Knowing The Difference Between Kung Fu And Karate
11:46 PM // 0 comments // sb blogger // Category: Self-defence //By Al Case
It's a strange thing that we would think in terms of differences when it comes to Kung Fu and Karate, for there are a lot of similarities. They are both combative disciplines, after all, and karate is actually evolved from kung fu. To really understand the differences one needs to look at the arts as a complete picture, and how they evolve.
In the beginning, those beautiful, refined kung fu forms were most likely developed by peasant conscripts who were given spears and told to fight or die. Training methods were evolved, and eventually workable routines were established. Is it too much to swallow that certain of the warriors, weary and tired of war, would find their way to the Shaolin temple, where the art blossomed?
From the Shaolin Temple the arts flowered, spreading across China, and manifesting concepts and taking on different shapes. This was the genesis of such arts as wing chun (vin tsung) kung fu, Long Fist (Choy Lee Fut, Hung Gar, and so on), and the various animal styles (mantis, monkey, dog fist, five animal, and so on). And, of course, Shaolin styles most likely provided the genesis for such soft style arts as Pa Kua Chang and Tai Chi Chuan.
This being the basic history, we can see a certain evolution of art. Hard, functional tricks tend to become softer, more flowing, and people discover that one's art can be workable without over reliance on muscular kung fu. Thus, the arts transcend from hard fist tricks to guiding and sliding, turning and flowing, whole body manuevers.
Oh, sure, every once in a while you will see a flare up of good old, hard style, punch in the face kung fu. You will have Chinese boxers, full of pepper and vinegar, wanting to return to the good, knock 'em down philosophy. For the most part, however, the practitioners who preach such a return are young and don't know better, they tend to be half trained, and they are overwhelmed by information from other styles.
On the whole, however, you will see techniques become more polished and, eventually, making a translation to a softer, easier to work method. Thus, hard style karate, even such bulls as shotokan or kyokushinkai, will become smoother, require less effort and require more intelligence. It is an interesting concept, that the die hard karate of today will transmogrify into the liquid style of shaolin kung fu in the future.
Or, and here's something to think about, that the extreme combat karate method of today's young turks will become the combat wudan style of tomorrow. Could that bassai dai kata and bassai sho kata of today eventually make the transition into the bassai tai chi of tomorrow? Could those young men doing their endless makiwara training eventually act like the old masters of Chen village tai chi chuan, doing their shuto uke and mae geri as if they are immersed in molasses?
This author believes that this change is bound to happen. The effects of growing old slow martial arts practitioners down down, and the effects of wisdom tend to make men smarter, and it is this combination of factors that will change the hard into the soft, the karate into the kung fu, and the overzealous into the temperate. Now, pardon me, I need to go do my sochin kata tai chi style.
In the beginning, those beautiful, refined kung fu forms were most likely developed by peasant conscripts who were given spears and told to fight or die. Training methods were evolved, and eventually workable routines were established. Is it too much to swallow that certain of the warriors, weary and tired of war, would find their way to the Shaolin temple, where the art blossomed?
From the Shaolin Temple the arts flowered, spreading across China, and manifesting concepts and taking on different shapes. This was the genesis of such arts as wing chun (vin tsung) kung fu, Long Fist (Choy Lee Fut, Hung Gar, and so on), and the various animal styles (mantis, monkey, dog fist, five animal, and so on). And, of course, Shaolin styles most likely provided the genesis for such soft style arts as Pa Kua Chang and Tai Chi Chuan.
This being the basic history, we can see a certain evolution of art. Hard, functional tricks tend to become softer, more flowing, and people discover that one's art can be workable without over reliance on muscular kung fu. Thus, the arts transcend from hard fist tricks to guiding and sliding, turning and flowing, whole body manuevers.
Oh, sure, every once in a while you will see a flare up of good old, hard style, punch in the face kung fu. You will have Chinese boxers, full of pepper and vinegar, wanting to return to the good, knock 'em down philosophy. For the most part, however, the practitioners who preach such a return are young and don't know better, they tend to be half trained, and they are overwhelmed by information from other styles.
On the whole, however, you will see techniques become more polished and, eventually, making a translation to a softer, easier to work method. Thus, hard style karate, even such bulls as shotokan or kyokushinkai, will become smoother, require less effort and require more intelligence. It is an interesting concept, that the die hard karate of today will transmogrify into the liquid style of shaolin kung fu in the future.
Or, and here's something to think about, that the extreme combat karate method of today's young turks will become the combat wudan style of tomorrow. Could that bassai dai kata and bassai sho kata of today eventually make the transition into the bassai tai chi of tomorrow? Could those young men doing their endless makiwara training eventually act like the old masters of Chen village tai chi chuan, doing their shuto uke and mae geri as if they are immersed in molasses?
This author believes that this change is bound to happen. The effects of growing old slow martial arts practitioners down down, and the effects of wisdom tend to make men smarter, and it is this combination of factors that will change the hard into the soft, the karate into the kung fu, and the overzealous into the temperate. Now, pardon me, I need to go do my sochin kata tai chi style.
About the Author:
To be a complete martial artist you must know more than one art. Monster Martial Arts has a dozen different DVD courses at amazing prices. Pick up a free ebook while you're at Monster Martial Arts 3.
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