Taekwondo, karate, jiu-jitsu, MMA—believe it or not, they are not all the same. 

Taekwondo was first developed in the 1950s, but its roots date back to 50 B.C., when its predecessor, taekkyon, developed in Korea. Much later, when Korea was ruled by Japan, taekkyon incorporated elements of karate and began to evolve into taekwondo.

Karate itself first developed, using a number of ancient Chinese martial arts techniques, in 17th-century Okinawa. It was introduced to mainland Japan in the 20th century.

Jiu-jitsu’s roots also date back to Japan, where samurai who had lost their swords in battle used it. In the 20th century, the Gracie family adapted techniques for more ground-based grappling, giving us Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

The origins of mixed martial arts (MMA) date back to Greece and the ancient Olympics, where there was a popular full-contact form of competition called pankration. The modern version, heavily influenced by Brazilian jiu-jitsu, gained popularity in the late 20th century and continues to evolve today.

Even though taekwondo, karate, jiu-jitsu, and MMA might seem the same to an untrained eye, in some ways, they actually do different things and teach different techniques. Yes, they all award black belts, but they all have different belts below that level, and they all involve a different technique, depending on which belt you are.

For my own part, I practice taekwondo, and I am a first-degree black belt going for my second degree. Studying a martial art can be a deeply rewarding pursuit, and I would encourage anyone who might be interested to find out more.