# Whats the difference??



## TheOriginalName (Jul 1, 2007)

Hey there one and all - 

I am relatively new to the MA of Karate and am wondering what the differences are between the different styles?
Personally i didn't look for a school which practised a particular style - i looked for one i felt comfortable in, so i really don't know what the differences are.

Cheers


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## thetruth (Jul 2, 2007)

Given the massive amount of different styles out there I think you will have to be a little more specific as to which styles you are referring.  

Cheers
Sam:asian:


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## Grenadier (Jul 2, 2007)

Lots of differences!  

This wiki article actually has a decent comparison:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_karate_styles

Keep in mind, though, that there can be variations between one school of a given style and another.  

I've seen some Shotokan schools that incorporate a good bit more "soft" techniques than other Shotokan schools, and some Wado schools that incorporate more "hard" techniques than other Wado schools.


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## stoneheart (Jul 2, 2007)

What I have found is that individual instructor differences is more important than style.  There are actually some Shotokan people who teach bunkai and you can find plenty of Isshin-ryu schools who practice kicking high.  If you go by generalizations, Shotokan does not practice bunkai and Okinawan systems teach you to kick low only.

Style is only a starting point.  Don't be too surprised to see exceptions to the rule out there.


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## Boomer (Jul 2, 2007)

Excellent point, Stone.  Try to avoid what I call "style shopping", and look for a great teacher/coach that has something that you like.


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## TheOriginalName (Jul 2, 2007)

I haven't checked out the posted links yet - will get to that - but just wanted to attempt to clarify .......

I have started training in a form called Bushidokan, which is based upon an Okinawan style (i can't recall the name ..... my memory isn't as good as it....what was i saying??). I chose the school based on the instructors - they were just amazing and have such a passion, which i find inspires my passion. 

The reason i have posted this rather open question is that i read a lot of the posts talking about the different styles and don't really have an idea of what the general differences are. 

I do naturally relise that each school will be different - as i'm sure the styles change slightly with different interpritations - but it would help me if some of you more experienced people could let me know what the major styles are and what the focus and differences are between the styles.

I hope that perhaps clears up where i am coming from with this post. 

Cheers one and all.


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## Steel Tiger (Jul 2, 2007)

First let me say I think you chose your particular school for all the right reasons.  Being comfortable with where you are is very important to your ability to learn.

Not being a Karate practitioner I can only give a vague idea of stylistic differences.  In a broad sense Karate can be divided one way into two large groups - hard and soft.  These are similar to the external and internal of Chinese arts that I am more familiar with.  There is another division between Okinawan and Japanese styles.  There is clearly a difference here, but I am not clear on what it comprises.

Perhaps others with more knowledge would like to elaborate.


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## Karatedrifter7 (Jul 2, 2007)

When youre talkin Shotokan, Shorinryu, Wadoryu, etc. Its almost seems like different dialects of a language to me. Even with Kenpo which has been called "Chinese Karate" I was talking with a Shorinryu friend and we found alot of similarities. What do you take presently?


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## chinto (Jul 3, 2007)

TheOriginalName said:


> I haven't checked out the posted links yet - will get to that - but just wanted to attempt to clarify .......
> 
> I have started training in a form called Bushidokan, which is based upon an Okinawan style (i can't recall the name ..... my memory isn't as good as it....what was i saying??). I chose the school based on the instructors - they were just amazing and have such a passion, which i find inspires my passion.
> 
> ...


 

first of all I think if you visited the schools in your aria, and picked the one the seemed to best fit you, well then you did it right!

I am not fumilure with the style you mentioned, so could not say how my style differs from yours. I study a traditional Okinawan style. So the best guess to tell me a bit about your style would be to tell me its linege and or a list of its kata. 

either way I think you picked the school it sounds like that fits you best from what you know and what you saw.


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## Cirdan (Jul 3, 2007)

While I am no expert on the subject, I think what defines the styles are their philosophies and what aspects of training that are valued. When I hear the name of a style this is what i associate with them:

Kyokushin: Heavy contact sparring. Being able to take a beating is important.

Shotokan: "The shortest way between two points is a straight line" Deep stances and powerful linear attacks.

Goju Ryu: Conditioning by punching the makiwara (and trees i am told) and lifting  heavy clay pots by the fingertips. Combining hard and soft.

Shito Ryu: LOTS of Kata. 

Wado Ryu: Jujutsu influence. Stresses natural movement and body management.


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## Kevdak (Jul 3, 2007)

Cirdan said:


> While I am no expert on the subject, I think what defines the styles are their philosophies and what aspects of training that are valued. When I hear the name of a style this is what i associate with them:
> 
> Kyokushin: Heavy contact sparring. Being able to take a beating is important.
> 
> ...



What about Shorin Ryu?


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## Cirdan (Jul 4, 2007)

Kevdak said:


> What about Shorin Ryu?


 
I don`t really know the style, but I tend to think of it as an older version of Shotokan with higher stances.

I am a curious about Shorin Ryu since it is often called Matsumura`s style. Perhaps you could tell us a bit since this is one of your styles?


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## Kevdak (Jul 4, 2007)

Cirdan said:


> Perhaps you could tell us a bit since this is one of your styles?



Haha. One of the styles I am interested in. I am thinking of taking Shorin-Ryu to complement my Judo and Jiu-Jutsu.


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## chinto (Jul 5, 2007)

Cirdan said:


> I don`t really know the style, but I tend to think of it as an older version of Shotokan with higher stances.
> 
> I am a curious about Shorin Ryu since it is often called Matsumura`s style. Perhaps you could tell us a bit since this is one of your styles?


 

i study a style of shorin ryu, and it is hard and soft in technique and circuler and liner in movement.  so not really that similer in meany ways to shotokan. but, in others it is, as shotokan was made by funikoshi by modifying a style of shorin ryu to meet the japanese sensibilitys.


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## chinto (Jul 5, 2007)

Kevdak said:


> Haha. One of the styles I am interested in. I am thinking of taking Shorin-Ryu to complement my Judo and Jiu-Jutsu.


 

if you take jujitsu and judo, you may find that there is a lot of similer things in meany styles of shorin ryu and more besides.


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## Cirdan (Jul 5, 2007)

chinto said:


> i study a style of shorin ryu, and it is hard and soft in technique and circuler and liner in movement. so not really that similer in meany ways to shotokan. but, in others it is, as shotokan was made by funikoshi by modifying a style of shorin ryu to meet the japanese sensibilitys.


 
Is your style Shorin-Ryu Kyudokan? I am told they use more circular movements compared to the other schools of the Shorin tree.

What approach does your style take to conditioning, breaking, throws and groundwork?


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## Kevdak (Jul 6, 2007)

chinto said:


> if you take jujitsu and judo, you may find that there is a lot of similer things in meany styles of shorin ryu and more besides.


Please if you can go on more about it here, it would really help:
http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52124


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## chinto (Jul 9, 2007)

Cirdan said:


> Is your style Shorin-Ryu Kyudokan? I am told they use more circular movements compared to the other schools of the Shorin tree.
> 
> What approach does your style take to conditioning, breaking, throws and groundwork?


no I study shobayashi shorin ryu.  we are about 70 % tamari te in influince on our style. but we use a lot of circuler movements. I have to say its a style I really like and enjoy, and have no doubts of its efficency and effectivness.


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## chinto (Jul 9, 2007)

Cirdan said:


> Is your style Shorin-Ryu Kyudokan? I am told they use more circular movements compared to the other schools of the Shorin tree.
> 
> What approach does your style take to conditioning, breaking, throws and groundwork?


  we do use the makawara and train with some weights and running as well as a lot of kata work of course. we use brakes and throws and locks and traps and there is ground work in the kata if you look closely.  however usualy the first one who hits the ground is in real trouble. shobayashi shorin ryu is an old style traditional okinawan karate and was not modified at all for sport.  I really like it myself.


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## chinto (Jul 9, 2007)

Kevdak said:


> Please if you can go on more about it here, it would really help:
> http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52124


 

most shorin ryu styles are designed and developed for combat. they are not at least originaly intended for sport at all. so they wanted to be able to work at all ranges, but prefer close in work. my style is shobayashi shorin ryu, and it uses strikes and kicks of course, but allso traps, locks, throws, and brakes. the men who developed the okinawan styles were looking at faceing men who were skilled in unarmed and armed combat. meany were jujitsu trained japanese, but also chinese martial arts trained sailors and pirates or what have you and others. the throws in shobayashi are designed so if executed properly you can NOT role out of them. in short it was designed and refiened from okinawan indigenious arts and with lots of chinese martial arts influinces to be efficent and effective in a life and death situation.  this goes for all the old styles of karate as far as intended for life and death strugle not just shobayashi shorin ryu, but the other styles as well that are older and have not been modified for sport use.  some have been by some senseis or even the whole style maybe optimized in some karate styles.  koyushinkai is one i think of that is more sport orianted from what little i do know of it . ( or at least the way it is usualy tought from what i have been told by some of the people i have talked to that train in it.)


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