Kata Training

Kata Training

Sometimes you may see references to "Hard Style" and "soft style" martial arts. For many non-martial artists, these terms may prove difficult. In North America, these terms are used to classify styles of martial arts into two main categories. Japanese / Okinawan karate and Korean tae kwon do are generally referred to as hard styles. Movements in both karate and taekwondo are often linear with their forms (traditional sequence of set moves) performed with crisp movements. Styles of Chinese kung fu are usually designated as soft styles. The circular movements of kung fu forms give them a more visually graceful or softer appearance especially when many movements flow from one to another. Although Kuk Sool Won Korean who is sometimes referred to as' Korean kung fu, is often classified as a soft style whose movements are also more fluid than the stop and go of tae kwon do or karate. This does not mean that hard styles such as karate or tae kwon do are more powerful martial arts kung fu and other soft styles. The term "soft" is somewhat misleading because the power of circular kung fu moves are often hidden. Circular motion can generate just as much power as linear.

The terms hard style and soft style came as a result of the evolution of the North American competitions martial arts, particularly in forms divisions. For many years, open karate tournaments which allowed all martial arts styles, had competitors from different backgrounds in martial arts competitions in the same forms divisions. All competitors of similar level, they used a kata / Japanese Okinawan karate, a Korean Tae kwon do pattern or a form of Chinese kung-fu, have participated together in the same divisions. This provided a wonderful showcase of martial arts especially for spectators at major tournaments. However, some competitors and judges considered divisions with styles combined to be too complicated. For example, judges who were familiar with the styles as Japanese or Korean has had a difficult time scoring competitors performing Chinese kung fu forms. Sometimes, competitors from different martial art styles felt that judges were biased against them. Judging hard style form against a soft style form was often like trying to compare apples with oranges.

To help solve these problems, many of the largest martial arts tournament expanded to separate divisions for hard and soft styles. It was a way to equalize things and add a little more fairness to all competitors. The larger tournaments have been another step forward and further separated Japanese karate stylists of tae kwon Koreans do stylists by putting them in different divisions too. That still leaves many kempo stylists in the air because their particular forms have to both hard and soft elements of style because their movements are both linear and circular. Some promoters of large tournaments decided to give designers kempo adding in separate forms divisions just for their style too. Of course many smaller local tournaments have not been able to offer Divisions hard and soft style to separate the competitors from martial arts forms mainly due to budgetary constraints, financial. The terms hard style and soft style is used only in North America and parts of Europe since these are the only regions in the world who have open competitions Arts martial. Martial arts competitions in other parts of the world such as Asia are generally limited to certain specific styles.

Clint is a lifelong martial artist with over 36 years of training experience in kung fu, tae kwon do, karate, kickboxing and martial arts weaponry. He has won Canadian and world championship titles (NASKA, NBL and WSKF). He is also owner of Martial Arts Articles Online (http://www.martialartsarticlesonline.com), an online martial arts information resource.

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