# What kind of Karate?



## ShaolinWolf (May 19, 2004)

I've been thinking about Karate lately...I would like to try isshin-ryu karate sometime, since we have on in town. I know the whole thing about instructors and all, believe me I've been there plenty. I take TKD(am currently a trainee instructor) and was wondering what made Isshin-ryu unique from other karate styles?


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## dosandojang (May 19, 2004)

All styles are unique, but here is some info on it:


*[font=Arial,Helvetica,Univers,Zurich BT][size=+2]The History of Isshin-Ryu Karate-Do

[/size][/font][font=Arial,Helvetica,Univers,Zurich BT][size=-1][/size][/font]*[font=Arial,Helvetica,Univers,Zurich BT][size=-1]Isshin-Ryu was founded by one of the great karate masters, Tatsuo Shimabuku, and is derived from several of the other, older classical styles. 

Master Tatsuo Shimabuku, began learning karate at the age of 14 and devoted the rest of his life to its study and teaching. For 26 years he studied the other styles, Shuri-Te, Shorin-Ryu and Goju-Ryu, each one under the master of its style. 

Master Shimabuku took the best of each style, improved it and founded Isshin-Ryu. From Master Motobu, Master of Shuri-Te, he took the kumite; from Master Kiyan, Master of Shorin, he took the Kata and added improvements; from Master Miyagi, Master of Goju, he took Sanchin, the basis of all Okinawan karate.

Isshin-Ryu, with roots going back 500 years, is a postwar development, modernized to meet the needs of today's world. It was founded in the 50's and has been taught ever since to American Marines stationed in Okinawa. 

Shimabuku's reputation throughout Okinawa had reached its peak when WorldWar II struck the island. A business man as well as a karate teacher, the sensei's small manufacturing plant was completely demolished and he was bankrupt almost from the war's outset. He did his best to avoid conscription to the Japanese Army by escaping to the countryside where he worked as a farmer. As the situation grew more and more desperate for the Japanese and as the need to press the Okinawans into service became urgent, he was forced to flee. 

As his reputation in karate spread among the Japanese, many soldiers began a thorough search as they wanted to study karate under him. The officers who finally caught up with him agreed to keep the secret of his whereabouts if he would teach them karate; it was in this manner that Master Shimabuku survived the war. 

After the war, his business ruined and little chance of earning a living by teaching karate on the war-ravaged island, Master Shimabuku returned to farming and practiced karate privately for his own spiritual repose and physical exercise. Throughout Okinawa, he was recognized as the island's leading practitioner of both Shorin-Ryu and Goju-Ryu Karate. 

In the early nineteen fifties, the sensei began to consider the idea of combining the various styles into one standard system. He could forsee the problems that were developing out of the differences among styles; he sagely concluded that a unification or synthesis of styles would enhance the growth of karate.

He consulted with the aged masters on the island, and with the heads of the leading schools. At first there was general agreement, but later his idea met resistance as the leaders of the various schools began to fear loss of identity and position. Sensei Shimabuku decided to go ahead on his own; thus Isshin-Ryu Karate was born. On May 30,1975, Master Shimabuku passed away, leaving a legacy to the world of karate, and to all the future Isshin-Ryu students. 


[/size][/font][font=Arial,Helvetica,Univers,Zurich BT][size=+1]*Mizu Gami

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[font=Arial,Helvetica,Univers,Zurich BT][size=+1][/size][/font][font=Arial,Helvetica,Univers,Zurich BT][size=-1]The Isshin-Ryu symbol represents a vision that Master Shimabuku had while formulating Isshin-Ryu. 

One day after working very hard creating Isshin-Ryu, Master Shimabuku fell asleep. He dreamed that a man came into his dojo and challenged him. He declined the challenge saying he was a gentleman and did not fight unless necessary. Then a figure appeared over the man, that of a dragon. The dragon spit fire all around the Master. As the ring of fire drew closer, a figure appeared over Master Shimabuku, and put out the fire. The figure was that of Mizu-Gami (Water Goddess). 

Master Shimabuku felt this "vision" depicted the "mold" that he wanted to fashion Isshin-Ryu after. There is some symbolism in the visual representation of Mizu-Gami. 



The three stars are his three instructors, Masters Kiyan, Motobu and Miyagi. The dragon is the dragon that spit the fire at Master Shimabuku. (It is interesting to note that Master Shimabuku's first name "Tatsuo" means "Dragon"). One of the hands on the figure is raised in the universal sign of peace, and the other is held clenched in readiness. The visible half is a woman to symbolize peace and kindness, while the hidden portion is that of a sea serpent. This tells us that although we are strong enough to prevail when necessary, we should keep our strength hidden and show a soft, kindly face to the world. 


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## arnisador (May 19, 2004)

Search this forum for "isshin" (and misspellings) and you'll find more info.!


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## ShaolinWolf (May 19, 2004)

Arigato!


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## Yasuki (May 26, 2004)

Funakoshi was right. We should quit concentrating on style and worry about how effective karatedo is as a whole. I understand intrest in what is unique about the individuals but feel there is too much placed on what style you take the ultimate goal is to attain a higher purpose and expand yourself as a person.


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## ShaolinWolf (May 27, 2004)

Yasuki said:
			
		

> Funakoshi was right. We should quit concentrating on style and worry about how effective karatedo is as a whole. I understand intrest in what is unique about the individuals but feel there is too much placed on what style you take the ultimate goal is to attain a higher purpose and expand yourself as a person.


Oh, I agree, its just thats irrelevant at this point. I only have one karate school near me, so I just wanted to know how effective the style is. I don't know the instructor, so Even if you say its great, I wouldn't be able to know if the instruction is great. I just wanted to know what made the style effective. Thanks, though.


:asian:


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## SenseiGR (Jun 16, 2004)

OK, I'm an Isshinryu Yon-Dan, so I know something about the style.

It emphasises mobility and lack of windups.  There's no deep stances like Shotokan.

It uses lower (and less) kicks, and is a close-in style, so it's not like TKD.

We punch with a nearly vertical fist, unlike most other styles - although
if you were to watch say a TSD guy in a sparring match his punches would
get more vertical.

We do get into some grappling; you can find it in every kata, although we
don't specialize in it like aikido or jujutsu.

We're known as a "snap" style.  We don't lock out arms & legs.  Too hard on the joints and your own limb becomes a target.  But don't think there's no power.  Ideally there's about a quarter-second of "time on contact" where we let the force soak in.  And the focus is NOT on the surface.  If I really meant to hit someone's solar plexus I'd be aiming for halfway to his spine. 

We respect other styles enough to assimilate things that work from them.
My daughter earned a BB in Choi Kwan Do, and they didn't want their students to compete with or even look at other styles.  We welcome it to the point that some masters expect 4th degrees or higher to learn katas from other styles.

Free sparring is common and fairly intense as you rise in rank.  I'll let low ranks hit me and take it easy on them, but if I spar another ni-dan or above there's a good amount of contact to the body and some to the head.  At least in the Detroit-area dojos I've been to we don't usually train in point-sparring; we swap partners and go for 20 - 40 minutes. 

We require traditional weapons (3 bo, 2 sai katas) and dabble in others
tonfa, oars, etc.


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