# Shotokan practitioners?



## JasonASmith (Aug 11, 2006)

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...


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## oldnewbie (Aug 11, 2006)

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!


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## karateka (Aug 15, 2006)

&#305;ve been go&#305;ng shotokan for a wh&#305;le now and &#305; chose &#305;t as my mart&#305;al art because &#305; found that &#305;ts teach&#305;ngs su&#305;ted me. &#305; enjoy shotokans explos&#305;ve power at the very last moment and &#305; enjoy thats &#305;ts much more of a one h&#305;t f&#305;ght that grappl&#305;es and throws and sw&#305;ngs. &#305;t &#305;s very d&#305;rect and s&#305;mple there are so fancy fl&#305;ps or jumps and &#305; f&#305;nd that th&#305;s &#305;s both elegant and pract&#305;cal aga&#305;nst nonmart&#305;asl art&#305;sts and mart&#305;al art&#305;sts. we learn to attack w&#305;th out ent&#305;re body and these teach&#305;ngs are really what &#305; th&#305;nk got me to tra&#305;n shotokan as my pr&#305;mary mart&#305;al art.


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## stone_dragone (Aug 15, 2006)

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.


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## JasonASmith (Aug 15, 2006)

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...


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## JasonASmith (Aug 19, 2006)

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


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## twendkata71 (Aug 19, 2006)

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









			
				JasonASmith said:
			
		

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


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## JasonASmith (Aug 19, 2006)

twendkata71 said:
			
		

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


Must be nice, I'm 31...


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## twendkata71 (Aug 19, 2006)

*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. *


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## splazzatch (Aug 27, 2006)

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.


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## Shotochem (Sep 5, 2006)

JasonASmith said:


> 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.


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## JasonASmith (Sep 11, 2006)

splazzatch said:


> 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...


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## JasonASmith (Sep 11, 2006)

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...


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## twendkata71 (Sep 11, 2006)

*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. *


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## JasonASmith (Sep 11, 2006)

twendkata71 said:


> *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?


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## twendkata71 (Sep 11, 2006)

*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. *


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## JasonASmith (Sep 11, 2006)

twendkata71 said:


> *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...


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## theriverrat (Sep 12, 2006)

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.


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## pstarr (Sep 12, 2006)

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


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## twendkata71 (Sep 13, 2006)

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





pstarr said:


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


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## JasonASmith (Sep 16, 2006)

So when the Shotokai/NKK split happened is when more kata were added to the system?  I haven't obtained Karate do Kyohan yet, so I am not quite sure what kata were in what style of this system...Am I even right to be saying that?  I am aware that the NKK didn't use the Taikyoku set, whereas the Shotokai did...That stands to reason why we use the Taikyoku at my Dojo...Maybe we ought to re-name this the Shotokan discussion thread...


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## JasonASmith (Sep 16, 2006)

theriverrat said:


> 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.


 
So you would be studying the NKK/JKA style of Shotokan, correct?
God, I hate politics!  I wish that this misery could have been avoided...


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## theriverrat (Oct 4, 2006)

Yes the JKA style is what i practice. I have read some of your other posts and see you are doing lots of katas but say you are still a white belt? is this correct or have i misunderstood you? In the UK we only teach the katas that match the belt.


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## twendkata71 (Oct 4, 2006)

*Yes, Jason, I am unsure why your sensei is already teaching you all five Heians.  That is a bit much to absorb.  When I started we worked on our first two kata for almost a year before I was allowed to learn new kata. *


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## twendkata71 (Oct 4, 2006)

*Have you studied other styles before you started Shotokan?  Just wondering. That would explain why your current sensei is teaching you kata so quickly. When I started studying Matsubayashi Shorin ryu I was already a shodan in my original style. So, since many of the kata were similar I learned all of their pinan's and naihanchi's in a short time.*


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## JasonASmith (Oct 4, 2006)

Actually, I have studied with my Sensei in the past, but it was only for a short amount of time...Only a month, actually...
I remembered the 3 Taikyokus, and most of Heian Shodan...so that made it somewhat easier...
I have often wondered about this myself, but Sensei seems to have faith in me and what I can and can't do, so...what can I tell you?


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## JasonASmith (Oct 4, 2006)

I have often wondered about this myself, but Sensei seems to have faith in me and what I can and can't do, so...what can I tell you?
[/quote]

Actually, let me refine that sentence...
What I meant to say is that Sensei has(somehow) managed to divine what my limits are, and he is giving me what he thinks that I can handle...I'll be damned if he isn't right, because although it's a lot of information, I don't feel overwhelmed...


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## JBrainard (Oct 4, 2006)

JasonASmith said:


> 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?


 
I already PM'ed you the answers to the above questions.

Why did I start Shotokan? I know this is not a martial arts purist's answer but, I was broke and it was only $25 a month. Little did I know that the Sensei was a 5th Dan (JKA). Score!


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## JasonASmith (Oct 4, 2006)

Why did I start Shotokan? I know this is not a martial arts purist's answer but, I was broke and it was only $25 a month. Little did I know that the Sensei was a 5th Dan (JKA). Score![/quote]

Score indeed...Congrats once again


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## twendkata71 (Oct 5, 2006)

*Finding a teacher that is good and not expensive these days is rare. It is good to see that there are still sensei out there that teach for the art and not for financial reasons.*
*To Jason, I was just curious. Usually the more experienced you are the easier it is to learn new kata.*


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## JasonASmith (Oct 5, 2006)

[*To Jason, I was just curious. Usually the more experienced you are the easier it is to learn new kata.*[/quote]

No worries, Mate...
Just on an aside, it's been somewhat odd for me since I have started...
Every time that I have been shown a kata in the past few weeks, it's as if I already know it....I just have to remember how it goes...It's the strangest feeling, because I have never SEEN anything above Heian Shodan before now...It's just really odd...


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## JBrainard (Oct 5, 2006)

twendkata71 said:


> *Finding a teacher that is good and not expensive these days is rare. It is good to see that there are still sensei out there that teach for the art and not for financial reasons.*


 
Totaly. Sensei doesn't even want money talked about in front of him!


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## twendkata71 (Oct 5, 2006)

*When the JKA first started sending instructors to the US. It  was nice because the way the JKA instructor training program was/is set up is that you have to have a degree from a University to be in the instructor program. That way when you were sent somewhere to teach you could have a career outside of karate do  and have the money to run a school, without being commercial. Somewhere that has changed, at least for some of the original JKA instructors that came over. Most of them still do not charge much. Now training at the JKA headquarters in Tokyo is a different matter. They have a large full time staff teaching all day long every day of the week, plus the instructor training program, which is of course closed to all but those that are in the program.  It is not cheap to train at the JKA Shotokan. But, that is a different matter all together.*


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## JasonASmith (Oct 5, 2006)

Sensei doesn't even want money talked about in front of him![/quote]

That's the way that my Sensei is, as well...


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## twendkata71 (Oct 13, 2006)

*Jason, when you start learning the Tekki kata series let me know. I no longer practice them. Now I practice the older Naihanchi series from Shorin ryu, but I wanted to know what you thought of the Tekki series after you started learning them. I felt that they were actually more difficult than many of the other advanced kata.*


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## JasonASmith (Oct 13, 2006)

twendkata71 said:


> *Jason, when you start learning the Tekki kata series let me know. I no longer practice them. Now I practice the older Naihanchi series from Shorin ryu, but I wanted to know what you thought of the Tekki series after you started learning them. I felt that they were actually more difficult than many of the other advanced kata.*


 
I will sir...
The Tekki are a long way off for me...
The Heians will occupy me for a good long time...
One of the benefits of attending an independent Dojo is the fact that we are not "constrained" to a preset teaching pattern...I'll explain...To achieve green belt(5th kyu) in our Dojo you must be able to perform Jion...
The Taikyokus and the Heians are the base, but Sensei includes Jion as a sort of "gift"...It's an advanced kata, and he recognizes that, however he thinks that Jion has some good information contained in it, so he includes it...That's not only the individual movements, but also bunkai for the kata, as well...
As you can imagine, that's a lot of hard work(and time spent in rank) to get to the point of being tested for green belt, but it's worth it, in my opinion...
As a humble 9th kyu, I am working hard on the Taikyokus and the Heians(as well as the Tjimande Silat that I have posted in another thread), but Sensei informed me Thursday night that he is permitting me to start learning Jion...I guess that I'm doing well, and I got my first one on one with one of the 1st kyus Thursday night for this kata.
I fully realize that I am now at the end of my leash, so to speak, and frankly I'm glad...Lots of information swirling around in my head....
The Tekki series, on the other hand are reserved for 2nd and 1st kyu(which is brown belt, and brown belt with a black stripe), so I've got many years ahead of me...I'm up for it...


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## twendkata71 (Oct 14, 2006)

*I figured that it would be a while before you learn the Tekki series.*
*Jion is a good kata for building strength. Good luck with that.*


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## Carol (Oct 14, 2006)

JasonASmith said:


> Just on an aside, it's been somewhat odd for me since I have started...
> Every time that I have been shown a kata in the past few weeks, it's as if I already know it....I just have to remember how it goes...It's the strangest feeling, because I have never SEEN anything above Heian Shodan before now...It's just really odd...


 

Odd? 

That's not the word that came to mind. I was thinking perhaps...talent. 

BTW Jason, I am VERY envious of your ability to learn Kata so quickly. That's awesome! :thumbsup:


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## JasonASmith (Oct 14, 2006)

Thank You, Oh fellow night-owl...


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## JasonASmith (Oct 14, 2006)

*Jion is a good kata for building strength. Good luck with that.*[/quote]

Thank You Sir...There are many things in Jion that are alien to me(no pulling hands, UchiKomi, etc.), but there's just something about the kata that pulls me in...


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## unity (Oct 19, 2006)

I started Shotokan when I as 7/8 yrs old.  I started because I was being bullied and I couldnt focus on anything.  I have done this up until 2 yrs ago, but I hope to start again soon.  I miss it like hell.  I tartedof in the KUGB and ended up in ESKA. love it   my fave kata is empi


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## Sensei Tom O'Brien (Oct 19, 2006)

I love Shotokan.  My main style is Vee-Jitsu but I trained with Sensei Takahashi from Mt. Kisko, NY for about 2 yrs. & several of Sensei Miyazaki's black belts off & on for 36 yrs. now.  I loved every minute of it.  Shotokan is the best for basics & I'm sure you have heard this before but in order to build a good house you need a good foundation, Shotokan gives you that.  The power, straightforwardness, the stances, gyaku zuki & yoko geri to kill.  The Heian katas, Bassai dai.  It is a great system I can't say enough about it.
Thanks,
Sensei Tom


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## JasonASmith (Oct 19, 2006)

my fave kata is empi[/quote]
I've seen Empi, it's unique...
Thanks for the response...


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## JasonASmith (Oct 19, 2006)

Sensei Tom O'Brien said:


> I love Shotokan. My main style is Vee-Jitsu but I trained with Sensei Takahashi from Mt. Kisko, NY for about 2 yrs. & several of Sensei Miyazaki's black belts off & on for 36 yrs. now. I loved every minute of it. Shotokan is the best for basics & I'm sure you have heard this before but in order to build a good house you need a good foundation, Shotokan gives you that. The power, straightforwardness, the stances, gyaku zuki & yoko geri to kill. The Heian katas, Bassai dai. It is a great system I can't say enough about it.
> Thanks,
> Sensei Tom


 
Hello O'Brien Sensei, and thank you for that enthusiastic response!
Before I started delving deeper into this system(and this web-site) I thought that everyone disliked Shotokan, because many emphasize the sport aspect of it rather than the original aspect/s...I had gotten the "System that time and McDojos had destroyed" vibe from some of the websites that I visited prior to this one...
For me the things that I have grown to love are the blocking, the stances, and the directness of the system...Every block could be considered a strike, every stance trains your legs and hips to get that explosion of power, which leads into the "steamroller/mack truck" mentality that someone mentioned earlier...
I can't wait to get to the next class!


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## Boomer (Oct 31, 2006)

twendkata71 said:


> *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. *


 

This is actually very close to what is true.  
1st, let me introduce myself, I also study at Jason's dojo, and I'm very close with Sensei Gladfelter...
I had tried to sway Sensei to call his art Shotokai years ago, but it turns out he's not a huge Egami fan and didn't want to be associated with any group, be it JKA or Shotokai.  The art we study is indeed what we call "Okinawan Shotokan", or as you have labelled it the "older version".  
But there are a few hiccups...
We do the original 18 forms (not 17) and I think the one that was overlooked is Ten no Kata, which many confuse for basic kihon and not an actual kata.  We also have an additional 8 shotokan kata that we do not show or teach below shodan.  Being that they are more Okinawan than Japanese/ JKA style, they sometimes look similar, but are sometimes completely different.  Our _Gojushiho, _for example, is completely different from the JKA version.
As far as being a mix of Shotokan and Silat....Sensei keeps them pretty far apart.  Somehow we seem able to reap the benefits of both without "tainting" the other system's pedigree.
Bushi no Te.....is a catastrophe to explain.  Bushi no Te became the parent organization for several groups of martial artists.  The original group included Sifu Ernie Rothrock(Eagle Claw Gung Fu), Sensei Victor Smith (Okinawan Isshin Ryu), and Trsi Sutrisno (Shotokan, Tjimande).  
About 12 years ago, there was a split, and things never got resolved, though the 3 remained on good terms in their personal relationships.  Now Bushi no Te encompasses Bushi no Te Aikido of Pittsburg (Sensei Peter Whitehouse), Shotokan East (Sensei Don Gladfelter), varied silat practitioners, and the Bushi no Te honbu dojo in Weatherly, Pa.  When Sensei Victor Smith left, he began calling his school "Bushi no Te Isshinryu", and he is a frequent guest instructor at our York dojo .
Geeze...I just realized I wrote a novel.....my apologies for rambling on...


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## JasonASmith (Oct 31, 2006)

Boomer said:


> This is actually very close to what is true.
> 1st, let me introduce myself, I also study at Jason's dojo, and I'm very close with Sensei Gladfelter...
> I had tried to sway Sensei to call his art Shotokai years ago, but it turns out he's not a huge Egami fan and didn't want to be associated with any group, be it JKA or Shotokai. The art we study is indeed what we call "Okinawan Shotokan", or as you have labelled it the "older version".
> But there are a few hiccups...
> ...


Thank you, Sempai...
I've been trying to figure out what was going on within the organization without actually coming out and bluntly asking, "What's going on?"  Also, thank you for starting to clear up the Silat/Shotokan blend question...


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## twendkata71 (Oct 31, 2006)

*It makes sense  that someone closer to the source would have better information. Very interesting history. *


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## Brown Belt (Nov 1, 2006)

Can a person of this forum look at my question in the Japanese martial arts-General forum in the thread titled Shotokan wrong idea? I printed it so well and I don't know how to copy it to this forum.


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## Sensei Tom O'Brien (Nov 2, 2006)

Good stuff here.  I love the combination of Vee-Jitsu, which is mostly ju-jitsu & Shotokan which is real hard style.  I love Ten No Kata.  Sensei Takahashi told me that many Sensei have stopped doing Ten No Kata but he still teaches it & so do I.  It is great for basics.
Thanks,
Sensei Tom


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## twendkata71 (Nov 4, 2006)

*I have seen Tennokata performed, but we were never taught it in out curriculum. I know several Shotokai stylist and they have told me that it is an essential part of their training.  *


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## Boomer (Nov 9, 2006)

We use it often, as it is our main source for introduction to ippon kumite and then jiyu kumite.


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## karatekid1975 (Nov 28, 2006)

JasonASmith said:


> Hello All,
> I was just wondering how many Shotokan people there are here.
> How long have you been studying?
> Who is your Sensei?
> ...


 
I just started Shotokan a few weeks ago. My Sensei is Steve Goodrich. We are JKA style Shotokan. I started Stotokan because my TKD dojang got way too expensive. My thoughts so far? Excellent! I fell in love with Shotokan because it is so similar to my first style (Tang Soo do) which did the same forms (I loved those forms). It's a traditional style dojo, and we train as such. It's perfect for me.


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## JasonASmith (Nov 29, 2006)

karatekid1975 said:


> I just started Shotokan a few weeks ago. My Sensei is Steve Goodrich. We are JKA style Shotokan. I started Stotokan because my TKD dojang got way too expensive. My thoughts so far? Excellent! I fell in love with Shotokan because it is so similar to my first style (Tang Soo do) which did the same forms (I loved those forms). It's a traditional style dojo, and we train as such. It's perfect for me.


Fantastic!
I am glad that you are enjoying your new path as much as myself and many others are...
Remember to keep those stances deep!(in the dojo, at least!)


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## karatekid1975 (Nov 29, 2006)

JasonASmith said:


> Fantastic!
> I am glad that you are enjoying your new path as much as myself and many others are...
> Remember to keep those stances deep!(in the dojo, at least!)


 
Yes, I was reminded of that last night. TKD (WTF) the stances are high. I was working on the heians (sp?) and sensei said lower my stances. Yikes! It hurt my bad knee, but in time, that will strengthen it. But I am loving it so far, so it is worth it. Shotokan rocks!

I also didn't want to start over at white belt in TKD after being in TSD. But I started at white belt in Shotokan and it doesn't bother me a bit. Go figure. Not that TKD is bad, I just hated that dojang. This dojo is so much better


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## Naha (Nov 30, 2006)

JasonASmith said:


> Must be nice, I'm 31...


I was 32-33 when I started.  I had done a little aikido seven or eight years before, and it has always been my intention to get back to that art; however, there are few MA choices where I live.  I started Shotokan because of my children.  They are home-schooled and were taking classes.  When I started taking them, I thought, "Hey, I'm here.  I might as well."  I have really enjoyed it, most days.


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## Alhern (Oct 16, 2008)

My Shihan's lineage is pretty direct. It goes like this:
Funakoshi> Okano>Kogi Sugimoto. 
That is pretty cool if you ask me! I took on Shotokan about a year ago without knowing anything about the different styles. I'm now a blue belt which I have earned with blood, sweat and tears. Shihan Sugimoto is very traditional in Funakoshi's teachings and very strict. You have to earn your belt, nothing is given to you. All levels in our dojo regularly start our katas with the takyoku shodan and sandan which some dojos don't even do anymore. We also do the "Ten No Kata" kata which is almost extinct. I love the explosive, violent style that has such an aggressive feel to it. You learn so much from each katas. One by one as floors in a building but everything starts with a strong foundation.


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## jnguyen (Jan 13, 2009)

hey everyone!

Noticed the Shotokan thread and had to chime in!

I unfortunately do not actively practice Shotokan anymore because i moved. But I had done about a year and a half of Shotokan at my community college in Cupertino, Ca. Made it to the 7th kyu

My Sensei was Pete Rabbit.

I have no prior martial art experience/lineage.

I took Shotokan because I always wanted to learn a martial art, Shotokan, or at least the dojo I practiced at seemed to be a good blend of traditional and sport.

"What are your thoughts on Shotokan?"
Frankly I love it. I was lucky enough to attended a Seminar held by Kanazawa Sensei. I'm really disappointed that i couldn't continue to practice. 

There is a Shorin-ryu class offered at my university's gym but I able to take the class a full year after I had stopped practicing. I currently just began taking TKD, if i find it not to my tastes, I'll be switching to the shorin ryu class.


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## Aefibird (Jan 16, 2009)

I'm another Shotokan-er as well. I have 2nd Dan in a Shotokan-variant (called Shotokan, but it's actually more like Shotokai) from the YSKU and 1st Kyu in Shotokan from FSK (looooooooong story as to why I have two grades in basically the same art!)

FSK was a splinter group from Shotokan Karate International (SKI), which was started by JKA Dan grades. It's a mix of 'traditional' and 'modern' but has been getting more emphasis on the 'modern' in recent years with focus for FSK member clubs moving more towards tournament participation and training. I'm no longer a member of FSK, and haven't been for about 4-5 years as my club parted company with it, but still know people who are and they say that they feel it will eventually become a "sports Shotokan" organisation with little practice or emphasis on anything other than competition kata and sparring.


YSKU is a very small organisation and was also started by 2 JKA Dan grades who wanted a more "back to basics" approach to teaching, with emphasis on basics, kata, basics, bunkai, basics, basics and more basics in regular training. Very very traditional. I'm not currently an active member as I've not trained in Karate for about 2 years due to an accident.

I love Shotokan, it was my first martial art and will probably always be my first 'love'. Sadly, I'm not training in it at the moment, but hope to remedy that pretty soon. 

I severed a tendon and some nerves in my hand a couple of years ago which meant I couldn't train and have only just been given the go-ahead to re-start martial arts again. 

I've re-started TKD (my other art) but due to internal politics at my dojo (partially from the aftershocks of them leaving the FSK) and some serious restructuring of everything (class times, prices, senior students, instructor etc etc) I haven't started back at Karate yet. 

In one way I'd like to go back and train at that club again, as I still have lots of friends there and the main instructor is a great guy. 

However, I feel that in the time I've been 'gone' there's been too many changes and too much of a split between various factions for me to want to go back again. I was an assistant instructor and the senior grade (at 2nd Dan) before I had to stop training and certainly wouldn't want to step right back into that again.

It's something that has been occupying my thoughts of late and at the moment I think that I'm not in the right sort of 'place' to be able to fully come to a decision yet, so I can't see me starting back in Karate any time soon, even though I would like to. 

On the plus side, it has given me the chance to give my undivided MA attention to TKD, so I suppose "every cloud..." and all that?

Anyway, to answer the original question, yes I am a Shotokan practitioner - kind of!!


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## Alhern (Feb 17, 2009)

I have been studying Shotokan karate for about 2 years now. I'm a 6 kyu belt and I love it. I agree with the other posts as  the reason of the explosive power of the moves. I picked Shotokan purely by accident since I had always just heard of Karate and was not aware of all the different styles. I'm glad I landed in Shotokan since i love what it represents. The simplicity of the moves and the effectiveness and direct moves. A Very powerful style. My Shihan is Koji Sugimoto who was a student to Tomosaburo Okano who was a student of Gichin Funakoshi. You can't get more direct lineage than that. Karate not only puts me in great physical condition but it also calms my mind and spirit. It is the greatest thing that has come into my life in a very long time.


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## RoninSoul (Feb 17, 2009)

I train in Shotokan Karate. My first Sensei Was George Magpusau. Under Kenneth Funakoshi. ( I was once tested by Funakoshi) Sensei Magpusau actually had a  Shorin Ji Ryu background and was a champion in the early seventies. Fastest "come from outta thin air" sidekick I've ever seen.
I now train under Sensei Hector Pantoja, hands down, the greatest Karate practitioner I've ever known. He has been training some 35 years I believe, he began training in his teens in Mazatlan Mexico. I don't know what his Sensei's name was. I know he trained under Shihan Funakoshi for a period of time and under Shihan Ed Hamile before his death. We belong to the West Coast Shotokan Assn. Sensei Pantoja is a forth dan. And it is an honor to train under a man of such great talent and impeccable character.


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## NW_Tengu (Feb 20, 2009)

JasonASmith said:


> Hello All,
> I was just wondering how many Shotokan people there are here.
> How long have you been studying?
> Who is your Sensei?
> ...


 
I am currently studying Shotokan.  My Sensei is Gyuszi Suto who immigrated from Romania as well as Sensei Rich Rice.  We are part of the AAKF and ITKF which followed the late Nishiyama's teachings which tend to be very traditional.  I started Shotokan strictly for financial reasons.  After my twin sons were born, I could no longer afford the $100 a month for Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu training.  My work place had Shotokan which only costs me $75 a year.  So far I like it.  Its a little difficult going from the flowing/fluid mindset of the Bujinkan to the structure of Shotokan, but not terrible.  I think Shotokan is often wrongly maligned due to the number of low quality dojos (McDojo) there are as well as how limited in technique it seems on the surface.  However, if you look at the writing of Funakoshi and Nishiyama, you see many techniques that some would not associate with Shotokan.  I do miss all the weapon training of Budo Taijutsu though and wish Shotokan at least tought the Bo or Jo.


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