Is Karate or Taekwondo Better?

Karate, which requires arm strength, is a sport of Japanese origin. Unlike Karate, Taekwondo, a sport of Korean origin, emphasizes the kicking technique.

Karate Taekwondo Difference
An ideal sport at close quarters, karate is an art form that represents Japanese combat. Taekwondo, on the other hand, is a Korean martial art. The main difference between these sports is the emphasis on kicking in taekwondo compared to karate. As a tough martial art, karate aims to develop muscle strength.


Karate aims to keep the body completely balanced and to give integrity to its movements. The most important benefit of karate is that it teaches people how to defend themselves against attacks without weapons. In karate, defense is done by using every part of the body.

Developed by Far Eastern countries, karate is a defense, competition and culture physics sport consisting of foot and fist striking techniques that have become widespread throughout the world. A sport that appeals to all ages, karate allows people to spend safe, creative, educational and productive time outside of their daily occupations.

Performed correctly within the framework of the rules, karate improves the posture of the body as well as skills and abilities related to thinking. People become aware of their physical and mental abilities and their self-confidence increases. Karate, which helps to focus attention on one point, also increases self-esteem.



Karate and Mind - Body Discipline
Developing mind-body discipline and a sense of responsibility, karate also has a stress-reducing effect. It increases muscular strength, endurance and body strength. Karate has goals related to physical and spiritual development.

These are as follows:

• To teach a disciplined, correct and serious way of working,
• To have a lively and strong energy through physical and mental training,
• It is a focus on self-improvement.

The goal in competition matches is to realize that one is competing against oneself, not against others, and to complete one's deficiencies. In karate, which is an art of fighting, the goal is not to win. Winning and losing are equally valuable for karate, which cares about losing as well as winning.

Body and Mind Control with Taekwondo
Taekwondo, which originated in Korea, was accepted to the Olympics in 1988. Taekwondo has 5 main disciplines. These are: To be honest, to be brave, to respect others, to keep body and mind control right and to be determined. Taekwondo does not give techniques to be used in neighborhood fighting like karate. It has almost no similarities with karate.


The Korean people bring their culture to taekwondo. They aim to make the world a better place. They aim to take an effective attitude by accepting the blow instead of running away from it. If someone practicing taekwondo follows the rules and applies the techniques correctly, they will have one and a half times the fitness of a normal person.

In taekwondo, which is known as a competition sport, movements made with the hand are minimal, while movements made with kicks are at the forefront. There is no escape movement at all. It keeps fitness in balance while increasing flexibility. It was developed for the individual protection of Korean soldiers. There are dodging, protection tactics and punching movements. Taekwondo, which has many advantages over karate, is a philosophical movement.

Respect for the teacher is very important. The first master of taekwondo learned karate in Japan and after returning to Korea, he created taekwondo by combining Korean local sports with karate. In taekwondo, the belt colors of red, white, blue, yellow, green, yellow, green and black show maturity.


Taekwondo emphasizes the leg. It is good at long distance. Karate aims to create respect for others and to build strong character. The following principles are taught in karate: Etiquette, effort, character, sincerity and self-control.

Kicking Techniques of Taekwondo
Taekwondo differs from Karate in its kicking techniques. The theory here is that the leg is the most powerful weapon. Taekwondo is famous for its athletic kicking (jumping and returning kick). Physically, Taekwondo provides balance, speed, flexibility, strength, endurance.

Ethical and mental discipline, fairness, focus on respect are important parts of taekwondo. With more than 70 million practitioners, taekwondo is the most famous martial arts sport. As an Olympic sport, taekwondo differs from karate in this respect. Karate practitioners learn hand and leg kicks. Taekwondo is based on kicking.

Karate and taekwondo have spread around the world as of the 20th century. A person who is not knowledgeable about martial arts would not know the difference between Karate and Taekwondo. However, if the fighting techniques, birth dates and evolution stages are examined, the difference between them can be understood.