Common Karate Styles???

[dancinmslacey]

Hi,
Just wondering what the most common/popular karate styles are in the USA. I'm trying to find a style that would be fairly easy to hire a decent instructor to head up my program. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for your help.

P.S. We started with Shorei Goju Ryu (which we really loved, but the instructor had conflicts with college and had to quit), so we switched to Shotokan about 2 months ago and the new instructor will not follow the direction of how I want my programs/business run....very frustrating, and I would like to keep the few students we have left (14 have dropped in 2 months...we are down to 7) by getting them a more appropriate teacher.

 

[searcher]

I am afraid you might have some trouble finding an instructor that will let you run their classes.

What type of facility do you have? Where are you located? What do your students want?


I will try to help you out as best I can.

 

[dancingalone]

new instructor will not follow the direction of how I want my programs/business run..

How do you want your program run? The answer will probably reveal more what kind of instructor you need to hire much more so than his particular style.

Not sure if this is the direction you are trying to move in, but some of the more commercial schools I have seen taught taekwondo, tang soo do, American karate, or Shaolin kempo. All are good arts in of themselves and can be taught at either a high level or one more slanted towards the lowest common denominator.

 

[Grenadier]

Most common? The big four:

Shotokan
Wado Ryu
Goju Ryu
Shito Ryu

Since you are already familiar with Trias' Shorei Goju system, you may find that a Goju Ryu practitioner would be more in line with what you already learned, and would make for a smoother transition.

 

[Aiki Lee]

The most common karate sytles in my area are Isshin Ryu. Every city within a hundred miles of where I live has an Isshin ryu dojo of some kind.

 

[VegasM4]

The most common karate sytles in my area are Isshin Ryu. Every city within a hundred miles of where I live has an Isshin ryu dojo of some kind.

I can't find any in Las Vegas.I studied under Master Angi Uezu back in Okinawa when I was in the Marines.Las Vegas has lots and lots of MMA/BJJ schools though and nearly every other Martial Art.

 

[MBuzzy]

It seems that most areas have a prominent style - it depends on the area. Depending on size, some have a more wide variety. I would look around for what is in your area.

 

[arnisador]

Just wondering what the most common/popular karate styles are in the USA.

Probably Shotokan is the most popular style of Karate, followed by Goju-ryu and its variants. It varies by region--e.g., Isshin-ryu is probably the most popular style in Western NY, and Uechi-ryu is very popular in New England.

Is it important that it be literal Karate, and not Tae Kwon Do or something?

 

[Aiki Lee]

Yeah Isshin-ryu is super common here in Illinois, followed by shotokan and likely goju ryu.

I think you could be happy with any of the karate systems so long as your teacher is skilled and you are able to keep at it.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I can't find any in Las Vegas.I studied under Master Angi Uezu back in Okinawa when I was in the Marines.Las Vegas has lots and lots of MMA/BJJ schools though and nearly every other Martial Art.

I knew Master Angi Uezu when I was in the Marines, but I did not study karate. He was a Japanese Security Guard on the gate at Camp Foster and I was an MP; this was in 1982-83. I wish I had studied then. I am now a beginner at Isshinryu, with a much heavier and slower bod.

Oh, and Isshinryu is very popular here in Michigan. Tai Kwon Do as well.