Today the World Taekwondo Federation sets the standards for competition rules and new developments in the sport. They decided to merge their different styles into a more uniform way of teaching, which they would call taekwondo. The taekwondo we know today started in 1955 when kwan masters came together for a conference on the martial art. When Japanese occupation ended in 1945, the first taekwondo school, called Kwan, opened in Korea. Because judo, karate and Kung-Fu were all introduced to Korea, taekwondo branched off into different styles with different influences. Some continued to practice in secret, while others traveled to learn martial arts in China or Japan. When Japan occupied Korea in the early 1900s, the Japanese banned Korean military arts, including taekwondo. So, taekwondo is a way of using your whole body in order to defend yourself. “Tae” means to kick, “kwon” means to punch or destroy with the hand, and “do” means a way of doing something. The earliest records of people practicing this hand-to-hand combat method date all the way back to 50 B.C.E. The World Karate Federation provides universal guidelines for practicing the sport and competing at a professional level. Today, the most common and distinct styles are: There are a few different styles that have branched off, but are still considered karate.

Karate is constantly evolving as a martial arts form. Over the years, karate spread throughout the world and different styles began to emerge.

The first dojo (karate training space) was opening in the U.S. His followers picked up where he left off and established the Japan Karate Association in 1949 for promoting the martial arts style.

The first known Okinawan karate master, Funakoshi Gichin, was born in 1868 and dedicated his whole life to spreading karate teachings across Japan. Karate has both Japanese and Chinese influences, as the two cultures were exposed to each other. People began using hand-to-hand combat to defend themselves. Although there isn’t written evidence, many people believe karate was created when King Shoha, who was ruler at the time, banned weapons on the island in order to prevent war. The first form of karate originated around 500 years ago, on the Japanese island of Okinawa.

History of karate and taekwondo History of karate

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