I need help.
I have zero experience in martial arts. Any kind of martial arts. I’m sure there’s ninja blood in me somewhere (cause what other perks of being Japanese are there?) but really, I’m like the least balanced, least swift, least flexible and least athletic person out there. Martial arts and I are not friends.
That being said, I do know how to differentiate between the different types of martial arts. It’s like being Asian–we can all categorize ourselves under one race, but you have to understand that we’re not all the same: China does not equal Japan, and you’re an idiot to think that people from Vietnam speak the same language as those from Korea. Right?
Hapkido and Aikido both originate from Japan, but they are not the same thing as Kung Fu. I know nothing about what goes on in between, but I can tell you that.
So why can’t people in America do the same thing with martial arts?
I first noticed this with the Foot Fist Way trailer, which Will Ferrell and the comedic world have been touting around as the funniest movie ever. I’m saving my judgement for when I see the movie (something whenever wherever), which follows a guy named Fred (Danny McBride), who is a world-class Tae Kwon Do instructor.
Here’s my question–is he or is he not wearing a Karate uniform throughout this movie?!
Karate isn’t the same as Tae Kwon Do, right? I mean, one comes from Japan (Okinawa, to be specific), and the other is the national sport of South Korea. Karate (apparently, according to Google) is a “striking art” and their uniform consists a kimono-like top with colored belts.
TKD, on the other hand, is uh…(let me check this)..something different, but includes a dobok uniform, modeled about the han bohk.
Right?
So why can’t other people tell the difference?
I thought that was the only incident, until I caught the ending of MTV’s show, MADE (best show ever!!!) where a fat lazy boy turned into a winning “Karate Kid.” Yay for fat white boys learning to exercise and fight! Except, if he’s a “karate kid,” then why is the emblem of the South Korean flag tied around his forehead? Why must he fight ninjas? He’s wearing a proper Karate uniform, but why is Chan Lee, his instructor, wearing a dobok? Can you really mix and match these two martial arts? Does he really learn how to fight karate, or is it really tae kwon do all along?
I’m so confused.
So please, tell me what’s going on, especially if you know more about this topic than me, because here’s my issue: THEY’RE DIFFERENT. WE’RE DIFFERENT AND YOU CAN’T JUST LUMP US ALL TOGETHER.
(I mean, I could totally ask my ex-boyfriend, who was a TKD fiend, but that would be kind of awkward, since we haven’t talked in forever and then that would launch this whole OTHER conversation about why we haven’t talked in forever…yeah. Please spare me that ordeal.)
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James Jones wrote:
Actually, you have a completely legitimate and valid point. This is a pet peeve of mine: people just, as you put it, “lump” the martial arts all together. I am a martial artist in tae kwon do (not black belt yet, but close), and though I wouldn’t say I know a lot about different martial arts, I am fortunate to study under a master who has mastered almost every art you mentioned in your blog. So, to more-or-less answer your question, to know the difference you would just have to watch the technique. Karate and tae kwon do are very similar arts, but the subtle difference I suppose you could look for is what types of techniques are emphasized. If you watch a sparring match in karate, you may see several hand techniques and a few kicks. However, if you are watching a sparring match between two tae kwon do students, you will probably see almost all kicking. However, it depends on the environment of the match (full gear versus no or low gear and etc). A true master would be able to tell the difference in the subtleties of how techniques are performed.
To wrap things up, your point is a very good one. However, to tell the difference in the arts, it’s not the clothes that matter much, but the techniques used. You just have watch.
(I hope I haven’t made you even more confused than before, but if so, I’m sorry. ^_^)
Posted on 17-Jun-08 at 9:26 pm | Permalink
RayU wrote:
Although Hapkido has its roots in Aikijutsu, it’s Korean.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hapkido
I suspect that it’s practitioners would prefer to emphasize that’s it’s Korean, the same way Karate practitioners would prefer to state that it’s Japanese, although (depending on the path and history) its influences originated in China. And to push it further back, some martial arts forms in China originate from India, IIRC.
All so very confusing and murky history.
But as for the clothing, I think it’s a mix of the movie industry (what looks good vs. accuracy), and the blending of multiple forms and styles these days, with the “mixed martial arts” popularity. In some schools, they don’t seem to be strict on uniforms these days.
Posted on 18-Jun-08 at 8:18 am | Permalink
Moye wrote:
oh, you’re so right re: hapkido. that was totally my mistake, and a quite dumb one, too. i think i meant to say judo. yeah….
Posted on 18-Jun-08 at 8:34 am | Permalink
ayman wrote:
“Here’s my question–is he or is he not wearing a Karate uniform throughout this movie?!”
It depends. The South Korean (World TaeKwonDo Federation/Kukkiwon) dobok has a ‘pull over’ shirt. This is a more so recent (in the past 20 years) change as the WTF became an Olympic sport. The new design holds up better when sparring and wearing a chest guard (hogu) as it won’t fall apart. Safety first when you throw a kick to someone’s head.
Other variants of TKD, such as the North Korean International TaeKwonDo Federation (ITF - headquartered in Canada) and the American TaeKwonDo Association (ATA) still use the traditional dobak (pictured in the movie poster).
Posted on 18-Jun-08 at 5:06 pm | Permalink
Jen wrote:
Each style of martial arts has its own complicated history which is often tied together with ideas of nationalism and military prowess. Within each style there are derivations as students separate themselves from their masters to found new schools. As RayU wrote, practitioners are not likely to emphasize the shared commonalities in the past because the art itself has become something that represents a country and/or an ideal.
So I definitely agree that it’s aggravating (and sometimes insulting) when people don’t bother to differentiate the arts. Or better yet, they say “Oh yeah, that’s [less well-known art of your choice] like Karate or Kung-fu or whatever right?” It takes years to master one style, not to mention multiple ones.
The movie? I’m usually a fan of Will Ferrell and trust his judgment, but any movie poking fun at or making light of a martial art makes me wary. People can get hurt easily when training. Hopefully no one in the audience will take it too seriously.
Posted on 20-Jun-08 at 4:58 am | Permalink