Question about karate...?

Question

I'm heading to uni in september and thinking of trying karate. There are two clubs however, one offers Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate and the other Shotokan Karate. What are the main differences between the two styles? Thanks.

Answer 1

Both are good styles. I tend to lean towards Goju. Although I've trained since 1967, I have not studied either of those styles. I have however spent a lot of time training along side people with long backgrounds in both. Sensei gave one of the best descriptions of Goju I've seen ever.  I would suggest you give it a try.

Sensei   Thanks for the great description of goju!

Answer 2

choose Shotokan it is more practical where as traditional okinawan karate just sounds good

Answer 3

very good explanation of goju. it is just what he says.

there is an elemantary diffrence also between okinawan karate, and japanese karate.

is the goju okinawan, or japanese goju?

goju (and okinawan karate in general) is a more wholistic art comprised of not just blocks, kicks, and strikes. but throws, joint locks and pressure points (often the joint locks and stuff is called tuite, or torite..pressure points are often called kyusho/ dim mak in chinese) ...japanese mindset is to do one thing or a small group of things and do them extremely well. okinwan karate is much broader, where you learn to do many different kinds of things.

shotokan is a very hard and straight forward style of japanese karate, quite different than its shorin ryu roots. they tend to interpret their kata literally, or not at all in some japanese styles. they concentrate on impact fighting...or striking, blocking, kicking and sweeping. (generally speaking) ..and often use kata for strength and conditioning as well as simply practicing the basic moves of karate. rather than breaking down the moves for applications.

both are good. personally i like okinawan karate better because it teaches you more. every little nuance of kata has a purpose...many purposes. what japanese arts would call a "chamber" or a "block" can actually be joint locks, or throws, as well as other strikes. (imagine using a high block, accept you smash it under someones chin and drive their head back...not just a block anymore)

some stories say that when funakoshi (shotokan creator) introduced karate to japan, it was a sort of "watered down" or "kids karate" that he learned from Itosu...similar to what kano did with judo. it could be practiced more safely than alot of the hidden (not so obvious) applications of the kata moves,  such as the joint locks and pressure points and that it was intended for school children....some also say he was TOLD to teach it this way because of japans ..not so kind to okinawa history.  some also suspect he did not teach these applications simply because he didn't know them. (which is arguably why he and choki motobu did not get along. motobu defeated funakoshi once i am told)

then some say japan didnt need the grappling aspects, because they already had arts such as jujutsu, and judo.

either way, japanese and okinawan karate is quite different. my advice is to go to both schools and see which art you like best, and which has the best teacher.

there are alot of resources for learning the "secrets" of kata floating around these days, and many japanese karate-ka are returning to a more okinawan way of practicing.

by and large i'd say shotokan is the most stereotypical style of karate...or "krotty" as most people say.

Answer 4

I believe Shotokan teachings focus mainly on punching power while Okinawan teaches a balance of both endurance and speed. Both are great disciplines.

Answer 5

With respect I'd take katana172's advice on this one he definitely knows what he's talking about regards Karate.

Best wishes :)***

Answer 6

Quite honestly the main diiference that I am aware of is Goju-Ryu uses more circular motions then Shotokan, and Goju-Ryu is a combination of hard and soft, where as Shotokan focuses more on hard.

I tend to favor Goju-Ryu, but that is just because I prefer Okinawin styles(Goju-Ryu) over Japanese styles(Shotokan), whcih tend to be more sport oriented, although they are more than adiquite for self defense if taught right.

Okinawin styles tend to incorperate more grappling, such as locks, throws, chokes and take downs. The Okinawin styles have not been watered down like most of the Japanese style, although Shotokan is probably the closest to the original Okinawin styles. Again this is just a personel preferance based on training an Okinawin style for almost 19 years.

Either style will work well for self defense if taught by a good instructor, I would choose based on the instructor and the way the school trains (for realism or for sport), rather then by style. A big part of it is what you want out of karate.

bobby- get a clue.

Answer 7

i would go for goju ryu as in my opinion okinowan styles teach more practicle street orientated self defence.both styles are good though depending what you want to get out of it.

Answer 8

Hello, I teach Goju Ryu ...

...I studied Shotokan back in the day and have close friends who teach it. It is Originally from an Okinawan art called Shorin Ryu. It was modified when taught to the Japanese and  the name "Shotokan" was given to it to commemorate the person who taught his version of Shorin Ryu to the Japanese.

and this is an answer I gave a while back about Goju Ryu...  

It means "hard soft".

Not half hard-half soft.

Not block soft - hit hard...

just hard-soft.

The name has to do with the breathing which creates HARMONY between hardness and softness in your movements.

The foundation of Goju Ryu is called Sanchin, which is a training from Fukien Province in China.

It consists of Breath Control, Muscle Change and Intention.

These three things are usually in conflict with each other and the practice of Sanchin unites the three aspects which generates internal power.

Sanchin means: San - 3, Chin - Conflicts = 3 Conflicts.

The kata of Goju Ryu are made of techniques that have a devastating effect on the unfortunate attacker.

Tearing and Ripping, Piercing, Twisting/Coiling, Pulling, Centrifical Force, Throwing, Joint Locking/Grappling, Pressure Points, Leg Trapping, Kicks, Heal Strikes, Stomping...

These are all aspects of the techniques you learn as you practice the kata of Goju Ryu.

The body always faces the attacker straight forward. It is never turned sideways.

The Bubishi, an ancient manual of Chinese Martial Arts(Chinese = Wu Pei Chi) has a poem that was intrumental in the development and even the naming of Goju Ryu.

The poem goes like this:

The Poem of the Eight Fists -

JINSHIN WA TENCHI NI ONAJI. - The mind is one with heaven and earth.

(This is about your temperament)

KETSUMYAKU WA NICHIGETSU NI NITARI. - The circulatory rhythm of the body is similar to the cycle of the sun and the moon.

(this refers to the practice of KyushoJutsu- Pressure Point Striking)

HO WA GOJU WO TONDO SU. - The way of inhaling and exhaling is both hardness and softness.

(This is Sanchin practice)

MI WA TOKI NI SHITAGAI HEN NI OZU. - Act in accordance with time and change.

(This is also related to Kyushojutsu and the INYO - Okinawan for Yin Yang theory related to attack and counter)

TE WA KU NI AI SUNAWACHI HAIRU. - Techniques will occur in the absence of conscious thought.

(This is about practicing to develop instinct- you should not think about what you are going to do, it should happen by instinct)

SHINTAI WA HAKARITE RIHO SU. - The feet must advance and retreat, separate and meet.

(This is related to the footwork of the kata)

ME WA SHIHO WO MIRU WO YOSU. - The eyes do not miss even the slightest change.

(this is about developing your senses)

MIMI WA YOKU HAPPO WO KIKU. - The ears listen well in all directions.

(Also related to your senses)

From the third precept is where Miyagi Sensei named Goju Ryu.

There is soooo much more that I would have to write a book to explain.

I hope this will answer your question.

Please keep in mind, that if you are not learning the things described here, you are only benefiting a percentage of its true capabilities as an art. (end of past answer)

The differences in the two styles are in the footwork, posture, defense patterns, etc.

Goju Ryu faces the opponent directly while Shotokan faces at an angle.

Goju Ryu has an Internal development training as noted above called Sanchin. The Original Shorin Ryu also did Sanchin training but in its transition to Shotokan it was lost. Most Shorin styles don't utilize Sanchin anymore either as they have the Naihanchin kata which they used for conditioning.

Answer 9

The way some of the moves are done.  Such as northern an southern shoalin, one is better at distant the other is for close combat.