And you should rad this:
When you decide to begin training in martial art you have some questions you have to answer for yourself. Are you looking for a sport to play, an art to dedicate a lifetime to, or a quick fix method of self defence? Some combination of that perhaps? Most of us are, or were all three at times. Where do your priorities lie? You must first decide martial art , or fighting sport. The two are worlds apart, although they overlap in several areas, their mindset, and intent are opposite. You have to know also what is available to you. If you have Uechi-Ryu, and Bak Mei in your area, wanting to do TKD would not help you. Of the available options you must decide which one(s) interest you. Then you have to decide (take your time, it's important) which available instruction is the one for you. You can change or quit if you don't like it, but better to stay with the program right through (providing the program is a good one) for the best training. Style-hopping has in my experience cost many a martial artist their potential, so choose wisely, nobody here can tell you what to do for you. So do your homework well. Talk to instructors and students, watch classes, take 'free introductory' classes, make your decision. One more thing, good luck
I'll be the contrarian and say that first you have to look at the style of karate that your considering. Karate isn't a martial art per se, but rather a general term for many open handed fighting arts. And at the extremes they are very different. So those that lump all karate together are not helping you out.
As for kick boxing. There is kick boxing the martial art and their is kick boxing the aerobic class. And there is a bunch of stuff in between.
So when considering which to choose you need to check out the schools and attend a few classes. The quality of the instruction given by the instructors, as well as the quality of the classmates you have will determine how much you learn and what you learn.
Karate, better all around, teaches you to use your opponents strength against them, not just blindly punch and kick. You have to choose the style too, which can mean a lot, but generally the whole point of karate is to defend yourself and put the other person in a position/state where they cant harm you any more, or you can run away.You do a lot of sparring in some styles, for sure. And katas, basics, stationary sparring (Ippon Kumite) is great for improving your balance, coordination, strength, and control, as well as boosting your self-confidence
Karate is a way of life, not a sport. Karate teaches you to defend yourself, when there is a need to, and how to recognize situations where there is a need. Karate will not only help you fight, it will help all aspects, focus, determination, etc of your life. The main difference between the two is that kickboxing IS a sport, and will be more difficult to apply in real life. In a sport, there are rules. In a real-world fight, there are no rules. Karate can teach you to use the 'no rules' aspect to your advantage.
Kickboxing is sport and not self defense. Two very different ways of training. Self defense is attack (sometimes you are the second person to attack but you still have to attack) so 'a little bit of attack' isn't going to do you a whole lot of good in self defense. You need to decide what kind of skill you want sports skill/skill to score points or skill to defend yourself. Once you decide that you need to find a school and a teacher that teaches what you want to learn. Kickboxing is sport. Karate can be taught as a sport or for self defense depending on the school. Some schools teach it as a sport and do lots of competitions, others train it for self defense. Make sure you pick the right one. There are also many different Karate styles and their strategies vary a great deal. Make sure the school can tell you what style of Karate they are teaching. Make sure the students are good because this is what you will learn and look like. So doing your homework and checking out the schools and teachers in your area is very important. Try out some classes and then pick the best teacher you can find.
I hate to be "that guy" but ignore all the other comment. I'll answer this in a none objective way (as much as possible). Karate is a martial art developed off of a point based system. This however does not mean that its bad, Karate has many practical uses and is a very good martial arts; the one thing is, is that it is very rigged, without much chance for change or development (I say this referring to each individual style of Karate (of which there are thousands)).
Kick boxing is a martial art that has developed off of other martial arts, including Karate, Aikido, and boxing (as well as many others). Kick boxing (much like muay thi) is built as more of a fighting sport. Realistically, although Karate is good, its less practical in a real fighting sense (although it is still a very efficient martial art)
Now to the main fact. From what you have said, you actually seem to be very good for kick boxing, as well as Brazilian Ju-jitzu (which is what i suggest you take up as well, as for girls whom often are not as strong (i don't mean to be sexist) it is an amazing way to counter act a lack of strength or size(i know a girl younger than you who can easily take me down))).
But in the end its our choice, if your interested in a more fixed style or a more flowing. a more tournament based martial arts or a martial art that is more for self defence.
It depends on your instructor. Styles are abstract concepts, and it's up to people to make them work.
Kickboxing is a combat sport. It was designed to allow the practitioner to compete in the sport of kickboxing and/or for fitness, depending on how it is taught. It can be adapted to be used in one on one unarmed altercations, but it is not as extensive as Karate.
Karate is a martial art. It was designed to save your life in a self defense situation. Under a good instructor, it is very useful and effective for many types of self defense situations, because that is what it was designed for: self defense.
Given those facts, seek out the art that you wish to take, and make sure that the instructor is good. Good luck.
I have done both Karate and Kickboxing.
All that i can say is i prefer Kickboxing.
Yes,both are good,but Kickboxing is more based and basic,which is can be easily learned,depending on how serious you take the classes
Kickboxing is horrible all they do is punch and kick in the air. At least karate is a martial art that has contact
Kickboxing
Judo or japense ju jitsu would be your best bet most attacks on females are sexual related with an art like judo or jjj the second someone untrained comes to grips with you it's succide for them with and art like kickboxing unless you can knock that man out before he grabs you your going to have a bad time a very bad one.
Kickboxing is nothing more then a stripped down version of karate, kickboxing removed all the grappling aspects.
All styles can have full contact or semi contact. That is up to the individual instructor and not the style
What matters is how good your instructor is and how you train, there are bad instructors in all styles of martial arts only a complete fool thinks there is not.
Kw claimed he took Chinese Kempo for ten years now it's okinawan karate, he doesn't even know the difference between them, ether that or he is lying
edit kw you spent ten years in a mcdojo you have no concept of kata
this is what kata is used for, but kw would rather out right lie about its practicality and go through his mmafanboy mantra of how the earth is flat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pla...
kw answer me this how many of your class was but in the hospital during real full contact fighting? how many bones were broken how many stitches did they get? you still refuse to answer because you never did full contact fighting.
when we did full contact fighting everyone in class broke something r ended up with stitches at one point or another. i seriously doubt you do full contact to that extent.
as i always said its the instructor and they way you train, not the style a fact that kw outright lies about
edit:>
so kw basically your claiming i should not answer any question you post on because that is following you. how sad for you to have such a narrow view. to think im following you. why dont you stop answering question that you know nothing about.
you think what every you want kw i could care less. and for the record you fully know why i was pissed at you as i messaged it too you. the only liar around here is you.
I am 14 year old girl and really want to take up a martial art. I really want to learn self defence and a little bit of attack but alot of skill too? Which is better for this, karate or kickboxing? Or are there any better martial arts for me?
The best thing you can do is to just find a class of something you might like to do and try a class (most good martial arts schools will offer a free lesson or 2) and see if you like it.
I'm 14 and I used to do kickboxing, my friend is also 14 and still does karate. I think kickboxing has power and karate needs speed. I personally don't think anyone will ever use karate in real life, cause when u get adrenaline rush you just start pounding. That's why I choose kickboxing. Still own my friend when we spar.
