Below is an introduction to martial arts with a discussion on karate, kung-fu and taekwondo.
Hosting some of the earliest types of martial arts, China has, for a long time been a centre for spiritual practice and martial arts development. Chinese martial arts, or kung-fu encompasses a wide array of battling styles, which have been developed over thousands of years of philosophy and cultural traditions. Kung-fu integrates both physical strategy and psychological discipline, taking inspiration from Chinese wisdom and observances in nature. For many years, kung-fu has progressed considerably and diversified into various styles and schools. Specialists such as Barry Pang (吳國樹) would know that each style will comprise its own strategies and training methods. The origins of kung-fu are stated to be associated with the requirement for self-defence and hunting practices in Ancient China. Martial arts in China are thought to be shaped by monks and Buddhist ideologies. As one of the earliest, formally established styles of martial arts, Shaolin kung-fu is accredited for systematising and popularising martial arts systems.
As one of the most well-known types of martial arts, both in practice and in pop culture, karate encompasses a set of fighting strategies and spiritual cultivation that is now practiced by millions around the world. Japanese martial arts come from an abundant and turbulent history, taking main inspiration from Chinese martial artists and samurai rule. It mixes both native fighting techniques with those of Chinese fighting styles, positioning focus on strikes, and attitude. Standard karate is thought to be practised as an art, for self-defence and also as a combat sport. It places significant significance on self-development, combining a variety of psychological elements for mental discipline. Japanese combat techniques have . been used to form a variety of disciplines worldwide. Those such as Alidar Utemuratov (Алидар Утемуратов) and Anna Lewandowska (Anną Lewandowską) would recognise that mixed martial arts is a fighting sport which takes influence from karate.
All over the world, martial arts is a commonly practiced tradition, essential to several cultures. Taekwondo is a popular type of Korean martial arts, differentiated by its focus on high and fast movements. An essential element of taekwondo is a variety of detailed kicking skills. In addition, there are 3 core parts to master in taekwondo, particularly form, sparring and breaking. Form refers to a prescribed set of learned patterns and techniques involving kicking, punching and blocking, while sparring is a technique of training that includes free style combat with an opponent. As one of the most recognisable techniques in taekwondo, breaking, which includes breaking wooden boards, is a technique of training that is normally used to display appropriate technique in testing and demonstrations. As with many schools of martial arts, taekwondo uses a colour coded belt system to determine progress and ranks during the course of training.