I know theres alot of Karate pratictioners on here so hopefully someone will be able to point me in the right direction. I have been looking into doing a new martial art, and the one type of school there are lots of is Karate. My question is what is the difference between all the types? I've seen Kenpo/Kempo, Jushin-Ryu, Shito-Ryu, Goju-Ryu, Kyokushin, Seido and Shotokan to name but a few. Is there any great reason to pick one over another?
Hi Glen.
The different between the types you are mentioning above, is as big as the different is between Ozzy Osbourne and Michael Jackson. It is a matter of temper, style, strength, discipline and your own personal spirit.
Here is an example. The different between Kyokushin and Shotokan are many, but the main different is, that in Kyokushin you train and fight knock down karate with full contact, where you in Shotokan only mark your techniques you dont hit or kick your opponent.
Then there also are a world in between, when it comes to the physical training and the discipline in the dojo. Some like firing a gun with real bullets, other find it safer to fire blanks, if you get my point?
As people we are all different, so nothing is better than the other! it is simply a matter of choice and temper, and on how far you like to push your own body and limits.
Pick the one that fits into your profile.
Dont do Kyokushin unless you want to join a cult.lol
OSU!
Some people call it a cult, other people call it a lifestyle and real karate?
i think the bigger question is to see what is near by
and where you will train. if the nearest Seido dojo is
a 3 hour drive away, then it is not going to work in the
long run.
go in and meet the instructors, watch the classes and
participate if allowed. see where you think you would
like to train.
you can read up on the styles you mention, but each
instructor and dojo may emphasize different things.
I copied this from a Newsgroup to try to help
answer your origonal question. i did not write
it, and it is very brief. does give an overview:
===============================================
>>>>>APPENDIX 1 STYLES OF KARATE
Here are a few of the larger Japanese and Okinawian styles of karate in
a _very_ simplifid and faulty descriptions:
Shotokan- created by Ginchin Funakoshi, a schoolteacher from Okinawa
after he moved to Manland Japan. Today it is divided in several
rival organizations.
Shotokai- Began as a political division of Shotokan, after the death of
Funakoshi, bBut the two organisation have since then evolved into two
distictly separate styles.
Wadoryu- created by Hironori Otsuka 1936, by combining several
karatestyles (mostly the teachings of Funakoshi and Motobu) and Jujutsu.
Wadoryu is divided into a few rival factions. one of the larger
being Wadokai.
Goju ryu- created by Chojun Miyagi who was a student of Kanryo
Higashionna who learned his art in china.
It is often called Okinawian Goju ryu.
A sub style of Gojuryu is Gojukai, created by Gogen Yamagushi after the
death of Miyagi. It is basicaly the same as Okinawan Goju, but with some
minor differences. It is sometimes called Japanese Goju ryu.
Gojuryu has fractioned into several rival organisations, a few of them
being: Kanzen, Meibukan, Sodokan and Shobukan Gojuryu.
Shorin ryu- One of the pure Okinawan styles. It is very old, and is
today divided into mainly three sub styles, Matsubayashi ryu (created by
Shoshin Nagamure), Shobayashi ryu, and Matsumura ryu.
Yuishinkai- founded by Motakatsu Inoue, and is a combination of Shindo
shinzen ryu, Jujutsu, Aikido and kobudo.
Shindo shinzen ryu- founded by Yushinro Konishi, who was a student of
many masters, but mainly influenced by Shito ryu and Kenwa Mabuni.
Isshin ryu- Founded by Tatsuo Shimabuku, and is a combination of Goju
ryu and Shorin ryu.
Uechi ryu- Founded by Kanbun Uechi who learned his style in china.
Counted among the traditional okinawan styles
Shito ryu- created by Kenwa Mabuni, who trained under the same masters
as Funakoshi. It is divided into several sub styles, Shukokai (created
by Chojiro Tani), Sankukai (created by Yoshinao Nambu), Itosu-Kai,
Seishinkai, Kofukan, Kuniba Ha, Motobu Ha, and Hayashi-ha (created by
Teruo Hayashi) to name but a few.
Counted among the traditional okinawan styles
Kyokushin kai- Created by Masutatsu Oyama and is a combination of
Shotokan and Gojuryu (the Japanese version, although before the split),
but are also strongly infuenced by kungfu and Muaithai (thai boxing) and
sligthly less so by many other arts.
Known for their Fullcontact competition form, known as "knockdown", that
is also used in most of its splintergroups. It is divided into several
political groups, especialy since the death of Mr Oyama.
Seido Juku (aka Seido karate)- Founded by Tadashi Nakamura after he
broke with his teacher Masutatsu Oyama and Kyokushinkai.
Ashihara Juku (aka Ashihara kai)- Founded by Hideyuki Ashihara after he
broke away from his teacher Masutatsu Oyama and Kyokushinkai. It is now
divided into several political groups.
Shidokan- originaly a splinter group from Kyokushinkai, founded by
Yoshiji Soene. Influenced by Gojuryu and Muaithai.
World Oyama karate (aka Oyama juku)- Founded by Shigeru Oyama after his
break with Masutatsu Oyama (no blood relation) and Kyokushinkai.
Enshin karate (aka Enshin Juku)- originaly a splinter group from
Ashihara. Founded by Joko Ninomiya.
Seidokaikan/Shodokaikan- originaly a splinter group from Ashihara kai
(less than a year after ashihara splintered from kyokushinkai).
Founded by Kazuyoshi Ishii. Their version of Knockdown competition
evolved into the K-1 tournament. Shodokaikan is a alternative
pronouciation of seidokaikan that officialy is to be used outside japan,
to distiguish the style from other "seido" karate styles.
Seidokan- A combination of nahate and shurite type karate by Toma.
Counted among the traditional okinawan styles
Some other styles:
Chinto-Ryu, Chito-Ryu, Doshinkan, Gohaku-Kai, Gosoku-Ryu,
Kenseido, Koei-Kan, Kosho-Ryu, Sanzyu-Ryu, Seishin-Ryu, Shindo
Jinen-Ryu, Shinjimasu, Shinko-Ryu, Shoshin-Ryu, Shotoshinkai,
Washin-Ryu, Yoseikan, Yoshukai and many-many more.
Does anyone know anything about Renshenkai karate? Not sure about the spelling
I did Renshenkai when I was yvery oug, I reached the dizzy heights of yellow belt!
I think it's an Isshin ryu style, though I'm not 100% sure
Me too but never heard of it since, you didn't ever go to a big tournament in Wales did you? I'm sure I remember giving a chubby ginger kid a good kicking! lol
Renshinkai was the style created by Dickie Wu and Greg wallace. Mainly derived from Kyoukushin and goju I think. Wu was one of the real hard school karateka. Greg wallace is now living in West Indies so I was told recently.
It's had its splinters like all of them but there are still loads of clubs about.
Greg Wallace was the senior instructor when I was there, one mean looking dude, though he was a very nice fella!
Colin, did they ever fight "knock Down" rules ??
yes renshinkai specialise in kockdown dont they?
there is a renshinkai club in bradford and theyre instructor is knockdown mad!!!
still too many bloody Kata's
Look into the better school not better style, they are all good, if there was a "best" there would only be one.
FF
Glen:
here is an example of a Kyokushin Dojo in NZ
http://www.kyokushin.co.nz/
Frequent Fighter is also correct.
Regards,
paul
Well, I actually am not aware of any great 'knockdown' history with regards to renshinkai fighters, mostly 'WUKO' type tournmaments. That of course doesn't mean they can't fight, 'cos they can! I fought in some freestyle events against them in the early 90's (when the legs still worked!) and we had some great nights.
and not to forget that "kenpo" (usa /hawaian version) is not karate style , only a system of conbinations of "kungfu,aikido,jiujutsu "; it is said that this is an eclectic modern self defence style...
on the other side, there are traditional kempo styles of course...
does B.A.S.K.A still exist?
I was interested to read in Farhad's post that Renshinkai competes in Knockdown Tournaments. Just wondered what the training was like with these guys do they train the same way as Kyokushinkai with lots of body toughening exercises?
I already train in Kickboxing but was looking for a Kyokushinkai club local to me mainly just for this type of training but no clubs local but there is a Renshinkai club but doesn't say much on there site..i've found it doesn't say much on any of the Renshinkai sites.
Could anyone here please give me more info thanks.
I did Shotokan when I was younger under Tom and Peter Foley and it was a hard school ,not a hard style. good for high kicks.
Kyokushin have the best knees out of the styles, imho
I have just taken up goju ryu karate.... After 12+ years of Thai.... I love it! Too many muay Thai Nazis... I didn't rate it til I saw what they did... Elbows/knees etc.. Locks and throws. Real Eye-opener! Great for self defence and Thai is no good when your on the floor on yer back :)
I've only dabbled in traditional karate mainly; Wado Ryu, Goju, and Kyukoshinkai. They're all very different in my opinion.
I like Kyukoshinkai, but i had a few sessions in Goju and thought it was great (except the kata, i hate kata full stop but they all have them).
Might be best to state what you're looking for ie is it a hobby, self defence, sport, or lifestyle. Personally, i like more freestyle based karate styles but with a lot of hard impact training; pads, bags, sparring, and also a lot of scenario training for self defence.
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