Which style

[terryl965]

If you had to choose which style of Karate was best and when answering please give an example of why you believe it is the right one for you.
Terry

 

[Cirdan]

Wado-ryu. Because it teches natural movement, relaxation and won`t wear down my joints or destroy nerve endings. Since a range of locks and throws are included, it is a fairly well rounded system.

This is why wado is the best for me.

 

[evenflow1121]

I wont say its the best, cause I dont believe any style to be the best, but it sure as hell was right for me, Kenpo. Now the reason I say this is because I feel comfortable doing Kenpo, I believe you can not really alter techniques to the point where you can accomodate everyone's needs, thus; there are different strokes for different folks. There are people out there I am sure that feel Kenpo makes no sense to them, that is ok, there are a lot of other styles that may be more accomodating for their particular needs. So in my case, I guess I ll be baised and say Kenpo, I love it, I love using my hands, and striking above every thing.

 

[TimoS]

Kokusai Shorinji ryu karate of course, otherwise I wouldn't be studying it I can understand it is not for everybody, but it seems to be the right one for me. If you want more detailed reasons, I'll just copy Cirdan's response (because it's late here in Finland and I'm tired and therefore I don't want to think about arguments)

Because it teches natural movement, relaxation and won`t wear down my joints or destroy nerve endings. Since a range of locks and throws are included, it is a fairly well rounded system.

P.S. Long live the Nordic co-operation

 

[stone_dragone]

For my money and time, I prefer a blend of Goju Ryu Karate and Kenpo. From both I enjoy the combination of circular and linear, hard and soft, solid and flowing. Specifically from Goju, I like the advanced grappling application and kata bunkai. Likewise from Kenpo, I enjoy the straight forward nature and focus on, as SGM Parker put it "Scientific, dirty street-fighting."

My two cents.

 

[chinto]

If you had to choose which style of Karate was best and when answering please give an example of why you believe it is the right one for you.
Terry

for myself, Shobayashi Shorin Ryu. the reasons are that it is tought the same now as it was when founded. it has not been sporterized or any other such problems. the kata have not been modified, and being okinawan it is circuler and liner, hard and soft in movement and technique. this is not to say it is the best for you or some one else, but for me it is. I greatly prefer it to Matsumura Seito that I studied in the past.

 

[twendkata71]

Personally, as far as Japanese karate do I would say Shito ryu, Okinawan, Matsumura seito Shorin ryu, and Goju ryu, I prefer the footwork of shorin ryu.

 

[searcher]

Though I train heavily in Chito-ryu, I am partial to my first karate style, EPAK. If we are sticking to the JMA and OMA, I like Isshin-ryu. The stances are higher and the movements are fast, explosive, compact, and powerful. I trained in it a few years ago and I absolutely love it. I almost gave up C-ryu for it, but the instructor had a job change and had to stop working with me.

 

[Martin h]

Kyokushin (no big suprise since it is what I train), although I would not be heartbroken if I had to switch to Enshin or Ashihara -I like their footwork. Daido juku would be good to.

If I had to pick a "trad" style I would prefer Uechi ryu, a Goju style that has not gone all WKF/point karate or a okinawan style that do Bogu kumite.

 

[TimoS]

If I had to pick a "trad" style I would prefer Uechi ryu

I would love to try Uechi ryu also, but unfortunately the closest Uechi dojo that I've found out about are in Germany

 

[Em MacIntosh]

I'm primarily a chito ryu practitioner but I enjoyed my couple weeks at Kanzen Kenpo as well. I'd have to say Kempo even though I have introductory experience at best, I've had some freinds to tussle around with. No disrespect to the style I train in now but I find kempo to be drastically more effective for me. Wrist blocks hardly move your guard. L-stance is solid, "shoulder" punch can drive an opponent. I think it works for my physiology. I should sign up for kempo, come to think of it.