What is the difference between Traditional Okinawan Karate and the modern sport Karate?

Question

I was wondering what the difference between the traditional styles and the modern styles of karate are. Can someone please explain this to me. Also i hear that some traditional styles dont really focus on belts. How does it work without belts and how do you track progress?

Plz dont give me answers that say that karate sucks and take this or that.

Answer 1

traditional karate focuses on a lot of philosophy but it also depends on the style and school a lot of newer styles have a lot of stunt moves. Some schools only focus on sparring. The best way to see the difference is to try them. a lot of traditional schools try to teach that karate as more of an art than a sport but it depends on the school.

(p.s. who would say karate sucks!? whoever would said that either hasn't tried it or hasn't spent enough time

Answer 2

You should look at the WKF site to get a good idea of what "sport karate" is.

Then check out some good videos (You Tube etc) of Okinawan Karate.

Some mainland Japanese Karate is more traditional but most follow sport oriented karate (not that these masters  don't know or do traditional karate but they tend to focus on sport - it is a sad fact of life).

Modern doesn't necessarily mean bad; but the sport version of karate is usually pretty empty of meaning and mainly benefits the young and fast. I don't recommend it....

Answer 3

The traditional styles are stricter and more disciplined. The focus is not on fast progression or making money it is on personal growth through the process of uncovering the layers within the martial art.

In the early stages the training in  many traditional schools focuses on techniques, strengthening and discipline. However as you get into the higher ranks the area of spiritual development also comes into play. Eventually the two become one, so that the performance of the martial art itself becomes a spiritual experience.

Some people want that and others prefer a purely athletic base for their martial art. It's a personal choice. And while sport karate may have been an easier road to travel, I decided upon the spiritual journey. I'm glad i did.

Answer 4

One of the big differences is the use of the hip in punching, blocking and kicking.  You don't see that emphasized near as much in American style karate as you do in the more traditional Okinawan and Japanese styles.  Katas are not near as dynamic and flashy and usually have no kicks higher than the solar plexus in traditional styles.  With respect to competition and fighting the scoring is much different.  In traditional type tournaments you fight only to three and something like a back-fist only is awarded a half point.  A weak reverse punch the same if both feet are not on the ground including the heals when it makes contact and there is no face and no safety gear.  All kicks are one point and must make solid contact so control is important more-so as well as not being overextended with a technique or reaching to far.

Answer 5

Can't improve a lot on what William P said. We have a differance of opinion because I personally think the Okinawin punch is much more effective, and that it would be easier to prove scientificly.

The Okinawin punch does not binde muscles, which makes the punch faster. Speed+mass=the amount of kinetic energy delivered to the target. More speed at the same mass means more power.

just differnet outlooks, the rest of his answer is good.

Answer 6

I am not well versed in modern styles of karate I have been a member of one modern club when I was younger but it was long ago and I dont really remember and that club was more of a mc dojo than anything.

however I do know Traditional Okinawan Karate quite well.

Tradtional styles focus on Kata and karate as a way of life. rather than sparring although some north american clubs will touch on it They do spend sometime on weapons.

In okinawa there are only four belts white, green, brown and black the colours are symbolic of the days past where students were given a white belt and as time progressed their belt would become dirty  with grass stains and sweat eventually turning black.

however clubs in north america have introduced more colours as a way of tracking progress and you will probably not find a club in canada or america that does not use some form of this system

Answer 7

Traditional Okinawan karate contains many joint locks, takedowns, etc. that the sport karate does not have. Sport karate tends to use higher kicks than the Traditional version. Sport karate (not only the Okinawan styles, but the Korean TKD) tend to kick using the instep rather than the ball of the foot.  I could go on an on but I finish by saying this. Traditional Okinawan karate still does basically the same kata that were done by the old masters. Within them are many practical real-life applications(If you know how to discover them). Sport karate has in many cases changed the kata. Many times Sport karate kata have been totally made up just for competition. Traditional Okinawan karate has more self-defense applications.

Answer 8

I think its the discipline

Answer 9

For one the Okinawan Karate Punch has to be chucked out the window right off the bat.  That thumb being at the 11 o'clock position looking like you're ready to dump wine out of a glass of wine at the end of that punch isn't quite as effective as the Main Karate punch now is it?...at least not scientifically.

Okinawan Karate's ( Joint Attacking ) presure point attacking is also a very key difference.  Mainland Karate is more focused towards atemiwaza ( striking  technique ) which is all fine, well and great, and like I said I love Mainland Karate's striking too man over the Okinawan striking, as to where the quick take downs from the standing position in Okinawan Karate can't be beat because I love "small joint manipulation" and the quickness such joint attacking has in grounding a man quicker than what sports fans see via UFC take downs.

I love that Okinawan Karate practitoners remain standing after a take down and strike from the standing position down on to the opponent once he's been grounded as well the whole time controlling the opponent's arm with many of Okinawan Karate's techniques.  ...crash...boom....baam!!!

In Okinawan Karate  60 - 40, 65 - 35, what ever it is, balance isn't a must when it comes to stance either.  I have to admit between taking both Mainland and Okinawan Karate I did favor Okinawan Karate way more for this one simple reason.  That one bent knee and one leg extended behind you stance of Mainland Karate seemed kind of meaningless after learning Okinawan Karate.  I have forgotten a lot of the smaller details of techniques over the years, but the key points between the two are stance, striking ( the details ) and pressure point attacking ( joint attacking ).  I'm not saying that every Karate pratitioner out there will agree with me when I say Okinawan Karate is the best around out of the art forms or styles of Karate out there.  I do favor Mainland Karate punches over Okinawan Karate punches any day though.  I wish Okinawan Karate would adopt the Mainland Karate punch because Okinawan Karate would be all the better for it in my opinion.

Just my own "Key notes" between the two that I keep in my head constantly....not everyone will agree.

As far as belts go I'd say do your research via a search engine man.  There are a ton of contrasting stories about "belt ranking".  Karate isn't Karate though with out the Americanized Belt Ranking System in my opinion.

Answer 10

Hi ;

There is a huge difference between Koryu and what is considered "traditional", and that difference depends on the suffix used - "do" or "jutsu".

The "do" "tradition" reflects the philosophical, character building, personal growth aspect of the art.

"do" tradition kumite is based on the japanese-sport kumite but not sporty-style sparring like you see today.

Hohan Soken was a karate master of the highest calibre - head of the Matsumura Seito Shorin Ryu and learned what many people call "Hakutsuru" - Okinawan White Crane.

He left Okinawa for 25 years to go to South America. Rumors say he killed a Yakuza when they tried to extort money from him to protect his business. As I stated, it's what the "rumors" say.

When he returned to Okinawa he saw a different art from what was there and was angered. He was told by the other Masters that the Japanese hard-pressed them to stop training "old-style" and adapt the new way. He refused.

Matsumura Seito is one of the few lineages that still teach and do the Koryu - "jutsu" way.

So we can say that karate"do" was a "softened" karate to appease the Japanese, who had taken over the Government in Okinawa.

"jutsu" means skill. Prior to all the styles being established, the Okinawan arts were known as "bujutsu", which is the same as the Chinese "wushu".

This is when you were taught "toudijutsu" which later became karatejutsu. "di" is the Okinawan dialect for hand "te" is Japanese.

This is when your training used to movements of the kata, which contained Grappling techniques, which is originally THEE Okinawan art called "ti" (when used as a word) or "di" (when used as part of a term like "Toudi" = China Hand).

You learned Pressure Point striking - Kyushojutsu;

Throwing techniques - Nagewaza

Joint Locking - Tuidijutsu

Energy Development and Release - Kiko (Qigong).

Alignment - Body Mechanics;

Healing with acupressure and using herbs.

These are the differences between Koryu - Jutsu  and Traditional - Do.

No ranking system was used, however, a teacher would draught a document noting any student's advancements, etc.

One such document was written by Chojun Miyagi - Founder of Goju Ryu - noting Seiko Higa as having achieved Mastery under him. No other student of Miyagi received rank from him.

The Belt system was adopted from Judo.

The "do" styles have pre-arranged sparring and very basic "bunkai" but no extensive "tichiki" (an old term that predates "bunkai" and also refers to the hidden techniques in the kata).

The karatedo punch is also different from Toudijutsu, which in the latter, is not always a punch.

The karatedo punch is turned fully versus the jutsu which is only a 3/4 turn.

The elbow points out to the side and almost-to fully extended as opposed to the jutsu which points towards the earth and the shape of the arm is kept "rounded".

As you see, in this short post there is a lot of detail illustrating what I feel are big differences, but there really is more.

Ally yourself with someone who teaches in the Koryu mindset and you will not have to "supplement" as is the general consensus - you have to learn a grappling art and a striking art and a flying art, etc.

If you learn the Koryu/Jutsu way, you will have all the things you will ever need.

:)

Answer 11

Have to agree with KATANA on the punch thing.Not only is it faster the posistion of the fist emphasizing striking with the knuckles of the index and middle fingers fits and contours a wide number of pressure point targets very nicely.

My view in a nut shell and believe me myself and others could probably write books on the subject.

If you want to be a sports champ get yourself on the cover of BLACK BELT mag and learn a lot of spectacular technical nonsense and think you are studying self defense  dont take traditional martial arts .

If you want to learn self defense how to do arm locks chokes take downs sweeps throws and apply real pressure point technique(none of that DILLMAN bull)then take a traditional martial art.

Many of the arts claim to be traditional but are traditional in name only as the teaching is so tournament orientated as to render it less than realistic and virtually useless as self defense..That includes full contact tournaments tho the training may be a little more realistic it is still training for an artificial environment.

That is my view of the differences between the two.

EDIT

The comment about belts turning black from sweat and grass  stains is largely a myth .Find some pictures of the old masters training their students and what you will see is guys in shorts and t shirts no belts.If anything turned black from grass stains it would be the seat of their shorts from being swept or thrown to the ground so often.The okinawans like the japanese have a real fetish about cleanliness and some smelly old sweat and grass stained apparel belt or not wouldn't be allowed.

The 4 belts mentioned were an early concession to japanese influence and some still use it but most have adopted the more common form of ranking.

Answer 12

what about this - it may help. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9A36HDEmT... permit office training and its an addition to shadow training