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Most styles or systems of martial arts have punches and kicks that you must learn. These are some of the basics that are taught from the beginning. Some of the styles that don’t have these are Akido, Judo and others that are more into learning to fall, take someone down and using joint locks to start their students off so that they will not be hurt while learning the system. I don’t mention all the strikes, kicks and stances while making the comparison to save time. This comparison is for informational purposes only. All info was obtained either from a website of a particular style, association or from first hand experience.
To reach your first belt in Song Ahm Tae Kwon Do, you learn a form consisting of 18 moves, (and unfortunately you are not told what the moves are for, or how to use them in a fight) and 2 moves, known as one-steps, consisting of a total of 10 moves.
To reach your first belt in American Kenpo Karate you must learn a form having 36 moves. You are shown what the moves are for and why we step the way we do to avoid an attack. You must also learn 10 self-defense techniques, all of which are thoroughly explained, with a total of 41 moves. Lastly you must also learn a blocking set with a total of 32 moves.
For your second belt in Tae Kwon Do you must learn a form, again unexplained, consisting of 23 moves and 2 one-steps made up of a total of 12 moves.
For your second belt in Kenpo you learn a form and are told why you do each of the 138 moves comprising it, 24 self-defense techniques with a total of 96 moves and a kicking set consisting of 42 moves, 16 kicks and 4 directional changes.
Wing Chung has a total of 3 forms that the student must learn. It is my understanding that these forms are repeated several times and each time you must perform it at a higher level of proficiency for promotion. The first form Sil Lum Tao has a total of 67 moves, Chum Kiu has 115 moves and the third form Biu Jee has 210 moves.
Shotokan Karate has a 2 man drill, Gohon Kumite with a total of 18 moves and a form, Kihon Kata with 22 moves for your first belt. For your next belt you repeat all the basics and Gohon Kumite plus you have to preform the Heian Shodan Kata, form, consisting of 23 moves. So the only new thing you have to learn is Heian Shodan Kata.
This comparison is intended to help give anyone looking to join the martial arts a glimpse into just a few of the different systems that are out there. Each individual should do their own research into what each potential system has to offer, then make up their own mind as to which martial art discipline would be the best one for them to study.