Shotokan practitioners?

[JasonASmith]

Hello All,
I was just wondering how many Shotokan people there are here.
How long have you been studying?
Who is your Sensei?
What's your lineage?
Why did you start Shotokan?
And finally:
What are your thoughts on Shotokan?
Thanks in advance for any replies...

 

[oldnewbie]

I studied shotokan for three years, prior to my sensei stepping down. No great lineage or affiliations, just hard training.

I started in shotokan like so many people ... it was what I chose.
I didn't know of all the different styles of MA out there.
I found the style fit me well. I like the low stances and the "blow through your opponent" mentality.
I found Kata to be the most enjoyable feature, it stills my mind.

Although I do not study it now, I would be happy to discuss the art!

 

[karateka]

ıve been goıng shotokan for a whıle now and ı chose ıt as my martıal art because ı found that ıts teachıngs suıted me. ı enjoy shotokans explosıve power at the very last moment and ı enjoy thats ıts much more of a one hıt fıght that grapplıes and throws and swıngs. ıt ıs very dırect and sımple there are so fancy flıps or jumps and ı fınd that thıs ıs both elegant and practıcal agaınst nonmartıasl artısts and martıal artısts. we learn to attack wıth out entıre body and these teachıngs are really what ı thınk got me to traın shotokan as my prımary martıal art.

 

[stone_dragone]

Both schools that I have studied karate at wer heavily influenced by shotokan. The second school taught primarily shotokan under a different name. The majority of the kata that I know are shotokan kata. I appreciate it for its stong stances and power.

Lineage: Itosu > Funakoshi > Nishiyama > Baize > Kellet > Me.

Inbetween Baize and Kellet, the style started changing names, so that it was mostly shotokan, but not all.

 

[JasonASmith]

During my studies here on the internet, and from watching the two classes that I sat in on, I have noticed how much Shotokan seems to develop/rely on POWER...Everything about the movements emphasizes it...The strikes, the stances, the blocking(which in my mind is more striking than anything)...Everything about this system drips with power...it's kind of cool, in a frightening sort of way...

 

[JasonASmith]

Well, I can now add myself to the list of Shotokan practitioners...
My first class was this morning, and I LOVED it!

 

[twendkata71]

Thats great. I remember that feeling of excitement of the first class.
I was eleven when I started.

Well, I can now add myself to the list of Shotokan practitioners...
My first class was this morning, and I LOVED it!

 

[JasonASmith]

Thats great. I remember that feeling of excitement of the first class.
I was eleven when I started.

Must be nice, I'm 31...

 

[twendkata71]

Never too late to start. There is always something to learn. I have been training for 25 years now and I still have much to learn. Just remember no matter how long you continue to study karate do basics are key.

 

[splazzatch]

I study shotokan and I love it. The power is amazing. I didn't realize just how much power I actually could put out and how simple it was to do, by simply adding the hips in and engaging the muscles it was amazing...


Anyway, I have been practicing shotokan for about a year now and prior to that I studied Goshin-Jitsu for two years.

 

[Shotochem]

Must be nice, I'm 31...

I started a few months shy of my 31st Bday. I have studied Shotokan for 7yrs until recently joining Kempo. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Power, technique, body mechanics, thats Shotokan. Hard linear no nonsense movements. Direct and to the point. It's a steamroller/mack truck type of mentality associated with the style.

 

[JasonASmith]

I study shotokan and I love it. The power is amazing. I didn't realize just how much power I actually could put out and how simple it was to do, by simply adding the hips in and engaging the muscles it was amazing...


Anyway, I have been practicing shotokan for about a year now and prior to that I studied Goshin-Jitsu for two years.

Just to revive this thread a bit...
Where in PA are you?
I'm down in York, about 20 miles south of Harrisburg...
And I absolutely agree about the hip-thing...

 

[JasonASmith]

Power, technique, body mechanics, thats Shotokan. Hard linear no nonsense movements. Direct and to the point. It's a steamroller/mack truck type of mentality associated with the style.[/quote]

The "steamroller" analogy is a good one for what my Sensei is teaching...
I have come to realize that there is more than one way of thinking in this system...
My Sensei is teaching what some would consider a "basic" form of Shotokan...Only 17 Kata, not the 26 that I have seen in some of the JKA schools...VERY, VERY, VERY(did I say VERY?) strict attention to the basics, and DEPTH in the stances...It amazes me that Sensei can get down into, and move around in, these stances with such ease...

 

[twendkata71]

Are you sure you are not studying Shotokai karate? That is the original teachings of Funakoshi. Shotokai only teaches the original 18 kata. The reason for the different name was that when the Shotokan (JKA) went towards sport, several senior instructors did not like that and wanted to keep their Shotokan a pure Budo style. So they used the name Shotokai and kept the teachings closer to what Funakoshi taught originally. Funakoshi O'Sensei was not a fan of making karate do a sport.

 

[JasonASmith]

Are you sure you are not studying Shotokai karate? That is the original teachings of Funakoshi. Shotokai only teaches the original 18 kata. The reason for the different name was that when the Shotokan (JKA) went towards sport, several senior instructors did not like that and wanted to keep their Shotokan a pure Budo style. So they used the name Shotokai and kept the teachings closer to what Funakoshi taught originally. Funakoshi O'Sensei was not a fan of making karate do a sport.

All that I know for certain is that I am studying what the Sutrisno family has passed down...The elder Sutrisno(I don't know his name) studied Shotokan in the 1930's(presumably with Funakoshi Sensei) in Japan.
He, in turn, passed his knowledge down to his son Tristan, who is currently the head of the Bushi no Te organization(I think), and Tristan(who is a Pak in Tjimande Silat, as well) has trained my Sensei for the past 20 some-odd years...
I am not sure about the Shotokai thing, what's your take on the subject?

 

[twendkata71]

From what I have found. The father was from Indonesia and studied Shotokan karate in Japan. What you are studying is (at least from the instructors background is) Old Shotokan mixed with Indonesian martial arts. The senior Sutrisno probably left the Shotokan before everything started to change and become sport oriented and the other kata where added( Pre-WWII). Just from what I have read online. The bushi no te organization is an Isshin ryu organization. The head of it ,studied with Tristan Sutrisno before moving onto Okinawan Isshin ryu.
So, yes you are studying Shotokan karate, older version,which is actually closer to the Shotokai,but not affiliated.
All of that info doesn't really matter. What matters is that you enjoy your karate do training experience and that you keep at it.

 

[JasonASmith]

From what I have found. The father was from Indonesia and studied Shotokan karate in Japan. What you are studying is (at least from the instructors background is) Old Shotokan mixed with Indonesian martial arts. The senior Sutrisno probably left the Shotokan before everything started to change and become sport oriented and the other kata where added( Pre-WWII). Just from what I have read online. The bushi no te organization is an Isshin ryu organization. The head of it ,studied with Tristan Sutrisno before moving onto Okinawan Isshin ryu.
So, yes you are studying Shotokan karate, older version,which is actually closer to the Shotokai,but not affiliated.
All of that info doesn't really matter. What matters is that you enjoy your karate do training experience and that you keep at it.

Thanks for the info.
Can you give me a little more information on when and why the split happened? A website or book, perhaps?
I am interested in learning about the history of this system, apart from what I have read in Funakoshi Sensei's books...

 

[theriverrat]

I have been doing shotokan karate for 4 years now I live in the uk and have been tought by some of the best, they include sensei frank brennan 6th dan, sensei billy higgins 7th dan, sensei andy sherry 8th dan and the late great sensei enoeda who came over to the U.K. to teach us this great martial art.



Karate without passion is like a body without a soul.

 

[pstarr]

Enoeda was truly an institution...a great man.

 

[twendkata71]

Enoeda was one of the great masters of Shotokan karatedo. I have several of his kata books.

Enoeda was truly an institution...a great man.