind of fighting or combat training. In the first part of the 20th Century, the term was mostly applied to those Asian systems of training that blended physical combat with spiritual and philosophical beliefs. The "Art" concept of "Martial Art" was commonly associated with the "Do" of Asian philosophy that comes from the Chinese "tao" of the Tao Te Ching. It means to be in harmony with the universe, and nature, and to strive toward ideal action in any given situation.

While combative arts have been around in both military and civilian entities throughout human history, the Martial Art specifically identified the warriors who balanced the destructive capabilities of their combat skills with the values, morals, and ethics of a warrior code. They tempered their ability to fight with an appreciation of the creative arts (music, painting, calligraphy, etc.), and literary arts (reading, writing poetry, etc.).

Like many other systems of expressing this universal truth, Taekwondo is the Martial Art in Korean terminology, which blends an education of personal development, with self defense skills, and a warrior's code of moral and ethical conduct.

Answer 5

Tae Kwon Do and Jeet Kune Do are different in many respects. First and foremost, while they share a similarity in being philosophies, and being an approach to Martial Arts, Jeet Kune Do differs in its philosophy to Tae Kwon Do, further, Tae Kwon Do is also a Martial Art in and of itself. Tae Kwon Do's roots begin in Korea as a form of fighting mounted opponents by way of high kicks and strikes at angles. Jeet Kune Do is more of a foundation that helps further develop an individual philosophy and personal connection to a martial path.

Answer 6

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.

Answer 7

The difference between karate and taekwondo is that karate is focused on light but fast blows with ur hands and elbows. taekwondo is focused on really hard blows dealt to certain spots with kicks,knees, and takedowns. basically karate is focused on speed and agility and taekwondo is focused on inflicting pain to defend urself.

Answer 8

Kung fu is an art based on ancient teachings of imitating fighting tactics of animals as originated in China, with roots in India.

Taekwondo is based on native Korean martial art with modern influences of Chinese and Japanese systems.

Both incorprate a blend of striking, throwing, and holding, but Taekwondo places the tactical priority on kicking as the primary weapon. However, all striking weapons (hands elbows, knees, feet, head, etc) are applied equally as well.

Answer 9

It depends on what martial art form you are best at, eg for hapkido you need to be fast, light footed and have a low center of gravity, for tkd you need to be taller, fast and powerful....ok?