Karate isn't a weak martial art it's just that REAL karate is very hard to find especially in the United States. Almost 99% of tradtional martial arts in America are so watered down for either sport, or for Mc'Dojos to hand out black belts very quickly.
Yellow bamboo or yi chuan take your pick! Lol! Weak ass and stupid all rolled into one! It is a mind cult> next runner up_ anything that is ashida kim related (ninja made up crap)!
You Americans must have crappy karate schools. Here in New Zeland, in my club, the black belts are all very accomplished. I wouldn't mind a friendly spar with you, just to show you that karate is a useful martial art, when you can trace it's lineage. I hate it when I see things like "Red Dragon Karate" etc (Mc Dojos), the traditional unmodernised arts are the best. Modernising has done little but water down karate, if you study traditional Okinawan karate, e.g. Goju Ryu, Shotokan, you find a strong art that's even too dangerous and brutal for full contact sparring.
I used to think Kung Fu and Taekwondo were weak and useless, till I saw proficient practitioners from strong linage schools and my opinion was instantly changed.
Any form that teaches it's students to fight as a last resort. Train to fight or train to be some poem quoting coward who is too afraid to experience pain..
There are no weak forms, only weak individuals.
I think you chose wrong. I strongly encourage you to go up against an accomplished karateka. You will quickly find out just how "weak" karate is.
Yoga, because if you do that you're liable to get beaten to death by any martial form.
that was my joke answer, but my real answer is it matters what a fighter can do to another fighter.
A side kick is a side kick, A round kick is a round kick, a jab is a jab, you get the point, regardless of the martial artist being a Taekwondo or Kung fu or Muay Thai or whatnot.
Basically I can walk in and defend my gf or my friends with my Judo and my Jiu Jitsu against a Karate or Muay Thai fighter regardless if we're both black belts or blue belts as long as we fight competently. Judo and Jiu jitsu fighters are not known as strikers, but I still know how to throw a punch and a kick with my limited Kung fu experience and any goomba and any person knows how to swing their fists.
If I swing and get in less damage but I notice he flinches and I can get close enough where I can toss him to the ground and pull off a choke hold I have him. If I swing at him and that swing lands hard enough I have him.
This goes in general life especially in our country where violence (and sex of course) is such a contributing factor to our daily lives. If the other guy swings at me and hits me hard enough and I don't duck or black or evade or run, or whatever, and try to counter or throw him or submit him then I'm toast.
There are no Weak Martial Art forms. They were invented differently from other forms of martial arts. People's interest in one anothers' forms make them stronger or weaker... It is just how you use them and if you use them correctly.
And ummm.... My brothers, my friends, and my teachers do karate, and I think we are fairly good.