Shotokan Karate

[Shinzu]

do you study the teachings of gichin funakoshi?

what is your favorite aspect of the art?

your toughts and input are greatly appreciated
:asian:

 

[arnisador]

I started off in Okinawan karate (Isshin-ryu, followed by Okinawan Goju-ryu and then by Uechi-ryu) and I prefer those styles, with more circularity, closer-in technqiues (including clear grappling techniques), and generally higher stances. I do of course have some books my Gichin Funakoshi on my shelf!

 

[Shinzu]

i tend to like the japanese arts the best also. shotokan was the art i was first taught. i guess you could say it was my first "martial love" hee hee.

i have some of funakoshi's books also. his insight and knowledge are priceless.

 

[Chiduce]

Has either one of you guys heard or had some studies in Shotokan Aikido? I have seen it on the net and cannot find the original site. It has some very good throwing techniques etc, that are avi. Arnisador; do you feel that isshin ryu or uechi ryu is the better defensive system and why? I trained in the matsumura seito ( hakutsuru) shorin ryu system and would like to get some feedback on the similarities between shorin, isshin, and uechi ryu systems. Sincerely, In Humility; Chiduce!

 

[Shinzu]

i am not familiar with shotokan aikido.

i do know that shotokan has many different throws and takedowns within the system so perhaps it is combination of both styles developed by a sensei who studied them.

 

[arnisador]

Originally posted by Chiduce

Has either one of you guys heard or had some studies in Shotokan Aikido?

A single art named Shotokan Aikido? No, I don't know it.

Arnisador; do you feel that isshin ryu or uechi ryu is the better defensive system and why?]

Tough question! Isshin is the harder system and has a very strong punch but I feel that Uechi's blocking and body positioning are better. When I started studying Uechi I didn't understand it but now I think I do and I think that it can be quite effective. If I had to choose one or the other for self-defense I'd take Uechi.

would like to get some feedback on the similarities between shorin, isshin, and uechi ryu systems.

Uechi is very similar to Southern Chinese kung fu of the Southern praying mantis form. It barely looks like karate as one usually thinks of it. Isshin is very straight-on and relatively in-close. Shorin of course I'm sure you know; it uses more open-hand and wider circular techniques than Isshin, for example.

 

[Chiduce]

Originally posted by arnisador



Uechi is very similar to Southern Chinese kung fu of the Southern praying mantis form. It barely looks like karate as one usually thinks of it. Isshin is very straight-on and relatively in-close. Shorin of course I'm sure you know; it uses more open-hand and wider circular techniques than Isshin, for example.

Thanks for the information. I agree with you on shroin ryu being more circular in application. Yet it is understood more in bunkai. Since the white crane system has it's own kenpo there exists again more bunkai because the same kata is used in both karate-do and kenpo. Sincerely, In Humility; Chiduce!

 

[RyuShiKan]

Originally posted by Chiduce

Has either one of you guys heard or had some studies in Shotokan Aikido?

Sure your not thinking of ShoDokan Aikido there is such a thing as that.............but Sotokan Aikido as in the karate........no such thing.


ShoDokan Aikido Honbu website:

http://homepage2.nifty.com/shodokan/index_e.html

 

[SenseiGR]

I'd like to check out Uechi-ryu some time; sounds interesting. Isshinryu teaches both open-hand and "hard" blocks. Some of us spar using open hands almost exclusively, and lots of circular movements. I've found as I age I prefer softer techniques. They are faster and less demanding on the body, yet with technique and knowledge you can still pack a wallop.

 

[OC Kid]

I dont know shotokan however I was orginally ranked in a Japanese system whose forms are very simular to Shotokans. I like the Shotokan forms because they are the cloest to the orginal taught by Funikoshi. With Shito Ryu and others breaking up and fragmenting and tweaking their forms Shotokans has remained the same. I really like that.

 

[TimoS]

With Shito Ryu and others breaking up and fragmenting and tweaking their forms Shotokans has remained the same. I really like that.

As I've understood it, Shotokan is no stranger to fragmentation. I don't practise Shotokan, never have and probably never will (not an interesting style in my opinion), so my knowledge is, admittedly, pretty limited. For example in my previous hometown there are two separate Shotokan groups and they don't have anything to do with each other. From what my friend who practises Shotokan has told me, all the splinters (can't think of a better word right now) are quite different from each other and they all claim to be teaching the original Funakoshi karate. And besides, Funakoshi (and others in Shotokan after him) changed the kata really lot from what they were originally, so in my opinion saying that Shotokan has remained the same from Funakoshi's time is incorrect. That's not to say that Shotokan isn't good! With a good sensei I'm sure it is an excellent style, but so is every other style

 

[OC Kid]

I look at the "Best karate" series of books. They are written (supposedly) by the "Official" master of ShotoKan Nishiyama (I think thats how you spell his name). It was presented to him through the linage of Funikoshi. Anyway his Kata are almost exactly like the one I was taught and practice and teach.

 

[TimoS]

I look at the "Best karate" series of books. They are written (supposedly) by the "Official" master of ShotoKan Nishiyama (I think thats how you spell his name). It was presented to him through the linage of Funikoshi. Anyway his Kata are almost exactly like the one I was taught and practice and teach.

Like I said, I don't practise Shotokan, so I could be wrong, but I think Nishiyama changed the kata quite a bit. My friend practises Shotokan ryu Kase ha and they are claiming that their kata is in original form or close to it, but as I've understood it, so does every other Shotokan group :idunno: Not that changing the kata is a bad thing in itself

 

[Chizikunbo]

kata were passed down from the masters of old for a reason for the purpose of them being analyzed, to find the bunkai, that is the true art. But some people like Gichen Funakoshi dilluted the kata to where you may if you are lucky find a bunkai technique in one of them so I quote Choki Motobu:

"Funakoshi had great teachers but only learned the outside of karate...He is just a Shamisen player...hes a confindence trickster with a silver tounge...If he fought me I would kick his a** all of the way back to Okinawa..."
--Choki Motobu
Conversely, Motobu referred to Funakoshi’s karate as a Shamisen (3 stringed Okinawan guitar), beautiful on the outside but hollow on the inside.

Kata is karate itself...

 

[jeffbeish]

Shotokan is a hard, stiff karate and I never liked it. When attending the SAC-ARDC training at the Kodokan during the early-1960's sensei Nishiyama and another shotokan sensei taught us the basics. The Kodokan has a relationship with Shotokan karate from the time Funakoshi instroduced karate to Japan. Because I lived on and trained in Okianwa karate it seemed to me taht shotokan was a basic style of some Okinawan karate, but at the time was not an expert on either.

 

[mcjon77]

"Funakoshi had great teachers but only learned the outside of karate...He is just a Shamisen player...hes a confindence trickster with a silver tounge...If he fought me I would kick his a** all of the way back to Okinawa..."
--Choki Motobu
Conversely, Motobu referred to Funakoshi’s karate as a Shamisen (3 stringed Okinawan guitar), beautiful on the outside but hollow on the inside.

Kata is karate itself...

Great qoute, where did you get it? Did Motobu have anything else to say about Funakoshi or the other karate masters of that time?

Jon

 

[Littledragon]

I have not taken the art but have studied it through books and readings etc.. I feel that Shotokan is one of the most deadliest Karate styles and one of the most effective Karate styles to be used for street self defense even though it is a traditional martial art.
:asian:

 

[TonyU]

How about Shorinyu? Funakoshi sensei and Chibana sensei were dojo brothers under Itosu sensei. Funakoshi went to Japan but Chibana chose to stay in Okinawa and call his style Shorinryu. But they both had the same teacher. Just thought I'd ask.

 

[Littledragon]

How about Shorinyu? Funakoshi sensei and Chibana sensei were dojo brothers under Itosu sensei. Funakoshi went to Japan but Chibana chose to stay in Okinawa and call his style Shorinryu. But they both had the same teacher. Just thought I'd ask.

Yes Shorinyu Karate is great but I feel it is just too traditional and lacks the intensity of Kyukoshin and Shotokan. But thats just my opinion.

Tarek Hussein (16)

 

[TonyU]

That tends to be a common misconception. Shorinyu is a more angular style. Our blocks are secondary. In other words the core of the sytem is body shifting and body positioning where we can then concetrate our power into our counter. People tend counfuse it as weak due to the fact that we don't block as hard as Shotokan or Kyokoshin. Now if you're talking about the intesity in training well that may be up to the instructor(s). But every time we train I'm soaked and exhausted. It is also how one trains.