What are the differences between martial art styles?

Answer 1

IMHO, the primary distinction is between internal & external styles. The three main internal styles are Tai Chi, Bagua and Hsing-I. These focus on the cultivation, development, retention and discharge of chi. There is a strong emphasis on the use of tendons, ligaments & joints in power delivery. On the other hand, many external styles emphasize muscles in power delivery. It is very possible in the internal arts to deliver a very short-range attack without chambering your arm using internal energy. Many external arts require chambering of the arm to deliver power over a certain distance.

Answer 2

I am at no stretch an expert, but there isn't really a Chinese or Japanese Martial Arts technique. Some forms of martial arts did originate in one of these countries, and most martial art techniques are originally oriental; however, there are a lot of different forms. For example, there's Taekwondo, Karate, Jujitsu, Kung Fu, Kendo, Aikido, and many more.

Answer 3

There are many martial arts, but they are all based on the common principle that the human body only moves in certain ways. An example is that the elbow and the knee only move on one axis. Since that is the center of all the techniques, there are many similarities. The differences can be on how one gets to the end result. The difference is that each art is based of different principles. Tae kwon do, for example, are based off of Karate combined with a Korean system. Tai chi is a Chinese system that is considered one of the primary roots of many martial arts. Some arts emphasize the use of throws, different styles of hits, and how heavy usage of the feet is. If you are intrested in a particular art, try searching any art you can think of, or ask on this site for more information. If you are looking for a worth-while martial arts, try Tai chi quan, or kimpo. These are just suggestions, there are handfulls of worthwile arts.

Answer 4

The modern "Kung Fu" (an term for all Chinese martial arts) began in the Ming Dynasty (1368 AD-1644 AD); and Chinese historical writings regard Equitation (skill with horses) and Archery as "Kung Fu".

Chinese historians believe that "Kung Fu" began as tools for survival such as hunting and war with different tribes. The earliest mention of a distinct style of hand-to-hand combat was around 2700 B.C. where a fighting technique called "Jiao Li" (角力), where the practitioner uses horned helmets to gore enemies to death. "Jiao Li" was a grappling form with strikes, blocks, and joint locks later added to it to form "Shuai Jiao" (摔跤, or摔角), which is translated into Chinese Wrestling. "Jiao Li" was developed during the Zhou Dynasty (1045 BC-256 BC), and became an official part of the Zhou military training program. "Shuai Jiao" was used by the Qin army and became a sport under the Qin Dynasty (221 BC-206BC).

During the "Spring and Autumn Period" (770 BC-746 BC), swordsmanship became wide spread, many of Confucius's students were described to be skilled swordsman. During this time period, punching techniques, called Boxing in modern terms, also improved a great deal.

During the Qin Dynasty, as mentioned before, strikes, blocks, and joint locks were added to "Jiao Li" to form "Shuai Jiao". Immediately after the Qing Dynasty, during the Han Dynasty (206 BC- 220 AD) many "Kung Fu" manuals were written, describing hand-to-hand unarmed combat techniques of the time, showing a vast increment of techniques from before the Han Dynasty. Toward the Han Dynasty, passages from books describe methods for an unarmed combatant to disarm an armed opponent. These records show that the basis for Chinese "Boxing" and its philosophy: <Far use feet to kick, Close use hand to punch, Next to body use joint locks and throws>.

Han Dynasty also saw rise to weapons "Kung Fu", where sword, dao (saber), dagger-axe, and sword-shield combination techniques.

Answer 5

Chinese people like martial arts as much as Americans. Some really like it and some don't. Just because someone has heard of a famous Chinese person who did martial arts doesn't mean everyone there likes it. I must admit many men do but women don't participate.

Answer 6

Basically, they began in China rather than somewhere else. Elements of the Chinese arts influenced the other arts, such as karate. While there are some Chinese arts that are considered internal or soft arts, they have counterparts in other cultures.

Answer 7

Same thing everyone else uses them for. Martial arts are used to learn how to protect ones' self, keep healthy and to compete.

Answer 8

wushu is a oylmpic sport and kung fu is self defence

Answer 9

martiak arts is was a form of dance and then turned into a defence system