What is the difference between Karate and Taekwondo?

When it comes to starting the young ones with martial arts, two of the most popular choices come to mind- Karate and Taekwondo.

Yet, to the untrained eye, they seem uncannily similar, because after all-

• They both wear white 'uniforms'
• They both do kicks and punches
• They both have kids yell at the top of their lungs each time they kick-punch the air

They look the same, they do the same things, they sound the same, they must ​be the same right?

Well mums and dads, time to improve your martial (sm)arts!

There are 5 key differences between Karate and Taekwondo-
1. Culture
Karate is a culturally Okinawan-Japanese martial art, while Taekwondo is Korean.

2. Outfit
The Karategi is a robe-styled jacket worn with a trousers and belt, while the top of a Taekwondo outfit is a v-neck shirt.

3. Physical Expression
Karate movements are often snappy, grounded, and balanced, while Taekwondo tends to emphasize on kicking, jumping techniques, and more complex movements.

4. Way of Practice
Syllabus used between Karate classes are a lot more varied according to "styles", compared to in Taekwondo classes, where they are more standardized.

5. Equipment
Protective equipment used in competition Karate and Taekwondo are different according to the requirements of the various governing authorities that they are aligned with.

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