What Martial Arts were used in Cobra Kai?
In the T.V. series, Cobra Kai, they use a mix of different martial arts, MMA, and Hollywood choreography. The primary styles used are a mix of Karate, Taekwondo, and Tang Soo Do.
Karate:
The central martial art in the series, rooted in traditional Okinawan Karate (Where the Character Mr. Miyagi is from), focuses on defensive techniques, fluid movements, and good balance. Cobra Kai Karate, on the other hand, emphasizes aggressive and offensive techniques, which align more with a competitive style of Karate; Attack first!
Taekwondo:
Many of the flashy kicks and high-flying moves seen in the show are influenced by taekwondo, which is what the system is most known for showcasing.
Tang Soo Do:
This fighting style is a Korean martial art. A type of Karate, also known as "the way of the hand", but more adaptable for combat than competition.
Mixed Martial Arts:
Modern fight scenes often incorporate techniques from various disciplines, such as grappling, takedowns, BJJ, and boxing. Mixed with traditional martial arts, it gives the fight scenes a more modern look.
Hollywood Fighting:
Many, if not all, fight scenes in the series are choreographed with cinematic flair, blending traditional techniques, modern techniques, and exaggerated moves for dramatic effect.
We really enjoyed the Cobra Kai series and have shared conversations about the show with our youth members who have also enjoyed it.
We are always aware to talk to our youth members, and their parents, to make sure they know what kind of show it is. You have to be careful with any movies, shows, or videos kids watch that glorify fighting.
The Cobra Kai series is a fantasy show and that is an important conversation to have if you plan on letting younger kids watch it. Generally, if they are too young to understand fantasy, then they are too young to watch the show (in our opinion).
In the end, the sparring matches and fights in the series are just demonstrations of the techniques. Half the moves used don't have real world practicality and would never be used in a real sparring match.
