Though karate and kung fu are both martial arts practices and even sports, they are not the same thing. We find that our martial arts inquiries for children are often centered around karate. On the surface, variations that are noticeable immediately are that karate students are barefoot, while kung fu students wear shoes. Kung fu uniforms can be colorful, while the karate ensemble is all-white. Both practices see their students wearing belts depicting their skill level. Both karate and kung fu focus on striking techniques and defensive maneuvers, but kung fu has a larger influence of internal martial arts techniques and includes meditation.
