Whats the difference between kung fu, karate, judo, aikido etc....?

The martial arts are simply techniques and tactics adopted for personal philosophy, self defence, and fitness. Japan, Korea, and China aren%26#039;t the only countries in the world to have created martial arts systems. There are myriad styles and disciplines.





The best way to look at your question is to think of automobiles-





There are many differences between brands, makes, and models.





You can differentiate between country of origin- Ford (US) and Toyota (Japan)





Kung-Fu (China) and Tae-Kwon Do (Korea).





You can differentiate between models- Ford Mustang, Ford Escort are different models of Ford





Wing-Chun and Tai-Chi Chu%26#039;an are different styles of Kung Fu.





You can even differentiate by the consumer- Certain cars are marketed or better suited for certain individuals just as certain martial arts are better suited for certain body styles or skill levels.





At the very basic, the differences are country of origin. At the deeper level, the differences have to do with philosophies, methods of training, and styles.





Kung-Fu originated in China- there are %26quot;Hard Styles%26quot; and %26quot;Soft Styles%26quot;. Some focus on strength-training, some focus on agility. There are many variations- Wu-Shu, Tai-Chi, Wing-Chun, etc.





Karate has its origins in Okinawa and spread throughout Japan. There are many variations- Shotokan, Shito-Ryu, Goju-Ryu, and Wado-Ryu.





Tae Kwon Do originates in Korea- it was developed from Karate.





Judo originated in the nineteenth century and transliterates into: %26quot;Gentle Way%26quot;. It was created as a means of smaller persons or people without large mass and strength to defend themselves. It is not an ancient art.





Aikido is also a modern martial art, and like Judo, it teaches disciples to use their opponents mass and strength against them.





Judo and Aikido may be likened to wrestling and grappling.





There are too many different styles and too many variations of those styles to answer your question comprehensively here.





I suggest picking a few and doing some research on your own. Are you looking to begin studying a martial art? Then treat your research just as you would for any thing you purchase- think about your purpose- what you want to accomplish, and find a style you think suits your needs.





HOWEVER- be aware that NO ONE style is better than any other; don%26#039;t let someone tell you that %26#039;this style is worthless%26#039;, etc.





Your training is only as good as your teacher and what you get from the training is only as good as what you put into it.





If you%26#039;ve heard a story about some guy getting beat up and he practiced some form of Karate, it doesn%26#039;t mean the Karate was no good- it could mean the student wasn%26#039;t skilled. He shouldn%26#039;t be fighting in the first place!|||This link might help you out :


http://www.quazen.com/Sports/Martial-Art...|||history, tradition, style, philosophy, etc. To go into detail would probably be a waste of reading, just look it up.|||The difference in martial art styles is usually the country of origin, followed by philosophy and physical techniques. It would take forever to spell out each and every system. Kung Fu is from China, Karate from Japan. Both terms, today, are generic terms compiling many different styles.|||One way of looking at this question is to address the ability for a well-trained martial artist in each of these arts to inflict bodily damage to an opponent (another is to look at the philosophical tenets of each of the arts and how it interprets %26quot;bushido.%26quot;


However most people, when honest with themselves (except for %26quot;Sensei%26quot; Parker or %26quot;Sensei%26quot; Tourda) become involved for bodily harm purposes.


Depending on the specific style and teacher within each of these arts. Kung Fu, Judo and Karate have the ability to be effective at defending oneself during an attack. Aikido is generally worthless at this; it is effective, under proper instruction, at avoiding conflict but this is primarily due to its philosophical underpinnings.|||when it all comes down to it most martial arts are all just a series of Punch%26#039;s and kicks. in all there is no need for styles because when their is a way their lies the limitation and basically we only have to hands and two legs so the goal is to learn how to use these tools to the highest potential and styles just limit what u do. you loose your creativity and you then forget how to express your self from having to learn form after form u just become a robot