Styles of karate

I’m sorry, but your info here is ridiculously untrue.

Miyagi (founder of Goju) never studied under Funakoshi, and was considered to be a far superior martial artist than Funakoshi. Same for Kenwa Mabuni (founder of Shito Ryu). Kanei Uechi (founder of Uechi Ryu), or pick any of the founders of the myriad Shorin Ryu systems on Okinawa.

This is a thread started over at Martial Arts Planet Forum

http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=584

This response was by Kosokun basically in response to the starting thread comments regarding the different karate styles and history of the basic origins. Its quite a good thread that opens up into an open discussion and a sample is here.

Kosokun says

Shotokan and Shoto-Kai both stem from Gichin Funakoshi and his students.

Shuko Kai, is also known as Tani Ha Shito Ryu. It’s founder was Chojiro Tani, one of the few people that Kenwa Mabuni (Shito Ryu’s founder) gave Shihan licenses to.

Goju Ryu was founded by Chojun Miyagi. It’s a style that originated from Naha and emphasizes body conditioning, breathing, and circular movements.

Isshin Ryu, was founded by Tatsuo Shimabaku. He studied under both Chotoku Kyan (Seibukan Shorin Ryu) and Chojun Miyagi. It represents his synthesis of these two styles.

Wado Ryu was founded by Hinori Ohtsuka. He was one of Gichin Funakoshi’s most senior students in Japan. He also was a Grand Master of a particular style of Ju Jitsu *prior* to studying with Funakoshi. Ohtsuka also studied extensively with Kenwa Mabuni and Choki Motobu. Wado represents Ohtsuka’s idea of budo based upon his Ju jitsu and karate backgrounds.

Funakoshi demonstrated Shuri Te and not “Shotokan” before the Crown Prince and the Emperor.

“Shotokan” hadn’t been created, and Funakoshi never liked that name, according to most researchers.

Now, having said that, the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai (a de facto branch of the govt) wanted the organization and codification of the various karate methodologies into schools. In the early 1930’s Chojun Miyagi became the first to register his school and cirriculum with the DNBK as Goju Ryu. The next was Kenwa Mabuni with Shito Ryu and I forget whether Ohtsuka’s Wado or Funakoshi’s Shotokan was next. So, the notion of styles is a relatively new phenomena.

These and further comments are then questioned by

Andy Murray

Hi Kosokun,

So you reckon that someone high up (non willy-nilly) in an organisation can spin off in another direction, and no-one will deride them for it? Seems a little Idealistic to me.

I don’t know about that myself, but the guy who first claimed the Earth wasn’t flat must have had a hard time at first, Probably a shortage of volunteers to sail over the edge I would imagine, Just as well for him he turned out to be right I suppose.

I learned something new from a very basic form the other day, something I’ve been practicing for years. If I’d assumed all knowledge and gone off at a tangent, then I would never have found it.

Maybe one day I’ll find Ri.

So would I as a non Karateka be able to recognise the different styles of Karate by merely observing a class? As a chinese stylist I can recognise subtle differences between the CMA by stances, posture, handshapes and forms. What would you folks say typifies the different Karate styles?

I nicked this little snippet from an Isshin Ryu site; kind of gives what I was hoping to find on all the styles of Karate here, though much better described, as ‘hallmarks’. How you might recognise a style.

The system we teach is Isshin-Ryu Karate, one of the many forms of karate that originated in Okinawa. Okinawa is given credit for developing karate as we know it today and passing it down through the centuries. Our style of karate, founded by Tatsuo Shimabuku, is a combination of two older styles, Goju Ryu and Shorin Ryu. It was designed specifically for personal combat, however, Americans have modified the fighting practice to enable us to participate in sporting events.

The hallmarks of Isshin-Ryu Karate include:

Techniques that are delivered from natural stances as opposed to wide, locked positions, giving the practitioner mobility and dexterity;
A vertical fist compared to a horizontal fist. Although not exclusive to Isshin-Ryu, the vertical fist position is unique compared to most styles;
Close-in techniques and low kicks for street practicality;
Hand techniques and foot techniques are equally stressed, so that a practitioner learns to use all of the weapons at his or her disposal

I was particularly interested in the Vertical fist, and the name Shorin Ryu. Is there a link between Shorin Ryu, and Shorinji Kenpo?

And then Thomas Vince enters in with this post subject header - This one gonna hurt….!

As most of you know I have never been afraid to express my opinion, however strong on a topic in this forum. I apologize for nothing, take what you need leave the rest for a real martial artist.
Karate has been one of the most *******ized and over developed arts in the world today. Even Tae Kwon Do stylists are walking into my studios with the idea of studying Karate instead of TKD. A martial art is a martial art and will survive on two very basics foundations.

1. The money, whether it be by country, capalistic, or political viewpoint.

2. The Instructor’s influence, knowledge and profinciency in the art

An absolutely unknown person could practice with written methods of ma technique and make a name for that art, in any name they choose. In reality there is no such thing as tradition. Tradition in the martial arts creates a lighted path for the masses but does not insure a good practitioner. In retrospect I beleive that un-traditional fighters are the real *******s in the MA’s, ruining the philosophical applications that are important to the martial artists way of life.
Vajra Mukti existed before almost any other MA coming out of the Dravidian and Aryan Wars yet so many insist crap like Krav Maga, American Karate and so many others are the answer to ultimate self defense. I say ******** to this and to Krav Maga, hitting the same point more than twice causes a desensitized target that no longer feels pain so stop hittiing the same place more than once!
Shotokan shares the exact same Kata’s and movements with so many other arts that it should be considered a universal self defense system and everyone should just take shotokan, yet shotokan leaves out some very important principles that other’s take as their foundation to create autonomy.
It is truly rediculous and I hope that each of us just simply finds a good instructor because in the end competitions, trophies and the number of students means nothing to the individual who really has a need to defend themselves.
I admonish each individual to find an art that pragmatically approaches self defense and protectionism in a realistic viewpoint and not be taken in by ring fighters, traditionalists, or competition trophy houses that offer classes. Be realistic in your approach to self defense and don’t be taken in by the crap that is smelling up the very essence of MA’s in the world today. Each and everyone of us needs to prevent a defective gene pool where the MA’s is concerned. Good luck to all in their personal quest to be the best they can be!

I recommend the original thread here http://www.martialartsplanet.com

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