|
When people think about taking martial arts classes in Alpharetta, few of them realize just how many options are out there. In fact, the term "martial arts" itself includes hundreds of different styles and disciplines from all over the world, including Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Some styles are based on traditional, old-fashioned forms of combat, while other styles are more modern developments in the field of martial arts. One could spend years simply researching the different styles of martial arts. For the purposes of this article, we will discuss 5 different styles of martial arts that are most commonly known today, and all originate from the Asian continent. Karate Some people think that karate is just a general term used to describe many styles of martial arts, but this is incorrect. Karate is actually its own very distinctive style, and was developed in Okinawa, Japan, with some heavy influences from Chinese martial arts masters. Karate began as a common fighting style in the Ryukyu Islands, where natives were introduced to Chinese martial arts before developing it into their own style. This new style was known simply as te, which literally means "hand." This style is characterized by open-handed strikes like knife-hands, spear-hands, and palm-heel strikes. Other common strikes in the style include elbow strikes, knee strikes, and kicks. The style began to gain popularity in the United States after World War II. American soldiers learned the style while stationed in Japan, and many opened up schools when returning home after the war. This first was opened up in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1945. Karate became immensely popular in the United States during the 1970s and 1980s, courtesy of a wave of martial arts films. Judo Judo was also developed in Japan, with its history dating back to approximately 1882. While judo does include striking techniques in prearranged practice sessions, true judo style focuses on throws and takedowns. In fact, in formal competition, striking with the hands and feet is not permitted. Instead, the goal of judo is to force your opponent to take your opponent to the ground with a throw or takedown, pin them to the point that they are immobile, or to force them to submit to a choke hold or joint lock. This style of martial arts has spread worldwide and has fathered new forms of combat, including Sambo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Taekwondo Most people are familiar with at least the name of this type of martial arts, as it is very common. Taekwondo has its roots in Korea, and was first developed in the 1940s. Unlike other types of martial arts, taekwondo focuses primarily on kicks. It is believed that this style was developed as a blend of various Korean fighting styles, with influences from martial arts of other countries as well. Taekwondo has consistently grown in popularity and was introduced as an official Olympic event in 2000. Kuk Sool Won This style of martial arts is not nearly as well known as the ones listed above, but it is one that has many devoted followers. Like taekwondo, Kuk Sool Won was developed in Korea and dates back to 1961. What makes Kuk Sool Won unique, however, is that it is not technically its own martial arts style. Rather, it is a martial arts system, and is thus dedicated to teaching a variety of traditional Korean martial arts. The founder of Kuk Sool Won, Suh In-Hyuk stated that the philosophy behind his system is to "integrate and explore the entire spectrum of established traditional Korean martial arts, body conditioning techniques, mental development, and weapons training." Thus, students of this system learn a variety of combat techniques and attempt to master all of them. So while you're looking into martial arts classes in Alpharetta, be sure you know what style you want to study. There are more styles out there than you think. Karate Atlanta Join the best martial arts studio in the greater Atlanta area. We teach Taekwondo for self defense and fitness to all age groups. Visit our studios today! Visit our page on http://karateatlanta.com/ to see our page today!
Related Articles -
martial, arts, classes, Alpharetta,
|
