Karate vs Taekwondo: The Punch, the Kick & Everything in Between!

They are perhaps two of the most widely-recognised forms of martial arts on the planet: Karate and Taekwondo. So, what exactly do these terms mean? What are their origins? Their meanings? Are they the same? Are they different? Which one is better, if at all?

In this article, I will be covering all of these questions and more! Applying my own experiences and perspective into the mix, I hope you have as much fun reading as I did writing this up. So without further ado, let’s get into it!

Karate? Taekwondo? Explain Please!

Right. So I’m sure at some point in your life, you would have heard of both these terms. If not, then you may have heard of at least one of them. Regardless, even if you haven’t heard of either, read on and I guarantee you will know soon enough.

Karate, by definition, translates to “empty hand”. The term is of Japanese origin and is formed using two Japanese words: “Kara”, meaning “Empty”, and “Te”, meaning “Hand”. Essentially, Karate is a martial art born in Japan, which emphasises on self-defence using one’s own body, free of weapons, that is, the empty hand. Dating back to the 1500s, Karate was founded on the island of Japan, Okinawa, as a result of the banning of weapons by the King during that time. As the people were forced to rely on themselves for self-defence, the trend of practicing Karate was given way, and eventually made its journey throughout the rest of Japan, and later, the world.

Taekwondo, by definition, translates to “way of foot and hand”. The term is of Korean origin, and is formed using three Korean words: “Tae” meaning “Foot”, “Kwon” meaning “Hand” and “Do” meaning “The Way of”. As you would expect, Taekwondo has its roots in Korea, and while its origins may be dated back as far as ancient times, it was more notably recorded during the World War II period. The Korean military had been using unofficial forms of Taekwondo (though nameless at the time) during military combative training. However, due to Japanese occupation of Korea, this art was silenced until 1945, when Korea had regained their freedom. It was then and only then that the first official Taekwondo school was opened.

Cool! So now we know what these terms mean, and how they blossomed into the martial arts styles we know today. But many things remain still unanswered. What does each form of fighting entail? What are the ideals and philosophies behind them? Are they more similar than they are different, or vice-versa?

Let’s find out!

Are They The Same?

Yes and no. The answer will depend on how well you know about each one. Karate and Taekwondo are both martial arts fighting styles. They both have a belt-ranking system. They are both identifiable by their white fighting outfits. They both apply punches, kicks and takedowns as a way of self-defence. They both use a class-structure of instructors and senior and junior students. And they are both art-forms that allow its learners to develop themselves physically, mentally and spiritually.

Essentially, everything you can pick out from Japanese Karate will more than likely have a Korean Taekwondo equivalent, and vice-verse. For instance, Karate utilizes forms known as “Kata”, which is a pattern of moves and techniques which reflects one’s syllabus knowledge based off the rank of their belt-colour. Taekwondo uses the same system, but naturally their forms will use the Korean word for such, that is, “Tul”, also meaning “form”. These are the essential building blocks of Karate and Taekwondo, which make them iconic platforms for individuals to pursue self-mastery through training in the art.

So…where is the difference?!

The BIG Difference!

You may have noticed it in the definitions of the names: Karate – Empty Hand. Taekwondo – Way of Foot and Hand. Why does Taekwondo feel the need to include “Foot” in their name, and more importantly, why is it the way of “Foot and Hand” rather than “Hand and Foot”? I’m here to tell you that this is no coincidence! Karate and Taekwondo are both combat forms using hands and feet, but Taekwondo has a more defined preference when it comes to the choice of body-part used for combat. So here’s why…

It was believed by Korean martial artists that the foot, or leg, was the most powerful part of the body. While it is harder to use properly in combat, it was believed that it could reap more rewards than mere punches with the hand. This is because the leg has bigger and stronger muscles than the arms, so mastering a kick will have many benefits that cannot be achieved through mastering a punch. Such benefits include greater range, more target options and higher damage output.

Building on this ideal, Taekwondo have developed a style where kicks are given more attention than punches. Henceforth, a typical Taekwondo class encompasses a lot of stretching, shin conditioning, flexibility training and target practice using kicking bags and wooden boards. While Karate also includes these practices, the focus is more on balance of the body, using arms, legs and body-weight equally and harmoniously to do as much damage as efficiently as possible.

Now that we can see a major difference here, more questions arise: Is the kicking-focused Taekwondo more effective than the balance-focused Karate? Is one really better than the other? Who would win in a real fight? Karate or Taekwondo? Well, just as neither style is in absolute perfection yet, neither is the answer to these questions.

Karate vs Taekwondo: The Final Showdown

Up till now, it may seem like we’ve been going around in circles throughout this discussion. Furthermore, it may be getting more predictable as to the outcome of my answer on the topic of Karate vs Taekwondo. However, as we dive into this final piece of the article, you may find surprise in my final verdict. So, once again, without further ado, let’s wrap this thing up!

Punching, kicking, and throwing. Does perfection lie in harmonious balance of all aspects of fighting, or does it pay off to take one aspect to the next level? Karate has formulated a way of using the hands and arms that is not seen in Taekwondo. These include palm strikes, elbows, and unique take-down defences. Ultimately, when it comes to face-to-face combat, Karate really does have an answer for everything. Yes, that includes kicks.

When a Karate practitioner is attacked with a punch, he is able to apply from a range of blocks, counters and grabs to respond. This benefit of Karate is not mutually exclusive to punches alone, and Karate practitioners are equipped with a similar set of defensive options to respond to kicks also.

As powerful as kicks may be, Karate teaches its students to apply the entire body as a defensive mechanism for mitigating damage, or preventing it altogether. That’s not all, Karate’s large variety of techniques and range of motion allow for an equally effective attacking methodology, using arms, legs and body-weight in harmony to deal significant damage to the opponent.

Now then, with all that said and done, my answer to Karate vs Taekwondo seems obvious right? Wrong! Allow me to continue…

With my answer not being Karate as you may have expected, that only leaves one other answer, with the presumption that I will not be ending this debate with a tie. So then, let’s talk about why I believe Taekwondo is the winner of our little competition here. Without a doubt, the answer isn’t so black and white. In fact, I will even go on to say that many Taekwondo practitioners are often brutally defeated by the Karate guys. The evidence actually leans further towards Karate having the upper-hand as a complete martial-art over Taekwondo. But let’s backtrack for a moment…

The Verdict?

As we mentioned before, and throughout this discussion, Taekwondo has a unique emphasis on leg power, that is, kicks. Now, of course, these kicks can be countered relatively easily by your average Karate student, and punished mercilessly for careless leg strikes. True? Undeniable? Yes. Now consider this, the leg is scientifically proven to be the pinnacle of power generation for combat. Why, then, does Taekwondo seem powerless against the all-encompassing self-defence art known as Karate? My answer to this is, Taekwondo is still not as close to its perfected state as Karate.

Take a moment to ponder on this statement. The reality is, Karate is far easier to perfect, due to its nature. The art is founded on a simpler structure, focusing on smaller movements for higher results. All in all, Karate is a damn-hard shell to break. Regardless of the flashy kicks you can apply using Taekwondo, Karate will have an answer for it. So yes, the common answer to Karate vs Taekwondo is: Karate. This, however, is not my final verdict.

Taekwondo, as I mentioned, can still be perfected. By that I mean, there is more room for growth in the martial-art than there is for Karate. I believe this to be the truth because of the nature of Taekwondo. By nature, Taekwondo is an offensive, rush-down style of fighting. Unlike Karate, it is not so dependent on reading the opponents movements and acting accordingly.

To me, a perfected form of Taekwondo will look something like a lightning strike to the opponent. Perfect Taekwondo, in its ideal state, would encompass such high-damaging kicks that regardless of where the kick lands, or how it is blocked, damage will be dealt.

As it stands now, Karate appears to have the high-ground on Taekwondo, as it is often said, the greatest defence is the greatest offence. This famous phrase can, however, be turned the other way, that is to say, the greatest offence is the greatest defence. This naturally forms a kind of yin-yang view on martial-arts, as offence and defence are an ever-evolving cycle, often complementing one another and growing by bouncing off of one another. So, as Karate develops and improves, so will Taekwondo. Why, then, would I still side with Taekwondo? This is where I add my personal flavour into the mix.

The Winner is…Taekwondo?!

As I said, this is my personal flavour, take it with a grain of salt if you need to! Perfected Taekwondo means that not only has the art been perfected as an offensive martial-art, but that the individual has perfected it on a physical, mental and spiritual level. Taekwondo does not deny the science of human biology, and the leg is indeed the strongest part of the body. Once reaching its final form, Taekwondo will encompass kicks that simply cannot be guarded (unless one is willing to break their bones in doing so).

A perfected kick will overcome a perfected arm block. I am not in any way downplaying Karate here, and I still stand with the fact that Karate currently has the upper-hand on Taekwondo. What I do wish to convey, however, is that Taekwondo possesses more potential than Karate, and the science behind it is that the world’s greatest Taekwondo fighter (if one were to exist) would defeat the world’s greatest Karate fighter. I base these remarks simply on the science behind it, as Taekwondo has put in more effort on the more effective body parts than Karate has.

Finally, I will point out that offence really is the greatest defence. Throughout life, victory is always given to those whom go for it. This philosophy has always proven true for success masters around the world, and even for myself. Yes, there are benefits to being passive, but when it comes to striving for a goal, victory goes to those who attack. A conscious effort towards that target goal will defeat those with the patience to wait for that goal to reach them.

In a Karate vs Taekwondo fight, the Taekwondo fighter will have a more strifeful approach to the fight, with the end-goal to defeat their opponent. Of course, the kicking techniques have not been perfected just yet, but if and when they reach the same state as Karate, Taekwondo will surely rise above, at least momentarily, as it continues its evolution to perfection.

As a final statement, I will say that the reason Karate still has the advantage, is that Taekwondo has not truly perfected the best route for making that conscious effort, that purposeful attack, to break the hard shell of Karate. In essence, the final form of Taekwondo will truly entail an “Indomitable Spirit”, which not even the ever-practical Karate can withstand. Will we ever live to see that day? Who knows? Is that day possible? Most definitely. Indomitable Spirit is a concept which I believe to exist, and is something that can overcome any obstacle through a pure and truthful force of will. So all in all, Karate vs Taekwondo, which one is better? My answer is and always will be: Taekwondo.