Difference Between Aikido and Kung fu

Aikido Vs Kung fu

If you happen to stumble upon the dilemma on choosing what type of martial art to learn then perhaps you should at least know each discipline. Like in differentiating aikido from kung fu, you should first know the principles involved so that you won’t get disappointed in the end.

Aikido is generally a type of martial art that’s based mainly on defending oneself. It is not a ‘strength for strength’ martial art because it does not make use of the defender’s strength in order to subdue the attacker. It is less aggressive compared to other martial art types like hapkido and even kung fu.

Kung fu is a more general term that pertains to a collection of Chinese martial art styles. Under it, there are many schools of thought like Wushu and Wing Chun among many others. It treats the body as a weapon from head to foot and is used in order to subdue an opponent at the quickest time possible while taking the least amount of damage. It also puts into consideration the art of self defense. But unlike aikido, kung fu is more aggressive because it warrants the use of equal or greater force to fend off attacks. It is a ‘strength for strength’ type of martial art.

Kung fu is also a measurement on how devoted one is to the art. This term may mean achievement and skill in literal Chinese. That’s why it is okay to say that one’s kung fu is superb in cooking if that person can prepare or cook meals really well. Similarly, you can also say that someone’s kung fu in writing is good if that person is able to really write well. Otherwise known as gung fu or gongfu, Kung fu involves sharpening one’s fighting skills while, at the same time, strengthening the mind and the body. Excellence in kung fu is attained through long labor and hard earned practices

Many have come to argue which of the two is the better type of martial art. Well, it depends on the situation and the suitability of the discipline is applied on a case to case basis. Sometimes, Kung fu will look superior over the other and in some cases it is aikido. You really can’t generalize and tell straight out.

1. Aikido is a Japanese style martial art that is based on Aiki Jujutsu. Kung fu is a collection of different types of Chinese martial arts.
2. Aikido is less aggressive than Kung fu because the latter instills the ‘strength for strength’ principle.

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