Traditional Karate as it is practiced today originated in the islands of Okinawa in Japan
taking up influences from chinese martial arts. What’s known as Japanese style today actually comprises various karate styles. The colored belt system displays the rank of the karate practitioner, with white for beginners going through a range of different colors up to various degrees of black belts for instructors and higher levels. Modern tae kwan do came up in Korea due to the Japanese occupation and was widely influenced by karate, therefore referred to as korean karate. Koreans too are applying the the white uniforms and a colored belt system for ranking. Today tae kwan do comes in mainly two styles, one being represented by the International Federation and the other by the World Federation. Black belt level uniforms can be upgraded by black lining to the white uniforms as some schools do. Uniforms with a V-neck top point to schools adhering to the World federation. Some older Korean styles such as tang soo do and moo duk kwan deserve mentioning. Colorful uniforms such as red, blue or black in addition to the customary white are a featured by some of the more Americanized schools.
As rule in karate you use your arms for 60% of the time dealing out strikes or blocks whlie legs are busy kicking about 40%. This count represents the many forms or katas of karate which are set routines. They simulate fighting an imaginary adversary with martial arts techniques. The forms of tae kwon do put more emphasis on the legs with a proportion of 60% legs, 40% hands. The tae kwon do kicks tend to be higher aiming at the head level. There are more jumping and flying kicks, the kicking being executed while up in the air. In general Korean forms or patterns are shorter and less complex than those in karate. The older karate forms have found their way into the curriculum of some tae kwon do schools as well.















