What are the main differences between shotokan karate, judo, tae kwon do, etc?

I want to start taking classes, but I don%26#039;t know which one to go for.|||Well Shotokan Karate comes form Okinawan Te originally brought to Japan by Funokoshi and it is a linear style that emphasizes on both kicks and punches equally and they tend to be hard and strict.





Judo is what the Samurai onces used as their hand to hand combat ages ago and it too can be very rough and strict.





TKD is from Korea and if you learn from Korea you most likely will have a good school, their is a sad tendency for bad TKD schools in the USA, but there are good ones you just have to look as with any of them!





To pick which to go for I would try all three out a class or two and see how the class, teacher and students are and pick the one of the three you like the best!!





That is my advice.|||first.. thank you wulf for being polite when speaking of TKD...... TKD is actually very similar to Shotokan Karate... and to someone first starting out the difference wont matter.. so between those two, find the best teacher (which is the one with the best students :)... think of TKD and Shotokan, as kicking, punching, and blocking





Judo is more of a close range stlye, which will more grabbing, choking, and/or throwing...





with a good school after a few years you will be good at one %26quot;range%26quot; (distance) of fighting, and at least a a good undertanding of the others.... but if you are just starting out... visit all the schools in your area, and choose the one that you like the most.. for what ever reason.. and get started... I have never met someone who said %26quot;I didnt like the time i learned Martial Arts%26#039;s%26quot;.. good luck|||They all originated in different countrys and areas around the world. But in my opinion, if your just starting classes and just getting in to fight classes go for tae kwan do. The others can be a little harder to learn and take a trained body to take it so start small and end big.|||Shotokan Karate- Mostly aggressive


Judo- Throws, Grapples


Tae Kwon Do- Kicks, blocks, strikes.








I would reccomend a blend of Krav Maga, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Judo.