Karate vs. Kickboxing and Muay Thai

[Scorcho]

Hey, I was reading a thread a little earlier that compared Karate to Kickboxing. I think that this is worth discussing further.

 

I would argue that karate is totally different from kickboxing for a few reasons. First, take a look at the stances. In karate, the stance is firmly rooted to the ground, and often quite deep. In Kickboxing, the stance is very tall, and the fighter will often be bouncing up and down on his toes. While some karate practicioners might bounce in point sparring tourneys, that due to the nature of point sparring, where the speed of one technique is much more important than power.

 

Secondly, the hand positions are different. A karate practicioner will usually keep his/her hands open, so that they can block, grab, and punch. In kickboxing, the hands are always kept closed.

 

The strikes are different. Some of this is due to the gloves, but even at tourneys, karate-kas wear gloves that allow them to keep their hands open, for shutos, wawuke's, bushkins, and other open handed strikes. The difference is even more noticible without gloves, where karateists will use all sorts of hand positions like shokens, hi-rocken fists (the bear paw), etc. which expose knuckles differently and increase pain in short strikes to soft areas.

 

And of course, the blocks are different. This is probably one of the most noticible aspects.

 

Overall, I think that the two arts are quite different, and I think that this is seen in the fact that karate-kas usually do not do very well when they cross over to K1 and other kickboxing competitions, at least not at first. That is because they have spent time learning knuckle strikes and blocks that are not very useful with boxing gloves on. By the time they become good kickboxers, you can no longer tell that their original style was karate.

 

Let me know what you think.

[cross]

Stances: Have you ever seen karate free-sparring? We bounce on our toes.

 

Hands: Its hard to do much with your hands open while you are wearing gloves.

 

Strikes: karate has all the same strikes has kickboxing and more.

 

Blocks: Karate has the same blocks and more.

 

K1: karate-kas usually dont focus there training on kickboxing tournements. The ones that do probably dont do well because they jsut arnt good. But there are many good karate fighters that do well. What about seidokan karate. Sam Greco, Andy Hugg.

 

If you need me to elaberate more please ask.

[TJS]

A karate practicioner will usually keep his/her hands open, so that they can block, grab, and punch. In kickboxing, the hands are always kept closed.

 

A kickboxer should keep his hands open aswell up until impact. You proabably just cant tell because of the gloves. you move faster when your hands are open and it helps you stay relaxed.

[cross]

Thats True.

[Goju1]

Hey, I was reading a thread a little earlier that compared Karate to Kickboxing. I think that this is worth discussing further. Let me know what you think.

 

Well, here's my story: while training for a black belt test a couple of years ago, I felt that my sparring needed to be taken up a notch. Not that I was bad, I could more than hold my own, but I wanted to expand my knowledge. So I met a guy who was a semi-professional kick boxer who wanted a sparring partner and we started training together. We used heavy gloves, so I was unable to use open handed techniques, which I prefer (ed). The first time we sparred, this guy almost killed me! Even though I was 6" taller and 30 lbs heavier and in better shape. I was not used to the power of the blows, or the speed and angles of the kicks. So we trained and trained, I stopped trying to fight karate style for a while and just focused on learning new stuff. Jab, cross, hook over and over.

 

The next time I went to the dojo and sparred (2 months) I went up against the one guy that always gave me fits (lots younger, just as strong and had studied some wicked Chinese stuff) and boy was there a noticeable difference! Anyway it ended with him bent over double from an inside roundhouse I had learned...hehe.

 

I'll stop rambling, but I guess I'm trying to say, yes they are quite different and overall I don't know which is "superior". If I had used all of my karate knowledge and open handed/pressure point/grappling stuff with the kick-boxer would I have done better? Sure, but the bottom line for me was taking the strengths of both and putting them together. Even know when I spar, I sure remember to keep my hands up and elbows in because I paid such a price against that guy! I notice almost uniformly that karate stylists relax their hands and arms way too much and are easy targets for anyone looking for that.

 

Enough for now, hope that helps!

[cross]

just focused on learning new stuff. Jab, cross, hook over and over.

 

Are you saying you didn't learn to jab, cross and hook at your karate class?

[Goju1]

just focused on learning new stuff. Jab, cross, hook over and over.

 

Are you saying you didn't learn to jab, cross and hook at your karate class?

 

Nooo! I just hadn't called them that, having never done boxing before, so when the other guy called 'jab' I would sometimes be thinking the Japanese terms and get confused

[cross]

Ok then.

[WhiteBelt]

The biggest difference is the people that train in each MA. Karate is more popular so it will always get more of the people that don't really give a damn. You know, the ones that go to get fit and look cool. MT and kickboxing also are more oriented to full contact tournaments, so you already lose most of the slackers because they just wont show up.

 

You can argue about stances and technique for an eternity, and damn it probably is going to happen, but a kick is a kick, a punch a punch. They're all tools that have specific job, and each MA focuses on different jobs.

[cross]

Very true WhiteBelt.

 

And thats the reason why there are so many "drivethrough" blackbelts that couldnt fight to save themselves. For some its becuase there style doesnt focus on fighting. And for others its becuase if they show up and pay the money they get a belt. But in muay thai and some other styles its alot tougher, and you have to be willing to work hard for it. Although many great martial artists come from karate and TKD styles. Its the ones that just go and train to say that they have a belt who give the hard working students and the style a bad name.