Bruce Lee’s kung fu, Madonna’s karate or taekwondo like Barack Obama: which Asian martial arts form is right for you?
Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan made kung fu famous, Gigi Hadid and Ellie Goulding are kick-boxers, Ryan Gosling does Muay Thai, Madonna practises karate, Barack Obama prefers taekwondo and Vladimir Putin chooses judo – so which martial art should you do?
Whether you want to fight off a stranger in a dark alley, karate chop some firewood or do a flying kick as your next party trick, learning martial arts can be beneficial in more ways than one. Defined as a variety of systems of training for combat or self-defence, many of which originated in Asia, martial arts are not just a great way to get fit – there are also numerous mental and spiritual benefits including mental clarity, self-discipline and confidence.
With so many types of martial arts in Asia alone, we’ve broken them down so you can figure out which one is best for you:
Kung fu
What is it? An umbrella term for more than 100 different styles of Chinese martial arts practised over the centuries, kung fu is characterised by fast and explosive moments that emphasise agility and physical strength.
Who does it? Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen, Jet Li
Any safety issues? Due to all the kicking and punching, it is possible to get hurt quite easily.
How fit do I have to be? Although you don’t need to be as ripped as Bruce Lee, you definitely need to have a basic level of fitness including physical stamina, speed and endurance.
Recommended for? Anyone who wants to realise their fantasy of becoming Bruce Lee (yellow jumpsuit optional).